Question re firearms in Illinois

[MaggieD]

Mom's 85-year-old friend you've heard about on here has a long gun in mom's garage. I don't know what kind it is -- shotgun? rifle? airgun? But mom is telling me "it's a gun." He's an old fool. Doesn't have a FOID. I made him sell the old guns he had in his home when he sold it two years ago. In the process, he was trying to load one, and the guy buying them threatened to call the police if he loaded it. Did I say he's an old fool?

I don't want him to have access to a gun, so I want to go into the garage when he's not "home" - he lives with mom - and remove it (unless it's an air gun). I have a FOID. Can I throw it in my trunk and take it to my house? Seems like I can if it's unloaded and in a case. What? I have to buy a case to take it? It's certainly never been registered. I don't know if I personally am required to only have a registered gun in my possession...?

Does anyone know?

 

[grip]

Mom's 85-year-old friend you've heard about on here has a long gun in mom's garage. I don't know what kind it is -- shotgun? rifle? airgun? But mom is telling me "it's a gun." He's an old fool. Doesn't have a FOID. I made him sell the old guns he had in his home when he sold it two years ago. In the process, he was trying to load one, and the guy buying them threatened to call the police if he loaded it. Did I say he's an old fool?

I don't want him to have access to a gun, so I want to go into the garage when he's not "home" - he lives with mom - and remove it (unless it's an air gun). I have a FOID. Can I throw it in my trunk and take it to my house? Seems like I can if it's unloaded and in a case. What? I have to buy a case to take it? It's certainly never been registered. I don't know if I personally am required to only have a registered gun in my possession...?

Does anyone know?

It doesn't need a registration but you need your FOID. You want it encased (boxed, wrapped) or not accessible in your vehicle (in trunk) when transporting it.

Firearm Owner's Frequently Asked Questions

 

[Lutherf]

Mom's 85-year-old friend you've heard about on here has a long gun in mom's garage. I don't know what kind it is -- shotgun? rifle? airgun? But mom is telling me "it's a gun." He's an old fool. Doesn't have a FOID. I made him sell the old guns he had in his home when he sold it two years ago. In the process, he was trying to load one, and the guy buying them threatened to call the police if he loaded it. Did I say he's an old fool?

I don't want him to have access to a gun, so I want to go into the garage when he's not "home" - he lives with mom - and remove it (unless it's an air gun). I have a FOID. Can I throw it in my trunk and take it to my house? Seems like I can if it's unloaded and in a case. What? I have to buy a case to take it? It's certainly never been registered. I don't know if I personally am required to only have a registered gun in my possession...?

Does anyone know?

Just a thought here, Mags....if this guy is as manipulative as you say he is then what makes you think he won't call the cops and say you stole it when he figures out it's gone?

 

[joko104]

Could be a problem if he reported it stolen.

 

[MaggieD]

Just a thought here, Mags....if this guy is as manipulative as you say he is then what makes you think he won't call the cops and say you stole it when he figures out it's gone?

Could be a problem if he reported it stolen.

If he notices it's gone, I will tell him I have it at my house. If he reports it stolen, he won't do that without telling me, and I'll remind him he doesn't have a FOID and it's a felony. That besides the fact that it's my mom's garage it's stored in. If he would report it stolen? He'd have sealed his fate with me and solved an ongoing problem.

I don't think they'd press charges when I explained the circumstances. Cognitively impaired cranky old man with an unlicensed firearm. If I was contacted about it, I'd explain everything and offer to give it back. And ask the coppers to arrest him when I handed it to him.

Seriously, does that make sense? Your opinions?

Edit: Stole it?? Officer! I took it for safe-keeping.

 

[Lutherf]

If he notices it's gone, I will tell him I have it at my house. If he reports it stolen, he won't do that without telling me, and I'll remind him he doesn't have a FOID and it's a felony. That besides the fact that it's my mom's garage it's stored in. If he would report it stolen? He'd have sealed his fate with me and solved an ongoing problem.

I don't think they'd press charges when I explained the circumstances. Cognitively impaired cranky old man with an unlicensed firearm. If I was contacted about it, I'd explain everything and offer to give it back. And ask the coppers to arrest him when I handed it to him.

Seriously, does that make sense? Your opinions?

Edit: Stole it?? Officer! I took it for safe-keeping.

I'm just thinking that Illinois isn't exactly the poster state for the 2nd Amendment so might it not be a better idea to make that argument to him first and have him sell it to you (with a receipt)?

