Crosman 357

Question
I was recently given the opportunity to purchase an older model of the Crosman 357  (the 84-97 version)  
I am a felon. I cannot find the info on it I am in Illinois and know there are certain categories of firearms in the state like if it has a certain caliper.  

 (1) any pneumatic gun, spring gun, paint ball gun or      B-B  gun  which  either  expels a single globular projectile not exceeding  .18  inch  in diameter and which has a maximum muzzle velocity  of  less  than  700 feet per second or breakable paint balls containing washable marking colors;      

I am pretty sure it's ok for me to have, but I am a newbie and want to make sure I can own this air gun without taking it into the cop shop and plopping it in the counter and asking "Can I Own This?" LOL

Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hello Rachel.

You would have to check with the ATF to be sure of what is legal or illegal for you to own, possess, or use. The laws change over time and I never looked into the details of what (if any) specific arms are legal for felons. Also, some state and local laws may prohibit more than the federal law so you should also check with your state and local police just to be safe.

The best way is to print a photo and description of the gun from the internet then call or visit the local ATF and police offices to ask their advice. They will appreciate your willingness to follow the law and they should generally be helpful. If they give you the "OK" to own, possess, or use any type of gun then you should write down the date, time, place, name, and badge number(s) of who you talked with along with good notes of what they said. This won't prevent you from getting into trouble if they give you bad advice but it will be something that you can show in court if you are later charged with a crime relative to the advice that they provided.

To be absolutely sure you should contact your local county or state bar association and ask for their lawyer referral service. For a very small fee (typically $25) they will refer you to a lawyer that specializes in firearms related law and then your first consultation with that lawyer is free. They should be able to give you solid legal advice which you can also document.

The bottom line is that as a felon you shouldn't take any chances. Is it really worth it to own, possess, or use a BB or pellet gun if you run the risk of another criminal charge? Unfortunately when you become a felon you lose a lot of your rights and this is a steep price to pay but it goes along with the punishment for your crime. If your crime was non-violent then you may be able to ask the lawyer for help in getting some or all of your rights restored but this can be difficult and expensive.

I wish you the best of luck and sincerely hope you will stay out of trouble in the future.

God bless.

Bob