# First airline travel with firearm



## 2a (Feb 28, 2015)

Heading to another state on Monday by commercial airline... Read all the rules about transporting my handgun (locked case inside checked bag) and will be carrying concealed in the destination state (full reciprocity with Iowa CCW)

I hope it is all as easy as it appears to be


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Get print-outs of the related federal laws, and of the airline's own gun policy.
I have read of counter-agents who were obstructive because they, themselves, did not know the appropriate policies and rules.
TSA agents, too, can be poorly informed and obstructive.

If it's at all possible, don't let anybody slap a label on the outside of your luggage, screaming that "there's a gun in here."
Some TSA and counter-clerk people seem to want to do that. But some baggage handlers are quick and efficient thieves.

Once, I had decided to travel with a pistol. I cut a small hole into my lockable pistol box, just big enough to admit a locking cable.
I threaded a strong, plastic-coated cable around the steel frame of my suitcase, through the hole in the pistol box, down the pistol's barrel, and through its magazine well. I made a complete loop of cable, and closed its ends together with a strong padlock.
TSA and airline personnel could open my suitcase, open my pistol box, and examine the pistol to make sure that it was unloaded and safe, but they couldn't remove the pistol from my suitcase. Neither could a baggage handler: He'd have to steal the whole thing, which is much less likely.

To my chagrin, I've never had to use it. Our kids moved to no-gun zones.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

2a said:


> Heading to another state on Monday by commercial airline... Read all the rules about transporting my handgun (locked case inside checked bag) and will be carrying concealed in the destination state (full reciprocity with Iowa CCW)
> 
> I hope it is all as easy as it appears to be


Please let us know how it went, maybe you can add some useful advice.

I also , will soon be traveling (flying) with firearms.
Thanks
Pic


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## muckaleewarrior (Aug 10, 2014)

I haven't done it yet but the time may come. There's plenty of good advice online. I know one thing, I would be taking our bottom gun if and when I do.


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## rustygun (Apr 8, 2013)

A coworker who travels a lot for work. Drives a couple hours and stays in hotels. One week he took a new pistol he had purchased to show his work friends. Well the very next week he was flying to vegas for a trip with his wife. Well he forgot about the pistol in his suitcase and discovered it when he arrived in vegas. It was undiscovered by airline when he checked his bag. Well he decided on the return trip that it must have been ok so when he traveled home he left the pistol in his suitcase. BAD IDEA. The pistol was discovered and they put him through the ringer. They confiscated his pistol last I heard it has not been returned. I forget the actual charge but it was very serious I believe he ended up needing a lawyer to get it straightened out. It was a real mess.


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## PT111Pro (Nov 15, 2014)

The advise from Steve M1911A1 #2 is important.

I travel often with a gun by air but mostly in the south so 2-3 hour flights out of Houston. I never had any problems with Airline Employees or the TSA here or neighbor states here in the south and often I fly to small Airports and have to change planes sometimes 2 times one way. They all normally know what they do and once a lady from American Air told me, she has almost in every flight someone that carries a firearm from A to B. I’ll think that can be said for all airliners.

I have no experiences flying into the northern states of the US, but know from coworkers, that they had sometimes but rarely problems especially with TSA employees in the north-east states or Washington State.

For me it was only the first time exiting to travel with a firearm, now I don’t even think about it anymore. 
I would inform myself very detailed about the CCL laws in the destination state and if necessary even for the state when you have to change planes. There had been some incidents where people ended up in a mess, with the brutal, merciless overachiever LEO, hanging out on the airports targeting unsuspecting travelers, because they need some points for their next career step. 
But that is true for all kind of things that you could do wrong or questionable on an airport waiting in a layover.


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## 2a (Feb 28, 2015)

Ok fellow firearm enthusiasts... Here's how it went

Summary
- I read all policies ahead of time and knew what to expect and followed all rules
- I arrived early and was polite and respectful to all the not-so-used-to-it folks at the airline counter who worked through the particulars (eg finding right declaration cards in the pile of paper they have behind counter, asking supervisors what to do, being thorough and careful, filling out things on the computer screen about my reservation, etc)

Details
- my unloaded handgun and unloaded magazines (and carry knife) were put in a locked steel handgun container (the kind with simple 3-dial combo you can get for $25 or less) and then I used the cable that came with it to affix it internally to the luggage frame... To deter any baggage handlers that might be curious 
- ammo was in original box- not locked with gun-- just in the orig box in the luggage 
- all was inside my soft sided suitcase with cloths etc
- checked in at counter and said "I have an unloaded firearm in my luggage inside a locked container per policy"... "I think I need to sign a declaration"
- counter staff said yes, I signed and dated a small orange card that they asked me to place next to container in my luggage
- I signed the declaration and opened the luggage and put the 5x7" orange card next to the container amd re-zipped my luggage
- there was no special handling at one airport (the one in Iowa from which I departed)... They simply put my luggage on the carousel. There were no stickers or special markings I could see on the luggage tag and I checked later 
- when I left Floroda, however, they made me take my bag to the TSA (oversized amd special handling counter)... after signing and placing orange declaration card in luggage. The TSA scanned my luggage and gave the thumbs up so away I went.. Again, no special identifying marks on tag or bagge that I could see
- all went well with travel each way 
- they never asked me to open the locked container 

Summary-
- patience, care (follow all rules) and arrive early


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Whew!

