10 years in and only 3% in IL have CCL

[vito]

I’m surprised. 

[RandyP]

If that stat is correct, I does kinda explain why our State, County and City legislators don't give a rat's you-know-what about the subject.

[ScottFM]

Only around 20% of the state population has a FOID. 

[RandyP]

Can't be surprised that a minority issue gets minority treatment.

[TRussell]

I have had my FOID for many years. I just can't imagine not having it. It is surprising how many Illinoisans don't exercise their 2nd amendments rights.

 

[mauserme]

There's a tradition of "carrying for safety" in Chicago proper that long predates the FCCA.  I'm not sure if making a carry license available significantly changed how things are done within the city, where a high population density might have driven up the numbers without that tradition.

 

 

 

 

[Euler]

Chicago Guns Matter is all about making people know they can own and carry firearms legally if they get a FOID and CCL. Most of its target audience had pretty much given up on that long ago.

[soundguy]

On 7/29/2025 at 9:28 PM, mauserme said:

There's a tradition of "carrying for safety" in Chicago proper that long predates the FCCA.  I'm not sure if making a carry license available significantly changed how things are done within the city, where a high population density might have driven up the numbers without that tradition.

 

Off topic part... this is one of those posts where I might just do a drive-by "like" to show support.

 

Back in '75 we were driving in the city and got turned around, ending up in a neighborhood that just felt different. A CPD squad car approached to ask what we were doing down here, directed us to Rush Street saying if we're gonna be driving around this part of the city we had better carry a gun.

 

Today, if you are caught  carrying a gun without a license you might be in trouble. I suspect there are many otherwise good guys who have neither a FOID or CCL and just exist under the radar.

 

Cheers,

Tim

[Vodoun da Vinci]

This topic brings to my mind the understanding of why the US is a Constitutional Republic rather than a Democracy - in a Democracy, if a majority of people believe and vote that a minority should be stripped of their Rights then it is "majority rule" and the minority is deprived. In a Constitutional Republic, it doesn't matter if 99% of the majority wants my Rights. The Constitution guarantees them.

 

The majority is being allowed to deprive gun owners in the US of their constitutionally protected rights. in Illinois, gun owners 2nd, 5th, and 14th amendment rights are being usurped because the state supreme court and SCOTUS are allowing the majority to violate the constitution and deprive a minority of it's constitutionally guaranteed rights. I'm desperately seeking a resolution to this but I'm not seeing how the US pulls itself out of this dilemma in a 2 party system where both parties are "owned and operated" by a super rich minority with the agenda of controlling and infringement to the degree of disarming America. 

 

I don't see a path out of this for gun owning Americans so long as Citizens United remains intact in allowing super rich donors to bribe/own our representation and the 2 party system, where party loyalty is more prevalent than loyalty to the constitution and the country as a whole. The Oligarchy that owns US and operates our .gov wants US disarmed. The why of that fact is what really concerns me as I'm convinced that when stuff like PICA is allowed to stand, and we have been infringed into virtual disarmament, the poo is gonna hit the fan in America in ways difficult to resolve. .Gov and other groups seem to want US disarmed/infringed into virtual disarmament despite the constitution. I don't see a viable plan or way out of this.

Edited July 30, 2025 at 03:23 PM by Vodoun da Vinci
clarification, spelling

[John Q Public]

The simple fix would be no outside money, we give them all X amount to run and that's it. Also, no outside money for fancy schmoozing of any kind. They would all flee and look for work where they could make more. Then we would have true public servants as they couldn't get rich off serving the country.

[soundguy]

On 7/30/2025 at 10:27 AM, John Q Public said:

The simple fix would be no outside money, we give them all X amount to run and that's it. Also, no outside money for fancy schmoozing of any kind. They would all flee and look for work where they could make more. Then we would have true public servants as they couldn't get rich off serving the country.

 

No outside money and a very short period of time to campaign...

 

Cheers,

Tim

[Quiet Observer]

I wonder how many of us CCL holders have left Illinois for better states. 

Just a random thought. It probably would not change the overall statistic.

