Can someone tell me a little about Illinois? A broker friend of mine told me about a nice home for sale in Ashland (central Illinois). He thought I may be intrested in it but I don't know anything about the state. How about schools, crime and most important of all, is it gun friendly?

Central Illinois is pretty nice territory, Farmland mostly. However its nowhere near as scenic as the North East. Schools vary greatly by area/town so you would need to inquire locally. Crime, in the central area, would most likely be relatively low. Relatively is the key word. Chicago,(north east Ill.), is, for the 3rd year in a row going to take the title of MURDER CAPITAL of North America. Guns are Illegal in the murder capital- therefore most murders are gun related. Gang/drug violence is Epidemic....

Illinois is probably One of the top 3 worst, if not the worst state in the country for law abiding gun owners. There is NO concealed carry. You will need to be registered like a sex offender- FOID card is required to purchase, own, or possess a firearm or ammo. And the Current democratic government is trying to outright ban almost all firearms. No Joke.


For a better idea of our gun laws look at the "Illinois Gun Laws" Post tacked above. It's only 15 or 20 pages long....  

It's a nice little ag community. We have a couple of friends that live there. I drive through there maybe 20 times a year. I can only think of 1 murder in the last dozen years.

Downtown Springfield is about 30 minutes away. Springfield is a heavy medical community, as well as state govt.

If you have any specific questions about Ashland, IM, I'll see if I can get some answers.

As far as Il is concerned, Grock pretty much summed it up as far as guns are concerned.

We could always use another patriot. Personally, I wouldn't recommend anyone moving into Il, unless you plan on fighting for your rights tooth and nail.

OK this is a little protracted but worth the info:

Go to terraserver-usa.com/ and hit the US map. Then click on the state of IL. Then click in the general area the town is located in. (You may have to pan out the res on the Map to find town names or go to "Advanced Find" and put in the name.) Once you find the area, look on the left side bar for all kinds of geographic and social info on crime, schools etc...

Thank you for the answers to my questions.I feel sorry for you guys with gun laws like that. One of the reasons I moved out of Massachusetts was because of stupid gun laws. I keep looking for better places to live but so far none offer the freedoms New Hampshire has to offer. I shouldn't say none , but none that I have looked into to relocate.


Rallywagon- that was a great link. I'll be saving that.

Let's get something straight here. The gun laws in Illinois are not that bad, there is no "sex-offender" type registration. Although they did try that. It is the incompetent failure of a Mayor named Richie Daley along with Suburban Chicago Elitists and a handful of bright red faced fat tub of shit Police Chiefs (yep you new guy, put the Big Macs down) that have tried for years upon years to enact brutal gun laws in IL. They have always failed. ALL of Illinois problems stem from certain areas within the City of Chicago and two minorities of people, you figure it out. I would never ever enter certain areas of that ghetto hell hole and certainly would never go un-armed. The rest of the state has almost zero crime. We have no CC and we have FOID cards. A FOID is $5 and can be had just about anywhere and if you can't get one you aren't going to be going to get a gun anyhow because it's basically your "I passed the Brady background check test weeeeeeee!!!" Although, the FOID act in IL is much older. Besides that, you would be A FOOL to leave a state that has decided to be the first state to try and go Libertarian to restore this Republic back to order. Illinois sucks, plain and simple. Sure, some good folks down south of I-80 and even some of us Yanks but for the most part, well, when my daughter is grown it's down to TN for me. IL is filled STATEWIDE with Liberal morons and the economy of IL is nearing California's. IL Governor Rod Blowgoatshit is another waste  of space, time and tax payer money. It's nowhere near as scenic as NH but just as cold. Where you are talking about (no offense friends) is podunk which for some of us fellas is paradise, for some people it's hell on Earth. However, there are no "assault weapon" bans here, No magazine restrictions. Just no CC (because Chicago is a hell hole filled with fat incompetent "I'm going to save the world" babyboomers) and well since they pack 'em in like rats, they have the most districts, the most reps and the most votes. I will tell you my friend the ONLY thing that keeps me in this hell hole is my daughter otherwise I wouldn't be seen within 100 miles of IL. Oh and Southern IL voters, please stop voting Democrat this isn't your Father's era or your Grandfather's get it through your heads they are Communists. They are lying to you and don't vote the way your Daddy did because your Daddy did. Damn, I have put myself in a great mood to start the week. Illinois sucks, stay away.

