How paranoid should I be with my firearms while flying?

nitrogen · #1

Usually when I fly, I use a little center-of-mass box to carry my guns. For those of you that don't know, it's a little lockable box with a cable you can wrap around something to keep it secure. I usually keep it wrapped around a support strut in my luggage.

Well, i'm going to be taking training at Frontsight, and want to take a few more guns. I have a bigger case, but it's got cheap, cruddy locks, and no means to secure it to my struts in my baggage.

How paranoid should I be? Should I buy an extra center-of-mass box? or am I really being too paranoid?

http://www.center-of-mass.com/

jbirds1210 · #2

Sounds like a good excuse to invest in a couple of new boxes...I have found many uses for ours and I wish we had more than two! I would think the padding in the box would prevent sight bumps and dings...have fun at your training...I would like to attend someday when my schedule allows.
Jason

cjlandry · #3

I've checked one of my pistols on nearly 100 flights in the past year, and have had zero problems. I used to carry it in the Glock factory box, but got a slightly larger one so I could carry the ammo and spare mags easier.

It's still a lockable plastic box. Locks don't deter criminals. They merely keep honest people from yielding to temptation.

HighVelocity · #4

I do it all the time but it's all I think about on the plane. A hard sided suitcase with combination locks and a good locking box for your gun(s) inside is about the best you can do short of shipping them to an ffl wherever you're going.

I haven't lost a gun to the airlines poor luggage handling but I figure it's just a matter of time.

Liberty · #5

I mark the heck out of my baggage. Most luggage looks pretty much the same, I paint it bumperstick it and make it truly unique. Makes it less likely that some one will mistake it for theirs, easy for me to identify. and easy for me to describe when it eventually misses its flight.

seamusTX · #6

How timely can you get? I read this in the paper as I was waiting for my computer to emerge from hibernation:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/cust ... i-news-hed

About a dozen firearms have been stolen from checked baggage at O'Hare airport in Chicago in the last year. Everybody involved says, "Not my fault."

- Jim

anygunanywhere · #7

Liberty wrote:I mark the heck out of my baggage. Most luggage looks pretty much the same, I paint it bumperstick it and make it truly unique. Makes it less likely that some one will mistake it for theirs, easy for me to identify. and easy for me to describe when it eventually misses its flight.

I arrived at Bush IAH on a return flight home once and stopped at the restroom on my way to baggage claim. When I arrived at baggage the handlers had made record time. My bag with my firearms was not on the carousel and was nowhere to be seen. I frantically began searching the area. An individual came strolling up with my bag in tow. He walked up to another black bag that really did not resemble mine and left mine. I verbally chastised him for his obvious mistake. I unlocked my bag and made certain my locked containers were intact, not mentioning what was insided.

Some folks are braindead.

When I fly I make every possible attempt to fly non-stop direct flights to minimize the possibility of lost luggage.

Anygun

nitrogen · #8

anygunanywhere wrote: An individual came strolling up with my bag in tow. He walked up to another black bag that really did not resemble mine and left mine.

I've done this. I used to fly quite a bit for work, and after a week plus of being out of pocket, you wouldn't believe how tired the mind gets. I've pulled a bag that was the same shape as mine off the carousel, and walked about 10 feet until I realised it wasn't my bag when I checked the tag.

kw5kw · #9

If I can't drive there, I won't / don't go!
Russ

jimlongley · #10

kw5kw wrote:If I can't drive there, I won't / don't go!
Russ

I wish I could say that - off to MN for one day of training on Friday - I obviously have to fly, and the WI the week after and the week after that.

OTOH, the pay is pretty good.

stevie_d_64 · #11

I've had this idea about using those Pelican Cases for transporting outside my normal checked baggage...

I would assume that if you bought one or more of these cases, that you'd think a brightly colored (orange or yellow) case would scream "boring instrumentation" or other unusable or pawnable crap...

Even stenciling "CALIBRATED INSTRUMENTS" on the outside of the case is not a false statement of the contents...Think about it...

After looking at what is happening up at O'Hare in Chicago recently, I'd think the average baggage handler could care less, but the ones looking for a quick score might not take a chance on a brightly colored hard sided case, marked as such...

I know it'd be cool to buy those "black" or "OD Green" cases, but once again, I think that draws too much attention...

Just my take...