From a bunker somewhere deep beneath Springfield…. No, this isn’t another ‘Downfall’ takeoff. It’s much better. What you see above are almost-complete statistics for Illinois Firearm Owner Identification cards applied for and issued over the last six years. This was sent to us by an unimpeachable source who we know has access to the the data. You remember all of those whistling-past-the-graveyard pronouncements from those on the anti-gun left? . . .

The ones claiming that the boom in firearm sales since 2008 was a result of a relative few old fat bitter clingers buying more guns for themselves? That the number of gun owners in the U.S. is actually declining? Well, not so much. At least in the Prairie State, gun ownership appears to be increasing. Fast. And remember, that 33% jump since 2009 barely reflects the effects of Illinois’ new concealed carry law which began to take effect late in 2013.

So smile, People of the Gun. Despite some setbacks in a few coastal backwaters, things are moving our way. Even in Illinois.

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38 COMMENTS

  3. I did my part. FOID acquired in 2011. (I lived in Chicago previously so forgive me for not getting it sooner,)

  4. The critical issue here is that NICS accesses only count approximately the number of guns sold. Therefore the grabbers/grubbers can make the claim that it’s the same old OFWGs buying more guns for their arsenals.

    But the FOID is for individuals who have decided to own a gun. Thus, it tracks the approximate number of gun-owning individuals rather than total guns owned. About the only argument of the Stalinists is that a FOID does not necessarily correspond to actual gun ownership. It’s true: not necessarily; but it’s a excellent leading indicator.

  5. Most interesting to me is that the numbers of denials and revocations stayed roughly the same despite the number of issued and valid ones increasing.

    • That is a VERY interesting observation. You would think that it would increase proportionally to the total number of applications.

      [tin foil hat] I wonder if they have some sort of ‘rejection quota’ where they are forced to deny/revoke a certain number of FOIDs a year. That would be one hell of a story. [/tin foil hat]

      • (Tin Foil Hat) Notice that the number of applications and valid IDs steadily increases but the number of denied and revoked IDs is almost constant. I know correlation is not causation, but it is awfully convenient that they seem to revoke about 6000 IDs every year. If there was some external cause (like people breaking the law and loosing their gun rights) wouldn’t the numbers of revoked IDs be increasing at a proportional rate to the new applications? (Tin Foil Hat)

    • Since the FOID card is only good for ten years, my guess is that it is fairly constant because the number of applications were fairly constant ten years ago. Just a guess.

  6. Excellent, they have already lost though. When the Sandy Hook citizens went out & bought firearms to protect loved ones in record numbers, they lost. When they couldn’t even convince “them” in their grief to shun guns you have a movement that isn’t going anywhere.

    • Keep looking …. The state needs your $300 out-of-state fee. We’re broke, sir. I am sure they see St. Louis, the Quad Cities, and NW Indiana as a money-making venture.

      • This is exactly why we need national reciprocity. If drivers licenses, not being a civil liberty can be done that way, why not a Constitutional Right?

        It is because open carry always was. “…Shall not be Infringed!”

        We don’t need more regulations, just a simple law stating that no state can not except anothers CCW permit for any reason. Done, End of story!

  8. The most important data from this chart is that firearm ownership is rising in Illinois. This truth is reflected in many states across the nation irrespective of the wishes of the Brady/Bloomberg/Mayors/Moms bunches and the anti-2A media.

    • Right on ya man!

      Now go out and get three other people to FOID, then those three get three more, then those nine get 27 more… You gt my point.

      Pay it forward with liberties my friend!!

  10. Though it is nice to be able to tell from the numbers of FOIDs that more and more guns are getting out there, one shouldn’t need an FOID in the first place. And if anyone thinks so, they can FOAD.

  14. After further analysis of the census data for Ill FOID vs Population growth from 2010-2013 note a larger percentage increase in FOID numbers vs population variable.

    Examples:

    2010-2013 population figures:Increase in growth (.4% as published)
    12,830,632/ 12,882,135 = .9960019 – 1 = .003998 = 3.998% increase in polulation.

    2010-2013 FOID holders
    1,315,691/1682245 = .78210 – 1= .21789 = 21.789%

    That ladys and gentleman puts a HUGE hole in the theory gun ownership in the Land of Lincoln is decreasing!

