Firearms / ammo via "checked baggage"

Alan Rushing

I had varying experiences years ago transporting firearms via checked baggage.

(Seattle was "off-the-wall" had an employee there accussing me of importing firearms from a foreign country without the proper permits!!! I was flying from Achorage, AK to Denver, CO to hunt in WY. The employee was figuring that AK was a foreign country and was incapable of accepting the fact that AK was one of the 50 U.S.A. States!!!

They had supposed to be checked through to Denver. When I arrived in Seattle, they demanded that I get the guncase from the baggage area ... even though it had tags directing it to be sent to Denver. They then demanded that I break the official federal seals on the cases and open the cases! The reason? Because they told me "they had a suspicion that there were weapons in the gun cases"!

Long story shortened ... it got even more bizarre.))

Are there any new wrinkles lately about transporting firearms via "checked baggage" now?

* * * Ammunition can be transported in the same locked case as the handguns, correct? * * *

Thanks for the link and all the information folks, believe that I am prepared now; appreciated!

Laredo Lefty

I flew from Cal to Texas 3 days ago with my Glock 19 & 30 rds of ammo. Iam still in Texas and will be flying home next sunday. I have done this several times.

When you check your bags, tell the person at the desk that you want to declare a firearm or firearms. The gun must be in a locked hardcase & unloaded. Ammo must be in original container or similar cartridge box. They may or may not have you open the box for inspection, this varies from airline to airline. They will fill out a firearms declaration card and have you sign it. The card will go with the storage box inside your check bag.

I flew here to Texas on American. It took about 2 minutes longer than it would have traveling without my gun.


I have numerous times traveled with 3 guns, a handgun, a shotgun and a rifle when going to 3-gun competitions. It has always been the same for the last 15 or so years for me when flying with guns.

andrewsw16

Aaaah. Too much hassle checking the thing. Just tuck it in the rear waistband of your slacks and keep it hidden. [:D] I'll hide a hacksaw in a cake and send it to your cell at Leavenworth. [;)]

Actually, checking your gun is a good thing. The more frequently we do it, the more we desensitize the ignorant (in the literal sense, not "stupid") counter clerks and get them educated on legal transport of firearms. [:)]

Txs

quote:Originally posted by Laredo Lefty
When you check your bags, tell the person at the desk that you want to declare a firearm or firearms. The gun must be in a locked hardcase & unloaded. Ammo must be in original container or similar cartridge box. They may or may not have you open the box for inspection, this varies from airline to airline. They will fill out a firearms declaration card and have you sign it. The card will go with the storage box inside your check bag.That's pretty mch how it went for me just a few months ago. It's all on the TSA's website.

Traveling With Special Items: www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm

I'd also suggest you check your airline's website for any special restrictions, odd ball policies, etc. they might have.

Some airlines tend to be more gun friendly than others, but the same can be said for the airports themselves. For example, the person at the ticket counter undoubtedly deals with people carrying handguns more frequently at DFW airport than Newark. [:D]

It's not a requirement, but in addition to the hard side pistol case with two locks I also cable locked this case to the metal frame of my soft side luggage. If my pistol is going to be taken by a sticky fingered baggage handler he's going to have to figure out how to sneak that entire suitcase out the door.

BTW - When you walk up to the ticket counter it's a good idea to say, "I need to declare a firearm" instead of announcing "I've got a gun". [:0][:D]

EDIT: Yes, ammo can be in the same container as the firearm but it still must be in either the original packaging or a simliar container - not in magazines. Their reasoning behind this is so the primers are protected from an accidental blow.

I put mine in an original box, but I also put a strip of duct tape over each end to prevent accidental spillage due to the baggage monkeys tossing my luggage around.

Another heads up - Once you check your bag, pay attention to any calls for you over the airport PA system. I've heard of incidents where the TSA chose people's bags for random inspection prior to loading and they wanted to look inside the firearm container itself. You MUST be the only person who has a key to this container and if they call for you but receive no response your bag will not be boarded.

If you place a lock on your suitcase it must be a 'TSA compliant lock', meaning it's specially constructed so it can be opened by them using a master code or key.

Any place that sells a decent selection of padlocks carries them. Just look for either of these symbols on the packaging and lock:

wpage

My friend had his sons pistol in his bag. The bag was lost, later they went to the lost luggage area to find a mountain of other lost baggage. No luck...

A few weeks later the bag was delivered to his house. All was well but unsettling.

andrewsw16

To "try" to minimize lost and misdirected luggage, I make sure I have an accurate ID tag on the outside. But, in addition to that, I put a full sized sheet of paper just inside the suitcase with my contact information. You never know when one of the human or automated baggage handlers will rip off the airline tag and the ID tag. Then, their procedure is to open the luggage and look for ID information. Having that ID inside the luggage was a procedure I learned in the military. They always told us to drop a copy of our travel orders inside each suitcase. It's a good idea and can help get your property back to you. Oh, one other hint. On both the outside and inside ID, put your DESTINATION address and phonenumber. After all, you DO want your luggage to get to your hotel when you are going on vacation and not just taken BACK to your home. [:D] That also prevents professional thieves hanging out at the airport from seeing your home address and knowing you are going to be absent for a while, making your home an an easy target.

cbxjeff

I have done this only once - about 6 years ago. I inherited three pieces from a late friend from the Tampa area. I had checked my airline's rules on-line & was prepared. The only problem was walking into the Tampa where there was a large sign over the entrance "no firearms". I walked to the ticket counter & told the agent that I have some unloaded firearms to declare. She called a security agent, I opened my suitcase, unlocked my gun cases, locked them back up, and security taged my suitcase as inspected. Maybe I was lucky but I couldn't have asked for a easier time.

Robin

Generally there is not a problem if you have a good hard case and original or better ammunition storage cases. Recently I flew round trip from Orlando to Salt Lake City. No problem at all in Orlando but in Salt Lake City coming back the TSA guy ran a swab through the inside of my open Pelican case and told me that the swab tested positive for explosive residue. I said no kidding, the case has had firearms transported in it for 6 or 7 years. After a couple of minutes I think he figured that things were as they should be.

Laredo Lefty

Alan... Yes, the ammo can be transported in the same hard case as the gun. No ammo in the gun or magazines, also no loose ammo. I usually use the plastic 50 rnd boxes with snap lid