How much of a hassle to fly with a firearm? ***UPDATE***

[Mithras61]

Just flew Continental for a family trip to WI through Chicago O'Hare. Checking in was no big deal at Houston Geo. Bush, with the ticketing agent and the TSA agent both acting like it was no big deal at all and almost like they felt it was a silly exercise to go through just to check a bag with a gun in it. The didn't do anything to single out this bag from any others, and everything arrived in the same condition as when I last saw it at check in.

We flew to O'Hare & rented a car for the remainder of the trip, and on the return, check in was mostly no big deal (that is, no one actually freaked out), but the TSA agent felt it was necessary to tape many things with the TSA tape that indicates that your bag has been inspected by TSA, including:

1) my bag (over the top of the lock on the outside
2) the hard case my guns were in
3) the plastic ammo box that my ammo was in

As I watched him doing all this, I was sort of surprise he didn't actually tape the cardboard boxes shut after he inspected them to make sure that they really had ammo in them. The TSA agent acted like he was being asked to inspect live poisonous snakes, but he managed to get through it without running around screaming "GUN! GUN! GUN!" so I guess it was okay.

I was surely glad to get back to Texas, where people see firearms as useful tools...

[frankie_the_yankee]

What kind of guns did you have with you, handguns, long guns, or both? If handguns, I'm surprised that O'Hare didn't give you trouble checking in. I think that O'Hare falls under Chicago's handgun ban.

[Mithras61]

What kind of guns did you have with you, handguns, long guns, or both? If handguns, I'm surprised that O'Hare didn't give you trouble checking in. I think that O'Hare falls under Chicago's handgun ban.

Three handguns. An SA GI45, an SA XD45 Compact, and a Ruger 22/45. I don't know if O'Hare falls under the handgun ban or not, but I'm pretty sure it isn't inside the city limits (it appears to be in a suburb, actually). I was expecting more trouble from them than I got, but I was prepared to cite the Federal law protecting travelers & prove I was traveling to/from WI from Texas. I half expected to be arrested & cited anyway.

[stevie_d_64]

I'm amazed you got though Chicago and Illinois with a gun...

I guess you've done this before???

Good for you...

[stevie_d_64]

What kind of guns did you have with you, handguns, long guns, or both? If handguns, I'm surprised that O'Hare didn't give you trouble checking in. I think that O'Hare falls under Chicago's handgun ban.

Three handguns. An SA GI45, an SA XD45 Compact, and a Ruger 22/45. I don't know if O'Hare falls under the handgun ban or not, but I'm pretty sure it isn't inside the city limits (it appears to be in a suburb, actually). I was expecting more trouble from them than I got, but I was prepared to cite the Federal law protecting travelers & prove I was traveling to/from WI from Texas. I half expected to be arrested & cited anyway.

You are fearless, and should be commended for your preparation and tenacity...

[Mithras61]

I'm amazed you got though Chicago and Illinois with a gun...

I guess you've done this before???

Good for you...

Actually, this was my first time, but I spent a lot of time doing research before I decided to go for it. Knowing the rules & regs, and making sure everything was compliant with the law probably got me through with minimal hassle.

Props, by the way, to the fine folks on the forum here for all the information posted. It really made it easier to track down what I needed to know.

[HankB]

I don't know if O'Hare falls under the handgun ban or not, but I'm pretty sure it isn't inside the city limits (it appears to be in a suburb, actually). . .

Actually, I believe when O'Hare was built, they connected it to the city of Chicago via a fairly narrow strip of land, so it actually is a part of the city.

[Mithras61]

I don't know if O'Hare falls under the handgun ban or not, but I'm pretty sure it isn't inside the city limits (it appears to be in a suburb, actually). . .

Actually, I believe when O'Hare was built, they connected it to the city of Chicago via a fairly narrow strip of land, so it actually is a part of the city.

Google Maps lists it as Des Plaines (search term=ORD).

[stevie_d_64]

I'm amazed you got though Chicago and Illinois with a gun...

I guess you've done this before???

Good for you...

Actually, this was my first time, but I spent a lot of time doing research before I decided to go for it. Knowing the rules & regs, and making sure everything was compliant with the law probably got me through with minimal hassle.

Props, by the way, to the fine folks on the forum here for all the information posted. It really made it easier to track down what I needed to know.

Half the battle is getting your ducks in a row, being aware of what the rules and laws "really" are...

You did an outstanding job there!

[Mithras61]

Half the battle is getting your ducks in a row, being aware of what the rules and laws "really" are...

You did an outstanding job there!

Thanks! Truth be told, I got some help & support from my wife (even though her idea of support is to tell me "You're gonna go to jail over taking your guns along & I'm gonna laugh my butt off..." ).

[jimlongley]

I don't know if O'Hare falls under the handgun ban or not, but I'm pretty sure it isn't inside the city limits (it appears to be in a suburb, actually). . .

Actually, I believe when O'Hare was built, they connected it to the city of Chicago via a fairly narrow strip of land, so it actually is a part of the city.

Google Maps lists it as Des Plaines (search term=ORD).

It IS city of Chicago!

[DMG]

It is good that you had a good experience at O'Hare. I would not have tried going through that airport with a handgun.

David G.

[KBCraig]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O%27hare_Airport

"O'Hare Airport is municipally connected to the city of Chicago via a narrow strip of land, approximately 200 feet wide, running along Foster Ave from the Des Plaines river to the airport. This land was added to the city limits in the 1950s to assure the airport was contiguous with the city to keep it under city control."

[Mithras61]

Well, I guess I just got lucky that the Federal agents followed the Federal laws, then!

[ForbidInjustice]

Well, I guess I just got lucky that the Federal agents followed the Federal laws, then!

Those are key words. Assuming I understood the last few posts correctly, I have never heard of a handgun "ban" in any of the 454+ U.S. airports [in the unsecured area], and unless they are going to search everyone at the door, it won't be found anyway. It isn't the job of the airline agent or the TSA officer to enforce city or state law. It is their [our] job to enforce the S.O.P. only, which is all federal law written specifically for TSA. So whether or not a handgun is prohibited in Illinois, Chicago, or ORD, if the book says it can fly if packaged correctly, there shouldn't be any problem.

Yeah, here in Texas we're used to seeing them all the time with the soldiers flying out constantly, and also find more weapons due to this as well, so it's no big deal. If you go to any other airport, even Austin [AUS], carrying a good sized knife, expect to be detained by an airport LEO and occasionally spend a night in the city jail. Even though it's Chicago though, TSA is prepared to have to screen a firearm contained in checked baggage, and trained to handle it the same way as down here in Texas.