Checking handguns in baggage.

[ed dixon]

I may be moving to Alaska early next spring. I expect to send long guns to an FFL since Canada seems dicey, especially since I'm driving a station wagon that would make concealment and non-accessibility difficult. Once I've settled, I'm wondering if an initial flight back to the east coast would be enough to pick up my remaining short arms. Can I pack and check a large suitcase with say eight or ten handguns, do the proper paperwork and bring them back to AK without a problem? (I've never flown with any gun before.)

Also, on the drive through Canada, with no guns, would reloading equipment (including brass and bullets, but of course no powder or primers) buy me any hassle besides a look-see in the car?

 

[VARifleman]

You'll need a hard locked case, all guns unloaded of course. You get to the counter of your airline, tell them that you have to declare your firearms, then you sign a sheet of paper saying that they are unloaded, you unlock the case, put the paper in there and the clerk may check the guns. Then you will go to the TSA area where they will x-ray the bag, ask you to unlock it, then they'll check it and they will lock it up, most of the time right in front of you.

 

[rbmcmjr]

Some airlines limit the number before they start charging you for "additional baggage". For instance, Delta [http://www.delta.com/travel/plan/baggage_info/special_baggage/sporting_goods/index.jsp] specifies that you may only have two. It is not clear to me what the charge amount will be. The rules for that are linked from the above page, but it doesn't specify what applies.

I recommend calling your airline before you finalize your plans.

Rick

 

[Standing Wolf]

On the theory that it's unwise to put all one's eggs in a single basket, I'd ship the hand guns in several packages, each insured for much more than the value of the enclosed firearms. I doubt I'd trust an airline with anything more valuable than a pack of cigarettes.

 

[VARifleman]

rbm, you can have more than one firearm in a case. They don't count one firearm as a bag, just the case that they are contained in.

 

[rbmcmjr]

VAR,

Did you read the link I gave? Delta very specifically limits you to two pistols or two long arms. I don't know about other airlines because Delta is all I fly.

http://www.delta.com/travel/plan/baggage_info/special_baggage/sporting_goods/index.jsp

Rick

 

[peacefuljeffrey]

Delta is a ripoff. Why is Delta all you fly?

If I want to fly PBI to ISP (FL to NY), Delta raps me almost $250, and sends me from PBI to BOSTON, and then on a puddle-jumper to ISP!

I can go direct PBI to ISP on Southwest for about $50 each way.

-Jeffrey

 

[carebear]

I recommend calling your airline before you finalize your plans.

+1

 

[rbmcmjr]

I live in a small town in Idaho that is only serviced by small planes. Horizon takes me to Boise, Skywest takes me to Salt Lake City. I almost exclusively travel on business back East and that means Delta/Skywest.

BTW, a quick search of American, Southwest, and United shows that they place no limits on numbers of guns. Northwest is 2 longarms or _5_ handguns. Continental allows 5 arms total. As you can see, there is no fixed policy.

Again, I recommend calling your airline. http://www.immihelp.com/directory/usairlines.html

Rick