So I spent this past week in Florida on a business trip, and I decided to (for the first time) travel with my firearm. For the most part, it was a good experience, but something about it rubbed me the wrong way. More on that later, but first, some background info.

I work for a big 3 letter sports network as a broadcast video engineer. I travel 3-5 days per week, all over the US. Most of the time I don't take a firearm with me, either because I'll be working in a state with strict gun laws (*cough* I'm looking at you California) or because I'll be in a state with no PA reciprocity (like Massachusetts).

Fortunately for me though I was able to spend this whole past week in Florida, which has no such issues. Sunday afternoon I checked in at the US Airways counter at ABE, my unloaded Walther PK380 securely packed in a hard-sided, locked case, locked inside,my luggage. I fly out of Allentown 2-3 times a week, so all the gate and counter agents know me by name, as well as most of the TSA agents. So when I declared I handgun to the guy at the counter, it was no big deal. I signed the card stating that it was unloaded, locked my bag, and dragged it over to the TSA baggage screeners. Every day they ask if I have any film, firearms, or hazardous materials, and it's gotten to the point where I just hand them my bags, say "no" before they even ask me and walk away. Sunday though, I declared my firearm, and after some playful banter, and getting the ok, I continued on my way.

Both myself and my firearm made it to Florida. Had no carry issues down there (no OC allowed, didn't take it to the ballpark, and stayed out out of the bars).

Friday afternoon I checked into the US Airways counter at Miami airport. Same drill as before, declared the firearm and signed the form stating that it was unloaded. Now the setup there is a little different than at Allentown. In Miami, instead of dropping your bags off at TSA yourself, they go on a conveyor back to the screening area. But since there was a firearm involved, they couldn't just throw it on the conveyor. Instead, I had to drag my bag back into the screening area myself. Here's where things got interesting. After swabbing my bag for explosives, the TSA agents opened my bag. Then swabbed the gun case for explosives. Then swabbed the gun itself for explosives (came up negative thanks to a sonic bath, but what did they expect swabbing something that shoots gunpowder?). Then, coming up empty, they turned their attention to me. After all, a person with a LTCF and declaring a legal firearm MUST be up to no good, right? So they decided to swab my hands, my bag, and my boots, all before I even got to the security checkpoint. All those coming up negative, it became time to play 20 questions. Why did I have a firearm? Why was I in Florida? Why did I feel the need to bring it to Florida? Now anyone that knows me, knows that I'm no fan of the TSA. It's just something I have to put up with to do my job. But this was all just stupid. They just took the opportunity to give me the runaround, because they could. After about 20 minutes, I guess they decided I was no real threat (duh) and sent me on my way.
It's just frustrating to me being singled out simply because I'm exercising my rights.

Now I'm not really looking to start a TSA bashing thread (I'll save that for the FlyerTalk forums). I just wanted to share my experience of traveling with a firearm, and vent a little. Overall it wasn't a TERRIBLE experience. I'll be back down there in a few weeks, and will probably take my firearm again.

Thoughts/comments welcome.