by A posting in today’s The Shooting Wire announcing the Chicagoland Gun Show caught my eye.
Outdoor Sports Group (OSG) is proud to announce the first ever Chicagoland Gun Show January 23-27, 2013 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont Illinois.
The Chicagoland Gun Show will be co-located with the Chicago Outdoor Sports Show which continues a 30 + year tradition of sports shows gracing the shores of Lake Michigan and providing the Greater Chicagoland area a break from cabin fever.
While there are other shows in the vicinity of Chicago, for example shows in Wheaton and Lakemoor, I couldn’t find any that were actually being held in Cook County unlike this show. Rosemont is outside the city limits of Chicago near O’Hare Airport.
I like the fact that they are co-locating the gun show with the outdoor sports show as it should bring higher traffic to the gun show. Given the onerous restrictions on gun ownership and even gun stores in Chicago, I’m guessing there might be some pent-up demand to go someplace where you can actually “touch and feel” a firearm and, with the proper documentation, buy a firearm.
I know the promoters are calling this the “first ever Chicagoland Gun Show” but I wonder if this is hyperbole. If any readers in the Chicago area know of gun shows in Cook County, either current or in the distant past, I’d love to know about it. You can post the info in the comments section.
You actually have to have the proper documentation to "touch and feel" a firearm, too.
I may venture up beyond I-80 to see how this thing pans out.
I presume you mean the FOID card. I was totally ignorant of the thing until I tried to buy some ammo in O'Fallon, IL (near St. Louis) and was told I either needed that or a IL non-resident hunting license.
This is interesting…I'll have to check out out. I seriously doubt anyone will be able to purchase on-site though waiting periods (24 hrs for long guns, 72 hrs for handguns) notwithstanding.
Though as a C&R I'm but bound by those for appropriate firearms.
One thing to note is that cities with home rule can override Cook County ordinances completely. You'd have to look at what Rosemont had on the books.
I can't find any firearms ordinances for Rosemont, so Cook County's laws apply. Don't look for black rifles or 'high capacity' magazines. Still, I think Colleen and I need a booth.
Chicago had an enormous gun culture before Daley and The Machine tried to destroy it. Guns were sold at an enormous gun counter(s) on Michigan Avenue at Marshall Fields. There was a trap and skeet range on the Lake. The University of Chicago had a rifle and pistol team and a great indoor range.
It started with "reasonable" restrictions in the 1960s (waiting periods, etc.) and then lead to a handgun freeze in 1983.
Now the Chicago gun shows are held in Crown Point, Valparaiso, or even coming as far south as Indianapolis. Chicagoans buy them from private parties or FFLs (sending them to non-Chicago FFLs to pick up). It is always funny to see the cars with Illinois plates being loaded up with ammunition at gun shows in Indiana.
Shootin' Buddy
Yeah, I dont see how this would work well in Illinois. Long gun waiting period is 24 hours, handgun is 72. Hell I just bought a new glock on Friday and had to wait until monday night to pick it up…
This state sucks.
Back in the late 80's, early 90's, the "Cook County Gun Shows" were held at a Holiday Inn convention-type building at 167th & Halsted, still within the county limits in Harvey. Really crappy neighborhood, even back then. Remember one show where some guy (from the neighborhood, not the show) who couldn't get a room at the HI, was raping some girl in the parking lot, totally oblivious to the fact that the gun show was going on and the place was flooded with cops. After they ended the shows there, the next closest were the ones that were held at Balmoral Race Track in Crete, outside of the longarm of Cook County. Those ended a few years ago, I think because of a lack of attendance. Illinois shows suck in general, due to all the increased statewide rules & regs. Indiana shows (Crown Point & Valpo) are much more friendly and laid back.