Clean Your Range Bag before Flying!

[Cosmoline]

It's the possibility of something like that that's kept me grounded for many years now. I used to fly to the lower 48 all the time. Since 9/11 I almost never go. And I keep my luggage limited to one small bag that's kept far away from any powder or ammo. When you go into an airport you're leaving the USA, make no mistake. The act of buying a ticket and entering security is taken as a waiver of most rights.

The scary thing is, a lot of people hope to make the whole of the USA just like the airports.

 

[stevelyn]

Living in the bush, I have no choice but to fly. However, due to FAA regs and other considerations we (bushkins) don't have to get bent over by the "busboys with gold badges". I do have to declare my firearms as I would on any other commercial flight, but it's a simple matter between passenger and ticket agent.

I don't travel by commercial jet unless it's absolutely necessary and there is no other conveyence available and I have no compelling reason to travel to the L 48.

Last year I had to fly on AK Airlines to Sitka to do a two week stint as a TAC officer at the academy I traveled in street clothes and declared my guns and gear in normal fashion. I did have to accompany my bags to a TSA monkey who swabbed the inside of the bag with an electronic sniffer. Not bad considering what I was expecting. A state trooper in uniform with an authorization letter and state issued credit card flying with me to the same destination got the full treatment on both flights.

I'll second the on TSA busboy monkeys motion.

 

[Waitone]

I was advised by a TSA wheel once upon a time to carry with me a pre-addressed (to me), stamped with adequate postage in which I could mail from the airport all kinds of bad things TSA will find in your luggage. I lost a nice folder of significant sentimental value to me because of rules. TSA super told me next time mail it back to my house. Doubt if it would work for loose ammo.

 

[Snap]

Every time I read one of these stories, I see red. The TSA should be disbanded, NOW. Do you think the founding fathers would stand for having their bags searched and their wives felt up as a condition of boarding a stagecoach? Argh, I'd better stop before I truly get on a rant and get myself banned......

 

[Cacique500]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your folders.

I've been flying quite a bit recently (with my firearms) and I actually look forward to TSA giving me grief. The key is to be prepared for them, including copies of the actual regulations. If they can't read the regs you've handed them, ask for a supervisor.

I had a run-in with TSA in Dallas over the locks on the my pelican cases. TSA dude demanded I give him my key and I politely refused. Told him I'd open it for him but I would not hand him the key. Long story short, we got into it for about 15 minutes and he kept escalating. When I finally unlocked the cases myself he lost it. Told me I was not being 'compliant'. I calmly pulled out a copy of the Federal regs (which he refused to look at since it wasn't in 'his tsa book' and told him he could either finish the inspection or get his supervisor immediately along with a Federal Marshall and we'd all have a nice little chat. Polite but firm - remember that. My confidence evidently got through to him and he started to back down.

The actual federal regs pertaining to this are 49 CFR 1540.111.c.2.iv which states "(iv) The container in which it is carried is locked, and only the passenger retains the key or combination. Link to the CFR is here Flying with Firearms CFR You can also get the regs from http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov Intereseting to note that the TSA website says it is 'recommended' that you give them the key or combo...but remember that this is against Federal law.

 

[Trebor]

It's very telling that we are justifiably more afraid of the people who are supposed to keep as safe then we are of the possibility of being hijacked.

We run a higher risk of going to jail or being fined heavily through some inadvertant rules violation or outright arrogance on the part of the TSA then we do of being hijacked. Since 9/11 no flight crew or passengers will let their aircraft be hijacked without fighting back. In that same time, many innocent people have run afoul of the TSA and suffered for it.

 

[Erich]

Flying is such a PITA nowadays - sorry to hear about your hassle, Tejon.

 

[ball3006]

I work for an airline....

and I don't fly either. Too much hassle. I even turned down a promotion that required me to fly around the country. Too close to retirement to put up with such s**t. I have an extensive background in airport/aviation security and I thank my lucky stars I did not hire on with the TSA. Most TSA management are political apointees that don't know squat what they are doing and it shows. A shooting bud worked for them a short while and he says it is the worst mistake he ever made in his life. Those people are complete incompetent morons......chris3

 

[Boom-stick]

A few years I was flying out of London Heathrow and a German guy in front of me going through the X-ray machines got stopped as they found 1 stray round of .38 in the bottom of his carry-on. He explained it was his range bag and that he must have left it in there by mistake. He told security to dispose of it for him, but they called in an ARMED police responce unit who proceeded to take him away and charge him??

 

[Tropical Z]

TSA dinged me pretty good on this trip. Lesson learned: clean your range bags before you fly

The TSA is crazy.I recently flew and have noticed that they always make me remove my shoes (regardless of what Im wearing) going through security.I payed attention to people in front of me on the last few flights and they rarely have to remove their shoes. Why am I singled out.....I don't know.You sure don't want to ask them as I did going through Tampa in march.I did just that and a very annoyed TSA screener snapped back that they can ask me to remove my shoes whenever they want to and if I want to fly that's the way it is.I pointed out to him that the people in front of me didn't have to remove their shoe's and I was just curious.He was clearly not happy and in the next 100 feet I had to show my boarding pass and I.D. 4 times.Idiots!

 

[El Tejon]

Erich, thanks much. BTW, when are you and your child bride flying out to Indy for the conference???

