In light of the McDade decision, our prosecutor's position is to charge a UUW if the firearm has a round loaded into the chamber. Semi-automatics can have a loaded magazine inserted into the pistol as long as there is no round chambered. The SA has been less than clear, though, on revolvers. Presumably, under the same logic, if a six-shot revolver was loaded with four rounds and the immediate and next ports in the cylinder were the empties, you'd be ok. But again he's been less than clear on revolvers. Probably because he just flat doesn't know and doesn't want to define it yet. It seems as though the simple definition is that if you can pull the trigger and make it go boom, it's loaded.
But again - you still may be in violation of the wild life code in certain situations.
I've heard that a few local guys in my area have noted pistols to be present in glove compartments and center consoles (some with a loaded mag in the pistol and some not) and not charged it. I suspect, however, that the motorist was detained for quite a while during the time they worked it all out.
I tell my friends and family to store it in the console if they absolutely feel it's necessary but I suggest that they pocket the mag or stick it in the cup holder. I have a few other friends who have permits from Utah, Penn, or both and when they travel they stick the pistol in a case and stash it under the seat with the mags in the case but not in the pistol and then as soon as they hit the state line (other than Wisconsin) they put said pistol into a holster on their hip.
It seems silly to risk getting shot over a process that only adds a few seconds to your ability to respond to a crisis, but I'm sure there are people out there who would criticize that opinion.
In other news - one of the illinois carry organizations is also pushing a concept called "six seconds to safety" where they are 'suggesting' people carry pistols in a fanny pack (a closed case per Illinois law) with a loaded mag in the pistol without a round in the chamber. The idea is that if the crap hits the fan, the fanny-pack wearer can open the closed case, draw the pistol, chamber a round, and defend themselves within 6 seconds. They're basically trying to get people arrested in order to create a basis to further test the IL UUW laws.
You know - but whatever. Do what you want as long as you're prepared to deal with it. These definitions are not as a problematic for me to deal with since all my probationers are felons.
