Flying with my gun

fire suppressor · Aug 24, 2012

Thanks to the people who told me to check with my specific airlines guidelines. I am flying unites and they do differ slightly from TSA. TSA allows me to use any container designed to carry ammo United SOPs state I must use the original manufacturers box, a wooden box or metal box only. I guess that perfect little box I just bought specially designed to carry 357s wont work. Oh well it was only $3

Per United - "No more than 11 pounds of ammunition may be carried. The ammunition may be packed in the same container as the firearm or in a separate container. Ammunition must be packed in the manufacturer's original package or securely packed in fiber, wood or metal containers. The ammunition inside the container must be protected against shock and secured against movement"

amlevin · Aug 24, 2012

Difdi said:
I've read stories on the net from people who were ordered to surrender the key or not fly, and were not present in the room when the gun case was opened.

And because they're on the "net" they have to be true, right?

Jeff Hayes · Aug 24, 2012

fire suppressor said:
I appreciate everyone's response I know 1000's of people do it everyday but it is a first for me. I am hoping for a fun trip with a lot of exploring I will be thankful to have it with me

I know you have likely done this but I will say it anyway, do a thorough job of researching the laws of where ever you are flying to.

Have a safe trip, enjoy.

Metalhead47 · Aug 24, 2012

amlevin said:
And because they're on the "net" they have to be true, right?

No, because they are about the TSA doing something stupid & illegal they must be both true and greatly understated.

Difdi · Aug 24, 2012

amlevin said:
And because they're on the "net" they have to be true, right?

Well, I'm reading your post on the net. Is it true?

fire suppressor said:
Thanks to the people who told me to check with my specific airlines guidelines. I am flying unites and they do differ slightly from TSA. TSA allows me to use any container designed to carry ammo United SOPs state I must use the original manufacturers box, a wooden box or metal box only. I guess that perfect little box I just bought specially designed to carry 357s wont work. Oh well it was only $3

Per United - "No more than 11 pounds of ammunition may be carried. The ammunition may be packed in the same container as the firearm or in a separate container. Ammunition must be packed in the manufacturer's original package or securely packed in fiber, wood or metal containers. The ammunition inside the container must be protected against shock and secured against movement"

I believe the fiber packaging they are referring to is called cardboard by most people. It's the type of box a lot of ammunition is sold in. By phrasing that way they allow for the possibility of the same sort of packaging as a manufacturer uses, but not the original packaging.

Flopsweat · Aug 25, 2012

fire suppressor said:
Thanks to the people who told me to check with my specific airlines guidelines. I am flying unites and they do differ slightly from TSA. TSA allows me to use any container designed to carry ammo United SOPs state I must use the original manufacturers box, a wooden box or metal box only. I guess that perfect little box I just bought specially designed to carry 357s wont work. Oh well it was only $3

Per United - "No more than 11 pounds of ammunition may be carried. The ammunition may be packed in the same container as the firearm or in a separate container. Ammunition must be packed in the manufacturer's original package or securely packed in fiber, wood or metal containers. The ammunition inside the container must be protected against shock and secured against movement"

Find or make a wooden or metal box that your plastic ammo box fits in. I see nothing restricting the thickness (or thinness) or composition of the wood, so a little creativity may help here. If you have to use some packing material to make it fit snugly, so be it. The plastic ammo box serves as an insert that meets the TSA's "protected against shock and secured against movement" requirement. The ammo is still in a "wooden box or metal box" per United's SOP's. Your $3 investment is no longer for naught.

Carry on.

amlevin · Aug 25, 2012

If your ammo isn't still in the original mfr's container or perhaps it's reloaded ammo, just go to a local range and do some dumpster diving. Many shooters just throw away the boxes and plastic/foam trays. Pack your ammo in these as it will keep the cartridges from moving.

Some even consider loaded magazines to be adequate for securing the ammo but when doing so it requires a "cap" that covers the first round.

Difdi · Aug 25, 2012

amlevin said:
Some even consider loaded magazines to be adequate for securing the ammo but when doing so it requires a "cap" that covers the first round.

That certainly fits the requirement of being securely packed in metal, especially if the cap is also metal. I imagine you might get a little backtalk from TSA over it though...

carolina guy · Aug 25, 2012

fun read and vid

Good site and some good advice about travelling with a firearm.

http://deviating.net/firearms/packing/

pfries · Aug 25, 2012

I have flown many times with my sidearm; I do use the original boxes for the ammo as that is where the biggest discrepancy in policies between airlines seems to be.

I can say I have gotten one of these each and every time so I do not believe it to be coincidence.

I have flown many times with my sidearm; I do use the original boxes for the ammo as that is where the biggest discrepancy in policies between airlines seems to be.

At the small airport I usually fly out of it gets me through the check in procedure faster,
Last round the lady directing traffic at the counter tried to steer me over to one of the kiosk things for check in as I only had one bag.
I told her I could not as I had a fire arm to declare and was immediately escorted to the counter and taken care of. Over all United and Delta have been great, a Southwest representative made someone verify the case was compliant but that has been my only issue to date.
That being said make sure your case meets the standards and all should be fine.

carolina guy · Aug 25, 2012

pfries said:
I have flown many times with my sidearm; I do use the original boxes for the ammo as that is where the biggest discrepancy in policies between airlines seems to be.

I can say I have gotten one of these each and every time so I do not believe it to be coincidence.

<image snip>

I have flown many times with my sidearm; I do use the original boxes for the ammo as that is where the biggest discrepancy in policies between airlines seems to be.