 

[Jerry]

Mom's 85-year-old friend you've heard about on here has a long gun in mom's garage. I don't know what kind it is -- shotgun? rifle? airgun? But mom is telling me "it's a gun." He's an old fool. Doesn't have a FOID. I made him sell the old guns he had in his home when he sold it two years ago. In the process, he was trying to load one, and the guy buying them threatened to call the police if he loaded it. Did I say he's an old fool?

I don't want him to have access to a gun, so I want to go into the garage when he's not "home" - he lives with mom - and remove it (unless it's an air gun). I have a FOID. Can I throw it in my trunk and take it to my house? Seems like I can if it's unloaded and in a case. What? I have to buy a case to take it? It's certainly never been registered. I don't know if I personally am required to only have a registered gun in my possession...?

Does anyone know?

First, don't get yourself reported as a gun thief. Do not take the rifle without his permission. Even if the gun magically 'dissapears', if he later reports it stolen, the serial number will eventually pop up in the system and there will be problems.

Second, it's worth the ~$300 fee to have a real lawyer weigh in on your options. There has to be a way to take the gun away from him without getting anyone in trouble. If this were happening in SD we would simply take the gun and deposit a couple hundred in his bank account with a check, stating "for perches of X rifle" on the note section. Should he try to report it stolen we would show the authorities a copy of the check depositing money and say we bought it from him, but he's getting old and doesn't remember...which is why we bought it from him.

 

[grip]

If he notices it's gone, I will tell him I have it at my house. If he reports it stolen, he won't do that without telling me, and I'll remind him he doesn't have a FOID and it's a felony. That besides the fact that it's my mom's garage it's stored in. If he would report it stolen? He'd have sealed his fate with me and solved an ongoing problem.

I don't think they'd press charges when I explained the circumstances. Cognitively impaired cranky old man with an unlicensed firearm. If I was contacted about it, I'd explain everything and offer to give it back. And ask the coppers to arrest him when I handed it to him.

Seriously, does that make sense? Your opinions?

Edit: Stole it?? Officer! I took it for safe-keeping.

I doubt he can prove ownership if he doesn't have a FOID? On top of that, unless you admit to taking it'll probably never be located. Let them assume someone stole it when the garage was open.

 

[joko104]

Or you could just squeeze some liquid epoxy into it thru the trigger area and around the bolt then put it back in- and leave it upside down for 30 minutes until it sets up. Danger eliminated. If it is bolt action, just take the bolt and toss it over some bridge over water. No reason to take the whole rifle. Who knows what happened to it? Disabling it makes more sense than stealing it, which is what you'd be doing.

 

[joko104]

I doubt he can prove ownership if he doesn't have a FOID? On top of that, unless you admit to taking it'll probably never be located. Let them assume someone stole it when the garage was open.

Why would she keep it? If she takes it, get rid of it. separate it into parts and dump half in water one place and the rest somewhere else. Then it's gone. If she takes it, it can't resurface anyway.

I've thrown away firearms because they were too derrelict or seemed just too rusted out. I remove a critical element and dump it elsewhere in the Gulf. Nature takes it from there.

However, it this instance I'd opt to disable it with epoxy (internal) on the bolt (or slide) if semi-auto - and into the trigger mechanism. Otherwise he could go crazy over it disappearing. If she added pouring a little salt water on it, he'd just figure it rusted up as to why it was all jammed up.

 

[grip]

Why would she keep it? If she takes it, get rid of it. separate it into parts and dump half in water one place and the rest somewhere else. Then it's gone. If she takes it, it can't resurface anyway.

I've thrown away firearms because they were too derrelict or seemed just too rusted out. I remove a critical element and dump it elsewhere in the Gulf. Nature takes it from there.

I was assuming she was taking it to sell to someone. Only a Pawn shop or firearms dealer would check the serial numbers and most likely the gun is so old the numbers aren't available. If she wanted to disable it by removing the firing pin and leaving it in the garage he'd never know, unless he decided for some reason to use it.

 

[Lutherf]

Why would she keep it? If she takes it, get rid of it. separate it into parts and dump half in water one place and the rest somewhere else. Then it's gone. If she takes it, it can't resurface anyway.

I've thrown away firearms because they were too derrelict or seemed just too rusted out. I remove a critical element and dump it elsewhere in the Gulf. Nature takes it from there.

However, it this instance I'd opt to disable it with epoxy (internal) on the bolt (or slide) if semi-auto - and into the trigger mechanism. Otherwise he could go crazy over it disappearing. If she added pouring a little salt water on it, he'd just figure it rusted up as to why it was all jammed up.

