Gun stores expect different impacts from potential ruling against Illinois' ban

(The Center Square) – Gun stores across Illinois are preparing for the possible outcome of a federal court striking down the state’s gun and magazine ban.

Sometime after Oct. 20, Southern District of Illinois federal Judge Stephen McGlynn could rule on the consolidated case challenging the ban. Some expect he will issue a permanent injunction. This could be his second strike against the law.

On preliminary grounds last year, McGlynn issued an injunction that lasted six days before the appeals court put a hold on his order. The appeals court eventually overturned the preliminary injunction and remanded the case to McGlynn’s court to get a final judgment. A bench trial on the case wrapped up Sept. 20. McGlynn gave both sides 30 days to filed final briefs on the issues.

Nicole Guvenoz with GAT Guns in East Dundee said the store is ready to deliver firearms to customers who bought them last year but couldn’t pick them up if McGlynn issues a permanent injunction against the law.

“We only need a cleared check, we don’t need a full 72 hour background check because they have already entered into the contract for the purchase of the sale of the gun,” Guvenoz told The Center Square.

It’s a different story for Robert Bevis of Law Weapons in Naperville.

“That small freedom week that we did have on that injunction was only for the state of Illinois, that particular case. It did not affect the local ordinance in Naperville and that’s what’s been keeping us tied down here,” Bevis told The Center Square.

Illinois enacted the ban on more than 170 semiautomatic handguns and rifles and magazines over a certain capacity during lame duck session in January 2023.

Despite the state’s ban on semi-automatic firearms like the popular AR-15, Guvenoz said they actually have seen increased sales the past few months at GAT Guns.

“Obviously, mostly handguns, but we are seeing a lot of compliant rifles come out now from different manufacturers, so people are really excited to be able to buy rifles again,” she said.

For Bevis, sales have not rebounded. Naperville has its own standalone ban on semi-automatic firearms that was enacted in November 2022. He said the problem he sees is people want what they can’t have.

“The amount of guns that are listed on that is so significant, even your standard handguns, if they’re factory capacities are banned and that’s what’s really been causing a lot of the problems in the numbers,” Bevis said.

Bevis’ case against the local ban remains in district court, where he is now seeking a permanent injunction.