cary while traveling

[Guest Tyson1]

I am taking a new job, which will require me to travel 75% of the month. It is all airline travel. Can I get a hard lock box from bass pro, to lock my hand gun, and ammo in? Or are passengers not allowed to carry ammo in checked luggage?

[Angus]

I am taking a new job, which will require me to travel 75% of the month. It is all airline travel. Can I get a hard lock box from bass pro, to lock my hand gun, and ammo in? Or are passengers not allowed to carry ammo in checked luggage?

I work for Southwest, here is our policy:

A hard sided LOCKED case for the unloaded weapon. This case can be put inside of another softsided suitcase....orrrrr....A hard sided locked suitcase ( this is what I recommend personally do to the complete protection of you personal belongings from rain and whatever else can happen ) and the unloaded weapon can be in a soft bag inside of this locked hardside suitcase. Ammo has to be in original manufacturer packaging, or secured inside of a case that will protect it from any damage or accidental disscharge.

If you have to travel on another airline...welllll..good luck first off, but seriously...check the website for all of the airlines to make sure you can go from one to another, In the event of cancelled flights etc.

Feel free to pm me iffin ya have any questions

[Magiccarpetrides]

Awesome thanks for the reply on this im traveling to Seattle at the end of the month and planned on taking some protection with me (turns out Washington is a very PRO-gun state).

[jeremiah]

TSA is talking about more airport regulations. Don't get your hopes up.

[Guest Tyson1]

Ammo has to be in original manufacturer packaging, or secured inside of a case that will protect it from any damage or accidental disscharge

can i load both magazines and have them inside of the locked box, sitting next to the unloaded gun?

[Guest dwrd]

I am about to fly this weekend and have been doing a little research on this as well. Check out www.tsa.gov there is a good bit of info on flying with the firearms there. From what I read there, rounds can only be in the magazine if the round is completely covered. So if you had a pouch to enclose the magazines in then yes, if not then you need an ammo box. I keep at least one ammo box around the house just in case, and that is what I plan to use. Now I just need to find a bag that will fit the hard case I have or get a different locking case before friday.

Here is the firearm and ammunition section of the tsa site.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm

Edited August 12, 2008 by dwrd
added link to the tsa site.

[Guest Tyson1]

ammo box, as the cardboard they came in? I have those, but that box wont fit in my locked gun case. Can i just have them sitting in the box in my suit case, or do they have to be locked also?

[Angus]

If the magazines are loaded, I believe you can carry them in your gun case if it has cutouts in the foam for the mags. Remember to declare you have an UNLOADED firearm when you check in at the counter..and please...PPPPLLLEEAAASSSEEEEE don't check in at the curb with the skycaps. Get to the airport early enough to check in at the counter. If yer flying Southwest, tell em I said hey...been outta work for 3 months now....

Side note: I have been to Seattle, if you are staying in teh city and you like seafood...Ray's Boathouse was frickin awesome

[Guest dwrd]

That I am not sure of. You might get a 2nd hardside box that will lock that you could put an ammo box in. Most airlines regulate the amount of ammo you can carry. I am flying Southwest, and on their website it says I can't carry more than 11lbs of ammo. If you are going to be travelling on a regular basis, you might get a seperate box for flight, and cut out the foam to fit an ammo box, so that way it will be ready to fly.

[Angus]

That I am not sure of. You might get a 2nd hardside box that will lock that you could put an ammo box in. Most airlines regulate the amount of ammo you can carry. I am flying Southwest, and on their website it says I can't carry more than 11lbs of ammo. If you are going to be travelling on a regular basis, you might get a seperate box for flight, and cut out the foam to fit an ammo box, so that way it will be ready to fly.

Yeah, 11 lbs...sorry I left that out. I just think 11 lbs of ammo is more than most folks would normally travel with.

[Magiccarpetrides]

11lbs...im not gearin up for battle ;-D One box of shells should be plenty as long as the Russkies dont invade lol.

[molonlabetn]

Yeah, 11 lbs...sorry I left that out. I just think 11 lbs of ammo is more than most folks would normally travel with.

That's not even 50rd of .50 BMG... nowhere near enough!

[Angus]

Heh...yeah, don't go startin battle that close to Canananananada, they kinda jumpy folks up there...being part French and all.

FYI: the rules for carrying ammo and weapons is not TSA regulated so far, these have always been our policies at Southwest. They are actually a product of our hazardous material handeling policy( for ammo ). Just like carrying dry-ice, batteries and most other burny, sticky, stinky stuff.

