Flying with a handgun

[jwhfish]

I would like to take one of my handguns with me when I travel to Alaska. Will I have any problems going through security at O'Hare airport in Chicago if I have it locked in a plastic case in my checked luggage?

 

[netsecurity]

You don't get your checked baggage until you reach your destination.

But a steel case that cannot be easily pried opened is an FAA requirement. Read your airlines separate requirements too.

 

[danil]

Can't attest to that; but I can say that if it is in your briefcase-- you definitely will be put in jail... happened to a neighbor of mine that forgot to take it out before heading to the airport. He is a respected business owner in our community-- but that doesn't say much for him at the airport.

 

[indysims]

Steel locking case (check FAA requirements) it's also a good idea to lock or attach said case to a structural part of suitcase with steel cable. You are supposed to inform airline when you check bag.

The good news, you're less likely to have lost luggage!

 

[PapaScout]

Steel locking case (check FAA requirements) it's also a good idea to lock or attach said case to a structural part of suitcase with steel cable. You are supposed to inform airline when you check bag.

The good news, you're less likely to have lost luggage!

And when you inform the airline when checking the bag say : "I'd like to declare a firearm" not "I have a gun"

 

[dnurk]

I believe you guys telling him it must be a steel case are incorrect. I've flown to Alaska on hunting or fishing trips at least a dozen times and have used hard sided plastic cases on many of those trips. I've even traveled with my 454 casul inside of my hard sided bow case.

As long as you can lock it and it is hard sided you are good to go. They will make you sign an orange card declaring it is unload

Edit, yep...just checked the beside and no requirement for steel case for transporting.


Firearms and Ammunition | Transportation Security Administration

 

[Tactical Studmuffin]

You don't get your checked baggage until you reach your destination.

But a steel case that cannot be easily pried opened is an FAA requirement. Read your airlines separate requirements too.

I just got back from a trip with my Glock 19 in a hard plastic, locked case. They never said it had to be steel... going or coming.

 

[hpclayto]

I believe you guys telling him it must be a steel case are incorrect. I've flown to Alaska on hunting or fishing trips at least a dozen times and have used hard sided plastic cases on many of those trips. I've even traveled with my 454 casul inside of my hard sided bow case.

As long as you can lock it and it is hard sided you are good to go. They will make you sign an orange card declaring it is unload

Edit, yep...just checked the beside and no requirement for steel case for transporting.


Firearms and Ammunition | Transportation Security Administration

This. I've flown with firearms about 10 times and never had an issue.

 

[airmotive]

Check the individual policies of the airline you're flying. Although all airlines meet the requirements of the TSA, each airline is different is different.

Ammo must be in an ammo box. It cannot be in the magazine(s).
However, ammo will quickly send your bag over any modest weight limit. I prefer to just buy ammo at my destination. (of course, this was before gun owners' panic buying began restricting my ability to buy ammo...thanks for that.)

Box just needs to be hard-sided. Not steel.

Run a lock through the chamber of the weapon so you can show the airline personnel that the weapon is unloaded without having to handle the weapon and rack the slide.

Ensure your suitcase looks "normal" and doesn't scream "I contain a gun!".

Put your cell phone number on the outside of the hard case containing your weapon, that way if there are any issues, the TSA can easily contact you.

If your plane gets diverted into Canada, or you miss your flight in Chicago, you have a problem. Do not reclaim you checked bag there, or you will be illegally in possession of a firearm.

 

[427TriPowered]

greetings...

on jan 2nd 2013 i flew to orange county ca... the laws in cali are whacked so i was concerned at first... bullet button and evil features + non-resident... but unless you are flying into new york you should be good...

i checked a [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Plano-108360-Guard-Tactical-Case/dp/B0029KKWT8]plano gun case[/ame]... inside was a betetta 21a 22lr... sig c3 45acp... sig m400 ar15... 9 pistol mags total... no ar mags... i got a set of 4 matching master locks... they lock tight to the case so it can not be opened at all... not even a peek...

upon arrival at the airport is told the ticket agent i needed to check the case and i needed a declaration for firearms... they asked if anything was loaded... nope... they had me sign a tag... i unlocked the 4 locks and put the tag inside the case... locked the 4 locks and that was that... they didnt even look inside... the tag was inside the locked case... not outside the case or luggage so its your secret...

the agent asked me to stay there for a few minutes... i guess sometimes the luggage will alarm and the tsa will want to take a look... since you are not supposed to use tsa locks it can be a problem if it alarms... the tsa is supposed to page you to the ticket counter... if you dont show up they will cut the locks or simply not send it on its way... if they cut them... no locks no fly...

i had my ride to the airport wait for my call before they left... if there was tsa problems i was gonna have my ride take them back home... butts within 5 minutes the agent gave me the all clear...

if i were checking just hand guns i would have put the locked case inside a luggage bag... butts the ar case was too long to fit in any of my luggage...

as soon as we landed i went directly to the baggage claim... thieves prey on luggage... as soon as my case hit the conveyor we rolled outta there...

this is my rig... with just 1 ar and no ar mags though... mags are 10 round max in cali or you go straight to jail...

they say you can put ammo in the same case as long as its in the original box but there is a weight limit... they charged me $44 for the case because it was oversize not overweight...

i looked at the airlines website for my info... so... all was well...

