The thing is some states, such as Illinois, are real boogers when it comes to firearms.
I've heard horror stories about LAW ENFORCEMENT officers having legal (in the rational states, at least) firearms confiscated while passing through Illinois.
Don't think this is a problem? Here is a real-life example:
I live in southeast Missouri and my family has a cabin in Kentucky near Kentucky Lake. So, (might want to pull up a Google map to see how this all fits together: pull up Wickliffe, Ky.) to get from Missouri to Kentucky, without going hundreds of miles out of my way to cross the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, I have to drive about 300 yards through Illinois.
According to my research:
United States Code, Title 18, Part I, Chapter 44, Section 926A. Interstate transportation of firearms
Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or
regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any
person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from
transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to
transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he
may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place
where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during
such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the
firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible
or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such
transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle
without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the
firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container
other than the glove compartment or console.
Layman's Translation
If you are transporting a firearm from one state to another (which places it under federal control through the often abused Interstate Commerce Clause), you are protected from anti-gun possession statutes in the states you will be passing through if you follow the requirements of the law.
These requirements are:
It must be legal at the state and local level for you to possess and transport the firearm at the locality in the state where your journey originated.
It must be legal at the state and local level for you to possess and transport the firearm at the locality in the state where your journey is going to end.
You must be on an uninterrupted journey through any intervening anti-gun state and not be making any stop there that would make it a destination.
The firearm must be unloaded
The firearm & ammunition must be in a trunk OR if the vehicle has no trunk, in a LOCKED container other than the glove box or console.
Which means I have to pull over to the side of the road, unload my firearm, lock it in the truck, drive for five minutes to the next state line, then retrieve and reload my firearm.
Ironic sidenote: the only place between my home and the cabin that I feel unsafe is in southern Illinois, especially Cairo!
According to a quick search, Cairo's crime index in 2007 (most recent shown) is 944.7 with higher being more crime and the national average being 320.9.
So, the ONE place I'm most likely to NEED it, is the ONE place I am NOT allowed to have it accessible!
God help me if I get a flat or other vehicle failure in that five minute drive through Illinois: Risk rape, robbery, murder of my girlfriend or self? Or risk losing my $600 firearm to an Illinois LEO?
And how does this protect ANYBODY? Do they really think the local gangstas making their drug runs between Chicago and Charleston, Mo., are complying with their lock 'em up legislation?
THAT is why I was really, really hoping Congress would pass the CCW recipocrity legislation.
"Gun control victory" and "This was a narrow escape" are on the CNN crawlers as I type this. Morons.