Nicely done.
Glad that it went well.

It's always nice to know ahead of time, what to expect.


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## Spike12 (Dec 10, 2008)

Last year I flew NH to Denver and return. I had two handguns in a small locked (padlock) metal case. Told the check-in counter that the case had two guns in it in NH and they did nothing. Denver was a different experience. They took the case and had me follow a special sky-cap to a special room with a special machine that I think sniffed for explosives or something. While I watched, my case went through it. They brought it out to me, escorted me back to the ticket agent who tagged it normally and put it on the belt. There was no special labeling. Changed planes in Chicago (Midway) and the case was in normal baggage claim in NH. Couldn't have been much easier. Only think I did which was pretty obvious was to NOT put ammo in the same case.


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## AirForceShooter (May 6, 2006)

There should never be anything on the outside of the bag that says GUN.

AFS


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## PT111Pro (Nov 15, 2014)

But everyone have to be aware that there are different gun laws in the US. Especially in certain states the LEO are just awaiting for unsuspected people that get, for some reason, stranded with a weapon that doesn't meet that state requirements, or you have the wrong ammo (HP) in you suitcase.

Let say you get stranded on an airport that they have re-routed because of weather conditions or because of a technical issue with the airplane or equipment. 
If this is may not you destination state and city, and you have no absolute secured gun law information in that particular state, you better don't claim your luggage at all. It is better you loose all your luggage including gun, clothes and even the suitcase itself than spending high Dollars on legal fees to get out of jail. 

If you end up on an airport that you didn't plan to be, the airliner issues you new tickets that allows you to get back home or Tickets for different flight to reach your destinations often with a different airline. Be very careful what you do with the luggage that contains the weapon and ammo.

The airliner releases your luggage and you have to re-check it in on this airport. If you don't know the gun laws in that particular state you don't want to claim your luggage. As long as you didn't reclaim that luggage you have legally no possession and control over ammo and gun. The airliner don't like that because than they ending up with luggage that contains a illegal or illegal equipped weapon. There would be a ton of paperwork. So don't re-claim that luggage for no reason. Just leave without it to the hotel don't argue you don't want the police to show to see what going on if the airliner crew not already informed TSA.

Even when there would be a LEO and you ask before you claim your luggage if your stuff is legal or not and the LEO assures you that you are legal, be careful because after you claimed and repossessed your luggage under your control (by butting your hand on the suitcase on the carousel) the very same police officer arrests you for the possession of a illegal weapon, illegal ammo-clip or for the possession of HP ammo.
In such a case you must, you must be absolutely sure that your gun is legal in that state and city. 

And you have to know that in many states you cannot enter a city limit with a gun even if your CCL is by this state recognized. To enter city limits in many liberal states you need a special permission from the city major in addition to your CHL. 
Liberals go very creative when they trap unsuspecting people that they have declared their enemy, and a gun owner is their most worse enemy because gun owners could fight back against the regime. 

So be very careful when traveling with a gun in a state that people get trapped. After arrival and the trip by Shuttle or Taxi to the Hotel, the police can already awaiting you with a warrant to search your luggage, because U entered the city limits with a firearm without special permission. They arrest you on the spot, the legal fees for attorney, judge and court is more than you can make in 20 years, your trouble so big you wish you where never born.
So be careful when you step outside JFK Airport or being stranded in New Jersey for example. 
I'm only saying, be careful what you do. It is actually in everyone own business to make business in such states and their Regimes. 

I have always to suitcases when I travel. One that contains some underwear socks and the gun case, the other for the real stuff that I take as a carry on into the cabin. I don't take my most expensive gun for travel so it would be not a big loss if I have to walk of on my luggage on a airport that I unexpected stranded on. 
Taurus PT 111 is such a weapon but also a S&W SV9DE, a used gun from a pawn shop could be good too. Holsters from the second priceline or I have the holster in my carry on case. 

I know it is for an US American very difficult to adjust to Marxist Regimes and the daily changing political correct do and don'ts in such systems. But you will learn, you will have no other choice, they get elected more and more throughout the US.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

I've never bothered to try when I do fly. It would be nice if it wasn't such a hassle and they didn't try to screw you so much when doing this - IMHO...


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