 

[Erich]

Argh - I knew there was someone that I forgot to tell. Gina quit her job as Queen of the (NM Judicial) World, and is now in a much lower stress job (about 5% of the stress and 80% of the pay - good trade-off) as the Chief Clerk of the NM Ct. App.

This takes her out of the elite group that gets to meet in Indy in July/August - which means we've cancelled the trip. I'm pretty bummed about not being able to go Back Home to Indiana this summer, but I appreciate that you remembered about the trip and I'm hoping to come out sometime next year.

Even if I will have to fly . . .

 

[molonlabe]

lets see, I went to Ohio last month, Drove in a rental car with CD player. 6 hours of Joy. Took about as long as going through the airports and I brought my guns and didn.t have to declare them. I say BOYCOTT. Works for me.

 

[LSUfreak25]

Hey el T,

You can legally sue them for confiscating things that you declared. The loose rounds were a mistake on your part and they certainly have the right to ? you, but to confiscate things you declared is not only wrong, it is unlawful atleast here in louisiana. You ought to threaten to sue and then settle for free airfair.(That parts a joke incase anyone takes this seriously) But seriously, it is unlawful here in LA.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

lets see, I went to Ohio last month, Drove in a rental car with CD player. 6 hours of Joy. Took about as long as going through the airports and I brought my guns and didn.t have to declare them. I say BOYCOTT. Works for me.

Do you think many businesses would give their employees 4 or 5 days to travel from NYC to Los Angeles for a business trip?

 

[El Tejon]

LSU, you are quite correct, I can sue. However, for the amount involved ($100) I would be a fool to do so.

 

[LSUfreak25]

True, but it is more of a moral thing and not a financial thing. + you could do it for citizens who obey the law. It ould become big like Roe vs. Wade!!!

 

[El Tejon]

Like Roe v. Wade!

Imagine a right of privacy for gun owners! The government cannot regulate want guns I own in my bedroom!

 

[Mr. James]

It [c]ould become big like Roe vs. Wade!!!

For El Tejon and for the nation, I certainly hope not!

 

[LSUfreak25]

I meant big like that case, not The same type of case!!!

 

[the 22 junkie]

I have the same problem. One time, after coming home from a nice fufilling Texas style watermelon-exploding day, I made the mistake of moving my checked luggage I was taking on a trip the next day. I didn't realize it, but the TSA picked up the cordite on it, and searched it. They left me a little note so i thought nothing of it. But it wasn't until about 3 trips and 3 searches later Irealized why my bag was always getting extra security. DO'h!

 

[Outlaws]

The reason they probably confiscated the ammo was because you are limited to 50-100 rounds per person if I recall (and two guns in one case). I have flown with more, but since you had loose ammo they have to open it, then once its open its 100% by the book. The TSA sends fake passengers through at times to make sure the employees are doing their jobs, so if they have your bag open for loose ammo, they can't leave 300 rounds sitting in there. Now as for the knives I don't know why.

I worked for TSA at the very beginning before quiting. They are good people its just boring and we need something to do, so the second someone gave us lip it was on like Donkey Kong. You wouldn't believe how many people wuld give us crap at the the very beginning. We confiscated a ex-airline employees LOADED handgun (ya, he was fired the day before) as he was trying to go through security to board a flight! Its a good thing that since we all knew this guy somewhat, that we didn't just let him go on his marry way. Non of us knew he had been fired at that point. Of couse when that happens it gets sent to a LEO and then since its an airport everything is Federal so it gets taken care of and its all hush hush, but we get no respect for that. I mean, Yes, I understand that babies are not going to be terrorists, but if you ever watch the news people are sick and will use anyone to smuggle. And since we have laws that say we can't "profile", middle eastern babies cannot be singled out. Its all common sence people, until the left stops bitching about racism every 5 seconds, you have to put up or shut up.

 

[sparx]

At my last trip, my 6 month old baby was "flagged" for secondary check. Which means they tore apart her diaper bag and and formula.

I had a good time watching from my seat next to the other "flagged" passenger. A guy in a half body cast and crutches.

Pretty funny if you ask me. A 6 month old baby and a cripple are "suspicious". I even informed the TSA manager on spot this was a waste of time and they were stupid. He was being an smart a$$ back and said "Sir, can you tell me what a terrorist looks like?".

You should have asked him if he had a picture of Ted Kennedy handy.

 

[cordex]

I worked for TSA at the very beginning before quiting. They are good people its just boring and we need something to do, so the second someone gave us lip it was on like Donkey Kong.

Outlaws, I know it's your old mare, but you're backin' the wrong horse on this one.

"We're such good folks that when we get bored we jump at any chance to stomp on people," doesn't strike me as a great defense of your old chums.

El T,
You made the prudent decision, I think.

I know a lawyer on the west side - we'll call him Mike - who I really, really want the TSA to harrass. They might take their pound of flesh before it was all over, but I guarantee he'll be up their backside slinging lawsuits before they could say "confiscate". Outlaws' grope-happy, panty-filching, ammo-pinching former associates (very fine and upstanding people, every last one) would have their hands full for certain.

 

[leadcounsel]

One of the reasons I don't fly unless I absolutely have to.

I tire quickly of their Micky Mouse veil of security measures when, in reality, any creative and motivated person could easily smuggle a weapon on board.

We are no safer now than in the past. It's all an illusion. Hasseling grandmas with toenail clippers and passengers with ammo in checked bags is stupid and futile.