# Flying with a firearm



## R2D2 (Dec 13, 2013)

Ok so I've never flown with a firearm before. I'll be checking it with baggage, just looking to find out what locks to use, the airline website says TSA approved locks, but everywhere else I look says not to use them because almost anyone can access the firearm at that point. I'd prefer to use my own locks on the case. Anyone who has personally checked a firearm I'd appreciate some input/advice. Thanks in advance.


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## visible25 (Feb 7, 2012)

Fun fact; siscors, knives and other similar items are not allowed in airports.
If you're afraid of someone unlocking your locks, then I'd suggest zip ties! Can't break those


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/firearms-and-ammunition

Something to note is that the bag itself does not have to be hard-sided; I personally use soft-sided baggage with a hard-sided locked case INSIDE the bag.


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## msw (Jul 19, 2004)

Also check the airline website for their rules, sometimes they differ slightly from the TSA regulations. And the one absolute you will find if you travel a lot by airline, is the wide variety of how any and all of these rules may be interpreted by airline counter personnel and TSA. And different airports tend to handle people checking guns in checked baggage differently.

In years past, I have had a couple unpleasant moments where I got hassled/questioned about having my gun inside a soft piece of luggage, even though it was in a hard plastic (locked) case _within_ that soft sided piece of luggage. Since these incidents, which occurred many years ago now, I always use a hard-sided suitcase (just to avoid any chance of getting hassled); and with the gun in a locked case inside of that. (Ammo separate.) My suitcase has TSA locks; if you don't have TSA locks and TSA wants to open it, and they can't get ahold of you, they will just break the locks anyway. Once that bag disappears, you have no control over what happens, and if anyone wants in it, they are going to get in it. I've never had a problem (I'm knocking on my wooden desk now) in almost 35 years of airlining (and other flying!) with my gun, BUT, I also don't take an expensive or my "favorite gun" if I'm going to be checking it in checked baggage for an airline trip. My typical travel gun is an old S&W .38 five shot revolver; if they lose it, the airline can just buy me a new one. One of the things I have wondered about, though, is what folks do - and how airlines handle it (firearm security) - if one is travelling with high value guns, like expensive hunting rifles. I did see someone checking some obvious long gun cases at an airline counter once; they were in very very sturdy, Pelican type cases, and did NOT have TSA locks on them&#8230;.. they looked like _very_ robust padlocks.

BTW, make sure you are legal to carry/possess whatever firearm you are travelling with, at both your departure and arrival locations. If you are covered by HR218, you'll be fine. If not, you have to be very careful to check State (and maybe local) laws wherever you are headed to. For instance, when flying out of any of the NYC airports (JFK, LGA and EWR), when you declare your firearm to be in checked baggage at the airline counter, the airline agent will call the Port Authority PD to come over and "check you out". Lots of people every year - who may be legal to possess a handgun in their home state, or have a CCW Permit there, but who are not legal to possess a handgun in NY/NJ - miss their flight and spend a night or two in the Gray Bar Hotel after trying to check a gun at an airline counter there. For folks covered by HR218 - and with proper ID - I doubt you'd have any problem whatsoever with the PANY&NJ PD Officers there; those who I have had contact with (and I've flown out of JFK many many times) have all been great guys and gals. Just allow extra time for this process, as I have had to wait at the ticket counter for up to 40 minutes (just once, usually takes only 10-15 min wait) for the Officers to get there&#8230;&#8230;.. so make sure you get there enough ahead of time so you won't sweat missing your flight if the Officers take a bit longer than average to get to the ticket counter to check you out!


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## Bloodhound (May 20, 2010)

I have checked a firearm many times while flying. I use a regular soft suitcase with no lock. The gun case is made by http://www.seahorse.net with a pair of same keyed Master locks (NO TSA locks thanks very much). Firearm is unloaded, ammo is in the factory box it came in, in the same suitcase, just not in the case with the gun. Walk up to the bag check counter and tell them you need to do a "Firearm Declaration". You sign the tag, which they affix to your gun case. For me it has always been that simple.


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## USM C-2 (Oct 27, 2010)

I have flown with a firearm several times. Most recently from Gulfport to Atlanta and return. 

My usual practice is a soft-sided suitcase, with a nano-vault keyed lock case inside. The steel cable is looped around the suitcase frame, so taking the locked gun case is more difficult, though not impossible.