P.S. If you live your life according to what your "broker" says stay home, we have enough people living their lives according to what their "broker" or Money Market says, and that's our problem here. We sure don't need more who don't recognize the once in a lifetime chance they have to do some real good in a state that bears the motto "Live Free Or Die."
Wake up brother it's not about money and houses.
You must be a Babyboomer.

Thank you patriot73 for your honest response. First of all I'm not a baby boomer. Second, a real estate friend came upon a fifty acre parcel with a four bedroom home and numerous out buildings. It's not that I want to leave NH, but I'm always looking for something to make my life easier and this just looked like a way of seriously cutting my mortgage and taxes.
That is why I asked you guys on the AR site what you thought of Illinois, and after hearing all of your stories believe me I won't be joining you in Illinois. I did not know one thing about your state other than I drove through it going to Yellow Stone.

I also find Tennessee beautiful and probably my second choice of a state to live. New Hampshire being my first.


P.S. What is a FOID card? And what do you mean you have no concealed carry? Does that mean you can still carry but just don't need a permit?

A FOID card - Firearm Owners ID Card.  This allows you to own guns and purchase ammo.  No you can't carry concealed, you can't open carry.  Forget about packing anywhere anytime.  Like stated above - its Dailey and the crooks that keep us from being allowed to carry.  

FYI - The only place you can legally carry concealed is on your personal property according to the state police.

Personal property being "real property" like house, land, and fixed business.  Not a car.

Stay in NH.  I just attended a training class put on by ATF and IL state police.  The FOID does more to revoke your firearm rights than it grants.  I always thought of the FOID as an Amendment tax, but it is scary how much power the FOID act has.  Crimes like simple assault (no battery, just syaing your going to kick someone's ass) can get FOID/gun ownership rights revoked.  I don't advocate making threats, but all it takes is an assault arrest, not conviction, and a letter from a Chief of Police or State's Atty and kiss guns good bye.

If I didn't live in IL, I'd be broke, but have an amazing gun colection.  BTW IL does not allow NFA items either.

just my 02 cents

Wow! Ok Ok you guys have convinced me I'm NOT moving to Illinois. I can't imagine not carrying. I carry everywhere I go. Just a little FYI- in New Hampshire you only need a drivers license to purchase a gun including pistols. You only need a carry permit if you want to carry a "loaded" firearm. A carry permit cost $10.00. We also can own silencers and full auto, just need to do all the paper work and pay the $200.00 tax stamp.
Thanks for reminding me just how good it is here.You boys are always welcome to move here if you ever get an opportunity.

John, you are a good man, I should not have judged you. Do yourself a major favor, stay out of the People's Republik of Illinois. We will keep fighting the good fight. See you in free Dixie in the future.

Our govenors proper name is "Blowjobavich"

Can someone tell me a little about Illinois? A broker friend of mine told me about a nice home for sale in Ashland (central Illinois). He thought I may be intrested in it but I don't know anything about the state. How about schools, crime and most important of all, is it gun friendly?



I was born & raised in Illinois (Decatur), but have lived the last 18+ years in the Dallas Tx area.  Growing up there I didn't realize how screwed up the gun laws were until I moved here.
That waiting period is bullshit, and I guess the FOID card is livable, if it weren't for the no concealed carry and the fact that the Democrats control the entire state from Chicago.
As far as crime, its relative, although Springfield/Decatur/Peoria may not be major citys, they have their proportionate share of crime (I was LEO in Decatur for several years).
I don't think I'll ever move back to Illinois.

Hey Patriot, if you thing they aren't going to ban AR's and hicaps in IL, you might be wrong in 9 hours or less....SB1195 should have its 3rd reading results posted by then, unless they postponed it again...


Dawg

Quoted:
Hey Patriot, if you thing they aren't going to ban AR's and hicaps in IL, you might be wrong in 9 hours or less....SB1195 should have its 3rd reading results posted by then, unless they postponed it again...


Dawg

What is your source on this. The last that I heard, it was sent back to Rules on 7/1/03, with no further action taken. The Judiciary Committee has no dates scheduled, and it's been assigned no legislation. The next time they're in session is on Jan 14. The last action I know of on any bills was on Nov 06, during the veto session.