Edited July 30, 2025 at 05:07 PM by Quiet Observer

[Bubbacs]

How many of those who would like a CCL are blocked/locked out of it due to the costs?  I know there are great instructors out there now not gouging people and many classes are cost efficient vs in the beginning.  But added into that equation is the license fee AND the knowledge that that same fee will be rolling around again just to keep and hold what you have already paid for once!  Add in the cost of a decent firearm and a small box of ammo and it does/will get over whelming to some. In a day of trying to keep ones head above water it's is not a line item on one's to do list anymore!  I've had dozens of first time students tell me that they stopped carrying as the restrictions on where they could go without having to constantly check if they could if they could not was just to cumbersome!  Not everyone has the option of NOT going into places and not all people want to be locking a firearm in their car as IF it's in the car it serves as much protection as being at home and for less money!  3% of Illinois and then only 21k members here, residents and such have no idea what IS or Isn't being done as they have no idea to be in this forum.  And I'd bet that less than 10% of that 21k are the only regulars posting each week.

[Yeti]

Vito, you didn't link any data source but is that of the population or the eligible population?  While the CCL total probably isn't as high as we'd all like to see, there is probably a chunk of the population too young to qualify, that doesn't have the physical capability to qualify, and that doesn't have the means to pay the should-be-illegal fees to apply and to take class, take time off, etc.  Some of the population cannot get a FOID card due to legal issues so also not eligible for CCL.

[mauserme]

On 7/30/2025 at 5:04 PM, Yeti said:

Vito, you didn't link any data source but is that of the population or the eligible population?  While the CCL total probably isn't as high as we'd all like to see, there is probably a chunk of the population too young to qualify, that doesn't have the physical capability to qualify, and that doesn't have the means to pay the should-be-illegal fees to apply and to take class, take time off, etc.  Some of the population cannot get a FOID card due to legal issues so also not eligible for CCL.

 

That's a great question.

 

According to World Population Review, Illinois' 2025 population is 12,778,100.  3% of that = 383,343, which actually seems a little light for the number of active licenses based on the number of applications submitted. 

 

The statement predicated on "10 years in..." would have been a couple years ago, though.  Maybe the numbers made more sense back then.

 

 

[Yeti]

On 7/30/2025 at 7:50 PM, mauserme said:

 

That's a great question.

 

According to World Population Review, Illinois' 2025 population is 12,778,100.  3% of that = 383,343, which actually seems a little light for the number of active licenses based on the number of applications submitted. 

 

The statement predicated on "10 years in..." would have been a couple years ago, though.  Maybe the numbers made more sense back then.

 

 

I am not finding the <21 year old population data readily but sites like this Illinois Population by Age - 2025 Update | Neilsberg   and some old census info would suggest that <9.5M people are age eligible for CCL in IL.  Then factor in that 8% of the U.S. adult population has felony records How many people in the US have felonies?.  Then consider that approx. 250,000  people in IL are eyesight challenged and might not be able to qualify, etc. etc. and the percentage doesn't look as bad.  Still not what we'd all like to see but not as bad.

Edited July 31, 2025 at 03:20 AM by Yeti
Fat fingers, small keys

[Dumak_from_arfcom]

I don't have a CCL. I'm not paying that much (IL fee + class) to exercise a right that IL has reduced to a privilege.   

 

personal anecdote:

 

All 10 of my old shooting buddies from my IPSC/USPSA days have left IL inside the last 9-10 years.  Last one right after PICA as it was his last straw.  I think half moved to WI, the others to more 2A friendly states. I think they all had IL CCLs before they left. 

 

IL's population decline is a real thing, but we are losing pro-gun people we need to keep. 

 

 

[raymond963]

It's difficult to want to stay when the outlook for conservative issues is so dismal, especially the 2A.

 

Illinois is so gerrymandered that there are Republicans in only 3 out of 17 Congressional Districts and I'm surprised that there are ANY. Our District 17 runs from Bloomington/Normal to Peoria to Macomb to Galesburg to Moline to Rockford. It looks like a long lizard or a dragon! Districts 15 and 16 are just as bad.

 

With their supermajority, the Democrats in Illinois' House and Senate can ride right over any Republican governor's veto, if one might miraculously be elected as governor again.

 

We'll be moving in about a year and hope to reinforce sanity in a state with a chance.

