15 replies to this topic

[Molly B.]

Is it legal to carry a polymer 80 build handgun in Illinois or is serialized firearm required?

[InterestedBystander]

Dont remember seeing anything about serialization. The act defines a handgun:

"Handgun" means any device which is designed to expel a projectile or projectiles by the action of an explosion, expansion of gas, or escape of gas that is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand. "Handgun" does not include:
(1) a stun gun or taser;
(2) a machine gun as defined in item (i) of paragraph (7) of subsection (a) of Section 24-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012;
(3) a short-barreled rifle or shotgun as defined in item (ii) of paragraph (7) of subsection (a) of Section 24-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012; or
(4) any pneumatic gun, spring gun, paint ball gun, or B-B gun which expels a single globular projectile not exceeding .18 inch in diameter, or which has a maximum muzzle velocity of less than 700 feet per second, or which expels breakable paint balls containing washable marking colors.

"Concealed firearm" means a loaded or unloaded handgun carried on or about a person completely or mostly concealed from view of the public or on or about a person within a vehicle.

Edited by InterestedBystander, 09 January 2020 - 07:51 PM.

[biggun 1]

i don,t know the law but i would have no part a any firearm without a serial number,not only in illinois but anyplace.

[NRApistol]

Is it legal to carry a polymer 80 build handgun in Illinois or is serialized firearm required?

I would think there would be no problem.

 

Is it legal to carry an "antique handgun"  (made before serial numbers were required)?

 

I believe the bottom line of the the law is "concealable"  handgun.

[Flynn]

Should be no issues, a home built firearm doesn't require a serial at the Federal level and I don't know of any Illinois law that requires one either.

[TRJ]

As an aside, I recall reading that P80 and the like is a more expensive route into ownership. If the person Molly is asking about actually has a FOID and FCCL they probably have the resources to buy a reliable manufactured handgun through existing channels and don't need the work around that is P80.

 

P80 is a neat way of telling the powers that be to get/keep their nose out of your business. It also tells them that in spite of any rules they make now or in the future, enterprising people will overcome. 

 

Statements aside, P80 and the like represent hobby toys best left to the range more than they do something intended to keep you and your loved ones alive in an attack. Given the P80's political and social statement intent, you should expect that a DGU with one may serve against the defender's best interests.  While they are legal to carry, why would you choose to?

[Nanook]

i don,t know the law but i would have no part a any firearm without a serial number,not only in illinois but anyplace.

 

Quite a few older guns, pre '68, have no serial numbers. It wasn't a requirement until then. 

 

Plus you can put your own serial number on an 80% firearm. You would be the manufacturer. 

[Bubbacs]

But the question begs to WHY?
They are not a reliable firearm, without lots and lots of refinement.
Videos abound every where on that tube place.....

Yes they are simple
Yes they require almost no skill or tools

But back to the first line above....WHY?

Forget pre ‘68 as I doubt, but now someone will say yes, that anyone is using a pre ‘68 for a EDC!

Get a firearm manufactured by a firearms maker, something reliable and carry that.

Be safe
Carry on

[mab22]

I’m gonna guess that you can with a caveat.
In the event you encounter law enforcement, be it for any reason, if you had to use it or not.

How do you think that conversation is going to go with the law enforcement officer when they can’t find a serial number or manufacturer, how would they know if it’s not stolen or not?

I would say the extra money you pay upfront for a serialized item will pay dividends in avoiding future attorney costs, even if your 100% not guilty.

Just because you “can”, doesn’t always mean you “should”.

[Raw Power]

Why? Because we live in a free country.

[RandyP]

I'm thinking 100% legal. I've done a few 80% AR builds and they were 'successful' and fun but are not elegant -lol. Considering how truly affordable so many quite good factory-made polymer pistols are these days I think the 80% units might be getting reserved to the foil-hat crowd? lol

[mostholycerebus]

BTW Tennessee Arms poly hybrid 80%s are available with a serial number if you want. Just tell the owner you want one. Necessary to transfer later. Great lowers too, poly with brass reinforcement in stress areas.

