Declaring an unloaded/locked pistol in checked luggage (JFK)

ship'em instead

I'm a little surprised that nobody has suggested that you simply ship the pistol(s) to yourself at your brother's house, and then ship them home afterwards (or, since you don't have to declare in NY on the way home, just carry them in checked baggage).

You do not need to process them through an FFL to ship them to yourself.

Timing may be an issue, you probably don't want your brother to sign for them, but you can specify "hold for pickup" at the destination.

architect said:

I'm a little surprised that nobody has suggested that you simply ship the pistol(s) to yourself at your brother's house, and then ship them home afterwards (or, since you don't have to declare in NY on the way home, just carry them in checked baggage).

You do not need to process them through an FFL to ship them to yourself.

Timing may be an issue, you probably don't want your brother to sign for them, but you can specify "hold for pickup" at the destination.

Click to expand...

Careful here. The BATFE is well known for it's immediate rule changes without notifying the public it has happened until after it's already in effect.

Shipping across State lines, even to yourself, would require going through a FFL on both ends...unless someone knows something I've yet to find (if you do, please post it up and exactly where to find it in writing!). Warranty work seems to still remain a loophole.

LEOSA is one way around the issue. The other way is to simiply avoid NY all together.

Just for fun, here's my account of traveling:

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...-travel-with-a-gun-(Record-breaking-long-post)

architect said:

I'm a little surprised that nobody has suggested that you simply ship the pistol(s) to yourself at your brother's house, and then ship them home afterwards (or, since you don't have to declare in NY on the way home, just carry them in checked baggage).

You do not need to process them through an FFL to ship them to yourself.

Timing may be an issue, you probably don't want your brother to sign for them, but you can specify "hold for pickup" at the destination.

Click to expand...

May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity?

Grapeshot said:

May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity?

Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the state where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.

A complete compendium of applicable company policies:
http://www.thegunzone.com/ship-guns.html​

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That is a very good thing to know!

Many thanks for that, Grapeshot!

ETA: Oops, I mean Architect- the original poster. Thanks to grapeshot for the link, though.

Grapeshot/Architect,

Thanks for the advice on mailing the firearms to myself. In the past, I've only shipped across state lines to another individual (via FFL to FFL transfer). I completely forgot I could ship the pistols to myself and take possession at the other end (meaning that it will be held at the shippers receiving office for pickup by only myself - no one else). Thanks for jogging my memory, I must be getting old...

It's disappointing that NYC doesn't follow the spirit of the Federal Law pertaining to the transport of firearms. Hopefully this will change at some point in the future (I won't hold my breath).

Bradley Report?

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D, please do give a report if you flew with your handgun from Bradley. Others in your situation might find this a better option than shipping the handgun or braving the NYC airports with it.

And by others I mean me.

I understand that Bradley is a much easier airport to fly out of than JFK, even without a firearm.

My concern would be that I could somehow get routed to an NY or NJ airport, even when the itinerary says Bradley, and somehow be given my luggage, risking arrest through no action of my own.

Grapeshot said:

May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity?

Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the state where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.

A complete compendium of applicable company policies:
http://www.thegunzone.com/ship-guns.html​

Click to expand...

Unless I'm misreading them, according to their policies:

UPS allows shipments from individual to individual:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/guidelines/firearms.html

"UPS accepts packages containing firearms, as defined by Title 18, Chapter 44, and Title 26, Chapter 53 of the United States Code, for transportation from and between licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, and licensed collectors, as defined in Title 18, Chapter 44 of the United States Code, law enforcement agencies of the United States (or of any department or agency of the United States) and law enforcement agencies of any state or department agency (or political subdivision of any state), and from and between persons not otherwise prohibited from shipping firearms by federal, state or local law and when such shipment complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws applicable to the shipper, recipient and package."


and Fedex only allows them from an individual to an FFL:

http://images.fedex.com/us/services/pdf/Service_Guide_2010.pdf

"Firearms
A. FedEx Express will transport and deliver firearms as defined by the United States Gun
Control Act of 1968, between areas served in the U.S., but only between:
1. Licensed importers; licensed manufacturers; licensed dealers; licensed collectors;
law enforcement agencies of the U.S. or any department or agency thereof; and
law enforcement agencies of any state or any department, agency or political
subdivisions thereof; or
2. Where not prohibited by local, state and federal law, from individuals to licensed
importers, licensed manufacturers or licensed dealers (and return of same)."

Johnny W said:

Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D, please do give a report if you flew with your handgun from Bradley. Others in your situation might find this a better option than shipping the handgun or braving the NYC airports with it.

And by others I mean me.

I understand that Bradley is a much easier airport to fly out of than JFK, even without a firearm.

My concern would be that I could somehow get routed to an NY or NJ airport, even when the itinerary says Bradley, and somehow be given my luggage, risking arrest through no action of my own.

Click to expand...

Johnny,

Due to my tickets being purchased with mileage I'll be sticking with flying from JFK in late December. The next trip I take probably won't be until Feb. If I end up flying from Bradley in Feb. I'll give you a full report.

Why must you begin your air travel at JFK? Can't you find a connector flight out of CT to some other less onerous and Byzantine den of iniquity than NY state?

There are times when discretion really is the better part of valor. As many others have already informed you, NY State seems to think it can continue to abuse FOPA. Unless your plans are flexible enough to include becoming the test case that will resolve this once and for all, which probably will involve sitting in a NYS prison cell till SCOTUS hears your appeal, you may want to rethink your plans.

Yes, the matter really should be settled. But much like Heller and McDonald the test case ought to be carefully chosen and prepared in advance so as to minimize the risk of failing.

stay safe.

Thank-you, Sgt. I look forward to hearing about your Bradley experience in a few months, and I hope you decided to ship your guns for your December trip, for your sake!

If you do run into trouble at Bradley, be sure to contact the CCDL!

Your user id gives the impression that you are a New York City Police Officer. Are you not allowed to carry a firearm within New York City?

Also, what about the LEOSA? Doesn't that allow law enforcement officers to carry wherever, without regard to state or local laws (but may be restricted by federal laws, so they can't carry on an airplane, for example)? That's how I understood it.

Note that under LEOSA, there's nothing that says they wouldn't arrest you anyway, and make you go through the hassle of fighting it, even though you are in the right, but on the first point, when you check your gun at JFK, if an airport cop accosts you, couldn't you just show your badge, and they leave you alone? I know that New York City is REALLY wack when it comes to guns, but I was under the impression that the city government didn't have any problem with its own cops having them.

Slayer of Paper said:

Your user id gives the impression that you are a New York City Police Officer. Are you not allowed to carry a firearm within New York City?

SNIP.

Click to expand...

Please back up to post #4 where the mystery was resolved.

stay safe.

Ah ok, I see.

I don't typically click on links in threads unless there is at least some short description about what it is linking to.

Johnny W said:

Thank-you, Sgt. I look forward to hearing about your Bradley experience in a few months, and I hope you decided to ship your guns for your December trip, for your sake!

If you do run into trouble at Bradley, be sure to contact the CCDL!

Click to expand...

Johnny,

Yes, the plan is to fly out of JFK without my pistols (I really don't feel like trying to make a statement and spend my Christmas vacation in jail). I will be borrowing my brothers guns at my destination for this trip or shipping my own via UPS if it's not too expensive. I don't think I would have an issue at Bradley as I am licensed to carry a pistol or revolver in the state of Connecticut. As long as my pistols are packed per federal requirements for air travel, I'm covered. Again, I'll advise how things go if I fly from BDL in the future.