dirtengineer
Member
Ammo rules vary by carrier. Check with your airline. My experiences have been positive for the most part.
That usually won't work, you have to be a bit more obvious. I usually say, "I have a handgun in my luggage to check in"the counter guy didn't respond at first when I informed him that I had a serialized item I needed to check.
Well... A serialized item isn't ALWAYS a handgun...That usually won't work, you have to be a bit more obvious. I usually say, "I have a handgun in my luggage to check in"
I've flow all over the country with my handguns while teaching and it has been very smooth...only had on place that they needed me to open the case (FL)
I usually fly with Southwest and Continental and try not to fly through NY or DC airports
Interesting, I lived in Nome in 1966 and now I live in Coeur D Alene ID. Looked up Granite Mountain, looks like a bit of drive from Nome. Was that by plane, I don't remember roads going that far from Nome itself?I climbed on a plane in Seattle, WA with 3 pistols in my coat pockets, a rifle in a soft case, a shotgun in a soft case and another rifle in a scabard as carry-on. Flew Alaska Airlines to Anchorage, caught a flight to Fairbanks and then changed airlines to Nome and then out to Granite Mountain. Of course this was in 1966.
I checked in to American Airlines in San Diego and the counter lady said I'd have to check my Old Timer 1040T pocket knife through luggage. The only box she could find was a rifle box, so that little pocket knife went into it and it was all taped up for the trip to DC. That was in 1986.
Pops
It isn't a TSA req't , but it is a DOT requirement that ammo is limited to 5 kg (about 11 lbs). I've never heard of anyone being called on it - but it is the rule.
I flew from Louisville to DFW and back last year.
Going out was easy, declare unloaded handgun in my Pelican case and it was sent through X-ray. No TSA agent showed up.
Coming back was different, they told me to wheel my bag to the TSA office around the corner. I stood there for ten minutes before realizing I had to "ahem" for someone to show up. She was terse...took my bag and ran it through a machine. She stood there looking at me and I said, "Do i need to take it back to the counter" and her answer was "no".
Now five years ago I flew to Huntsville AL. The counter guy thought I was LEO and handed me a form authorizing me to carry a loaded firearm on board. He got a bit flustered when I gently corrected him. TSA took over and used a wood wand to inspect my case. When I got back, my bag didn't come out on the carousel. 45 minutes go by and just as I was about to have a chat, I noticed my bag was stuffed in a corner. Inside was a TSA 'love letter' stating the contents of the bag were inspected.
YEEE HAAW! That is a big box of fun!!!If this works it should be a pic of my pelican case with 2 AR's, a PS90 and 3 pistols and about 500rds of ammo from my last trip to Gunsight from PA.
Really it's a piece of cake, just declare it at the ticket counter, have it in a nice travel box like a pelican, ammo in original ammo boxes.
The only two things that kinda made me nervous was having to open the case in front of the ticket counter and having the black guns get more than a few gasps from my fellow travelers. And having $8,000.00 worth of guns and optics come out on the regular carousel and go round and round till I grabbed it.
You're the only person that is supposed to be able to lock / unlock them. When they escort you to the TSA table you're supposed to hand them the key, they unlock and inspect, and relock the case and return the key to you. This is another rule that even TSA isn't clear on.
§ 1540.111 Carriage of weapons, explosives, and incendiaries by individuals.
(i) The passenger declares to the aircraft operator, either orally or in writing, before checking the baggage, that the passenger has a firearm in his or her bag and that it is unloaded;
(ii) The firearm is unloaded;
(iii) The firearm is carried in a hard-sided container; and
(iv) The container in which it is carried is locked, and only the passenger retains the key or combination.
I don't think you can carry loaded magazines.
They are supposed to check the gun to ensure it is unloaded BEFORE they have you sign the tag that claims it is unloaded but most of the time they don't even want to see the gun. Make sure they place the tag INSIDE the gun case and not on the outside of the luggage.
The TSA have changed their regs on this. Here is an excerpt from an email I received from the TSA information center last week:The case has to be locked and not openable by prying up on something like a corner.
The locks are supposed to be NON-TSA locks. You're the only person that is supposed to be able to lock / unlock them. When they escort you to the TSA table you're supposed to hand them the key, they unlock and inspect, and relock the case and return the key to you. This is another rule that even TSA isn't clear on.
It isn't a TSA req't , but it is a DOT requirement that ammo is limited to 5 kg (about 11 lbs). I've never heard of anyone being called on it - but it is the rule.
Also I've heard of people being hassled for ammo not being in factory boxes. Technically any box designed for ammo should be legal (like an MTM case for example) - but not everyone is clear on their rules. I know skeet shooters that have had partial boxes confiscated, and one airline that refused to allow empty hulls.
Travelers may use any kind or type of lock for securing firearm cases, including TSA - recognized locks.
The TSA have changed their regs on this. Here is an excerpt from an email I received from the TSA information center last week:
Travelers may use any kind or type of lock for securing firearm cases, including TSA - recognized locks.
In fact there is at least one rifle case manufacturer that has begun providing TSA approved locks on their products (we carry it at Cabela's).
Having said that, the best practice is not using the TSA approved locks; use a lock for which only you have the key.
§ 1540.111 Carriage of weapons, explosives, and incendiaries by individuals.
(c) In checked baggage. A passenger may not transport or offer for transport in checked baggage or in baggage carried in an inaccessible cargo hold under § 1562.23 of this chapter:
(1) Any loaded firearm(s).
(2) Any unloaded firearm(s) unless—
(i) The passenger declares to the aircraft operator, either orally or in writing, before checking the baggage, that the passenger has a firearm in his or her bag and that it is unloaded;
(ii) The firearm is unloaded;
(iii) The firearm is carried in a hard-sided container; and
(iv) The container in which it is carried is locked, and only the passenger retains the key or combination.
As a matter of fact, I flew from CLT to PHX last September. I announced to the ticket agent, discretely, that I needed to declare a firearm. I was prepared with copies of everything I could find to print. I allowed an extra hour. The ticket agent said, roughly, "OK, fill out this form and sign it. Here, put this copy on top in your bag. Thanks." The whole thing took less than two minutes.So I'm going to be taking a trip from NC to AZ this spring, and I'm going to bring my carry gun with me.
Interesting. I sent an email back to the TSA to ask them why there is a discrepancy between the CFR and their regs. The CFR directive is what we used to tell passengers when I worked for the TSA, and now that I am working for an outfitter and many of our customers travel extensively, I want to be sure the information with which I provide them is accurate. I will be very interested to see what kind of a response I receive.TSA may have changed their internal regulations, but Federal regulations contained in 49 CFR 1540.111 have NOT changed. I would choose to comply with Federal Regulations, rather than TSA internal regulations:
Current as of February 26, 2013:
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-id...v8&view=text&node=49:9.1.3.5.9.2.10.6&idno=49
The Federal regulation requiring "only the passenger retains the key or combination" certainly does NOT mean "Travelers may use any kind or type of lock for securing firearm cases"