TSA rules to fly with gun

**cigarmanpa** · June 11th, 2009, 01:23 PM

great info in here

**mn_voyageur** · August 8th, 2009, 11:11 PM

Stuartsab,

I use a Pelican 1620 case with an Abloy PL 975 Puck Padlock

Deviant Ollam - Packing and the Friendly Skies - LayerOne 2009

MN_V

**Warpt762x39** · August 8th, 2009, 11:24 PM

I was gonna have to look into all of this as I hope to have my XDM and LTCF before I go back to Arizona to get all of our stuff out of the storage unit. Though in AZ I'll probably OC the whole time as it's legal without a permit of any kind and it's not too uncommon.

**27hand** · August 9th, 2009, 09:42 AM

I'll review this info again for a flight to New Hampshire which is coming up shortly.

Thanks everyone for the info.

27

**The Unknown 1087** · August 10th, 2009, 02:02 PM

Since this topic is still up.

When you are taking it with you, can you put your lockable container INSIDE your duffel, and put the ammo, inside the duffel?

That was it is separate, I wouldn't trust the lock box to be separated from the duffel, unless I'd have a heavy duty cable to secure it to the duffel bag.

**Warpt762x39** · August 10th, 2009, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Dane

Since this topic is still up.

When you are taking it with you, can you put your lockable container INSIDE your duffel, and put the ammo, inside the duffel?

That was it is separate, I wouldn't trust the lock box to be separated from the duffel, unless I'd have a heavy duty cable to secure it to the duffel bag.

I was told by my travel agent, who researched it for me, that as long as they are seperated even in the same checked luggage you are good to go.

So if you have your gun locked up in one container, you can lock your ammo in another and stick them both in the same duffel.

What I was wondering was about the rumor I heard that you can't remove the firing pin and take it on the plane with you because you can't take ANY part of the gun on the plane. Even if it disables the gun in your checked luggage.

**mn_voyageur** · August 12th, 2009, 08:34 PM

I have traveled with guns and ammo in the same case. Gun, unloaded, in a padded cloth case and ammo in it's original box. (Red plastic holding the shells with the cardboard sleeve around it. Padlock on the entire hard-sided bag.

I would not lock the gun in a small case and place it in the larger duffel, since it would be easier from someone to take the small case with the gun locked inside. (See the video link above.)

Remember, airport employees are not scanned as they should be. (See Link.) And this happened this June ('09)!

If they can get a gun into the airport, I am certain they can get a gun out of the airport just as easily.

As for taking the pin out, I know of no rule against this. Since they don't actually check the gun, how would they notice the missing firing pin?

What typically happens:
Me: I need to declare a firearm.
Airline Counter: Ok, is it unloaded? (As she hands me a piece of paper.)
Me: Yes. (As I unzip the cloth case.)
I open the case, show the AC the gun (Model 1911) with the loaded magazine beside it. I have never touched the gun. They never check for a second magazine. The slide is never pulled back, to check for a round in the chamber. I just open the case. (We all know that a magazine beside my gun does not mean that it is unloaded.)
AC looks at it. (For about 5 seconds.)
I zip up the case and place it back into my hard-sided bag. Toss the paperwork on top of the clothes inside the case. Lock the bag.
AC tags the bag. Hands me my boarding pass. Wishes me a safe flight.
I turn the bag over to TSA. They don't even ask me about the lock.

I have never been asked to open my bag, once the Airline Counter Agent is done looking at the gun. (for 5 seconds)

FYI - I have a shoe horn that I carry with me through the check point. It is over 12" long and made of Stainless Steel. Now, someone explain to me why a 12" stainless steel shoe horn is allowed, but my 3/4" long pocket knife is not.

Supposedly, there is a Inter agency report (FBI, NSA, DOD, & DOJ) floating around that tells TSA to spend more time and money on "under wing" security and limit "over wing" searches to explosives and guns. Judging from the link above, I think the report is correct. (If it exists.)

Have a safe trip.

MN_V