[vito]

On 7/30/2025 at 5:04 PM, Yeti said:

Vito, you didn't link any data source but is that of the population or the eligible population?  While the CCL total probably isn't as high as we'd all like to see, there is probably a chunk of the population too young to qualify, that doesn't have the physical capability to qualify, and that doesn't have the means to pay the should-be-illegal fees to apply and to take class, take time off, etc.  Some of the population cannot get a FOID card due to legal issues so also not eligible for CCL.

 

I used an AI site to find the number of licensed individuals in IL, and compared that to the total official population. It came to 3.4% had CCL's. I have no data on how many IL residents are too young, or otherwise ineligible for a CCL but 3.4% just seemed too low to be meaningful in terms of possibly changing the perception of the thugs that it might not be safe for them to commit their crimes due to the presence of armed civilians who might shoot them. And I have no idea of how many who have a license do not carry most of the time. I personally know of some who never carry because they think that there is no need to do so, or their only gun is too big to easily conceal or any other number of reasons. The bottom line is that I doubt that we as people licensed to carry, and who do actually carry daily, make much of a difference in terms of seeing violent crime reduced. I carry for my own protection, and to give me at least a fighting chance against the animals but it would be nice if armed civilians became more numerous and made the criminals less comfortable when plying their trade. 

[ScottFM]

On 7/30/2025 at 10:20 AM, Vodoun da Vinci said:

This topic brings to my mind the understanding of why the US is a Constitutional Republic rather than a Democracy -

A Constitutional Republic is a form of Democracy. You are making a common mistake of conflating direct democracy with the big D-umbrella term 

 

https://www.wetheveterans.us/news-and-events/is-the-us-a-democracy-its-more-complicated-than-you-thought?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20649034727&gbraid=0AAAAAokrGlgN0mQxVMPKsdCGHxTax-arz&gclid=CjwKCAjwqKzEBhANEiwAeQaPVR_TUD145EL1gcWb_jGDfPAIBm7IOMC2yCSgqMiUOuIi7wk6oEhZYBoC-dEQAvD_BwE

[ScottFM]

On 7/30/2025 at 10:27 AM, John Q Public said:

The simple fix would be no outside money, we give them all X amount to run and that's it. Also, no outside money for fancy schmoozing of any kind. They would all flee and look for work where they could make more. Then we would have true public servants as they couldn't get rich off serving the country.

 

I have seen this proposed before. Public funding of campaigns. A theorectical good idea that will quickly be perverted to give one party an advantage over another party because, well, people suck! 😄

[djmarkla]

Where I live there are no Beretta signs everywhere. Not many folks want to spend a thousand dollars to legally carry, then have to leave the pistol in the car every time they get out.

[John Q Public]

So as long as you don't carry a Beretta....

[Kingcreek]

Simply stating the obvious I know… Illinois was forced to pass a concealed carry law. They intentionally made it expensive and difficult and then added so many restrictions as to make it as inconvenient as possible.

my wife is licensed but refuses to carry just because of the inconvenience and fuss. And we have the luxury of being able to avoid risky areas.

[Vodoun da Vinci]

My Girlfriend lives in Iowa and that is where my Illinois forbidden firearms are now stored. I'm working on getting out of Illinois but I'm gonna take a bath on selling my house and getting out of this State. It's apparent that the Constitution is being ignored in Illinois and even SCOTUS precedents are being ignored with prejudice in Illinois. I have my CCL and carry everywhere/all the time it is legal to do so - I avoid places that are posted and prefer doing business in Iowa now (it's literally 5 minutes to drive across the river) as the few "no CCL allowed" signs I encounter in Iowa have no force of law unless it is a bar or Fed building, etc.

 

I have lived my whole life in Illinois as a model citizen. I don't cheat or break the laws (I don't even speed ) and I pay my taxes and support law enforcement. Illinois is driving me out of my home trying to disarm me while ignoring my 2nd, 5th, and 14th Amendment Rights. What comes after that will be Tyranny and control and I'm not having it.

