Hello Folks,
Flying with a firearm was a non-issue for me! I flew with a S&W Sigma SW40VE in a Pelican Case with 2 empty mags in the case, with the factory chamber plug insterted. Pelican case was locked with two standard Masterlock padlocks. Threw the case and a box of 50 rds of HP ammo and 2 boxes of 50 ea of FMJ's into the luggage bag everything protected by layers of clothing. I got to DIA early, about 2 hours before my flight which was scheduled to leave at 7:15AM.
Sequence of events at my arrival:
Got to DIA around 5:30 AM
Went to SW Airlines baggage check in
At the head of the line (not much of a line, maybe 10 folks ahead of me) met a SWA agent, told her "I would like to declare a firearm" and she said "Oh no problem! Sir, you can go to this line and they will be happy to help you out!" Which was great, because this line was empty! :banana:
They asked me to fill out a little card with my name, addy, phone number and sign the back.
Didnt even weigh the bag after asking how much ammo I had (about 2 lbs was my response)
Then they made a call for someone to walk my bag to a TSA screening room close to the check in area. So walked over with the person walking my bag.
Got there to the little TSA screening room, which just cracked me up when we (and my firearm walker, lol) got there.
Being early in the morning and no one else there, I saw the laziest TSA agent! She was upset I distrupted her from her sitting down and texting! Who could she be in the middle of a texting frenzy at this time of the morning?!! She shrugged, then threw my bag on the x-ray machine, looked at her montitor and shrugged, a look like "oh well, screw it" (shoulders up and down!) and logged it in her little log book and placed a sticker over the luggage tag. Done, handed the luggage to the security guy to take back to check in Yes it was a foreign creepy looking dude walking my bag back to check in after he said you're free to go to security...
my gun was in the bag when I arrived at my desitnation, no one had messed with it. Once I arrived in Phoenix, I immediately went to the baggage claim and stood near the hole where the conveyer belt spits the bags out. Then grabbed my bag and walked to a nearby bench and opened it up. The case was in there!
I will post up the return story tmw or the next night, a bit different but no issues. I had a great time in AZ and OC'ed everywhere! Saw quite a few folks OC'ing, about 4-5 folks everyday! Wish I did take my XDM 5.25"! I will take it in a few months when I go back!
Blessings,
Keens