    Conversly, it is a HUGE increase in FOID vs Population by a rate of 5.44 times!

  15. Those numbers are underwhelming to me. Of the applications received, it doesn’t say how many are new vs. renewals (every 10 years). The 2012 numbers include my own renewal application.

    I first got a FOID in 1985, after my uncle gave me a single shot 20 ga. for varmint control on the farm. You need one of those cards to hang a family heirloom on the wall. So if FOID grandpa dies and leaves a gun to each of his three kids, they all have to apply for their own FOID while grandpa’s card is still “valid.”

    All the gun sales data we can find indicates more Americans getting armed. Illinois is no exception. However, the slight loosening of Chicago’s laws (thanks to the Supreme Court) may have helped with those stats.

  16. To be fair, a FOID does not necessarily indicate ownership. My brother and girlfriend both have FOIDs. He has not ever purchased a weapon and my girlfriend does now nor plan to in the future own a weapon.
    As well, many localities with more relaxed laws have said they will allow concealed carry with a valid FOID. I suspect that some locals who never bothered with a FOID before, despite having weapons, are getting one now because it’s cheap and easy.
    That being said, such a large increase does certainly indicate a massive uptick in the overall interest of the people of Illinois in guns.

  17. Interesting story regarding this. Last year shortly after the CCW law was passed, I closed a deal on Gunbroker that required me to mail a certified check. As I was at the bank getting the draft made up to the out of state gun store, the SMOKING HOT bank teller noticed why I was getting the check and whispered, “I just got my FOID and me and my Dad will be picking out my first gun”.

    I smiled and said welcome to the club. 🙂

    Silent Majority.

    • We’re roughly 1.7 million out of nearly 13 million Illinois residents, which is definitely a MINORITY, even if you only count people of majority age who qualify for a FOID card.

      I don’t envision gun owners ever becoming a majority in an urban state like Illinois. Our voting power will always be limited, so it’s even more important to NOT BE SILENT!

  18. Who would have thought that in a country that guarentees so many liberties that it takes a blogger to bring forth the truth instead of the established media.

    As always, thanks for the good work.

  19. A few comments on various parts of the conversation… I don’t know that I’d call IL an urban state. Of those 13 million, Cook County only makes up something over 5 million. Even out here in Edwardsville, which is technically considered a suburb of St. Louis, the reality is we’re more rural than what is normally associated with a “suburb.” The problem is, too many voters have either been asleep or too frustrated/intimidated to stand up to Chicago. Too many Downstate (frankly, that term itself is insulting) don’t realize that we do have the voting power to both stand up to and push back against Chicago. Especially when the Blue Dogs and Republicans stand together on their many common grounds.

    True, the FOID doesn’t necessarily indicate ownership, but frankly, I’ll take that too. It’s anecdotal, but I know people who are getting their FOID’s as a statement of support. Some are doing so, so that they can carry, transport or use their spouse’s firearms without them around. I’ll take that. That is people putting action and voice together, willing to stand and be counted. It’s better than simply shaking your head and wondering what has happened, which is what too many have been doing up to this point.

    Another observation, and one related to the above. Edwardsville Gun Club is now around 600 members. It has shot up since putting in a rifle/pistol range. A lot of this is new shooters and there are a lot more women shooting, as well. Even several lady RSO’s volunteering now. Even more amazing – especially if you know Edwardsville – is that the high school has been approved to start shooting teams that will be shooting at the range. I believe they’ll be shooting both trap and rifle, though not entirely sure. For the city, that is huge. Even more amazing is that it was an unanimous vote.

    Finally, I’m not so much concerned about reciprocity. As said elsewhere, there’s to much money to be made. I’m much more interested in seeing state preemption amended into the CCW law. I wouldn’t mind seeing open carry, either.

    Bottom line? We’re winning. Slowly and quietly, but we are. The shrillness of the opposition is a good indication that they’re in retreat. If we weren’t we wouldn’t be getting inane editorials like we got from State Senator Harmon.

  20. Nice piece – I loved the analysis . Does someone know where my business can locate a template IL ISP 6-181 document to work with ?

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