"mobilemail"Over 700fps, or if it's over .18 caliber. So by definition, a target rifle like the Crosman Challenger PCP that shoots .177 at ~550fps, would not be classified as a firearm.
But that rule really applies to ownership and FOID. When it comes to hunting regulations, the DNR still treats airguns and firearms differently.
Then there is the third catch-22 of moderators and hunting. IL is one of the remaining states where hunting with a silencer on a firearm is illegal. I brought this up with the DNR officer as it regards air guns. He said that "suppressors are legal, silencers are not", further saying that suppressors reduce noise and silencers remove it. (He referenced Websters dictionary for the terms as their guideline). I found this rather vague and pressed for more clarity. He finally said if it screws on, it's illegal. I think there is a lot of room in this for onsite interpretation that may sadly turn some airgunner into a test case. As for myself, I would only use a fully shrouded barrel or an unmoderated rifle to avoid controversy. (in order to avoid freaking out the owners of this forum, I would not encourage or continue any other discussion on this point. I just want folks to be aware of IL law as interpreted to me by an IL agent.)
Sounds like you were talking to someone who didn't really know. It never gives you much confidence when people give you nonsensical answers like that. It would be better if they just said "I don't know" or better yet, "let me check with somebody who does".
For a start, there is no such thing as a device that eliminates the noise of a firearm or airgun completely. The terms silencer, moderator, LDC, can etc are all used interchangeably to describe a device filled with baffles designed to reduce the report.
Even saying "if it screws on, you can't use it" doesn't really help. Guns like the Marauder or Hatsan QE line that have full shrouds can still be unscrewed. It might not be as easy but they can definitely be removed with an unscrewing motion. The only ones that can't are the ones that are glued in place like the Ataman Ultra Compact (although glue can be removed and then the device can be unscrewed).
It's so irresponsible of them to not think through a law properly or be able to clarify it, given the potential consequences for somebody who guesses wrong.
The issue starts with the laziness of insisting on describing air guns above a certain power level as "firearms" instead of drafting a separate definition. In federal law, a "Silencer" is a device that reduces the report of a firearm. It's enforced by the Alphabet org and air guns are specifically not classified as firearms and not under Alphabet org jurisdiction. There is still plenty of room for confusion but that part is somewhat clear.
Hunting law is different. It is enforced at a State level and in States where they lump Air guns in with firearms under legal definitions, they almost universally seem to fail to mention (or have thought through) how the restrictions on hunting with moderators apply to shrouded barrel air rifles.
At a federal level, a firearm silencer is considered a firearm in it's own right (legally). If a State classes air guns as firearms, we don't really know how they think of shrouded air guns. On a regular firearm, you couldn't legally attach a shroud with baffles (without a license), even if you glued or welded it to the barrel. Whether it unscrews or not is irrelevant or all firearms would come with permanently attached shrouds.
The issue about if it unscrews or not was only relevant in a scenario where air rifles are not considered firearms. The specific concern was if the shroud or moderator could be screwed onto a firearms barrel, making it a firearm on it's own. If the air gun is a firearm already, the point has no meaning. It has even less meaning in state hunting law which is focussed on preventing hunting with silencers on firearms, not preventing their possession completely. There is no reason for them to even consider what you "could" do, only if you are using it to hunt or not.
I would say that the majority of PCP rifles sold today come with shrouded barrels with baffles. If they are going to allow air rifles for hunting, they need to clearly state the rules on shrouds, one way or the other. None of this "if it unscrews" nonsense. For now, in those states, it might even be better if you had something like a Cricket where the shroud can be quickly removed for hunting trips to avoid problems until the wording of the law is clarified properly and out of the realm of opinion. Even if they confirmed in writing that gluing the shroud in place so it couldn't unscrew made it ok, that would be helpful.
While there is no army of Alphabet org troopers storming homes to check air rifles, I have seen police stop hunters and inspect their equipment. It isn't that unusual. All they need is a sentence added to the wording and no more issue.
