In Illinois, possessing so much as a single round of ammunition without a Firearms Owner ID (or FOID) card is a serious crime.

How serious?

Well, residents of Lake in the Hills, Illinois got a first hand view of that law being enforced last Thursday, when a SWAT unit rolled up on a house where a 20-year-old man was believed to be possessing ammunition without a permit. //

In most of the country this wouldn't be a crime at all. Illinois, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey are the only states where a permit or license is required to purchase or possess ammunition, and California and New York require background checks on the sale of ammunition. //

Illinois' FOID card requirement has been ruled unconstitutional more than once, but each time the state Supreme Court has reversed those decisions on technical grounds while avoiding the underlying constitutional question. My hope is that Illinois residents will one day not have to worry about the FOID card, but for now be aware that any bullets you might possess without the proper paperwork could lead to a very loud, chaotic, and potentially deadly visit by the police.