TSA confiscates record number of guns in 2021

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I understand that bringing a gun through airport security can carry hefty fines and even criminal charges. but what consequences are really more common? Were the 5,700 people actually arrested and fined, or just questioned and allowed to pass without the gun (assuming no malice)? Are the guns confiscated or the people banned from flying?
 
Okay, Google is my friend so I will answer my own question.

https://www.laattorney.com/what-happens-if-i-get-caught-with-a-gun-while-flying.html

"The first thing that will happen is that you will be detained. The firearm, silencer, or other equipment will be confiscated, and you will be detained while local law enforcement agencies are notified.

The TSA will charge you a fine based on the type of prohibited item you possessed:
  • Unloaded firearms: a fine of $2,050 to $4,100
  • Loaded firearms: a fine of $4,100 to $10,250
  • Unloaded firearms with accessible ammunition: treated the same as a loaded firearm
  • Silencers, mufflers, frames, or receivers: a fine of $2,000 to $4,000
These fines are laid out in the TSA Enforcement Sanctions and you will receive an official TSA Notice of Violation. For certain cases, they may offer a settlement of 50% of the original fine to settle the case quickly; however, this is rare.

Also note that the TSA makes no explicit distinction based on type of firearm. Handguns are not typically given lesser penalties than other firearms, or vice versa.

In addition, you will receive a “criminal referral” to local law enforcement agencies who will handle the case from there.
...
The local law enforcement agencies will likely retrieve you from TSA custody, then proceed to continue the criminal investigation themselves.

The exact charges you may face depends on the location where you are detained."
 
And will the perp get extended prison time for being a repeat felon and endangering all those people?
Doubt it.
 
kcofohio said:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/tsa-increased-gun-confiscations-2021



Looks like more people need to understand about transporting weapons. $11,000 could buy a lot of gun stuff, even in 2021.
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I honestly think that most people are smart enough that it's not a case of not understanding how to transport weapons. I think that people are intentionally trying to get weapons through.

And honestly I think if you're that dumb you're probably shouldn't be owning firearms but that's probably a take that makes me some kind of dirty socialist or something.
 
So just putting it unloaded in your checked baggage is ok??

Old story but I still fondly remember business flights from Sac to LAX. Martin Retting and Pony Express Shops really made the trip. Drop off Hertz car, Carry the boxed musket or rifle to the check in counter. Hand it to Stewardess who would carry it onboard to cabinet in cockpit. Board plane. pick any seat, suck up a few complementary champagnes (Western Airlines) and eat the peanuts. Land at Sac, deplane and Stewardess would hand me the box and off i would go. The only time there was an issue is when the pilots wanted to see the contents was out of curiosity -- and that was they were fellow collectors. BTW It was a full length .577 1853 (?) Enfield in beautiful curly walnut stock. latter will go to RIA in Jan 2022.
 
After some thought i might add that not unlike other numbers "beneficial" to the govt that the 5700 confiscations may not be the truth.
 
vintovka said:
So just putting it unloaded in your checked baggage is ok??
Click to expand...

I have to assume you haven't flown with a firearm or checked the TSA or airline requirements or looked up the requirements since TSA was initiated since you'd know the answer to that question.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition

You may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted. Be aware that the container the firearm was in when purchased may not adequately secure the firearm when it is transported in checked baggage.

Contact the TSA Contact Center with questions you have regarding TSA firearm regulations and for clarification on what you may or may not transport in your carry-on or checked baggage.

Firearms
  • When traveling, comply with the laws concerning possession of firearms as they vary by local, state and international governments.
  • If you are traveling internationally with a firearm in checked baggage, please check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for information and requirements prior to travel.
  • Declare each firearm each time you present it for transport as checked baggage. Ask your airline about limitations or fees that may apply.
  • Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only. As defined by 49 CFR 1540.5 a loaded firearm has a live round of ammunition, or any component thereof, in the chamber or cylinder or in a magazine inserted in the firearm. Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations. You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks.
  • Bringing an unloaded firearm with accessible ammunition to the security checkpoint carries the same civil penalty/fine as bringing a loaded firearm to the checkpoint. You may find information on civil penalties at the Civil Enforcement page.
  • Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins, are prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
  • Replica firearms, including firearm replicas that are toys, may be transported in checked baggage only.
  • Rifle scopes are permitted in carry-on and checked baggage.
 
daniel craig said:
smart enough
Click to expand...

