Air Travel with hand gun.

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lilguy

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Do to circumstances we are flying home from vacation. Tampa Florida to Chicago Ohare Airport. Drove a rental down and my wife wants to fly back now.
So, this is my first experience traveling by air with my carry gun. I have purchased a Gunvault Nano 300 lock box, read Uniteds and TSA websites and called United for any new updates to travel. United rep said get there early just incase I run into a delay, but this is a common situation and should be no problem.

So you just walk up to the check in counter and say "I want to declare I'm traveling with my personal firearm and need to check it in for the trip". Then
Follow instructions from there on out? Thanks
 
Flying with a handgun

lilguy said:
.......So you just walk up to the check in counter and say "I want to declare I'm traveling with my personal firearm and need to check it in for the trip". Then Follow instructions from there on out? Thanks
Click to expand...

I'm not familiar with the Nano 300 lock box - I just use one of the hard plastic lockable ones, with two small padlocks to lock it - but, yeah, that is pretty much it. I have always put my lockable pistol box inside a hard sided suitcase, but I am not certain that a hard sided suitcase is required. You do need to lock your suitcase though. The "tag" you'll sign goes INSIDE your suitcase, not on the outside where it would be a "steal me" notice. Ammo must be separate in its own container.

TSA "procedures" seem to vary somewhat from place to place and airport to airport, so don't be surprised by "wrinkles in the process" you experience. One caution to all is to make sure you are legal to possess and carry both at your point of departure and point of arrival; Florida should not be an issue, but hopefully you are ok with your Illinois CCW'ing in Chicago. I've regularly traveled by airline with a gun in my luggage for over four decades and never had a problem (I'm knocking on wood now!) but I also never take a valuable or "favorite" gun with me for my travel CCW gun. My usual traveling-by-airline gun is an old 2" bbl S&W .38, not the most modern or ideal defensive gun for the 21st century, but if the airline "loses" it, I won't shed many tears and they can just buy me a new one.

One last thing that I have started doing recently: I use my phone to take a picture of my gun, sitting in its case, with the airline tag sitting beside it; this documents the fact that you (a) checked a gun and (b) did so in compliance with the regs.
 
You do not need to take any pictures! My son is #2 in security, at a major airport with a major airline. Relax and just follow your airlines regs. Please ! :cool:

You are fine going back to Chicago! Have a relaxing trip!

To add, I have flown into O'Hare and Midway over 6 times with firearms . I have 2 nieces in Westmont and Mattoon to visit .

Never a problem .Everything will be cool!

Are there any other ?'s.
 
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msmp5 said:
I'm not familiar with the Nano 300 lock box - I just use one of the hard plastic lockable ones, with two small padlocks to lock it - but, yeah, that is pretty much it. I have always put my lockable pistol box inside a hard sided suitcase, but I am not certain that a hard sided suitcase is required. You do need to lock your suitcase though. The "tag" you'll sign goes INSIDE your suitcase, not on the outside where it would be a "steal me" notice. Ammo must be separate in its own container.

TSA "procedures" seem to vary somewhat from place to place and airport to airport, so don't be surprised by "wrinkles in the process" you experience. One caution to all is to make sure you are legal to possess and carry both at your point of departure and point of arrival; Florida should not be an issue, but hopefully you are ok with your Illinois CCW'ing in Chicago. I've regularly traveled by airline with a gun in my luggage for over four decades and never had a problem (I'm knocking on wood now!) but I also never take a valuable or "favorite" gun with me for my travel CCW gun. My usual traveling-by-airline gun is an old 2" bbl S&W .38, not the most modern or ideal defensive gun for the 21st century, but if the airline "loses" it, I won't shed many tears and they can just buy me a new one.

One last thing that I have started doing recently: I use my phone to take a picture of my gun, sitting in its case, with the airline tag sitting beside it; this documents the fact that you (a) checked a gun and (b) did so in compliance with the regs.
Click to expand...
A hard-sided suitcase is not required when the gun itself is in a hard-sided case.
No double locking requirement.
Separate Ammo Requirement does not exist in statute or regulations. It is a myth. Loose ammo is not allowed--It must be in secure packaging as good or better than factory packaging (which is a very low bar). Loaded magazines are acceptable but they must be covered/taped/enclosed by pouches--something to keep them from vibrating out.
Tag can go in gun case or in luggage containing the gun case (usually attached to gun case) but it is unlawful to put it on the outside of the luggage (probably the only good provision of the Brady Bill to actually keep guns out of the hands of criminals).

The statute requires only the passenger has the combination or the key to the lock. Airlines and some TSA employees themselves say TSA locks are acceptable but it is contrary to the statute. The TSA does not have any authority over US Attorneys, so I do not use TSA Locks.

Mike
 
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lilguy said:
Do to circumstances we are flying home from vacation. Tampa Florida to Chicago Ohare Airport. Drove a rental down and my wife wants to fly back now.
So, this is my first experience traveling by air with my carry gun. I have purchased a Gunvault Nano 300 lock box, read Uniteds and TSA websites and called United for any new updates to travel. United rep said get there early just incase I run into a delay, but this is a common situation and should be no problem.

So you just walk up to the check in counter and say "I want to declare I'm traveling with my personal firearm and need to check it in for the trip". Then
Follow instructions from there on out? Thanks
Click to expand...

It's pretty simple and easy to fly with a firearm/handgun. There should be no delay.

I have checked a handgun many dozens of times all across the country. Just say "this one has a firearm to declare" or something...that big long winded sentence is totally unnecessary. I mean you can if you want, but just tell them you have a firearm to declare in a piece of luggage when the topic of luggage comes up at the scale/counter. Don't do curbside check in.


The gun itself goes in a locked hard sided case and only you should retain the key/combo for unlocking it.

