Flying with Firearms

[jakejake527]

I'm thinking of flying home to CA for the holidays (from RI) before being stationed to HI.

Anyone have experience with checking in multiple firearms (3 or more) at the airport?

[tanks]

Check airline regulations. Some of them have a max number per container.

[bsim]

I've done 4, no probs. Check the carrier for their limits...

[MarinRange42]

You look at my profile. I have a discussion on the subject. Take no ammo. Break down each gun and place the pieces in plastic bags within a pad locked firearm box. Get to the counter and immediately tell the check in clerk that you are transporting in your bag a lawfully owned set of firearms. Have each in individually pad locked plastic firearm boxes. Tell the agent immediately that they are unloaded and also broken down into pieces. I think this gives you the best chance at no additional hassle from TSA. Although you don't have to break them down and you can take some ammo. Just easier to do it this way. She will make you open your main suitcase after signing a piece of paper declaring them unloaded....which she will place atop your firearm boxes. Then she will inform TSA of the items and tell you all is good. Keep your cool and be honest. From RI to CA you will have to understand that you are legal to pass through but if you are staying you need to research the laws of registration. It's really no issue to bring them if you follow this and much cheaper than trying to figure a way to ship. Trust me. Just follow those steps.

[jrpowell3]

You look at my profile. I have a discussion on the subject. Take no ammo. Break down each gun and place the pieces in plastic bags within a pad locked firearm box. Get to the counter and immediately tell the check in clerk that you are transporting in your bag a lawfully owned set of firearms. Have each in individually pad locked plastic firearm boxes. Tell the agent immediately that they are unloaded and also broken down into pieces. I think this gives you the best chance at no additional hassle from TSA. Although you don't have to break them down and you can take some ammo. Just easier to do it this way. She will make you open your main suitcase after signing a piece of paper declaring them unloaded....which she will place atop your firearm boxes. Then she will inform TSA of the items and tell you all is good. Keep your cool and be honest. From RI to CA you will have to understand that you are legal to pass through but if you are staying you need to research the laws of registration. It's really no issue to bring them if you follow this and much cheaper than trying to figure a way to ship. Trust me. Just follow those steps.

I've flown with firearms many many times. As long as the firearm is completely unloaded the ammo can actually be in the same case as the firearms. Secondly, if you declare firearms to the check-in clerk, they're going to go ahead and assume that the firearms were legally owned. I'm not certain as to how many firearms can be in one case, but I've never read a limit. I've personally carried 3 in one case.....fully assembled, but unloaded.

[farmerjoe]

Gun laws in the NE are a bit strange. Not sure where you'd fly out of, but double check Boston to make sure their local laws don't prohibit you from possessing anything. I haven't been in/out of Logan in 20 years, but I know folks have been arrested at JFK and La Guardia for simply possessing a handgun. Double check just to be on the safe side.

[baggss]

I've flown with firearms many many times. As long as the firearm is completely unloaded the ammo can actually be in the same case as the firearms. Secondly, if you declare firearms to the check-in clerk, they're going to go ahead and assume that the firearms were legally owned. I'm not certain as to how many firearms can be in one case, but I've never read a limit. I've personally carried 3 in one case.....fully assembled, but unloaded.

My experience has been the same as yours. Breaking them down and putting them in plastic bags? To each their own I suppose but why make life more difficult than needed.

[jakejake527]

You look at my profile. I have a discussion on the subject. Take no ammo. Break down each gun and place the pieces in plastic bags within a pad locked firearm box. Get to the counter and immediately tell the check in clerk that you are transporting in your bag a lawfully owned set of firearms. Have each in individually pad locked plastic firearm boxes. Tell the agent immediately that they are unloaded and also broken down into pieces. I think this gives you the best chance at no additional hassle from TSA. Although you don't have to break them down and you can take some ammo. Just easier to do it this way. She will make you open your main suitcase after signing a piece of paper declaring them unloaded....which she will place atop your firearm boxes. Then she will inform TSA of the items and tell you all is good. Keep your cool and be honest. From RI to CA you will have to understand that you are legal to pass through but if you are staying you need to research the laws of registration. It's really no issue to bring them if you follow this and much cheaper than trying to figure a way to ship. Trust me. Just follow those steps.

