Flying to Texas in the next month or so -

[dogngun]

To visit my 93 year old father, who is not so well as he used to be.
I want to bring a small auto pistol. I have a PA LTCF, and I know Texas will honor it, an I intend to carry it concealed, but I have never flown with a pistol. I did drive across the entire US with a 1911 in my front seat, but that was in the mid 1970's and that was a different world.....
I plan on taking an inexpensive small .32 pistol in case it gets "lost", and I want to know what I need to do to be OK for the airlines, etc.
(I'm really nervous-I hate flying and I'm not to crazy about Texas, either....)

Thanks.

mark

[kcr121]

Check the regulations here - TSA: Traveling with Special Items

It's pretty easy. Unload the pistol, place it in a lockable hard-sided case. Put the ammo in its original box inside the same case. Lock the case. Go to the counter when you check in, and tell them that you have an unloaded firearm that you need to check. Done.

[donm]

Make sure you look at the airline's web site as well. They all seem to have their own rules about packing ammo, etc. and you don't want to find out about it at the check-in counter. There are also a couple of small airlines that won't transport firearms.

The gun should be in a hard sided case with a non-TSA lock. Put a TSA lock on the outside bag. When you declare it they will provide a red tag that you sign declaring it to be unloaded. You'll need to hang around while TSA screens it (which sometimes involves marching you half way across the airport), so allow a little extra time.

[lildobe]

Get yourself one of these:
http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/132...fe-review.html
to lock up your firearm in your checked bag - if you can, use the included cable to attach it to the inside of the luggage.

That's how I fly, and it works quite well.

[XD45]

I did it last month and all was fine, just follow the info on the TSA site. Be sure to read up on tx carry laws too, they are quite strict.

[dogngun]

Thanks - I was thinking about using a hard plastic pistol case with a padlock, like a S&W handgun case....

I will get information on Texas - my relatives are near Galviston - my sister and her husband and my dad-and I want to see him again, possibly for the last time.
I will probably take my old .32 FEG, my usual summer throw it in the pocket pistol and a few mags.

I don't expect any problems, but it is best to be prepared.

mark

[dogngun]

down south throught Georgia, to NOLA, then to Galviston. Returning through Tennessee, W Va and Western PA.

I will probably just keep a handgun accesable in the car.

Thanks in advance for any advice on driving in these times....


mark

[HiredGoon]

Some other good tips here:
http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/926...n-phl-atl.html

[ungawa]

As stated, Texas has pretty shitty gun laws. Look into them because there are a lot of off-limits places for carry. And OC is illegal. I know you are going to conceal, but I don't know how strict they are. Some states will charge you for showing accidentally or even printing. Don't know about Texas in that respect.

[KennyPowers]

I lived in TX all of my life before moving here last year. I flew home for Christmas recently and brought a gun for CC. I had my unloaded XD locked with a key lock in its original hard-sided case which was inside my checked bag along with the ammo in its original box. I flew American Airlines. When checking in, I informed them I had a firearm to check and they had me fill out a small declaration card which was put inside the suitcase. They then directed me to the TSA inspection counter where a TSA employee had me open the suitcase and unlock the gun case so he could look at it. That was it. The gun got there and back with no issues. As far as CC in Texas, don't print and read up on 51% signs, 30.06 signs, and other places where carry is prohibited. Also, you used to be required to present your permit/license if pulled over while driving, but I know that was being worked on when I moved, so check up on that. The people on this forum should be able to help:

http://www.texasguntalk.com