handgun on a flight

[Guest bazookazilla]

I am flying on a plane Monday. I was told by a friend (who is a LEO) that it is very easy to check a handgun on a commercial flight. i would like to hear anyone else's experience in this matter. Thanks in advance for your help. Has anyone had difficulty in doing this before?

[Guest cjr]

Extreamly easy,

Carry the gun in a locked case.bring it in,sit it down on the counter and tell the ticket person you need to declair arms.She will most likely hand you a red ticket that you fill out. She may or may not ask for another to verify.At this point you put your little red tag inside of you case and lock it.Show them that you have the key and thats it.

Get your arm when you land.Unless your going to Canada,thats another storey

[Guest gcrookston]

Extreamly easy,

Carry the gun in a locked case.bring it in,sit it down on the counter and tell the ticket person you need to declair arms.She will most likely hand you a red ticket that you fill out. She may or may not ask for another to verify.At this point you put your little red tag inside of you case and lock it.Show them that you have the key and thats it.

Get your arm when you land.Unless your going to Canada,thats another storey

+1. Though I don't like to fly, I've done this twice post 9/11. I've got a little Storm Case I use mostly for my antiquated 35mm Nikon. I paddle lock it in front of the nice lady and off it goes on the plane just to meet me on the other side. No ammo is allowed.

I remember as a kid them taking my .22 rifle and putting it up with the Captain when we flew from Grand Junction to Sioux Falls. Getting to see the Cockpit, and him handing it back to me after we landed. Times have changed, a little.

Edited January 16, 2009 by gcrookston

[waynesan]

I concur. Flying with a firearm is very easy from my experience. Each airline has its own rules and you can go to each airline's website to see what they require but most if not all have pretty much the same requirements as the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). Just be aware that all firearms and ammo must be transported in your "checked baggage." Nothing can be carried into the passenger area as "carry on" luggage.

From the TSA website: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm

The key regulatory requirements to transporting firearms, firearm parts or ammunition in checked baggage are:

• You must declare all firearms to the airline during the ticket counter check-in process.
  
• The firearm must be unloaded.
  
• The firearm must be in a hard-sided container.
  
• The container must be locked. A locked container is defined as one that completely secures the firearm from access by anyone other than you. Cases that can be pulled open with little effort do not meet this criterion. The pictures provided here illustrate the difference between a properly packaged and an improperly packaged firearm.
  
• We recommend that you provide the key or combination to the security officer if he or she needs to open the container. You should remain present during screening to take the key back after the container is cleared. If you are not present and the security officer must open the container, we or the airline will make a reasonable attempt to contact you. If we can't contact you, the container will not be placed on the plane. Federal regulations prohibit unlocked gun cases (or cases with broken locks) on aircraft.
  
• You must securely pack any ammunition in fiber (such as cardboard), wood or metal boxes or other packaging that is specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.
  
• You can't use firearm magazines/clips for packing ammunition unless they completely and securely enclose the ammunition (e.g., by securely covering the exposed portions of the magazine or by securely placing the magazine in a pouch, holder, holster or lanyard).
  
• You may carry the ammunition in the same hard-sided case as the firearm, as long as you pack it as described above.
  
• You can't bring black powder or percussion caps used with black-powder type firearms in either your carry-on or checked baggage.
  

[Guest cjr]

I flew with ammo.

It all was locked in the same case.

I carried a 460 s&w w/ammo

Kimber ColvertII

S&W ULTRA PD

The judge 2 1/2 all with ammo in same case.

Not a problem.I have a ranch there so, atleast I have an 1100 acre aliby.

[Guest truthsayer]

When I was doing a lot of "fly-out" gigs (i.e. 1 or 2 day gigs in other states), I flew with my S&W 442, 3 speedloaders, and a box of Federal Nyclads to almost all the states that I could carry in. I had more problems flying with musical instruments than I did with a gun.

[Angus]

When I was doing a lot of "fly-out" gigs (i.e. 1 or 2 day gigs in other states), I flew with my S&W 442, 3 speedloaders, and a box of Federal Nyclads to almost all the states that I could carry in. I had more problems flying with musical instruments than I did with a gun.

Yep, musicians have a harder time, tis true.

Yes you can carry ammo, has to be packed according to the airlines rules based on the TSA/FAA regulations. Check the website of your particular airline, they should have all the info you need. If that isn't good enough, pm me and I may be able to answer some of your questions.

John

[Oh Shoot]

Yep, musicians have a harder time, tis true.

Yes you can carry ammo, has to be packed according to the airlines rules based on the TSA/FAA regulations. Check the website of your particular airline, they should have all the info you need. If that isn't good enough, pm me and I may be able to answer some of your questions.

