Flying with checked pistol

[BStacks]

We are flying 1-way to Portland, OR (No reciprocity! I am just going to keep it locked up until we hit a free state border)

Spirit Airlines - I printed their rules/instructions off of their website.

I've got a small Pelican case to place inside my checked bag.

Ammo is not clear to me.

What else do I need to know?

Advice?

[them]

My experience:

Ammo in the factory box or a plastic case (not in magazines). There are different rules for this and I'm not familiar with your airline, but in your suitcase (not in with the gun) locked with a TSA lock is probably fine. I have sometimes just bought ammo at my destination.

Use a key lock for your case, not a TSA lock. You keep possession of the key.

Make sure the hard case can be pulled out of the checked bag easily (without a full unpack).You will be putting a card in the locked case with the gun so the pelican will be opened at least once.

You can have other stuff in the case. Some people who fly with expensive gear (cameras) bring guns along just to be able to use real locks and reduce the risk of TSA screener theft.

Security screening varies massively. Some airports treat bags with guns as special and an employee will take them from the check-in counter directly to screening. Others want you to carry your bag to a TSA screening station and tell them it has a declared firearm. Sometimes the bag goes on the x-ray machine and that's it, other times they open the suitcase, call you over to unlock the gun case (arguing about whether you can or they must use the key), take out the gun, look at it like they have no idea what it is, wave it around a bit, bomb swab the slide, and in general make you go "hmmmm". In every case they tell you to wait near screening while they do their thing, and they may or may not remember to tell you they are done and you can go on to your flight.

It feels weird the first few times, but nothing bad has ever happened to me/I doubt it will to you.

[AF-Odin]

I usually use the same locked box for firearm and ammo. ammo is in "factory" box inside locked box. IIRC the actual TSA limit is something like 11 pounds of ammo???? I usually only have one box.

Standard spiel when I hit the counter is to place the checked bag on the scale, hand the agent my photo ID and state that "I am checking one bag which contains an unloaded firearm and one box of ammuntiton packed in accordance with TSA and (Whatever name) airline regulations." I always carry a folder with me with a printed copy of the TSA reg and a printed copy of that airlines reg. Never flown Spirit so don't know what there site says. I have flown American, Southwest, Delta, and Continental.

As stated, security screening varies widely from airport to airport, but most times with that CALM, LOW VOICE announcement the agent USUALLY just fills out the card, asks me to sign and then place the card inside the bag.

[them]

I usually use the same locked box for firearm and ammo. ammo is in "factory" box inside locked box. IIRC the actual TSA limit is something like 11 pounds of ammo????

Yep!

I use a "Snap Safe" lockbox when flying nowadays. It is a steel box that is just big enough to hold a pistol and magazine , not ammo, so of course I pointed out the important-to-me point that the ammo doesn't need to be locked up with the gun. Should have remembered to say it is OK to have 'em in the same box too.

When carrying a larger case (e.g. I have a Pelican 1510) I will put everything (gun, ammo, cameras, etc) in the pelican, put a padlock on it, and check the whole thing. That works too.

[BigBangSmallBucks]

I just flew to OKC on the 3rd and I kept my glock unloaded in a locked box with the unloaded mags and ammo in it's factory box. A TSA lock wasn't required on the gun box but I did use TSA locks on my luggage and I'm glad I did too because they opened the compartment on my luggage where I kept the gun. I only know that because they didn't secure my luggage properly once they were done checking whatever they checking. The overall experience went smooth minus that minor hiccup and didn't take any longer than 2 minutes to check mg baggage once I declared my firearm.

[bilgerat57]

I always print the requirements from the TSA website the night before my flight, just in case there's been a change. Then I place the copies in the weapon case so they're handy in case of questions. Had a few minor issues over the years that were quickly resolved that way. No significant problems though.

[Vol Texan]

If for some reason you find that you're forced to land in a 2nd Amendment-free zone (e.g. Chicago, New York, New Jersey), DO NOT RETRIEVE YOUR BAGGAGE!.

For instance, if your flight is delayed, postponed, or diverted to one of these areas, simply don't get your bag. In some of these places, you'll get arrested just for having possession of your firearm.

More information here: /viewtopic.php?f=7&t=72989&p=918204&hilit=jersey#p918204

That being said, I travel with mine often. Pistol is usually in a locked NanoVault inside my suitcase. The suitcase has a TSA lock, but the NanoVault is a combination lock, so they cannot open without a bit of work. Ammo is kept outside of the gun in original factory box. Next month, I'm bringing a Pelican 1700 with my daughter's rifle, my carry pistol, and my wife's carry pistol. We're connecting through Chicago, but won't touch the case until we arrive in the Carolinas.

[BStacks]

Thanks everyone! Great and reassuring answers.

We are flying out Sunday. I will let y'all know how it goes.

[ryanj]

Hope you had a nice trip.

I'm currently waiting on my (delayed) flight back home via Allentown, PA.