Most people, as demonstrated by the number of questions about flying with firearms we get even with this group of firearms and RKBA supporters aren't knowledgeable about the TSA and airline requirements for flying with a firearm. Even those that are knowledgeable of the requirements may use the same packs/bags they use at the range and in their rush fail to carefully check for ammunition/magazines/handguns/receivers. It would be interesting to know how many were accidental vs. intentional, but of the millions that travel by air every year in the USA I'm assuming ignorance instead of intent for the majority of them.
 
hso said:
Most people, as demonstrated by the number of questions about flying with firearms we get even with this group of firearms and RKBA supporters aren't knowledgeable about the TSA and airline requirements for flying with a firearm. Even those that are knowledgeable of the requirements may use the same packs/bags they use at the range and in their rush fail to carefully check for ammunition/magazines/handguns/receivers. It would be interesting to know how many were accidental vs. intentional, but of the millions that travel by air every year in the USA I'm assuming ignorance instead of intent for the majority of them.
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I mean these TSA requirements have been around since the early 2000s just about 20 years now. You're saying that in 20 years people haven't been able to learn this, or look it up? Take 5 minutes to check your bag for guns before packing it? You can also look them up online or call your departing airport.

I'm sure there are SOME people who are in this category but THIS MANY? It's unimaginable to me so I'm skeptical.
 
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vintovka said:
So just putting it unloaded in your checked baggage is ok??

Old story but I still fondly remember business flights from Sac to LAX. Martin Retting and Pony Express Shops really made the trip. Drop off Hertz car, Carry the boxed musket or rifle to the check in counter. Hand it to Stewardess who would carry it onboard to cabinet in cockpit. Board plane. pick any seat, suck up a few complementary champagnes (Western Airlines) and eat the peanuts. Land at Sac, deplane and Stewardess would hand me the box and off i would go. The only time there was an issue is when the pilots wanted to see the contents was out of curiosity -- and that was they were fellow collectors. BTW It was a full length .577 1853 (?) Enfield in beautiful curly walnut stock. latter will go to RIA in Jan 2022.
Click to expand...
I bet you could find it on the TSA website.
 
daniel craig said:
I'm sure there are SOME people who are in this category but THIS MANY?
Click to expand...

Not the total, but I don't think the majority of those folks did it with the intent to violate the rules. As I pointed out, if THR gets these questions where you'd expect everyone here to know to simply look them up (we are using a computer of some sort with a browser) then the percentage of folks could be pretty high out in the traveling public.

5,000+ seems like a lot. The data may not just be guns, but include ammunition (far too easy to have a round in carry-on that you didn't check properly) or a magazine failing for TSA. People don't read carefully or bother to even check details and stop at "can't have the gun in carry-on" and then check out mentally and think "good enough". I know of two very knowledgeable people that ended up finding in one case a full 1911 magazine and the other a single .45 round once they were in another country. The single round was found by foreign TSA (it all ended well) as he was checking through to come back home. The other disposed of the magazine and ammunition before ever getting to the return flight. Both of these folks had gone through US TSA after having checked for ammunition in their carry-0n and missed it. A single .45 round is pretty easy to miss, but a full magazine boggles the mind...until you miss it after looking. Since I'm personally familiar with these two and these mistakes, I changed my mind about how people can unintentionally bring ammunition, magazines, and even firearms into an airport if two very knowledgeable gun owners who looked through their bags could make these mistakes.

If it was just firearms then I understand the question coming to mind "How could that many people be that stupid?", but then I return to people who don't fly frequently or who are in a hurry and don't check thoroughly. I'd like to know how many were charged and what number had warrants out for other reasons.

Lesson from this? In addition to reading all of the TSA and your airline information on firearms, don't use carry-on that has ever been used to transport a firearm or ammunition if you want to avoid becoming part of this statistic.
 