At the small airport I usually fly out of it gets me through the check in procedure faster,
Last round the lady directing traffic at the counter tried to steer me over to one of the kiosk things for check in as I only had one bag.
I told her I could not as I had a fire arm to declare and was immediately escorted to the counter and taken care of. Over all United and Delta have been great, a Southwest representative made someone verify the case was compliant but that has been my only issue to date.
That being said make sure your case meets the standards and all should be fine.

http://deviating.net/firearms/packing/packing_and_the_friendly_skies.ppt

Take a look at his luggage (81mm mortar ammo cans) and his pad locks, and you will know why he doesn't get any of those little notes anymore.

His suggestion is to protect your valuables, put a firearm in each checked bag. Per Federal Law, the luggage MUST remain locked and only accessible to the passenger. The TSA doesn't like this, but tough patootie!

Here is what they looked like when they "tried" to get in the luggage.

Locks he uses to avoid the TSA being able to cut them...

Metalhead47 · Aug 26, 2012

carolina guy said:
http://deviating.net/firearms/packing/packing_and_the_friendly_skies.ppt

Take a look at his luggage (81mm mortar ammo cans) and his pad locks, and you will know why he doesn't get any of those little notes anymore.

His suggestion is to protect your valuables, put a firearm in each checked bag. Per Federal Law, the luggage MUST remain locked and only accessible to the passenger. The TSA doesn't like this, but tough patootie!
View attachment 9150

Here is what they looked like when they "tried" to get in the luggage.
View attachment 9151

Locks he uses to avoid the TSA being able to cut them...
View attachment 9152

jbone · Aug 27, 2012

I just got back from Michigan on Friday, I chickened out on taking mine. A few years back KIRO aired a story on all the guns being stolen from luggage in secure areas, SEATAC as one of the worst if I recall. Couldn’t get that out of my head!

And, I had an old NIB Raven Arms .25 to bring home with me, I decided I’ll FFL it back to me here.

Bill Starks · Aug 27, 2012

jbone said:
And, I had an old NIB Raven Arms .25 to bring home with me, I decided I’ll FFL it back to me here.

By ATF rules you could have mailed it back to yourself in care of your wife at your home address and saved you transfer fees and another background check.

Guys, Please read the FAQ provided by the ATF.... it has great info for travelling and mailing firearms.

jbone · Aug 27, 2012

Bill Starks said:
By ATF rules you could have mailed it back to yourself in care of your wife at your home address and saved you transfer fees and another background check.

Guys, Please read the FAQ provided by the ATF.... it has great info for travelling and mailing firearms.

I didn't know about the in care of, this reason I didn't ship to myself is the hours I work, would have prevented delivery.

Q: May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/unlicensed-persons.html#shipping-firearms-usps

The feds and you say yes, but UPS and FEDEX say no, must be licensed? So sounds to me like its FFL or check-in luggage for handguns?

http://www.fedex.com/us/freight/rulestariff/prohibited_articles.html

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/re...es/firearms.html?srch_pos=1&srch_phr=firearms

tombrewster421 · Aug 27, 2012

jbone said:
I didn't know about the in care of, this reason I didn't ship to myself is the hours I work, would have prevented delivery.

The feds and you say yes, but UPS and FEDEX say no, must be licensed? So sounds to me like its FFL or check-in luggage for handguns?

That doesn't really make sense. I'm not licensed and I shipped a gun to Taurus for service and they shipped it right back to me via Fed Ex both ways. No ffl for me to pick it up from.

SeattleWingsfan · Aug 27, 2012

I've asked both my local USPS and Mail Boxes Ect. type store and was told by both. As long as it's in the box before you bring it in to mail it, they will have no way of knowing whats in there no matter which service you use. fed-ex, UPS, USPS. You can buy insurance and delacre a value without stating whats in it. Both of them did say to not mark the box in a way that indicates whats in it. And both said not to carry in a gun and ask them to box it, obviously.

Have followed these simple rules many times without issue. Your experiences may vary.

pfries · Aug 27, 2012

carolina guy said:
http://deviating.net/firearms/packing/packing_and_the_friendly_skies.ppt

Take a look at his luggage (81mm mortar ammo cans) and his pad locks, and you will know why he doesn't get any of those little notes anymore.

His suggestion is to protect your valuables, put a firearm in each checked bag. Per Federal Law, the luggage MUST remain locked and only accessible to the passenger. The TSA doesn't like this, but tough patootie!
View attachment 9150

Here is what they looked like when they "tried" to get in the luggage.
View attachment 9151

Locks he uses to avoid the TSA being able to cut them...
View attachment 9152

I love it and I think it is time to hit the flea market....

aa1911 · Aug 28, 2012

I've flown in and out of SeaTac probably 200 times now, every single time was with at least one firearm, never had an issue like most folks have already said. Don't worry about it, perfectly OK, just declare it when you get to the counter. I get my bag searched every single time but usually is only about a 10 minute ordeal max extra time. I show up early anyway, so no issue for me.

I use cheap padlocks on the bag (cause they cut them about every 3rd trip) and a good combo lock on my hardsided gun case inside (pistol). Or two decent combo locks on a long gun case by itself.

Looking at the above posted photos, I may have to upgrade my luggage!

AA

Ronniewo · Sep 2, 2012

Be sure to buy a quality gun case (Pelican or similar). If they can pry it open even just a smidge, you can't fly with it. I had to leave several guns in FL for a few extra days last time I flew. Most airline employees are pretty good and won't give you any trouble.

Flying with my gun

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