Flying with a handgun

[Armored farmer]

After have done it, I think a cable lock through the mag well and out the eject port of a locked open auto or around the frame to keep the cylinder open on a revolver is an excellent accessory to have. Even those ignorant about guns can see that they are not only empty but inoperable. I think you could tell on an x-ray also.

 

[wayneinFL]

Ammo does not have to be in a locked case by TSA regs. What kind of case you can use though will vary depending, once again, on the individual at the counter, the airport, and the airline. I don't recall exactly what Delta's policy is. I've carried ammo in magazines many times. Once I had a counter person make a stink about it and I ended up having to pull the ammo out of the mags and leave it with them. To be safe, I now carry ammo in those snap lid plastic boxes designed for the purpose.

In at least a few hundred times flying with a handgun, one single time I had a TSA employee tell me that my mags snapped in an enclosed mag pouch could not be checked. And he wasn't the kind of guy you could argue with and show regulations. He wouldn't even take the ammo. I had to walk outside and throw 16 45acp JHPs in the trash.

Every once in a while you will run into a counter person that makes his own rules as well. I flew Southwest about a year ago and was told something about the way I packed was wrong, and yet there were 4 or 5 Southwest firearm declarations still lying in the suitcase.

 

[Atavar]

FYI, you can buy TSA master keys on Amazon.

 

[bearcreek]

FYI, you can buy TSA master keys on Amazon.

Another good reason to not use a TSA lock.

 

[Jakemedic]

I bought a pelican case specifically for flying with a handgun. Two padlocks keyed alike and a cable lock through the handgun. I also include my edc knife, my Swiss Army knife and my ammo. They X-ray first and have never been asked to prove the gun was empty. Oh yea, magazines empty if you are carrying a semiautomatic, with none in the firearm. Most the time, I’m bringing a 5 shot .357 smith. Your mileage may very and your experiences maybe different. Used this technique on at least 8 trips without incident.

 

[Roverguy]

Just came back from TX last weekend shooting hogs. Completely forgot and had a magazine with three rounds in it in the case. No comment from TSA. What the TSA fellow in Austin did want to talk about was my PTR91, since he was very keen on buying one of PTR’s MP5 clones. Had a nice chat.

 

[bearcreek]

Just came back from TX last weekend shooting hogs. Completely forgot and had a magazine with three rounds in it in the case. No comment from TSA.

It's perfectly fine, as far as TSA is concerned, to have magazines containing ammo in the case with the gun, as long as they're not actually in the gun.

 

[Roverguy]

It's perfectly fine, as far as TSA is concerned, to have magazines containing ammo in the case with the gun, as long as they're not actually in the gun.

Thx. Didn’t know that.

 

[wayneinFL]

It's perfectly fine, as far as TSA is concerned, to have magazines containing ammo in the case with the gun, as long as they're not actually in the gun.

Agreed.

But they gotten me on this, from the TSA guidelines:

"You cannot use firearm magazines or clips for packing ammunition unless they completely enclose the ammunition."

That's why I usually put loaded magazines in a pouch.

I think the rule really is that you can't have loose stripper clips in your luggage, but magazines are okay. But I have had TSA ask me to tape them up where the rounds can't fall out.

 

[Nasty Canasta]

I recently accompanied the wife on flights to NC from CO & back. First time we’d flown for several years & it reminded me why I prefer driving. We chose to only have carry on & I left the firearms at home & I carried a flashlight set on strobe & a cane. I would have preferred being armed but have no faith that I’d be reUnited with my firearm & it worked out.

 

[bearcreek]

I would have preferred being armed but have no faith that I’d be reUnited with my firearm & it worked out.

Hopefully the fact that several of us here in this thread have flown dozens of times with our firearms without major issue will give you a bit more faith.

 

[drobs]

Hopefully the fact that several of us here in this thread have flown dozens of times with our firearms without major issue will give you a bit more faith.

That's a nicer more positive response than I could've come up with.

 

[wayneinFL]

Hopefully the fact that several of us here in this thread have flown dozens of times with our firearms without major issue will give you a bit more faith.

I never flew anywhere in the continental US without bringing a gun. I've probably flown 300 times with a handgun, probably 25 states. I give it no more thought than my keys or pocket knife. They've never lost one. I've had the post office lose a gun, but never the airline.

 

[Nasty Canasta]

I’m such an infrequent flyer the whole process just makes me uncomfortable, like flying-hate airports. If I would have had a checked bag that I could place the locked gun case inside of I might have done it but didn’t want to send just a small pistol case through the system. I’ll consider it in the future if air travel is necessary.

 

[JCSC]

My mother in law works for the TSA and you would be amazed at how many people roll thru with it on them or in carry on.