The suitcase that the gun case is in does not need to be locked, though you can TSA-lock lock it if you like.

I always bring at least one loaded magazine, in a holster/pouch made to hold a magazine, as well as a box of ammo and 1+ unloaded mag(s). The magazine(s), including a loaded magazine, can go in the gun's locking hard sided case.
 
I would add that in addition to making sure you are in full compliance with TSA requirements, print the applicable material and maybe even have it immediately accessible on your phone or similar device. You never know who you will be dealing with. In the event you run into any weird resistance from an employee who isn't "up to speed" on the requirements for any reason, you can "assist" him or her. As I had to at RDU a year ago.
 
So, the box of ammo can go in the hard/locked case along side the unload gun? I have no access to a
printer, I'll have TSA and Untieds regulations available on my, dare I say it, cell phone. I appreciate everyone's input.
 
A few years ago I never had any additional delay, but recently that has been changing for me at several airports. I would plan now on an extra 20 minutes. They used to be snappy with getting the TSA guy over there to inspect, but recently I've been having to sit around at the counter and has taken them longer to get that sorted out, and they have been checking in a back room behind the counter, instead of near instantly right at the counter.

That is just my personal experience, but realistically I think you'll find that there is no rhyme or reason to anything that you do, and their exact procedures will vary from airport to airport and day to day.

Just pack everything as directed here, plan for a little extra time, and sit back for the ride. Beyond that, your exact experience will likely be basically unpredictable.
 
One more thing. Don't wait at the regular luggage carousel for your suitcases. I've always had to go to a special office to retrieve my suitcase with the firearm inside. At least you do at St. Louis and Phoenix.
 
That's never been my experience; I've always gotten my suitcase off the normal baggage claim conveyor. Post #6 has reflected my experiences.
 
I can't remember if it was Delta or United, but one of them insisted that a magazine did not meet the ammo storage container requirement so I bought a new box of carry ammo and it went in unopened and came back with the ammo back in the box and the box taped up.
 
Something you may want to look into. There was a fellow some time back who was in NYC and his wife was to join him for a wedding in NYC. He asked his wife to pack and bring one of his handguns. Upon landing at LGA (Laguardia) his wife was promptly arrested. Nothing to do with the airline carrier or TSA but NYC laws. They were not residents of NY and she was not merely flying through NY with a connecting flight. Since you are returning from Florida I assume you are IL. residents and Chicago does not have any gun laws that could screw up your arrival.

Have a nice flight.

Ron
 
Just be prepared and get there early. That's all that's required. Sometimes the person at the counter can slow the process down a lot. Sometimes the TSA can slow things down a lot. If you aren't TSA PreCheck, or paid for an airline priority line, be prepared for a long line at the TSA screening. While this isn't firearm related I've noticed the lines getting longer at a lot of airports lately. A coworker who wasn't PreCheck almost missed the flight at Ohare because of how long the line was.
 
Jimster said:
St. Louis and Phoenix.
Click to expand...
That always happens with my Pelican cases at PHX. Gun in a regular suitcase goes to the conveyor. I think it's a size thing at PHX. They are not allowed to mark the luggage differently or segregate it.
 
Jimster said:
One more thing. Don't wait at the regular luggage carousel for your suitcases. I've always had to go to a special office to retrieve my suitcase with the firearm inside. At least you do at St. Louis and Phoenix.
Click to expand...

I have traveled through at least 20 different airports and have never had my luggage, containing a handgun case inside, go anywhere except the normal carousel. In fact, that should be impossible, because the outside of the luggage cannot be marked as containing a firearm.

IF you have a Pelican case or something as the sole case, and you have the actual locks obviously visible on the outside of the case as a result of this, it might be held somewhere for you to claim.
 
Reloadron said:
Something you may want to look into. There was a fellow some time back who was in NYC and his wife was to join him for a wedding in NYC. He asked his wife to pack and bring one of his handguns. Upon landing at LGA (Laguardia) his wife was promptly arrested. Nothing to do with the airline carrier or TSA but NYC laws.......
Click to expand...

Strange that they would find this upon landing/arrival..... I didn't think that there was any screening done of luggage after it exits the airplane at the destination. But I might be wrong. Usually when folks get led off in handcuffs is when they attempt to declare their handgun at check-in prior to an outbound flight from LGA, JFK or EWR. That is when the Port Authority Police are called to the airline check-in counter to verify ID and CCW permit info, and if one is not lawfully in possession of that firearm in that jurisdiction (NY/NJ), they miss their flight and spend the night at the Gray Bar Hotel.
 
Flying CLT to SEA on United the check in in Charlotte was easy and painless. Soft sided bag went on the conveyor. They commented on the cheap locks on the bag. Seattle to Charlotte we were pulled out and sent to an inspection room where the TSA lady was nice but professional. I had to move the ammo from the gun lock box to a side pocket in the bag as if they might jump into the gun and fire. Other than that just follow the rules and go early and maintain a calm and cool attitude.
 
Delford said:
Flying CLT to SEA on United the check in in Charlotte was easy and painless. Soft sided bag went on the conveyor. They commented on the cheap locks on the bag. Seattle to Charlotte we were pulled out and sent to an inspection room where the TSA lady was nice but professional. I had to move the ammo from the gun lock box to a side pocket in the bag as if they might jump into the gun and fire. Other than that just follow the rules and go early and maintain a calm and cool attitude.
Click to expand...

According to who?

TSA official policy allows this and many of us have done it quite a bit.

Some years ago when I flew AirTran they literally would not allow ammo in the same piece of luggage as the locked case with the firearm (actually made me move 12 gauge shells to separate luggage from the suitcase that had my locked up 9mm pistol, seriously) but other than that...I've never know of any need or request for something like this
 
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