Flying with guns is easy

[Capybara]

Just wanted to report on my experience flying with guns this week. It was my first time. I flew out to Phoenix, purchased two handguns from J&G in Prescott. I arrived at check in for Southwest, went up to the ticket agent and told here that I wanted to check two firearms. She handed me a form, I was instructed to fill it out, put it in the case with the guns and then to shut and lock up the case. The ticket agents then called over an escort. The escort walked with me with the case over to a small, private TSA setup. An airport police agent then took the case and swabbed the outside for explosives. He handed the case to the Southwest escort who said, "it's all handled". I went through security and went to me gate and flew home to Burbank as normal.

My case with the guns came down the belt with the rest of my luggage at Burbank. There were no special tags or marks to make it stand out, except there was a small, circular "TSA Inspected" sticker on the routing tag on the case. It was simple, easy and non-stressful. It may have helped that I flew from Phoenix, where checking guns is probably pretty common. So when you next want to fly with guns or pick up some C&Rs out of state, it's no big deal, just allow about an hour of extra time to be safe as you have to go through the procedure.

[paul0660]

So........you do something once and have it figured out. Keep doing it, you will find out differently The setup is different in each airport, the level of knowledge of airline employees varies a lot, and they may or may not be happy with the Xray of your locked case, requiring you to hand over the key to the case, in violation of the Federal law on that easy to fill out form. I give myself extra time, have the rules printed out and accessible, and sometimes stamp my foot, virtually speaking.

[VegasND]

I've never had a big problem but I never got a little TSA tag and I've flown with handguns many times.

Not in the last 3 years though ... are the tags new?

[MIAMIbaseballer]

I've been flying with guns the last couple years about every month. Glad you had a good experience, but they are not always like that. Each airline rep you deal with is different. I've had to use a TSA tag the last couple years in each case that contains a gun(s).... Add ammo into the mix and you're playing a whole different game with the 11lbs, same case different case as the gun, primers protected or not.... blah blah blah

Leave yourself ample time if bringing weapons when traveling

[The Gleam]

So........you do something once and have it figured out. Keep doing it, you will find out differently The setup is different in each airport, the level of knowledge of airline employees varies a lot, and they may or may not be happy with the Xray of your locked case, requiring you to hand over the key to the case, in violation of the Federal law on that easy to fill out form. I give myself extra time, have the rules printed out and accessible, and sometimes stamp my foot, virtually speaking.

Exactly. Every airport, always a variation, and often because somebody does something because they "think" that's the way it is supposed to be done, or "would" be done - but only based on their personal opinion. Often they don't even have a clue as to what their own airline allows or doesn't allow, so I bring two print-outs with me any time I fly with firearms: 1) The Firearm and Ammo allowances from their own website, usually under "Sporting Equipment" 2) Firearm allowance and rules from TSA.

Sometimes even the TSA guys get it wrong, so I just hand them the print-out if anything they are doing is contradictory and its working against me.

But when things DO go right, flying with firearms is not only easy, it's easier (escorted to the TSA baggage check, don't have to wait in the same lines, etc.).

[kajvid]

I can tell you that OAK>ANC was a breeze on Alaska Air. They are use to it. It was even better from ANC>OAK. The only issue was a line up of guys flying with guns!

[RobinGoodfellow]

My experience is that there are variations among different airlines / airports. I never got the "escort." Never had a TSA sticker, either.

However, it doesn't have to be a scary or nerve-inducing event. Know that what you are doing is legal, and not uncommon.

[reidnez]

I flew with a revolver once, a couple of years ago, and it went pretty smoothly. The only thing I found odd was that the airline agent at the counter (not TSA) asked me to open the case and show her that the gun was unloaded; she seemed to think this was required, but I never found mention of that policy in any online documentation during my prior research. When I opened the case, she glanced down at the gun (cylinder open) as if it were something from another planet, and timidly asked, "so it's unloaded, right?" She was very polite but didn't seem completely sure of what to do. Other than that, no problems; I told the TSA at the X-Ray machine that I was declaring a firearm and went right on through.

[paul0660]

Never had a TSA sticker, either.

They have been doing this for at least 5 years:



Number three is the hangup.

If they want your key, ask for a cop to take it back for you.

[paul0660]

I told the TSA at the X-Ray machine that I was declaring a firearm and went right on through.

You told the TSA at your carry on check that you had a firearm in your checked baggage?

[Sennasixty8]

You told the TSA at your carry on check that you had a firearm in your checked baggage?

I did a double take reading that, too!

TTAG has a few excerpts of folks who've accidentally tried to board or have boarded with their weapon.

Here's a TSA blog about "forgetful" owners...

http://blog.tsa.gov/2012/09/tsa-week-in-review-6-lbs-of-black.html

[dwtt]

You told the TSA at your carry on check that you had a firearm in your checked baggage?

He must be a law enforcement officer, or he's confused about his story.

reidnez, what's your ufan this year?

[Kingofthehill]

I have never flown with a firearm... i need to bring 1 back with me from San Antonio when i make my final move here. Not looking forward to it but it doesn't seem that difficult. I'll ship the magazines as kits ahead of time and just take the firearm on the plane. Hell maybe i'll mail the top end too so its just receiver so it doesn't look so scary to some of the idiots.

JOe

[VegasND]

You need to worry less.

I have never flown with a firearm... i need to bring 1 back with me from San Antonio when i make my final move here. Not looking forward to it but it doesn't seem that difficult. I'll ship the magazines as kits ahead of time and just take the firearm on the plane. Hell maybe i'll mail the top end too so its just receiver so it doesn't look so scary to some of the idiots.

JOe

[Chaos47]

So........you do something once and have it figured out. Keep doing it, you will find out differently The setup is different in each airport, the level of knowledge of airline employees varies a lot, and they may or may not be happy with the Xray of your locked case, requiring you to hand over the key to the case, in violation of the Federal law on that easy to fill out form. I give myself extra time, have the rules printed out and accessible, and sometimes stamp my foot, virtually speaking.

When I've done it it went just as the OP said, except since it was a rifle case it was waiting in the over-sized baggage room.

DFW -> ONT

I came with tons of printed out information too but did not need it. I would bring it again anyways though.

Granted it was AA and DFW is their home base so they are probably some of the best trained..