I was thinking of just putting the ammo in a different suitcase...and guns and mags (separated and in their locked boxes) on another suitcase. both suitcases checked in.

ofcourse, no "hi-cap" mags

[NapalmCheese]

I was thinking of just putting the ammo in a different suitcase...and guns and mags (separated and in their locked boxes) on another suitcase. both suitcases checked in.

ofcourse, no "hi-cap" mags

Call and ask or read the website regarding ammo.

Some airlines have (had?) some restrictions in regards to how much ammo you can take and how it is packaged (i.e. 50 rounds in factory packaging or something).

[baggss]

Call and ask or read the website regarding ammo.

Some airlines have (had?) some restrictions in regards to how much ammo you can take and how it is packaged (i.e. 50 rounds in factory packaging or something).

Delta, American and United all say 11 Pounds is the max.

[Citadelgrad87]

You look at my profile. I have a discussion on the subject. Take no ammo. Break down each gun and place the pieces in plastic bags within a pad locked firearm box. Get to the counter and immediately tell the check in clerk that you are transporting in your bag a lawfully owned set of firearms. Have each in individually pad locked plastic firearm boxes. Tell the agent immediately that they are unloaded and also broken down into pieces. I think this gives you the best chance at no additional hassle from TSA. Although you don't have to break them down and you can take some ammo. Just easier to do it this way. She will make you open your main suitcase after signing a piece of paper declaring them unloaded....which she will place atop your firearm boxes. Then she will inform TSA of the items and tell you all is good. Keep your cool and be honest. From RI to CA you will have to understand that you are legal to pass through but if you are staying you need to research the laws of registration. It's really no issue to bring them if you follow this and much cheaper than trying to figure a way to ship. Trust me. Just follow those steps.

I flew with ammo last week. It should be in a factory container or otherwise protect the primers. Southwest has an 11 lb ammo limit.

Firearms don't need to be broken down.

[RickD427]

I flew with ammo last week. It should be in a factory container or otherwise protect the primers. Southwest has an 11 lb ammo limit.

Firearms don't need to be broken down.

It's always good to check your individual carrier's requirements.

The federal regs only require an appropriate container for ammunition, but some airlines, acting on their own prerogative, require factory packaging for ammo.

[MarinRange42]

I flew with ammo last week. It should be in a factory container or otherwise protect the primers. Southwest has an 11 lb ammo limit.

Firearms don't need to be broken down.

Yes I was overkill with the break down, but it seemed most prudent to me. Like keeping your hands on the steering wheel when pulled over. The less you and they have to worry about the better. Look my feeling is this: TSA sees it in parts on the x-ray and it gets a pass with no opening and inspection and also you as you walk to the security line don't get a flag for a massage of your balls. That's just my read and opinion.

Ammo does have specific container and boxing/padding/separation restrictions and I did not understand fully what they meant when I flew, so I checked out stores on the far side instead. My best guess after reading was that each bullet needs to be separated by plastic in it's factory or bullet specific container and then that container needs to be padded with corrugated cardboard or something. It was more than I wanted to deal with for a couple clips and no experience.

[jakejake527]

i guess I'll have to ship some ammo..

thanks for the heads up guys

[Citadelgrad87]

It's always good to check your individual carrier's requirements.

The federal regs only require an appropriate container for ammunition, but airlines, acting on their own prerogative, require factory packaging for ammo.

Of course. The requirement I saw was along the lines of protection for primers. Factory boxes clearly do this. Southwest doesn't mention whether magazines can be loaded, but a magazine would also protect the primers.

I went with unloaded forearm, unloaded mags, and a factory box of ammo.