[brianj - now in Kansas]

But the question begs to WHY?
They are not a reliable firearm, without lots and lots of refinement.
Videos abound every where on that tube place.....

Yes they are simple
Yes they require almost no skill or tools

But back to the first line above....WHY?

Forget pre ‘68 as I doubt, but now someone will say yes, that anyone is using a pre ‘68 for a EDC!

Get a firearm manufactured by a firearms maker, something reliable and carry that.

Be safe
Carry on

 

 

I've done a couple of P80 builds (and had 'em serialized - not because I was worried about The Man, but because I wanted to be able to hand LE an actual serial number if the thing was ever lost or stolen).  I can honestly say that both builds are among the most reliable firearms I own - I've never had any sort of failure with them.  They've eaten every type of ammo that I've thrown at them, and have been very accurate.

 

I've carried (and shot IDPA) with both of them.

 

I remembered researching them back when I lived in Illinois and didn't remember seeing anything in the law that precluded carrying a P80.  However, I haven't kept up with all the changes in the laws since I moved.  The points that Bubba and the rest made about possibly buying extra trouble from LE if they find you carrying an unserialized firearm are well taken.  You may be able to beat the rap, but may not be able to beat the ride. 

 

Bottom line: if it was the only firearm I had, I'd carry it with a clear conscience.  But I'd also make acquiring a serialized firearm one of my top priorities, though.

[Sasquatch_be_me]

But the question begs to WHY?
They are not a reliable firearm, without lots and lots of refinement.
Videos abound every where on that tube place.....

Yes they are simple
Yes they require almost no skill or tools

But back to the first line above....WHY?

Forget pre ‘68 as I doubt, but now someone will say yes, that anyone is using a pre ‘68 for a EDC!

Get a firearm manufactured by a firearms maker, something reliable and carry that.

Be safe
Carry on

Free men don't ask. Innocent until proven guilty. If you know more about gun laws than most of LE and you know how to explain stuff with references then you're probably fine. It is 100% legal to use and carry any homemade firearm with or without serialization so long as it is "concealable" meaning <26" OAL and is defined as a "pistol" meaning not a shotgun, not a "firearm", and not an AOW.

 

Yeah... I threw together a p80 kit and it's 100% my daily. It's actually more reliable than my factory Glock and a few borrowed/rented Glocks I've used. Took me under $10 of tools and about 20 minutes from unpacking the box to being ready to fire. It's a G17 slide, G19 grip, 3D printed magwell, Strike Industries Polyflex backplate, and a Holosun 407C.
 

As for why? It was cheaper. I couldn't find a "match grade" Glock 17 with grip chop, stippling, three mags, suppressor height tritiums, slide cuts, and red dot for UNDER $800. It out shoots my Sig 226 even with the red dot off all day and I haven't even put a good trigger in the p80 yet.

 

Another thing you might not have considered, 3D printing is on the rise. Right now I can 3D print Glock frames plus 17 and 31 round mags ALL DAY and make my own springs quite easily. It isn't hard and the frames last at least a thousand rounds before you need to invest in another $2 worth of plastic. 3D printed ARs and AKs are a big hit right now along with the TEC-9 and FGC9 (Glock mag, diy barrel, diy rifling, and still quite accurate). The gun world is changing quickly and the laws will never be able to keep up. If anyone ON THE PLANET can have all the NFA/banned stuff with the click of a button, then gun control is over. (end of rant, haha)

[Bitter Clinger]

I'd love to build one of these.  Maybe more than one.

I'd better do it quick though, because the government will change the law to make them illegal.  Just watch and see.

[Sasquatch_be_me]

The government will change the law to make them illegal.  Just watch and see.

Hence the reason for their existence and the emergence of 3D printing files everywhere on the internet. Imagine if the govt made a random word illegal just "because we can", but everyone in the country still had pens, pencils, paper, computers, and printers. It kind of limits the govts ability to infringe on your rights, right? Gee... I wonder where I've heard of this concept before.