Flying (checked) with gun

[CBA]

[slayer61]

Contact your airline or check website to see what THEY want.

[9Cal_OC]

The search button is your friend.

Check with the airline as well as the TSA website.

Which magazine takes bullets? From what I’ve seen, leave magazines unloaded and rounds in box container (MTM boxes are fine).

[billped]

Regardless of the rules, be smart. Mag outside of gun, no *rounds* in the mags, even a chamber flag would be a good idea.

The issue is if one airline or counter-person has a different (aka wrong) view of the laws/regs, you are screwed.

[smoothy8500]

As stated above, research airline rules. Some state ammo in original box, others allow rigid box such as cardboard or plastic.

[223556]

When in doubt, separate it out.

I’ve never flown with a firearm before but would think magazines would need to be unloaded.

[REDHORSE]

Flew in and out of LAX and ONT these last few weeks with a declared firearm in my checked luggage.

Gun and magazines unloaded, HP HD ammo in it's original retail sales packaging (I still had them). Don't fly into NJ with HP ammo! There may be more places where HP ammo isn't legal.

Handgun in a locked container designed to store firearms. I even separated the slide from the frame, frame in the CCW holster. That so in an ex-ray it looks more or less harmless. I have the firearm storage case secured to the internal frame of the luggage to lessen the chance of it being taken (stolen) from inside my TSA locked luggage..

Some airlines will put the declared tag inside the pistol storage case, some airlines just tape the tag to the exterior of the storage case.

Empty magazines and Ammo boxes were in a separate small Pelican case.

Luggage will be in the Airline's Luggage Office for pickup near the luggage carousel, not in the public luggage carousel. Same place where unclaimed and lost luggage goes.

[SharedShots]

It doesn't matter one bit what anyone here says. All the I did this and that means zip.

What does matter are the airline says, what TSA says, what the airport says and what the law says (because the instant you pick up that gun the laws in that state, municipality and such come into play. Do it right from the instant you leave your house until you get to wherever you are going. Fumble fooling around repackaging the gun outside of the airport in a car or whatever is not the smart thing to do. Anything else doesn't really matter.









.

[dobek]

Don't leave in magazines -

Most airlines want it in a box designed for ammo storage - original boxes or reloading boxes ---- I used to use some left over originals, but switched to my blue Dillion boxes - haven't had a problem yet.

They don't care about the unloaded mags (next to the ammo boxes or separate) - When I go to compete I leave the empty mags loose in checked bag - I leave two carry ones unloaded in locked box, next to dillion box, next to holster, next to pistol in locked pistol case

I probably fly 9-10 round trips per year with carry gun and sometimes carry and competition gun

Steve

[RickD427]

It doesn't matter one bit what anyone here says. All the I did this and that means zip.

What does matter are the airline says, what TSA says, what the airport says and what the law says (because the instant you pick up that gun the laws in that state, municipality and such come into play. Do it right from the instant you leave your house until you get to wherever you are going. Fumble fooling around repackaging the gun outside of the airport in a car or whatever is not the smart thing to do. Anything else doesn't really matter..

^^^THIS^^^

The U.S. Code and the Code of Federal Regulations set the minimum standards for the transportation of firearms and ammunition aboard aircraft. The TSA enforces those statutes and regulations.

No airline can go below the minimum standards.

But the airlines can opt to exceed the minimum standards as a matter of policy. Several years ago (and I understand that it is no longer the airline policy), Eastern Airlines opted to require that ammunition be in the manufacturer's original packaging in order to be carried aboard their aircraft, even though the minimum federal standards only required that it be "securely packaged."

There is good advice in this post to disregard second-hand commentary on what is and isn't permitted. It's best to go to the source documents. Start here for the federal regs: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/1544.203 and then check the particular airline's policies and tariffs.

[mossy]

Check with the airline to see what they require.

[ptmn]

I used to travel a lot with firearms. I have never dealt with any airline that allowed magazines to be loaded. Ammo needed to be in boxes made for ammunition, in every airline I dealt with, they were fine with the cardboard/styrofoam tray boxes that the ammo came in.

I was always walked over to TSA, where they had me clear the weapons, they inspected, then had me put the lock on.

Don't expect to pick up your bag on the baggage claim carousel if you checked in a weapon. Your baggage will go to the airline's baggage claim office, where you will need to show ID and baggage claim ticket before they release it to you.

Like others mentioned, check with your airline first, since they can add more restrictions but not less than TSA. Also, ensure that you arrive early to check in, since you will need to check in with TSA for your weapon. I always arrived 2 hours early. If my flight was at 10am, then I arrived at 8am if checking in weapons.

[squeeze]

Contact your airline or check website to see what THEY want.

Airlines do not check firearms transportation: TSA does

Ok to have a loaded (but not installed) mag with the fire arm.

[squeeze]

magazines would need to be unloaded.

Nope

[squeeze]

Flew in and out of LAX and ONT these last few weeks with a declared firearm in my checked luggage.

Gun and magazines unloaded, HP HD ammo in it's original retail sales packaging (I still had them). Don't fly into NJ with HP ammo! There may be more places where HP ammo isn't legal.

Handgun in a locked container designed to store firearms. I even separated the slide from the frame, frame in the CCW holster. That so in an ex-ray it looks more or less harmless. I have the firearm storage case secured to the internal frame of the luggage to lessen the chance of it being taken (stolen) from inside my TSA locked luggage..

Some airlines will put the declared tag inside the pistol storage case, some airlines just tape the tag to the exterior of the storage case.

Empty magazines and Ammo boxes were in a separate small Pelican case.

Luggage will be in the Airline's Luggage Office for pickup near the luggage carousel, not in the public luggage carousel. Same place where unclaimed and lost luggage goes.

Depends on the airline. Mine have always come out onto the baggage carousel.

BTW All of the above has been discussed dozens of time on here. OK to still ask.
We need a sticky for this often asked subject.