The process at DFW is always really nice. Airline agent just asked if everything was unloaded, she gave me the tag, I signed it and placed it in the case (I have a pelican 1510). They then escorted me directly to TSA, who swabbed the case and then instructed me to lock it. I like flying with a checked pistol because of the extra security it affords you.

I'm guessing a LOT of people fly out of Texas with guns, LOL.

The advice about NYC and NJ is sound. NYC airport staff WILL call the Port Authority police every time someone checks a firearm because almost nobody will be legally checking in one (only police and the few people who have NYC carry permits). NJ tends to give non-residents checking in firearms grief and could lock them up as well. NJ and NYC have case law backing them up... for now anyway. If you are diverted to a NYC airport, explain to them you cannot take possession of your luggage and just have them forward it to your final destination. You may be able to tell the police there as well and they can probably help you.

Oh by the way, check your airline for ammo limits. Most limit you to something like 11lbs, but some limit you to less than that and some even tell you that you can't have over a certain number of rounds.

[ryanj]

That being said, I travel with mine often. Pistol is usually in a locked NanoVault inside my suitcase. The suitcase has a TSA lock, but the NanoVault is a combination lock, so they cannot open without a bit of work. Ammo is kept outside of the gun in original factory box. Next month, I'm bringing a Pelican 1700 with my daughter's rifle, my carry pistol, and my wife's carry pistol. We're connecting through Chicago, but won't touch the case until we arrive in the Carolinas.

Yeah, I don't know if I like that idea. Delta airlines tell me that if I do that I have to use a conditional acceptance tag.

I'd rather put the case in and lock the whole suitcase with a regular brass padlock. It means I have to wait on TSA to screen the bag but that's actually good as it decreases the chances of theft as well.

[CleverNickname]

That being said, I travel with mine often. Pistol is usually in a locked NanoVault inside my suitcase. The suitcase has a TSA lock, but the NanoVault is a combination lock, so they cannot open without a bit of work. Ammo is kept outside of the gun in original factory box. Next month, I'm bringing a Pelican 1700 with my daughter's rifle, my carry pistol, and my wife's carry pistol. We're connecting through Chicago, but won't touch the case until we arrive in the Carolinas.

Yeah, I don't know if I like that idea. Delta airlines tell me that if I do that I have to use a conditional acceptance tag.

I'd rather put the case in and lock the whole suitcase with a regular brass padlock. It means I have to wait on TSA to screen the bag but that's actually good as it decreases the chances of theft as well.

You can check a long gun case that's not enclosed inside a second case, so checking a pistol case that's locked inside other luggage that's locked with a TSA lock isn't a problem.

[ryanj]

I didn't say it was a problem, I just don't like the idea of using TSA locks because they are close to useless for security. Flying with a pistol allows you to lock your entire suitcase with a real lock, which is sometimes the main reason I fly with one.

[SAK]

I have flown on Southwest twice recently with a locked pelican case inside a suitcase. Put TSA locks on the suitcase & both times when I arrived at destination, the TSA lock is missing. Everything else is still in the bag. Not sure why they take my locks, but if it happens again I will be asking someone from Southwest.

I interpret SWA rules as allowing loaded magazines in the case as long as they are separate form the pistol. They have never asked me to open the case & inspect the weapon though.

[BigBangSmallBucks]

That being said, I travel with mine often. Pistol is usually in a locked NanoVault inside my suitcase. The suitcase has a TSA lock, but the NanoVault is a combination lock, so they cannot open without a bit of work. Ammo is kept outside of the gun in original factory box. Next month, I'm bringing a Pelican 1700 with my daughter's rifle, my carry pistol, and my wife's carry pistol. We're connecting through Chicago, but won't touch the case until we arrive in the Carolinas.

Yeah, I don't know if I like that idea. Delta airlines tell me that if I do that I have to use a conditional acceptance tag.

I'd rather put the case in and lock the whole suitcase with a regular brass padlock. It means I have to wait on TSA to screen the bag but that's actually good as it decreases the chances of theft as well.

If a Non-TSA lock is used TSA has the authority to cut it, if you use a TSA lock and something came up missing you'd know exactly who did it. For that very reason I wouldn't think a theft by a TSA agent would be likely.

[BigBangSmallBucks]

I have flown on Southwest twice recently with a locked pelican case inside a suitcase. Put TSA locks on the suitcase & both times when I arrived at destination, the TSA lock is missing. Everything else is still in the bag. Not sure why they take my locks, but if it happens again I will be asking someone from Southwest.

I interpret SWA rules as allowing loaded magazines in the case as long as they are separate form the pistol. They have never asked me to open the case & inspect the weapon though.

I flew SW on 7/3 and even tho they didn't take my TSA lock they opened the compartment on my luggage where my gun case was and tried to pry my gun case open On top of all that they didn't properly re-lock my luggage so if someone wanted to just open the compartment and take the gun and case they would've been able to do so