Good Grief!!

Why destroy it? What if it happens to be something even marginally valuable?

 

[MaggieD]

To all -- Thank you!! I'm leaning in the direction of being upfront with him and buying it from him to get rid of it. If he'll sell it. He thinks everything he owns is worth a fortune. I don't want the damned thing -- I just don't want HIM to have it. Things are likely to come to a crescendo here shortly. I don't trust him. If he won't sell it to me for $100 or something, I'll call the coppers on him. (I actually had to do that to get rid of about 75# of 50-year-old fireworks he had in his attic.)

John is sort of like the crazy boyfriend a young girl brings into the family circle that causes nothing but problems. He's been in mom's life for 40+ years. Some things you never forget. Like when mom was trying to break up with him and he told her if she did he would come to my house and shoot me. No kidding. Add that his brain's probably fried from being an alcoholic for 40+ years, too? And it's a recipe for disaster. When John doesn't get what he wants, there's hell to pay. He's bullied my mom for all these years; and that's about to end. Thus the concern.

Aren't you surprised? I mean I'm a very level headed person. And this sounds like something out of CSI-Chicago.

 

[grip]

To all -- Thank you!! I'm leaning in the direction of being upfront with him and buying it from him to get rid of it. If he'll sell it. He thinks everything he owns is worth a fortune. I don't want the damned thing -- I just don't want HIM to have it. Things are likely to come to a crescendo here shortly. I don't trust him. If he won't sell it to me for $100 or something, I'll call the coppers on him. (I actually had to do that to get rid of about 75# of 50-year-old fireworks he had in his attic.)

John is sort of like the crazy boyfriend a young girl brings into the family circle that causes nothing but problems. He's been in mom's life for 40+ years. Some things you never forget. Like when mom was trying to break up with him and he told her if she did he would come to my house and shoot me. No kidding. Add that his brain's probably fried from being an alcoholic for 40+ years, too? And it's a recipe for disaster. When John doesn't get what he wants, there's hell to pay. He's bullied my mom for all these years; and that's about to end. Thus the concern.

Aren't you surprised? I mean I'm a very level headed person. And this sounds like something out of CSI-Chicago.

Maggie if you disable it by having the firing pin removed he'll never know the difference. And it will render the thing nonfunctional but restorable if desired. Just look up on the Internet how to remove the pin or come here and ask and someone is sure to know.

 

[joko104]

I was assuming she was taking it to sell to someone. Only a Pawn shop or firearms dealer would check the serial numbers and most likely the gun is so old the numbers aren't available. If she wanted to disable it by removing the firing pin and leaving it in the garage he'd never know, unless he decided for some reason to use it.

No! No! NOOO! DON'T TAKE IT TO A PAWN SHOP! That'd be absolutely nuts! ALL serial numbers DO go to the police.

Somehow, I don't see Maggie trying to gunsmith removing firing pins.

Calling the police really is the best idea.

 

[joko104]

Good Grief!!

Why destroy it? What if it happens to be something even marginally valuable?

I'm guessing the money is an irrelevant sum to Maggie. She's not a person who has to count pennies by her messages. 95% of rifles and shotguns out there aren't that valuable used. Besides, it will never have any $$ value to her anyway. She doesn't want it for herself. Since he's a crazy alcholic old man, the $$ issues should be irrelevant anyway.

Again, it takes the slightest amount of 2-part epoxy to disable any long gun.

 

[SMTA]

Or you could just squeeze some liquid epoxy into it thru the trigger area and around the bolt then put it back in- and leave it upside down for 30 minutes until it sets up. Danger eliminated. If it is bolt action, just take the bolt and toss it over some bridge over water. No reason to take the whole rifle. Who knows what happened to it? Disabling it makes more sense than stealing it, which is what you'd be doing.

DO NOT DO THIS!

Having any gun unknowingly inoperative is ridiculous.

Buy it, destroy the entire gun, or have it gifted to you.

 

[grip]

I'm guessing the money is an irrelevant sum to Maggie. She's not a person who has to count pennies by her messages. 95% of rifles and shotguns out there aren't that valuable used. Besides, it will never have any $$ value to her anyway. She doesn't want it for herself. Since he's a crazy alcholic old man, the $$ issues should be irrelevant anyway.

Again, it takes the slightest amount of 2-part epoxy to disable any long gun.

