Those that fly with handgun

[RoundEye]

I have flown twice with firearms. Just thoroughly read the TSA's and the airline you are flying with website. It is explained in great detail.

Yep, +1

I typically print out the rules for TSA and the airline and keep them in the case should there be any disagreement. I use TSA locks on the case as precaution as I was told that if there is an issue with it later and they cannot get ahold of you to open the case, they won't let it fly. My whole trip was for a match, so if they didn't send my firearm it would've been a waste, so I wanted to be sure there were no issues. I keep the locked case in my duffle which is checked, and I typically don't lock my duffle.

It's what works for me, but to each their own. As long as you're in compliance with the TSA and airline rules, you should be good to go.

[TJCamro]

Put it in your checked baggage. Why pay for another item? Will need to declare it and fill out card. Must be locked and no ammo inside the case. You can buy small TSA locks for the case and the luggage. Good idea to put name and phone number in the case also. Can have ammo in same bag but not in the gun case.

DO NOT BUY TSA approved locks, the only person allowed access to your gun is you. This means that they should not be able to access it, and if they do there is a major lawsuit that you can file on that (including if they cut your locks off).

When I have flown with my guns I kept them in my large suitcase, locked inside a pelican case with two non-tsa locks, when I checked in for the flight I let the lady at the counter know I needed to declare my firearms, she gave me the piece of paper which I signed and then set in my bag on top of my pelican case. There were no issues both flights doing it this way.

[paul0660]

DO NOT BUY TSA approved locks, the only person allowed access to your gun is you. This means that they should not be able to access it, and if they do there is a major lawsuit that you can file on that (including if they cut your locks off).

TSA locks are required on suitcases.

Do you know of a lawsuit otherwise?

[jimdelmar]

Tsa locks are required if locking a suitcase that does NOT have a firearm. WITH a firearm, the TSA is not allowed to open your suitcase outside of your view, and from my understanding cannot touch your firearm.

Check out http://deviating.net/firearms/packing/

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[paul0660]

Tsa locks are required if locking a suitcase that does NOT have a firearm. WITH a firearm, the TSA is not allowed to open your suitcase outside of your view, and from my understanding cannot touch your firearm.

Check out http://deviating.net/firearms/packing/

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

They can open the suitcase, they cannot open the gun case. IF the gun case happens to be a hard sided suitcase, I guess it would serve.

[duc748bip]

I use a chamber flag that one can see visually the pistol is unloaded. TSA or airline employee will try to avoid touching the gun. With the flag you can just open the case and they can confirm its unloaded. No need to raise the gun and rack the slide in an busy airport.

[Intimid8tor]

what are they swabbing for?

Nitrates and other chemical residue of explosives.

[TJCamro]

TSA locks are required on suitcases.

Do you know of a lawsuit otherwise?

I did not say to not use TSA locks on your suitcase, I was talking about the hard sided case that the gun(s) are in. TSA does not have a right to open your gun case, they can open the suitcase to see that the paper is in there for declaring the gun and that is all they can do.

I also make sure to print TSA's rules and the Airlines rules and tape them to the outside of the gun case, just to make sure that anyone planning an questioning my right to transport firearms can see that there are guidelines set forth that I have followed.

[jimdelmar]

BUT, if you are using a hard sided suitcase, that is your gun case - there is no need to put a separate gun case inside....thereby preventing the TSA from opening and doing their random inspection on the contents of your suitcase - e.g. everything in your suitcase that contains a firearm become secure from the TSA or others. Solid suitcase with a firearm is locked and secure from everyone, and cannot be opened outside your presence...

Or so I understand, not a lawyer, your mileage may very etc.

[fanof1911forlife]

this discussion brought up an interesting question for me with flying in general. since i have a couple of sig p250s, can i remove the internal firing controls, ship the frames and complete uppers in advance and check in the chasses as non-handgun parts during the boarding process?

[jimdelmar]

BTW, the whole point made by http://deviating.net/firearms/packing is that he ALWAYS checks a firearm in every checking bag, with the specific intent of being able to then secure all of the expensive electronics or other things one might travel with inside the same LOCKED suitcase, thereby stopping the problem of perusing and pilfering of said items.