Flying with an AR upper?

[DirtyLawyer]

or maybe ill bend over and take it then also.

No, I don't blame you. Sometimes you gotta pick your battles, you won this one.
Even though you were in violation, you beat the real issue: police arrest and DA prosecution. Chalk it up as a win, you won't make same mistake again. Hopefully, CALGUNners can read this and learn the lesson without the bad experience. Experience is best teacher.

[dan12580]

I agree and disagree with your post. I did nothing wrong. Ive traveled with an un cased upper in my checked bag before. I know the guys at bfl from flying so much that theyll ask "any guns today?", no-just some parts. Ok then. The tsa agent was hoping to catch a criminal and elected to call hpd instead of a supervisor or a superior. I directly quote the tsa agent "your trying to smuggle an m16 machine gun" and iam sure that was the message relayed to the police. His statement to me and the fact that the only officer I had contact with told me I was looking at 3 felony charges as well as the fact that upwards of 20 (5 or 6 squad cars with lights and sirens in the drop off area) officers/agents leads me to think that something other then "a guy with a undeclared gun in his checked bag" was reported. The lesson I learned was now when I fly I ask for a tsa agent to be present when I declare my firearms (they decline every time), but I stand by their door and they come out and tell me all is well.