That's funny, super glue the trigger or chamber. He'll just think it's rusted shut...lol

Could hide it somewhere in the garage under a bunch of stuff?

 

[joko104]

That's funny, super glue the trigger or chamber. He'll just think it's rusted shut...lol

Could hide it somewhere in the garage under a bunch of stuff?

I have a Korean era Russian infantry rifle that really rusted up. EVERYTHING here rusts if not well cared for due to humidity. Just couldn't break the bolt free. So... I put it in vice and beat on it the bolt with a 6 pound sledge hammer. It finally broke free. I sprayed some more WD40 on it and the internals, fired it once to make sure it fired, and put it back against the wall. A buddy with me noted I've thrown away firearms less rusty. "Yeah, but it's Russian. That's how you work on them." :2razz:

 

[Buck Ewer]

Maggie is performing a much needed responsibility more people need to take on.
Removing weapons from the possession of old fools has a lot to be said for it.

 

[joko104]

DO NOT DO THIS!

Having any gun unknowingly inoperative is ridiculous.

Buy it, destroy the entire gun, or have it gifted to you.

Not if you don't want it to be a firearm, don't want it to be able to fire and don't want conflict over it.

 

[Jerry]

To all -- Thank you!! I'm leaning in the direction of being upfront with him and buying it from him to get rid of it. If he'll sell it. He thinks everything he owns is worth a fortune. I don't want the damned thing -- I just don't want HIM to have it. Things are likely to come to a crescendo here shortly. I don't trust him. If he won't sell it to me for $100 or something, I'll call the coppers on him. (I actually had to do that to get rid of about 75# of 50-year-old fireworks he had in his attic.)

John is sort of like the crazy boyfriend a young girl brings into the family circle that causes nothing but problems. He's been in mom's life for 40+ years. Some things you never forget. Like when mom was trying to break up with him and he told her if she did he would come to my house and shoot me. No kidding. Add that his brain's probably fried from being an alcoholic for 40+ years, too? And it's a recipe for disaster. When John doesn't get what he wants, there's hell to pay. He's bullied my mom for all these years; and that's about to end. Thus the concern.

Aren't you surprised? I mean I'm a very level headed person. And this sounds like something out of CSI-Chicago.

If you do call the cops, given that this is IL we're talking about it may be a good idea to use the non-emergency number and stress that the gun is not loaded nor is anyone currently handling it.

 

[SMTA]

Not if you don't want it to be a firearm, don't want it to be able to fire and don't want conflict over it.

It is ridiculous and dangerous.

If you understand guns and apply common sense, it can be easily understood by most rational folks.

This is again not fantasyland or the the internet, but the real world that is being discussed.

Walk into your local gun store, ask them, and they will tell you the same thing.

It is common sense.

 

[grip]

I have a Korean era Russian infantry rifle that really rusted up. EVERYTHING here rusts if not well cared for due to humidity. Just couldn't break the bolt free. So... I put it in vice and beat on it the bolt with a 6 pound sledge hammer. It finally broke free. I sprayed some more WD40 on it and the internals, fired it once to make sure it fired, and put it back against the wall. A buddy with me noted I've thrown away firearms less rusty. "Yeah, but it's Russian. That's how you work on them." :2razz:

I've been amazed by the recent (last decade) of firearm fanaticism in the world. I can see someone who enjoys hunting, firearm practice, LEO, ex military or even collectors but having more than 3-5 guns and rarely using them seems a little wasteful. Having 1-2 for household defense or for a mental comfort in case of social unrest I understand better.

I've known a bunch of people who had several nice, high end automatics that they fired enough to become familiar with and even carried one to work for safety but admitted they most likely would never use them much.

 

[Fisher]

Mom's 85-year-old friend you've heard about on here has a long gun in mom's garage. I don't know what kind it is -- shotgun? rifle? airgun? But mom is telling me "it's a gun." He's an old fool. Doesn't have a FOID. I made him sell the old guns he had in his home when he sold it two years ago. In the process, he was trying to load one, and the guy buying them threatened to call the police if he loaded it. Did I say he's an old fool?

I don't want him to have access to a gun, so I want to go into the garage when he's not "home" - he lives with mom - and remove it (unless it's an air gun). I have a FOID. Can I throw it in my trunk and take it to my house? Seems like I can if it's unloaded and in a case. What? I have to buy a case to take it? It's certainly never been registered. I don't know if I personally am required to only have a registered gun in my possession...?

Does anyone know?

Let him keep his gun. It may be there for sentimental reasons. Just steal all his shells.