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

[stevie_d_64]

Steve,

Is there a dealer in Tx. that has them or is it Internet only..I'm just going to use it for a .380...

Jim

I got them through a gun show deal...There are no retail outlets I know of that sell them directly...

I do believe its pretty safe to order them online and have them shipped to you...Ohhh, and buy the large box anyway for the .380, you never know if you'll need the larger capacity in the future...

I did however have some time to ponder (after we got them) how to mount them securely to the vehicles though...The website now has some good pictures on how to do that...

I did buy a cable that was "crimped" a little better than the one they include in the kit...I made them with some stuff I bought at the hardware store...

Of course you stand the risk of it getting cut, but when does the average car thief ever carry one of those with them when they initially pinch the car or truck in this case...

I'm actually wanting to upgrade the carsafe system when we get a new truck this year...Might go with a console safe in that regard this time...But will still use what we got as an additional secure system for other things...

[Jim101]

Thanks for the information and pointers, I'll be getting one.....On a side note I went to the Frisco Gun Show (first one ever in Frisco)this past weekend at a new convention center there, real nice, until.......a vendor accidently discharged his firearm and shot a hole in their new carpet.......
Other than that a nice show.....

Jim

[stevie_d_64]

Thanks for the information and pointers, I'll be getting one.....On a side note I went to the Frisco Gun Show (first one ever in Frisco)this past weekend at a new convention center there, real nice, until.......a vendor accidently discharged his firearm and shot a hole in their new carpet.......
Other than that a nice show.....

Jim

Oh crap...

[Baytown]

Chris sorry to see you are leaving "The Job", as they say in New York.

Good luck in your new job.

Glenn

[Chris]

Chris sorry to see you are leaving "The Job", as they say in New York.

Good luck in your new job.

Glenn

thanks. i'm not leaving entirely. i'm picking up my application for reserve deputy tomorrow for the county i grew up in. i still get to be a weekend warrior. :)

i'll find out sunday how the whole 'flying with a gun' thing goes. only problem now is picking which ones to take.

[anygunanywhere]

The ticket agent at IAH on Tuesday inspected my pistolas, and handed me the tag for the case. I signed it, and attached it to the case. She handed me another tag. I told her "You just handed me the tag". SHe told me the case needed two tags since there were two pistols in the case. I started to argue, but decided to hush.

In Baton Rouge, I attached the ticket to the case and she told me to put it inside the cse. I told her it goes on the outside of the hard case. She said no, it goes on the inside, and the lock must be a TSA lock so they can get inside to inspect it. I Did stand my ground about the locks, and asked her if the tag goes inside the case, what is the little elastic loop for? I locked everything up, and went my way.

If ever The process is repeated the right way two times in a row, a hot place will be really chilly.

[Baytown]

Tag does go inside.

It is for your protection as there is nothing on the outside saying it is a gun.

I think there is actually something in the fed regs about it having to go on the inside.

Glenn

[anygunanywhere]

Outside the locked hard case inside the luggage. TSA must be able to see the tag without opening the locked hard case when inside luggage. The tag goes inside hard rifle cases. TSA has corrected the tag issue several times. Airlines keep wanting it inside the locked hard case. TSA keeps wanting it outside the hard case.

[gigag04]

That makes sense, airlines are responsible when you're 300 weatherby you're taking elk hunting gets jacked, not TSA.

Hire better people that aren't thieves.

[stevie_d_64]

Outside the locked hard case inside the luggage. TSA must be able to see the tag without opening the locked hard case when inside luggage. The tag goes inside hard rifle cases. TSA has corrected the tag issue several times. Airlines keep wanting it inside the locked hard case. TSA keeps wanting it outside the hard case.

OOOOFFFFFAAAAHHHH...

Looks like this is another clear and present reason to get the TSA and the Airlines together to quit confusing the issue...

My bet would be to say ok (have a nice day now) to the nice ticket lady, and proceed to the nearest government official to continue the process...

Did I just say that???

[BenGoodLuck]

I just flew yesterday from Dallas to San Francisco. I told the guy at curbside checkin that I was declaring a firearm in my checked luggage. He didn't know what to do, but his partner told me I had to go upstairs to the counter. Then the first guy goes and puts a baggage tag on my bag with the firearm and is about to put it on the conveyor belt. I said to him that I have a firearm in the bag; without a word, he rips off the tag and tells me to go upstairs.