[Guest sling]

and most other burny, sticky, stinky stuff.

So i guess that means that you cant fly derek (dwrd) since you as a person fall under this category.

[Guest Tyson1]

k, i'm thinking a case like this would work great. is something like this available to buy locally? I'm in the nashville area.

Measures: 12.75"L x 5.3"D x 9.3"W.

Edited August 12, 2008 by Tyson1

[Angus]

Bass pro should have one

[jeremiah]

Be prepared for extra delays. It has been my experience that not everyone at the checkin/out counters has the same interpretation of the rules.

[Angus]

Yep...you may want to print off the page from the airlines website, and bring it with you when you check in. Also...phewww...never belive what the reservations agnet tells you OVER THE PHONE......they usually don't know jack, and mislead you into one of the most frustrating adventures you could imagine.

Remember...I do work for an airline, and I told you that....heh

[fizik]

Wow Angus, it's awesome to hear some honesty like that from an airline employee! I've never had a good experience with them, you just renewed my faith in mankind.

By the way, I have always flown Southwest when I could, and they're by far the best airline to travel on IMO.

[Angus]

Thanks fizik, I appreciate ya helping my pistol fund..really I do. Well, no one is perfect, and well....hell, neither am I, and I get called a "no-one" all the time.

If you have flown out of BNA, then you have seen me, and you'd know because I am the only one with w NY accent...heh. Tis no use in lying or misleading. It is what it is. You may be pissed off about it, but I am still gonna try my damndest to get ya where ya wanna go.

[big mo]

I work for Southwest, here is our policy:

A hard sided LOCKED case for the unloaded weapon. This case can be put inside of another softsided suitcase....orrrrr....A hard sided locked suitcase ( this is what I recommend personally do to the complete protection of you personal belongings from rain and whatever else can happen ) and the unloaded weapon can be in a soft bag inside of this locked hardside suitcase. Ammo has to be in original manufacturer packaging, or secured inside of a case that will protect it from any damage or accidental disscharge.

If you have to travel on another airline...welllll..good luck first off, but seriously...check the website for all of the airlines to make sure you can go from one to another, In the event of cancelled flights etc.

Feel free to pm me iffin ya have any questions

great info......thx for sharing

[robbiev]

11lbs...im not gearin up for battle ;-D One box of shells should be plenty as long as the Russkies dont invade lol.

Is 11 pounds really all that much? I've never weighed ammo, but putting a couple of hundred rounds in a bag makes it a lot heavier. Of course, I know most of the time, you wouldn't carry that much ammo unless you're going to a shooting match somewhere.

[raydog1]

I travel frequently and tend to visit any Bass Pros I come across for ammo. Sales tax is usually less and my company is technically paying for the "shipping".

I usually fly Southwest or Northwest and I just put the retail boxes in my checked luggage. No need for a special box or to declare it. I put one in each corner of the suitcase just to force TSA to wade through my dirty underwear to get to 'em (hehe). Done it dozens of times and I've never seen the boxes moved.

Just be aware that they always claim ZERO responsibility for missing ammo/guns. So if the inspectors really want some of that Wolf you got a killer deal on, they can take it and there's nothing you can do but pout.

[raydog1]

And a box of 50 round 9mm is usually around 2 pounds according to the packages I get from various online retailers. So stock up if you're in a place with less tax. Just make sure your luggage isn't over 50 lbs.

I have had the nice ladies of Southwest let me slide with 51 lbs a few times though. But they'll give you a stern talking-to about it.

[waynesan]

I recently flew from Knoxville to Phoenix and back on U.S. Airways and here is how it went.

Packed my XD9 in the case it came in with two empty mags in the foam cutout.

Placed a lock on the gun case. The gun case is supposed to be locked with a non TSA lock to which only you have the key or combination.

Packed a box of ammo in the box it came in in a suitcase and packed the guncase in the same suitcase.

Placed a TSA lock on the suitcase.

When checking in, I declared an "unloaded firearm" in my luggage. (Don't just blurt out "I have a gun." (Your travel plans may quickly change)

They had me open the suitcase and show them the guncase. In Knoxville I did not have to open the guncase and show them it was empty. In Phoenix I did.

Placed the firearm tag that the ticket agent gave me inside the suitcase, closed it up and locked it back with the TSA lock and took it to the TSA inspector (or whatever they are called) and he put it through their machine (I guess some kind of X-ray) and told me everything was fine and I went on my way.

Couldn't have went smoother.