Flying with pistols

[socal619]

I posted before but most of my responses were look on the airlines website, which I did...well my issue now is they are vague on how they need to be transferred or maybe they don't care as much as I think they do...united and frontier are who ill be flying with, no ammo just pistols. Says I need to have them in a hard lockable case containing 5 or less firearms. Now, I have a huge rifle case that can fit all my pistols no problem but its quite obvious it's a rifle case...I'm thinking maybe I can use a hard suitcase with a lock and all my pistols in their cases also locked inside of that suitcase should be fine? Or do they specifically want a gun case to be used? Anyone have any experience or issues before? I would seriously hate to show up to my flight and be turned away because of a case issue. Thanks!

[socal619]

And I'm somewhat against using my rifle case due to theft..it's always a worry of course but that's pretty obvious what's inside and that most guns are quite expensive I wouldn't put it past someone to see it and snag it with my guns inside.

[P5Ret]

When I flew to DC on Delta a few years back, my USP was in a locked hard case, inside my suitcase which was also locked. I think I just used a plain old hard side case that had a tab to fit a padlock through.

[socal619]

Was ur big suitcase hard or soft? We want to use a soft if we can cause already have one lol. If I can just put em in thee respective cases inside of my suitcase with my clothes etc that is much much much more preferred.

[paul0660]

Does not need to be a "gun case"

TSA lock on your suitcases, if you want, your own lock on what ever case your guns are in.

[lorax3]

It needs to be in a hard-sided case, with a lock that only you have the combination/key to. Aka not a TSA lock.

[trevorlc]

I have a little Pelican 1150 case that I had my USP in when I flew just a few days ago, put 2 padlocks (one on each tab) and the airline and TSA was fine with it. That case was also small enough I was able to put it inside my regular luggage so it made it a bit more discreet. (The firearm tag goes on the actual locked case the firearm is inside, so if you put that in another bag then the only person who sees the firearms tag is TSA when they screen the bag and you. At least in theory)

[P5Ret]

Was ur big suitcase hard or soft? We want to use a soft if we can cause already have one lol. If I can just put em in thee respective cases inside of my suitcase with my clothes etc that is much much much more preferred.

It was a soft sided suit case.

[LibertyDeath]

I have a little Pelican 1150 case that I had my USP in when I flew just a few days ago, put 2 padlocks (one on each tab) and the airline and TSA was fine with it. That case was also small enough I was able to put it inside my regular luggage so it made it a bit more discreet. (The firearm tag goes on the actual locked case the firearm is inside, so if you put that in another bag then the only person who sees the firearms tag is TSA when they screen the bag and you. At least in theory)

Did they change the rules? Last I heard trying to put anything identifying that case as containing firearms was not allowed.

EDIT: Disregard, they did change the rules.

I just checked the TSA site. The firearm must be in a locked and hard-sided container.

TSA Firearms Guidelines

[socal619]

I know it's gotta be a hard case but I guess the main question is can they be included in my normal checked bag like with my clothes etc...and does THAT case have to be hard or only the ones that the guns are in? I can put my plain ol hard case that they came in with a lock inside my soft case with my clothes and be fine?

[socal619]

Their site isn't specific on wether or not firearms are the only thing that can be in the case holding them. If I can just throw em in with my other stuff I'm good to go

[LibertyDeath]

Their site isn't specific on wether or not firearms are the only thing that can be in the case holding them. If I can just throw em in with my other stuff I'm good to go

You can have other stuff in there too. Ammo, holsters, clothing, flux capacitor or anything else legal to for flight in checked baggage.

[X231]

Speaking only of Allegiant Airlines I can tell you that I traveled with my hand gun in a TSA approved lockable hard side box, Nano brand I think. I just stuck that in my duffel bag and locked that although I don't recall them asking for that to be locked. Allegiant was pretty low key about the whole thing.

[daybreak]

I fly with a pelican 1720 rifle case with 5 pistols to and from CA with no issues. Unloaded and locked in the pelican. No issues. It's clearly a rifle case and it does make me nervous, but I don't have better options.

Most airlines allow up to 11 lbs of ammunition (300 rounds of 9mm) as long as they are in a box. They say cardboard packaging is fine. It can travel in your checked in luggage. You can always call the airline.

[trevorlc]

Did they change the rules? Last I heard trying to put anything identifying that case as containing firearms was not allowed.

EDIT: Disregard, they did change the rules.

I just checked the TSA site. The firearm must be in a locked and hard-sided container.

TSA Firearms Guidelines

Also to clarify I don't have anything identifying the case as containing a gun, but the airlines I've dealt with so far put a little tag on the handle of the case that says "UNLOADED FIREARM" or something to that effect. I Think its to let TSA know it was properly declared. (Since my case was inside my regular luggage it was only visible if you opened the luggage to reveal the pelican case and all my clothes.) I would guess that if you used a large rifle size case that tag would go on the outside of it and make it a bit more obvious, if its shape wasn't enough already.