Flying into Dulles International - With gun?

[45acpForMe]

imported post

Do you have to buy a metal hard case or can you just use the plastic one the gun came in? I was planning on using one of my cases that had a hole for a pad lock and insert that into one of my bags. If I have to check it as a separate bag I guess the higher quality case would be recommended.

The only reason (other than money) I would prefer the gun-case be inside another suitcase or softcase is that when it comes out at baggage retrieval I don't want someone seeing a gun case grabbing it and walking off with it. If the see my beat-up old suitcase they won't know that there is anything valuable inside.

 

[tricityguy]

imported post

The last time I checked a gun, I used a small plastic case with a padlock. I put it in with my luggage, on the top so the TSA agent could easily pull it out and look it over. After he did his thing, the case was re-locked and went back in my suitcase.

 

[darthmord]

imported post

45acpForMe wrote:

Do you have to buy a metal hard case or can you just use the plastic one the gun came in? I was planning on using one of my cases that had a hole for a pad lock and insert that into one of my bags. If I have to check it as a separate bag I guess the higher quality case would be recommended.

The only reason (other than money) I would prefer the gun-case be inside another suitcase or softcase is that when it comes out at baggage retrieval I don't want someone seeing a gun case grabbing it and walking off with it. If the see my beat-up old suitcase they won't know that there is anything valuable inside.

The problem with a 'case inside a case' is the no-acccess restrictions apply only to the case the firearm is directly located in. Thus TSA (& potentially airline employees) could open/inspect your luggage all they wanted without your knowledge.

Whereas if you had a lockable case that you stored your firearm in and that same case held your checked stuff such as clothes, camera, etc... **YOU** control access to the case and the TSA cannot legally open without your presence. You have to control theability to open the case (since it has a firearm).

There's a really good YouTube videoby a guy who travels around theworld to security conferences and he's a firearm owner. His checked luggage container is an old military surplus munitions container with a hefty lock on it. He puts the lowerpart of a firearm in there so he can ensure the rest of his costly items inthe same container are less likely to bestolen by unscrupulous airline employees since they cannot easily access the contents like they can with regular luggage.

Link to article& video: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/security/?p=2295