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hso said:
If it was just firearms then I understand the question coming to mind "How could that many people be that stupid?".......
Click to expand...
Five minutes ago I opened a box with a loaded Ruger 10/22 inside.
I emailed the seller: " FYI, you shipped this rifle with a loaded magazine inserted".
His reply: "Oh jeez, I could have sworn I emptied it and only tossed in empty mags, I am very sorry about that. Is there anything I need to do about this?":scrutiny:
Careless yes. Stupid?...........given that he asked "is there anything I need to do about this?" yeah, he's stupid. You can't undo the shipment fella.:rofl:

Firearms are serious. Anyone that owns, uses or collects needs to remember just how serious.
I have zero sympathy for anyone caught at the airport with a firearm. It's been illegal for decades to have a firearm in your carryon. And there have been TSA requirements on firearms in checked luggage for decades as well. This ain't anything new.

If you don't know that TSA has rules for firearms, you likely shouldn't be allowed to leave home alone.
 
DTL said:
I think it's many of the new owners who have no training and don't bother thinking about restrictions. Also, the mindset of many gun rights activists who defiantly feel they can do whatever they want.
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that mindset is more of the hardcore libertarians who want no laws.
 
jmorris said:
Around 20 years ago a friend of mine, who had never flown, needed to fly to Arizona to meet the parents of his daughters fiancé. His wife packed the same bag he always used for weekend trips and didn’t remove the old 38 loaded with one rat shot and 5 solids.

They found it at the airport, he didn’t have to fly that day but they didn’t arrest him and gave him the gun back, just told him to find another airport if he wanted to travel in the future.
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reminds me of one of many times I flew, drove piggyback trucks coming off lease to used truck dealer's, my now ex-wife created out of milk chocolate a near exaçt copy of my Colt 1911 wrapped in aluminum foil with a reusable small freezer bag plaçing it in my carry on bag. you guessed it, when the bag went thru the scanner all hell broke loose, I thought the x-rays would just pass thru, shtf opened up package here comes the handcuffs,told them it was candy take a damn bite, they did, everyone had a good laugh, along with a lot of embarrassment. give some people a badge intelligence goes out the door. Pendulum swings BOTH ways, milk chocolate melts in warm hands.
 
Ru4real said:
I suppose you support the push for socialism as well? In light of that, you advocating an absolute ban isn’t a stretch.

This is the America I want
TSA Agent at scanner:
“Ma’am, this Colt 1911 cannot go into the cabin of the aircraft. Instead, TSA will secure it in our explosive lockbox in the luggage hold. When you get to your destination, report to the TSA office and your Colt 1911 property will be handed over to you.”

Private property shouldn’t be stolen by the government aka confiscation, eminent domain, etc.
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I absolutely agree 100% with you as I had posted before I had a Colt 1911 series 70 full blown Colt Custom Shop engraved $$$$$6000 in the late 1950's, the same now would be well in excess of $$$$20,000. I got to watch the batfe throw it into a blast furnace and laugh doing it, I'm told to RESPECT the #@&+*&&, FAT CHANCE of that!!!!!
 
redneck2 said:
Years ago I had a friend that worked at the LGS. He was looking for a Remington 700 in .220 Swift. Finally found one. Took it home to put in his safe, only to find that he had already bought one but had forgotten about it. Needless to say, he had a LOT of guns.

There have been threads here about guys that found guns they either had misplaced or forgotten about
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Guilty as charged, misplaced my Colt Official Police 22lr for 12 years, found it when I tried to put my foot in it, ( BBS ) before buying safe. Forget to add in foot in pair of Justin Western Boots, things happen.¿??
 
ExtremeSquared said:
It doesn't say if this is 100% from airport TSA checkpoints. The TSA has not always been above setting up illegal checkpoints elsewhere.
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YOU mean like the batfe descovering a HUGE CACHE of illegal ( ???? ) firearms??? truth be told ALL BRANDED PROPERTY of BATFE, yeah, trust us, gun owners!!!!!
 
Lesson from this? In addition to reading all of the TSA and your airline information on firearms, don't use carry-on that has ever been used to transport a firearm or ammunition if you want to avoid becoming part of this statistic.
Click to expand...

If everyone followed the above rule there would be very few issues.

As a retired airline guy I can say with some authority that the number 1 reason guns show up in carry on luggage is because someone forgot it was in the bag. I store my travel bags empty and always check them before I pack for just that reason.
 
I bet 1/3 of those were taken off sky-marshals and quietly returned out of sight.
 
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