John

Have seen that some airlines specify ammo has to be "in the original box" or somesuch, so you might consider that as your TSA approved "...in fiber (such as cardboard), wood or metal boxes or other packaging that is specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition."

- OS

[raydog1]

Agreed that it's very easy. Sometimes they don't even bother to actually check the gun at BNA where they just tell me to lock the case and they wave me on through.

The only slightly negative experience I had was in Detroit (DTW) a couple months ago where I had to wait a few minutes for a guy to show up to check the gun. However, once he showed up he was quick and polite and I was 2 hours early anyway so no harm. Just make sure you arrive early enough to be able to deal with this possibility. If I had been running late, I might have felt differently about it but that really would've been on my head for running late.

[ZenDog]

I have no experience myself with this but I have read some bad stories about NYC and Newark NJ airports. I think some of the ease or difficulty depends on what states you are traveling to. But again, just internet stories- no personal experience, so....

[Guest sling]

I have no experience myself with this but I have read some bad stories about NYC and Newark NJ airports. I think some of the ease or difficulty depends on what states you are traveling to. But again, just internet stories- no personal experience, so....

Its probably because handguns are banned in NYC.

[Guest bazookazilla]

Thank you very much for all of the input, guys. I am planning on locking the slide back and putting my cablelock through the handle and ejection port. I'm not sure if this is necessary, but I don't think it can hurt. A LEO friend of mine also suggested that I somehow lock the case the firearm is in to my suitcase, I am planning on doing that with another cablelock.

[Mike.357]

can more than one firearm be in the same hard case? I am thinking of where a BUG is taken along with a primary carry piece.

[waynesan]

I took two guns in the same case when I flew to Arizona last spring. I took my XD9 and my avatar favorite mini revolver. Nobody asked to see if either gun was unloaded and no questions were asked by anyone.

I did mistakenly think that the gun case needed to have a TSA lock on it (the gun case is supposed to be locked with a combo lock or key lock that only you have the combo or key). One TSA agent noticed this when he checked my suitcse and pointed out my mistake but still sent me on my way. He could have required me to get another lock but nothing else was said.

[Ropin4gold]

I just flew in last night with 3 handguns locked in a pelican cae. No problems. Just make sure they are unloaded. Gate agent will give you a card slip card in and lock case. Then watch as TSA scans it (if they need to open it and you are not there your luggage will not make the trip). Ammo was in original package and you can have 11lbs of it.

[Guest m&pc9]

I remember as a kid them taking my .22 rifle and putting it up with the Captain when we flew from Grand Junction to Sioux Falls. Getting to see the Cockpit, and him handing it back to me after we landed.

Did the pilot ask "Have you seen a grown man naked":D

[Ruprect]

Don't forget you can go to the short line (can't remember what they call it) for firearms and such.

Nashville has never given me any trouble, but Pittsburgh takes forever, both times now, between walking the gun across the ticket counter area and three tsa people staring at it for 5 mins.

Disclaimer***

I don't know the legalities of this, but I field strip the gun in the case and carry on whatever small inconspicuous(sp?) part of the gun to keep it from working should it be stolen.

In my case I carry on the recoil spring(glock 27) and haven't had an issue yet. It is just a spring after all.

[RoDan]

Did the pilot ask "Have you seen a grown man naked":D

Thats strange. When that happened to me, the pilot asked me if I'd seen the inside of a Turkish prison.

[Guest clutepc]

I flew back in Nov and I was suprised how easy it was.

I really expected to get a funny look or a attitude change or something when I said I had a firearm to check in, but really it was no different than checking in another piece of luggage.

I had my ammo in a magazine and in the metal case beside my M&P.

Edited January 26, 2009 by clutepc

[Guest Rick O'Shay]

It would be a good idea to carry printouts of the TSA rules and the Airline you are flying on's rules. Not everyone you might run into may be familiar with them, especially on the return trip where you REALLY don't want to run into a problem.

[Oh Shoot]

Thank you very much for all of the input, guys. ...

So, how did it go?

- OS

[Guest 70below]

I've checked rifles and pistols on quite a few occasions and rarely have had any trouble or issue. The one notable experience is when they lost my remington 700 on the way home after a hunting trip. It took them a day to track it down, and it arrived after I had left town on a business trip. I left them specific instructions on how I wanted them to handle its arrival, and that I would personally pick it up or a specific named individual would pick it up for me. Instead they gave it to a taxi service and had it delivered to my employers office. How nice of them

[Guest bazookazilla]

No real problems. I am at work and will write again later when I have a few minutes.