Strategies and Tactics Moderator hat on:
How much protection do you think carrying an unloaded handgun in a case with a loaded magazine next to it really will give you?
Think about this for a minute. How many self defense situations might you find yourself in where you woud reasonably have time to unzip a pistol rug, insert a magazine, chamber a round and bring the weapon to bear on your assailant?
I think if you have that much time, you have enough warning to avoid the encounter in the first place. Given the way the law is written, any attempt to skirt it is not going to leave you a tactically sound legal option involving a firearm. If you're really concerned about legally protecting yourself in Illinois, you need to look at other options like OC and the Nike defense.
Back to Legal and Political Comments:
If you want to carry an unloaded hangun in a fanny pack to make a political statement, that is certainly your right. You are taking a chance of arrest for doing it. The law is unclear. The attorney generals office refuses to issue an interpretation. You are depending on a couple lower court rulings that are only valid in those individual circuits as your defense. Even if you are aquitted or the charges eventually dismissed, you will have a permanent criminal history file that will read:
1 charge 0 convictions Unlawful use of weapons
This will follow you for the rest of your life and will undoubtedly cause NICS delays when purchasing firearms, could cause you to have to make explanations to prospective future employers and other ramifications having a positive criminal history can cause.
What's it going to take to get the people of Illinois interested in CCW? What did it take in Texas? I think the Lubys Cafeteria shooting and Suzanna Hupp testifying how she could have possibly saved her parents had she not left her gun in the car to remain within the law is what put CCW over the top in Texas. I really think that only an incident of that magnitude, properly handled in the press and before the legislature is going to get the General Assembly off dead center on CCW. They don't care that we are one of the last two states without any form of legal carry for civilians.
I don't for one minute want to see something like the Lubys shootings happen again in Illinois or anywhere else. But I do think that it will take something of that magnitude to move the debate to our side. It's very sad, but unfortunately I believe it's true.
Jeff