How does one cross the state of Illinois?   That sounds like the opening line of a joke.   However, it is a serious question.    

I would suppose the responses and guidance would vary depending upon the route and time/distance of travel, I suppose?    

In one situation,  family would be traveling from Western Kentucky, around the Paducah area to Sikeston, Missouri.    We would cross the Ohio River on route 51 into the southern most portion of Illinois, around Defiance Park.   We would then take route 62  out of Illinois, across the Mississippi River into Missouri, and on to Sikeston.    We would return the same way.    

In another situation, we would travel from Kentucky, leaving the Loserville, (Louisville),  KY area on I-64 west to St. Louis, Missouri.   We would return the same way.

We are are all gun people.   I usually carry multiple guns on me.    I usually travel, on trips more than a hour or so, with body armor and rifles.   That sometimes includes NFA items.   It is not uncommon for me to have a suppressed SBR beside me while working around my properties in Loserville, KY.  

Most of you know there are few to no firearm restrictions in Kentucky.    Hell, a person can conceal carry a machine gun and a sword, without a KY CDWL (Concealed Deadly Weapons License) in KY.    Missouri is similar.    

Several years ago, when making that trip across the southern portion of Illinois, we would take only pistols,  I would stop the car before leaving Ky, we would all disarm, put the unloaded and disassembled pistols in separate locked boxes and ammo in a locked box, and put them all in the trunk (had to take a car with a trunk to be safe) before leaving KY and crossing the river into IL.     Once into Missouri, we would repeat the process in reverse to arm up.     The entire chinese (sic) fire drill would be repeated on the trip back.

Things are different now.  What are the restrictions?   For our super short strip across the southern tip of the state, I suppose we have fewer issues/concerns, as we would not be stopping and getting out anywhere?   But, I am guessing a 4 hour trip, minimum, across the state on I-64 could expand to include stops for fuel or fuel.    What would be the course of action then?    Is it best to only travel with traditional handguns, (pistols and revolver, and not ARs/AKs), from a legal perspective?  No body armor?

I am looking forward to reading the responses, learning about the current laws, and get the advice and guidance to improve our travels.

 

Just think of NFA as Not Freaking Allowed.  

Non-NFA rifles: Unloaded, in a case, separate from ammo.  There are some municipal ordinances banning so-called assault weapons and high-cap mags, but I'm fairly certain that down south that's not an issue.

Pistols:  Do you have a Kentucky CCDW license?  If so, then you can car carry, i.e. keep a concealable firearm loaded and accessible.  If you're doing permitless carry, then you have to do the same song-and-dance to disarm before crossing the state.

Body armor: As far as I know, nothing is specifically outlawed.

In an airplane.


Seriously, when I drive across IL, I only do 5 over if I have goodies.   If just a sidearm, I run with the pack at least extralegal speeds (blend right in).

I know where Possum Trot is.   It is not too far from Monkey's  Eyebrow.  

Thank you both.

This is way simpler than you want to make it.

Leave NFA stuff at home.

Rifles should be unloaded and in a firearm case that completely encloses the firearm.

If you have a CCW permit from your home state then you can have a loaded pistol on you _inside your vehicle_.  If you leave your vehicle either lock the pistol in the vehicle, or unload it and put it in a case.

LOL!   That is not what I would call simple.   That is a lot of concessions.    

Basically, it comes down to, make the mad dash across the southern tip of the state.   It is less hassle that it was years ago.  One does not have to do the chinese fire drill to when driving one mile across the southern most part of the state.    Still, don't visit any place, don't stop at any business, and don't get out of the vehicle.  Sounds a bit like what one character says to another in a scene in horror movie.  LOL!

First situation, you're in this shithole state for about 3 minutes. Obey the traffic laws and drive on.

Second situation, obey the traffic laws, don't draw attention to yourself, don't stop (fuel is cheaper outside this shithole anyway and there's really nothing to see or any outstanding places to eat along that route) and drive on.

You get out of Chiraq and most of this state is just like the rest of the midwest. You're overthinking it.

Just to be clear, if a person is driving through IL with a CCW from their home state, stops at a restaurant and leaves the car, is locking the doors of the car adequate as long as the loaded firearm is in the back of the vehicle in the luggage area (SUV - no trunk) or under the driver's seat and NOT in a case?  If a case is really necessary, can a case be defined as a simple gun rug, soft case with a zipper?  I've read from a few websites and it is either not clear or conflicting.

Are there mag limits for a non resident in IL for a pistol or shotgun (Southern IL only, not up north by Chicago).

Inside locked vehicle AND firearm not in plain sight is adequate.

No magazine restrictions outside of a handful of Chicago area locations.

If the vehicle is locked and the firearm isn't visible, then the car becomes the case.  It's perfectly legal.  If you want to stash it under your seat without any other case and even the tip of the barrel is visible, though, you'll be risking some nosy person spotting it and calling it in.  In downstate IL that's not likely, but why chance it?  If you don't have a soft-sided case, just wrap it in a towel or something else, or put it in the glove box or center console.

On the NFA front, it should be noted that SBR's are legal in Illinois if you have a C&R FFL.  May not help many, but it's there. ATF says that it can't be a trust registration since a trust can't hold an FFL.

There is no requirement for locking unless you're parking in a carry-prohibited parking lot... a hospital or police station for example. A random business, gas station etc there is no requirement for a locked case or vehicle.