 

VooDoo

Edited August 1, 2025 at 04:19 PM by Vodoun da Vinci

[SiliconSorcerer]

On 8/1/2025 at 11:17 AM, Vodoun da Vinci said:

My Girlfriend lives in Iowa and that is where my Illinois forbidden firearms are now stored. I'm working on getting out of Illinois but I'm gonna take a bath on selling my house and getting out of this State. It's apparent that the Constitution is being ignored in Illinois and even SCOTUS precedents are being ignored with prejudice in Illinois. I have my CCL and carry everywhere/all the time it is legal to do so - I avoid places that are posted and prefer doing business in Iowa now (it's literally 5 minutes to drive across the river) as the few "no CCL allowed" signs I encounter in Iowa have no force of law unless it is a bar or Fed building, etc.

 

I have lived my whole life in Illinois as a model citizen. I don't cheat or break the laws (I don't even speed ) and I pay my taxes and support law enforcement. Illinois is driving me out of my home trying to disarm me while ignoring my 2nd, 5th, and 14th Amendment Rights. What comes after that will be Tyranny and control and I'm not having it.

 

VooDoo

If it's a 5 minute drive what's taking so long  

If I was that close I'd be gone too, I think it's another year and either SCOTUS fixes this or our country is gone. 

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

On 8/1/2025 at 1:31 PM, SiliconSorcerer said:

If it's a 5 minute drive what's taking so long  

If I was that close I'd be gone too, I think it's another year and either SCOTUS fixes this or our country is gone. 

 

I'm still here because I just have to keep rationalizing losing tens of thousands of dollars on my home sale as no one wants to move to Illinois. I'm gonna take a bath on selling my home. I don't think it's gonna get fixed by SCOTUS. I hope I'm wrong but pretty sure SCOTUS is gonna allow Illinois and other States to ignore precedent like Bruen and Heller without consequence. My personal opinion is that SCOTUS is "owned and operated" by the same folks who own and operate .gov. Stick US with a fork....

 

VooDoo

[Yeti]

On 8/1/2025 at 3:05 PM, Vodoun da Vinci said:

I'm still here because I just have to keep rationalizing losing tens of thousands of dollars on my home sale as no one wants to move to Illinois. I'm gonna take a bath on selling my home. I don't think it's gonna get fixed by SCOTUS. I hope I'm wrong but pretty sure SCOTUS is gonna allow Illinois and other States to ignore precedent like Bruen and Heller without consequence. My personal opinion is that SCOTUS is "owned and operated" by the same folks who own and operate .gov. Stick US with a fork....

 

VooDoo

I believe that IL will lose eventually and lawsuits will "force" it to begrudgingly "return" some of our rights to us but that doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of other reasons to leave IL.  The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll start saving big $ in income tax, property tax, sales tax, gas tax, and so on to offset the home price loss.  The longer you live elsewhere, the more you'll save in the end and you know that costs will just continue to increase in IL as the state continuously overspends its means.  Besides, not living in a state that doesn't constantly try to chip away at the rights and success of the innocent has to mean you can spend less on vacations... lower stress!

[JTHunter]

The reasons I chose to not have a CCP is that, over the last 8 years, too many of the places I went had legal signage (Doctors, hospitals, dentists, etc.) and, being on a fixed income, that $150 non-refundable application fee, then the cost of the 16 hours, was more than I could justify.

Then, my physique isn't built for easy concealment.

[Quiet Observer]

On 8/1/2025 at 3:05 PM, Vodoun da Vinci said:

I'm still here because I just have to keep rationalizing losing tens of thousands of dollars on my home sale as no one wants to move to Illinois. I'm gonna take a bath on selling my home. I don't think it's gonna get fixed by SCOTUS. I hope I'm wrong but pretty sure SCOTUS is gonna allow Illinois and other States to ignore precedent like Bruen and Heller without consequence. My personal opinion is that SCOTUS is "owned and operated" by the same folks who own and operate .gov. Stick US with a fork....

 

VooDoo

Have you checked the market, or talked with a realtor, lately? There still are people moving into Illinois. There are those who are moving from one place to another in Illinois. Apartment dwellers maybe looking for a first home. I know it is not a simple matter to decide to move. We moved out of Illinois about 3 years ago. Taxes was another factor for us. 

 

Supposedly, Moline is a seller's market. 

Moline Housing Market: House Prices & Trends | Redfin