Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
What happens when you legally buy a rifle during a court-ordered injunction, only to be told a year later you’re now a criminal for owning it? If you live in Illinois, buckle up.
Washington Gun Law’s William Kirk just broke down a bombshell ruling in the case Reece v. Raoul—an unpublished Illinois appellate court opinion that may not be binding yet, but has massive implications for gun owners in the state.
Remember that brief window from April 28 to May 4, 2023, when the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) was temporarily blocked by an injunction? Thousands of Illinois residents lawfully purchased semi-automatic rifles during that time. Fast forward to 2025, and at least one Illinois court now says: tough luck. You can’t legally possess that gun anymore.
That’s right. The court ruled that if you bought your rifle during that one-week window, you’re out of luck unless it was in your hands before January 10, 2023—and registered by January 1, 2024. Missed those dates? The state says you don’t have a legal leg to stand on.
Let’s call it what it is: backdoor confiscation.
William Kirk points out that while the court didn’t technically order confiscation, it gave two choices—store your firearm out of state or get rid of it. Either way, Illinois is making lawful ownership impossible inside its borders.
SEE ALSO: Illinois Argues It Knows What Your Life Is Worth
Worse yet, the plaintiff in Reece didn’t even challenge the constitutionality of the law. Instead, he relied on procedural doctrines like equitable estoppel and justifiable reliance.
Translation: he argued it’s not fair to change the rules mid-game. The court shrugged and said fairness isn’t the issue—you should’ve known the injunction could vanish at any time.
The kicker? This ruling might be unpublished, but you can bet anti-gun politicians will use it as ammo. Expect to see it cited when the next lawsuit pops up.
If you registered your rifle after buying it during Freedom Week? You just handed Illinois everything they need to take it. That registry is a roadmap to your front door.
Kirk lays it out plainly: “If you legally purchased something, and the state later says you can’t own it, and forces you to get rid of it—that’s confiscation.”
This isn’t just an Illinois problem. It’s a test run for how far courts will let governments go in criminalizing normal, lawful gun ownership.
The fight isn’t over. But the message from Illinois courts is loud and clear: confiscation is on the table; and the law-abiding gun owner is always the easiest target.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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Illinois is worse than California. I left the state in 1984 and will never return. Taxes are never ending and Chicago politicians control the state. Corruption runs rampant and the state is bankrupt. Abraham Lincoln is rolling in his grave.
newillinoisstate.org is the website for one of the groups trying to organize in order to form a new state without Crook County or to have a boundary change with neighboring states. Indiana has already voted to accept the eastern counties which have voted to leave or form a new state. The communist fool AG Kwame Raoul has sent letters to all these counties telling them Illinois will never allow it but if the Sheriffs refuse to allow state officials access to their counties and refuse to enforce state writs that may not be much of a threat. Those who say you can’t do that must then explain why Pritzker can refuse federal writ and refuse access to federal law enforcement (ICE) while spending borrowed money on illegal alien criminals. The state police won’t help the state government much in this regard. They despise Pritzker and absolutely hate the communist fool Mayor of Chicago. Those outside must understand Illinois is being run by the Chicago Teachers Union which elected Johnson who has a 7% approval rating. They demand the entire leftist playbook and demand Billions in raises and other things while none of the children at any school in Chicago can even read at grade level standards. In fact many CTU teachers are actual illiterates, demanding six figure salaries and massive benefits and pensions. They are making Chicago little more than a Bantustan. The other 101 counties have had it.
Great post, Pritzker did not even understand that he cannot fire the Sherriff Department employees when he first took office. Lefty politicians want to do away with the independent duly elected Sherriff.
I’m sure there’s numbers of how many weapons were purchased during the injunction. If there’s sufficient numbers, how will the state try to take them away? This is what the 2nd A was written for.
This ain’t going to end well no matter which side your on.
Wow. It’s no wonder so many, people are flooding out of Illinois and over into Indiana and overcrowding our NW corner of the state. Stupidly high taxes and just ridiculously awful gun and knife and weapon laws. As much as I, hate NW Indiana, I do have to say we have barely any gun laws and almost no weapons laws. Open or concealed carry? Don’t even need a permit now. Any blade length? LEGAL! Automatic knives? LEGAL! Brass knuckles? LEGAL! Buying a shotgun or rifle that were made to essentially be a sawed off from the very beginning by putting say a bird’s head grip on it? LEGAL! No ballistic knives and no throwing stars and no automatic firearms. That’s about the only laws I know of. I would assume that throwing knives aren’t legal even though it doesn’t say, but then again any knife {or at least many} can be used as a throwing knife so maybe not. Indiana is a great place and I NEVER thought as a kid I’d ever even think about saying that. The only thing Illinois has going for it is legal weed, but I’d rather be able to protect myself and mine over having legal weed.
Yeah, but who has more diversity? Illinois or Indiana? All that other stuff is a secondary concern.
Not sure I follow you. Like which state has more types of different people? Both of them seem to have a good representation of all different races. As far as that goes I don’t particularly care which state has more different kinds of people. Illinois is a mess in general. The whole government is a mess. In Indiana we used to have a wait at our DMV/BMV for HOURS to get one thing done. 20 years ago or so they changed them up in Indiana and now you’re not there more than maybe 5-10 minutes. Illinois still has not changed. Taxes are insane, the laws are insane. They protect criminals and turn violent criminals loose but if you carry a gun and you don’t have Illinois residency and have a FOID card you’re in deep trouble. Makes no sense. You can be a criminal and so what you want but if you have the audacity to protect your family, then they look at you like you’re the criminal. It’s like everything in Illinois seems to be the opposite of common sense. Indiana is a much better place that’s why tons and tons and TONS of people from Illinois have moved to Indiana. Illinois residents have literally made a mass exodus from Illinois to Indiana and have been doing so for at least 20+ years now and it gets to be more and more daily. I am curious to know what you mean by your reply though if you care to elaborate.
Apologies, I misunderstood your post and took you for another Eric who is far left and crosses cheap shot lines few others will. I am an IL resident and might someday join the eastern migration to Indiana. Still, I want to see many of the laws in Illinois reversed and Pritzker bounced for someone like Darren Bailey.
perfect example for the pitfalls of gun registration!
Illinois government is such a screwed up POS. The people are great but the ideology of its government officials are wacko. I would never live in that state and even hate driving through it. Again nothing against the people, just the state’s policies.
Illinois stinks.I have lived here all my life. I should know it..if you are un any way . financially..and phsically capable..move to Indiana..you will be much better off..chicago and crook county..along with a few of its other compliant counties.willl to the end of time control this state
Agreed. The People’s Democratic Republic of ILL-annoy is circling the drain. There has been a mass exodus lately. We’re in 3rd place behind Commiefornia and New York and gaining fast. The Protect ILL-annoy Communists Act was the last straw for me. Glad retirement is close, because once it is, I’m gone.
Come to South Carolina AKA FREE AMERICA ! You can own anything that is legally available, including everything NFA ! No licenses, no registration of anything other than the FEDERAL NFA rules ….