At the counter, I declared my firearm and the agent gave me a bright flourescent red tag to sign and date. Then he walked me over to the TSA agent around the corner. The agent made me stand outside a secure area and then opened my luggage, took out the hard case in which my unloaded firearm was and asked me for the combination. I told it to him and he opened the case and inspected the gun, even though the slide was back and a gun lock was locked through the gun. After inspecting the firearm, he put it back, closed the case, scrambled the combination and put the case back in my luggage. I then asked him if I could lock the outer luggage and he said something like "Why bother, they can open the zipper with a pencil." In any case, I locked my bag and then worrried for the next four hours whether I'd ever see my gun again.

Well, everything worked out and gun and daddy are back together. My recommendation - leave plenty of time, get a sturdy hard-shell piece of luggage and lock everything after the inspection.

[anygunanywhere]

Bentcursor,

I am glad everything worked out for you. Please study the airline rules and TSA rules.

First, you must take your luggage to the ticket counter. You can not use the curbside service when transporting firearms. Ever.

When you get to the counter, prior to the agent taking your bag, softly tell them " I have X(quantity) unloaded handguns in my checked bag". Depending on the airline, they may have an out of the way place to inspect your firearms.

I travel a lot with handguns. I am in Baton Rouge right now. There is a lot of info here and at Packing.org.

Please note:

No two firearms check-in are the same. No two agents know what to do. Some have never checked firearms and must look up the rules and still will not get it right.

Not all TSA know what to do. As I understand, TSA is not supposed to handle your firearms. I ALWAYS lock my luggage with a non-TSA lock. YOU are the only person who can have the key/combination. The gun case has a non-TSA lock, the ammo case has a non-TSA lock and the luggage has a non-TSA lock.

You ALWAYS must wait as your luggage clears TSA X-ray.

Traveling with firearms and exercising your 2A rights are great. Be always aware! Last time I arrived at Houston Bush terminal B, I had to go make wee really bad while waiting for my bag. When I came out, lugage had arrived on carousel and mine was GONE! I waited for 10 minutes or so looking around, and some jerk came walking up with my bag. He dropped mine and picked up his. I quietly told him he was a real .....whatever and told him to READ the tag!

I am sitting in my hotel room, my trusty 40 SW next to me with my BUG in my pocket. doing the TexasCHLforum thing! Reciprocity with LA is great!

Please tell us the San Francisco details. I have only flown out of Oakland.

[AOPAPilot]

Your best bet is to make the pistol safe, with cable lock maybe even in a lockable plastic case. NEVER let your bags leave your sight and like previously stated, DO NOT CHECK YOUR BAGS AT THE CURB. Keep all mags empty and ammo as far away from the pistol/mags (seperate bag) as you can. Check all bags and just be cooperative and ready to answer any questions if someone says anything. Individual airlines vary slightly on these rules and to be honest with you I dont keep up with any of them but If I can get my hands on something in writing I will let you all know.

[jimlongley]

Outside the locked hard case inside the luggage. TSA must be able to see the tag without opening the locked hard case when inside luggage. The tag goes inside hard rifle cases. TSA has corrected the tag issue several times. Airlines keep wanting it inside the locked hard case. TSA keeps wanting it outside the hard case.

Boy, I am sorry I missed this one for so long. TSA does not have any say about where the tag goes, the only reason it goes inside rifle cases is that they are usually not inside something else (I have seen a guy with two long gun cases inside a golf case) and the tag is a real dead giveaway as to what is inside. Although us gunnies might expect a gun to be inside that case that usually is used for long guns, I have seen multitudes of other things packed in them.

BTW, most airlines do not charge for overweight on golf bag cases, so guess what I am buying if I start travelling again. The guy with the two gun cases in his, knew that he would be checking too many bags if he didn't combine some, and also knew that the airline didn't charge for overweight, so he got this huge plastic monstrosity and put the two gun cases, some ammo, and about a week's worth of supplies and clothes in it too.

[Jim101]

I just ordered up a Gun Safe from Center-Mass, I'll be using it in my truck and when I fly, seems like the way to go, thanks Steve.......

Jim