 

[Fletch]

Everyone else has covered the details; I will only chime in that I've flown with my Glockage and have experienced no issues.

 

[1371MARINE]

Check TSA guidlines

 

[Lucas156]

Thanks for the info guys might be flying to Florida this year.

 

[indianajoe]

Here's an AAR I wrote after transporting a firearm:

After Action Report: Transporting a firearm in airline checked baggage: https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/carry_issues_and_self_defense/142645-after_action_report_transporting_a_firearm_in_airline_checked_baggage.html

 

[Icejon]

I also tell me friends that are interested in photography use this trick to fly with firearms. What with the TSA, the only way to have a permanent locked case that TSA cannot steal from is to have either arms or ammunition inside. You could buy a cheap brick of .22 CCI minimags insert it in a hardside case. Once you have that you declare the ammunition on the counter. They give you a ticket to put inside, now anything in that case can be locked as well.

I also add this note on the outside of the box.

"In accordance with Federal Aviation requirements (CFR 1540.111 (2)(iv) ) only the passenger retains the key to this container at all times, if additional inspection is required please contact (my initials, my number)"

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

A new twist this time

For me it was new, anyway.

Checked in at Delta. Declared my firearm and showed it to the agent to confirm it was unloaded.

Previous trips, they gave me the red card to sign and date, put it in my suitcase and they stuck my bag on the conveyor and that was it.

This time, after the red card sign and date, she sent me to the TSA room across from the ticket counter with my suitcase and my gun and box.

TSA searched my suitcase and wiped the sniffer pads all over it, inside the pockets (learned I had a pocket or two I didn't know I had) and then fed the pads into the sniffer machine.

The machine buzzed and a big red bar that read "DETECTED"...uh oh.

She called for a supervisor.

Supervisor shows up and did the whole process over again.

It passed that time, locked the gun box, stuck it in my suitcase and they stuck it on a conveyer and I was off to my gate. Barely made the flight, too.

This is the firt time I had to go to the TSA office for an inspection. I don't know if this is a new procedure or if I'm special.

 

[GBuck]

Holy necro-thread batman!

So, I will be flying with Delta next month and I'm just checking if anyone has any more recent news on the checking a firearm front. From the TSA's website...

Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm. Read the requirements governing the transport of ammunition in checked baggage as defined by 49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8).

This leads me to believe the TSA is fine with having ammo in the magazines... However, Delta seems to say that it cannot be, am I reading this right? From Delta...

Ensure small arms ammunition is packed in the manufacturer's original package or securely packed in fiber, wood, plastic or metal boxes and provide separation for cartridges.

Anyone with specific recent experience with Delta? I'm fine with having it in factory packaging, but it would be easier to just have it in the mags. (At least I can have them in the same locked box)

 

[Drail]

Go to your air carrier's website and print out all their rules and carry it on you. The TSA just makes up rules as they go, trust me. But the carrier that owns, operates, insures and registers that aircraft has the absolute final say on what gets loaded on their aircraft. Some of the ticket counter people have never seen a gun before and do not know their own rules and may have brain lock when you announce that you have a gun. All that they are required to do is look at the gun and see that it is unloaded (as if they can tell). Most will not even want to look at it. Show them their rules. If they seem confused quietly ask for their Supervisor. The TSA only has authority at the checkpoint. Some of those guys are clueless also. Use a non TSA lock on the hard gun case. You keep that key on you all the time. Do not give it to some TSA agent and watch him walk away out of your sight with it. If they ask for your key inform them that you will open and relock it for them. Make them take you to the little room. TSA agents are neither trained or legally authorized to touch a firearm. But that doesn't mean they won't try.

 

[GBuck]

Go to your air carrier's website and print out all their rules and carry it on you. The TSA just makes up rules as they go, trust me. But the carrier that owns, operates, insures and registers that aircraft has the absolute final say on what gets loaded on their aircraft. Some of the ticket counter people have never seen a gun before and do not know their own rules and may have brain lock when you announce that you have a gun. All that they are required to do is look at the gun and see that it is unloaded (as if they can tell). Most will not even want to look at it. Show them their rules. If they seem confused quietly ask for their Supervisor. The TSA only has authority at the checkpoint. Some of those guys are clueless also. Use a non TSA lock on the hard gun case. You keep that key on you all the time. Do not give it to some TSA agent and watch him walk away out of your sight with it. If they ask for your key inform them that you will open and relock it for them. Make them take you to the little room. TSA agents are neither trained or legally authorized to touch a firearm. But that doesn't mean they won't try.

 

[Joniki]

Holy necro-thread batman!

So, I will be flying with Delta next month and I'm just checking if anyone has any more recent news on the checking a firearm front. From the TSA's website...



This leads me to believe the TSA is fine with having ammo in the magazines... However, Delta seems to say that it cannot be, am I reading this right? From Delta...



Anyone with specific recent experience with Delta? I'm fine with having it in factory packaging, but it would be easier to just have it in the mags. (At least I can have them in the same locked box)

I have had issues with less than full boxes of ammo. Buy a reloading box and a piece of velcro to secure it closed. It has worked for me many times.