air travel with a firearm

[henry 008]

has anyone here done it before? air line says it can be packed in a locked case inside your checked luggage, not carry on.    tsa says it has to be checked in a locked case, but doesn't mention anything about it being inside luggage...    
I hope to take my walther CCP with me to fla next week and take my daughter and son in law to a shooting range. neither have handled a gun before  ???

[RDAbull]

Henry,
It can be done in the luggage, but the odds of it getting there are not all that great.
Sticky fingers and all.
Fed-Ex or UPS it down to them and the same back.
I've shipped down to Phoenix a couple times.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I've done it numerous times to AK and back. It has to be an approved locked gun case unloaded. I wasn't aware of putting it within your luggage though as mine were always in rifle cases. Never had any theft problems. I did have them steal a nice set of binoculars out of my luggage though. 

[Serk]

Done it many times myself. Odds are actually VERY good of it making it, because it's a declared firearm it has a LOT of eyes on it, and other eyes watching those eyes.

Check with your airline, but with Southwest Airlines goes something like this:

Handgun unloaded with ammo out of firearm and stored appropriately (CAN have ammo stored in the magazine, but the magazine has to be out of the gun, and/or ammo in original packaging. Ammo CAN be in same case as firearm).

Gun goes in a hard LOCKABLE case. You declare the firearm at the check in counter, they will usually ask to see it to verify it's unloaded (Not always though) then have you fill out a slip of paper to put in the case, then you lock the case in front of them, with a NON-TSA lock that you certify only you have the key or combination to (Part of the security thing) and then you can place the pistol case into your other checked luggage.

And yeah, the first few times it feels really awkward walking up to the counter and saying anything with the word "Firearm" in it, but they're used to it. Just "I need to declare a firearm for checked luggage please" and go on from there.

Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, make sure the firearm is legal at both your origin and destination, and if for some odd reason your flight gets diverted or you miss a connection and end up in a communist area (NY, Chicago, etc.) talk to the airline and see what you should do, don't just retrieve your checked luggage and forget you've got it, things could get real interesting when you try to re-check it.

[KG]

Not that big a deal as long as you can legally posses the firearm at the departure and landing places.

unload the gun and put it in a case that locks. leave ammo in the box it came in its own case and no loaded magazines.

make sure suitcase can be locked. never allow a TSA lock to be put on suitcase as they all have keys.

when you get to the counter quietly say you need a TSA agent to check a firearm in your  checked baggage.

the TSA agent will take you in a room and check the pistol to make sure it is unloaded and will fill out a paper and put it in your luggage and escort you back to check in the bag.

always double check the airlines and TSA policy for firearms and print it and have it handy in your luggage with you.

[KG]

Serk we both posted at the same time

I had to unload my magazines and buy a box at the gift store to put ammo in  they would let me put it in the case without a box. No loose ammo they said.

they find something different each time I go to the airport. went to work on the generator and they confiscated every spray can without a top. paint to wd40 to brake cleaner.

said something about starting a fire or a hazard

told them I took those tops off what was to stop me from removing a top from another can they replied that's past the check point we are just doing what they told us to do

[Serk]

Seems to be some variability from airline to airline, I'd highly recommend looking up the policy of the airline you're flying with, PRINT IT OUT, follow it to the letter, and if they try to say otherwise at check-in politely show them the printout of the letter... Politely being the operative word here.

[Jess from VA]

Yes, check the individual airline.

Pistol in a locking case.  And I'd put that in a locked luggage.

When I got home from overseas, I put 7 guns in a big hardside locking suitcase (including broken down rifles)(unloaded, no ammo).  I just checked it through and told no one anything.  Times have changed.

I thought one side of a mailed firearm had to have an FFL (including UPS and Fed Ex)?

[RDAbull]

I can tell you through experience that when one goes missing the paperwork is a real PIA.
You have to have an FFL on the receiver end if it is interstate, sorry forgot to mention that. Intrastate it is not necessary.
I collect antiques (anything prior to 1898, or replica thereof), they have no shipping regulations
I have an FFL on the other end when needed.