As mentioned, check the airline regulations, they handle ammo differently. Some require it to be in original packaging, some in an ammo case, and a few will allow loaded mags, though that is not the norm. The intent seems to be to ensure primers are completely covered and protected from any possible impact.

I always take a photo of the gun inside the case, chamber plug and serial number visible. Solves any questions when the photo is time stamped and geo-tagged.

Bear in mind that you have to go to a full-service desk agent to check in. No curbside, no kiosk, no express lane check in. This alone can add extra time to your check in.

In many airports you simply declare an unloaded firearm, sign the red card, and put it inside the suitcase atop the gun case. The bag goes away. In some places (Atlanta, Reno, Providence RI come to mind) they ask you to bring the bag to the TSA baggage screen (*NOT* the passenger screeners, please!!) and turn it over to them. When I have done that they will open the bag, make sure the gun case is locked, maybe run a sensor paper over things then close it up and your bag goes off from there, right into the baggage handling system. Sometimes the ticket agent asks you to wait a short time to see if TSA or PD wants to check the bag further.

I haven't used TSA locks, just el cheapo suitcase locks so nothing gets unzipped and falls out. Nothing wrong with TSA locks, though.

In general, I've had no issues but definitely allow 15-20 minutes extra.


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## militia_man (Mar 27, 2005)

I was surprised how easy it was to fly with firearms in checked baggage. I had all sorts of nightmare scenarios running through my mind the first time I did it, but it was mostly hassle free. I was also surprised that Logan Airport, here in anti-gun Massachusetts, is exceptionally hassle free. My biggest hassle so far was in Texas of all places, at DFW Airport. As an aside, I very rarely notice "no guns" signs here in Massachusetts, but I saw quite a few of them in Dallas. I guess they are not as much of a free state as they like to claim to be. Like others have said, read the FAA *AND *airline policies carefully and leave yourself some extra time.


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## LGriffin (Apr 2, 2009)

militia_man said:


> My biggest hassle so far was in Texas of all places, at DFW Airport. As an aside, I very rarely notice "no guns" signs here in Massachusetts, but I saw quite a few of them in Dallas. I guess they are not as much of a free state as they like to claim to be.


It's not all bad.
Texas may be reddening, but Dallas County's turning a darker shade of blue.
Driven by a growing black middle class expanding into the southern suburbs - which heads to the polls with a penchant for straight-ticket voting - Dallas County's leadership is becoming more Democratic.
http://www.texastribune.org/2010/12/22/texas-gets-increasingly-red-dallas-goes-blue/


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## msw (Jul 19, 2004)

I also experienced the biggest hassle factor from TSA for traveling with a gun in checked luggage, at DFW Airport in Texas. Kinda strange.


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## Fuzzywuzzy (Aug 15, 2013)

Gotta add my 2 cents. Had to go to Dallas on a extradition before I retired, an idiot for whom we had 2 Attempted Murder Warrants. Had no problems at the airports in Phila. or Pittsburgh but at DFW I'm there with the required Firearms Boarding Pass, my credentials and an ass gasket in handcuffs and I'm getting grilled by a functionary with a bunch of stupid fucking questions.


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## Fuzzywuzzy (Aug 15, 2013)

Such as: "Are you on official business?" I mean, really.
No... this is what I do on vacation.


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## Joel98 (Mar 2, 2011)

The617Viet said:


> Former TSA officer here. Your department may grant you a LEO flying armed form. This means you can walk through the exits with the weapon IWB or in your bag without having to check it in. There is also UFAN number for federal officers that are given and NLETS number if youre a local or state. If you are not a LEO, just check it.


But I believe your department only grants the LEO flying armed form for an official on-duty extradition. It's not given out for flying on vacation.


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## USM C-2 (Oct 27, 2010)

The617Viet said:


> Former TSA officer here. Your department may grant you a LEO flying armed form. This means you can walk through the exits with the weapon IWB or in your bag without having to check it in. There is also UFAN number for federal officers that are given and NLETS number if youre a local or state. If you are not a LEO, just check it.


We have sent officers to escort the football team. It requires an NLETS message to get approval and the approval printout has to go with the officer. That is a uniform detail with full duty gear except OC spray.

You can also fly armed if you are escorting a prisoner, conducting hazardous surveillance or other duty requiring you to be immediately armed upon your arrival, if I remember the categories correctly. In any case except in an emergency (such as tailing someone into an airport) you have to have completed the FAA Flying Armed training course. Which was only a few hours.

Vacation? Check it. Much easier and less hassle.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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