Flying with firearm, first experience. Beware! FYI

[luckystrike]

And the purpose of taking you firearm to another state without actually needing it and without a CCW for that state?

do YOU know what happens when you ASSUME?

[luckystrike]

Only Co residents can get Co CCw. Likely the OP did not have one.




Huge assumption. The safe outcome of the trip matters not.

Negolien, you must be rich from betting on stuff after the outcome is known.

false.

You can't carry a declared firearm unloaded in a locked case to every state or city when flying. Learned that hard way in New York and New Jersey about ten years ago.

sorry to hear about that, but, what did you expect?

[low67vdubinnocal]

I expected to go target shooting in surrounding states on weekends while working on the road for months at a time like we did in other states. Guess it was my responsibility to know the laws of where I was flying to.

[windrunner50]

Welcome to the friendly skies....seriously each airline, and airport seems to use varying methods. Shipping your valuables is always a risk. I pack any value items(holster,knives ect..) with the locked unloaded firearm. I fill out the firearms card, place it with the items, and take a cell phone pic including serial numbers. Yes, the airport is full of thieves, and some incompetent TSA employees. On my last flight, they opened my locked luggage (TSA lock), looked around, but did NOT secure the straps....argh...!

Several airports contract various employees specifically baggage handlers, this results in minimum if NO background checks. The contract companies vouch for them....yeah right. The contract employees are often on Parole or Probation, Supervised release ect... Makes you feel secure huh...?
Flying with valuables is ALWAYS a risk!

Be careful, aware, and be SAFE.

[Kid Stanislaus]

I've lost all respect for anyone who handles bags or packages this season...

I'm still furious... how could USPS, Fedex, and UPS hire such useless workers who spend their time picking through my packages? I'm amazed that my AR parts kit arrived in one piece, completely wrapped up.

Because the workers have a powerful union behind them, plain and simple.

[norcalAF]

A thought occurs...

If, when you check a firearm it must be in a locked hard case and it doesn't matter what else is in it, then can you simply use a hard suitcase for all of your belongings plus a firearm with a non-TSA lock on the whole shebang?

As far as i know, yes you can. This idea has occured to me, but the large pelican cases arent cheap!

[norcalAF]

Last time (2013) I flew with firearms, it was with Southwest.

I checked in online 24 hours in advanced and went to the counter to check in my luggage.

I flew out of Ontario to Nashville.
I arrived at the Southwest counter and told them I have firearms.
They had me fill out the info card and take the case containing my firearms to the other end of the terminal to meet a TSA agent.
TSA agent had me unlock the case and show that the firearms were unloaded.
After which, the TSA agent placed the info card into the case and I locked it.
TSA agent then took the case.

I flew out of Nashville to Ontario.
I arrived at the Southwest counter and told them I have firearms.
They had me fill out the info card and put it in the case.
They then took the case.
They said there was no need to check to see if the firearms were unloaded and that TSA did not want to inspect.

Remember to comply with Federal regulations and secure your case with non-TSA approved locks and to retain possession of the key/combo (do not give it to TSA).

^This, when you check in online with SWA you are reserving your boarding spot, you would still have to check your bags at the counter. You want an early one especially if you are not traveling alone on the greyhound of the sky!

[Decoligny]

Who said he was going to carry it concealed? Many places in Colorado allow open carry, and a hotel room counts as your home while you're there, allowing you to arm yourself inside.

If you will look at the quoted portion above my post, I highlighted the portion of the two part question to show I was addressing the question "Why do you assume he did not have a CCW from that State?"

I clearly answered that question and only that question.

[Loopwell]

My trip last weekend was a success. The two airports had far different procedures. I flew from SFO to SAN and back last weekend. I packed my Kahr in a hard case with one masterlock and one zip tie. I also carried 3 extra locks with me, one of them in the hard case itself along with my gun.

SFO - Upon checking in, I informed the Southwest agents that my luggage contained a locked unloaded firearm. They actually didn't know what to do. They radioed a supervisor, who told them to get a TSA agent, and instructed them to have me fill out the firearm declaration. After about 15 minutes, a guy finally shows up and walks me about 300 feet from the ticket counter next to room. He takes my luggage there and performs a search of everything. He takes out my clothes, finds my folding knife, then pulls out the hard case. After setting aside the hard case, he searches my bag again for anything else that looks interesting…but yea, no, just clothes.

He wants to open my case. He cuts the zip tie, then says "I hope you have an extra lock". I say, "Wait! You didn't even ask me for my key" I toss him the key from my pocket, he opens it. He actually goes through the box like he's looking for drugs. The only thing he didn't do within my hard case was release/pull the slide back (it was in open position). He even opened my box of ammo picked up two or three cartridges then put them back. Finally, he put everything back in the case, put the lock and the spare lock that was in the case on, put my clothes back in the luggage (not folded quite how I had them :roll eyes:.)

That was that, I arrived in SAN with no issues.

Now leaving SAN back to SFO, I informed the ticketing agents that I had an locked, unloaded firearm. I filled out the form and I was on my way. After I arrived back at SFO, there was no trace of even tampering with my case (locks still on).

[Fifty226]

sorry that happened to you. hope everything works out

[Percenter3]

I didnt even realize flying with guns was an option. Ill have to look into this

[TurboS600]

This is why I take my empty mags, holsters, sights, etc in my carry-on bags. ONLY the firearm itself is a prohibited item. Firearms accessories can be kept with you at all times. Those expensive, hard to find accessories are just what the thieves at TSA are looking for.

Lesson learned.

[Custom ii]

I also use a cable to secure my steel gun box in my luggage. I run the cable through my holster and a small I bolt on my ammo container.

[monk]

When I had stuff stolen I left a paper with an inventory of items and a note saying that every item had been inventoried. I added that if any property was missing I would do whatever I could to have the thief prosecuted.

[sl0re10]

I wonder if you can call some other org like the local PD or ATF. Find someone that thinks it is serious that guns are being stolen and can run over any TSA resistance to being investigated.