[Jersey mike]

all I can add is you might want to add some extra time for TSA before you depart each location.

[Jess from VA]

Yes, my reference to an FFL on one end of mailing was in reference to interstate shipping.

Curios and relics...... I may be well on my way to becoming a relic, but take offense to being referred to as a curio.   

[RP#62]

Several years ago I drove a car down to Florida to give to my son and flew back.  I had my pistol with me.  I had checked with the airline's website about what all I should do to fly it back.  So I get up to the counter and the guy says can I help you and I say I have a gun.  His eyes get big and I can see the look of panic and I say its in my bag I'm going to check it, I'm declaring it like it said on the website.  He says oh (much relieved).  He then says it has to be in a locked gun case.  I say your website doesn't say that, it just says a locked case, my case is locked.  He says again it has to be a gun case.  I say call your manager over.  The manager comes over and upon hearing whats going on says it has to be a locked gun case.  I reiterated what their website said.  He says we always require a gun case.  Seeing that we weren't getting anywhere I said I have a very large gun case, but I'm only bringing a very small gun, so I packed clothes around it so it wouldn't rattle around.  He thought about it for a minute and said OK.

-RP

[JimC]

I have done it, like said above, the check in counters are used to it.

In my situation I told the gal at the counter that "I have an unloaded firearm to declare" (DON'T SAY I HAVE A GUN!) She asked me to open the case so she could see if it was unloaded, I opened it up and she said OK, and called a TSA guy over to witness me putting the paperwork into the bag with the handgun, and locking the case.

I went a little farther than needed, I actually bought an old suitcase just for the trip with the gun, it had a metal frame, I put a small cable lock through the hand gun case, and through the metal frame so no one could reach in and grab it as it went down the line, plus, I locked the actual suitcase with MY LOCK. All in all, it was very painless.

Think about this for a minute, how do all the competitive shooters, active police officers, etc. travel now days? They all have to do the same thing, that is why the airlines are used to the routine.  

Jim

[henry 008]

thank you guys for all of the replies. I've done a lot of reading on it and emaild tsa and SW and so far they have jus directed me to their websites for instructions.

"Just "I need to declare a firearm for checked luggage please" and go on from there."

that seems like a very good way to start out. thanks again everyone!

[Marinakorp]

I do it all the time...and even internationally upon occasion (IDPA match in Costa Rica in 2010). I have traveled to FLA a few times, and my LTCF is valid there (some states call it a CCW).


Simple enough.... go to the airline website and see what they say about it... some actually prohibit even in checked bags!

as others have stated - need to declare at the counter, "prove" that it is unloaded... easiest way is to have the slide already removed... your choice if you want to do that.

There is an card that you fill out... name, address...and place in the case. The TSA agent will generally take your bag for screening...and you wait for a minute or so...then you are free to go to the passenger screening.

What I have found helpful, when coming in to the Airport area, and there are baggage handlers on the curb - let them know that you are checking a firearm...usually they take you to the front of the line, or at least through the "first class" or business class check in lanes - a lot faster than waiting in line with everyone else.

You can also take ammo... there are rules for that too.. and a maximum amount. Other than the box of carry ammo I tend to get my ammo locally and just pay the piper at the range.

EXCEPTION - when I went to Costa Rica... that would have been VERY expensive to get ammo locally...especially .45 ACP.

Also, PRINT out both the federal rules... and the Airline rules... you don't always get the best trained individual at the counter for this.

Have fun in FLA!

[Master Blaster]

Many years ago, when I was an Army Crypto Spec stationed in Ft Totten New York, I got orders for Taiwan, and packed a Ruger 22 Standard in my briefcase.  We stopped for the night in Hong Kong, and I discovered I had forgotten about it.  It was loaded with one in the chamber, and I thought Oh Crap.   I decided to not mention it and finished the trip with no problems, I would hate to think how deep I would be into it today.  And of course I was carrying the briefcase, and didn't check it.