Flying with a suppressor

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LocoGringo

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I will likely be traveling from Tennessee to New Mexico to attend a school and will have some free time on the weekends. One of my coworkers is from New Mexico, so we will probably get out and do some real long range shooting (hope I can hang). My rig includes a suppressor, so I'm wondering how I am supposed to transport the suppressor. Do I check it with the rifle or am I required to keep it with me in carry-on? Will the airline allow me to carry-on since it's a 9.5" metal tube? If no one is certain of the answer, do you have any suggestions where I might look or how I might find out?

Edit: Moderators, if this would be better suited to go in the NFA forum, please feel free to move it to the correct location.
 
Based on typical TSA prior events, if they don't know what it is, likely, they probably won't allow you to bring it on board in your personal carry. Either throw it in the same box with a firearm if you're bringing one, or place it with your checked in items.
 
I'd be asking the ATF first, and then the airline, and lastly the state to which you are traveling
 
Ive put them in my checked baggage many times. Never had a problem. While the ATF might consider them a firearm for registration purposes I havent seen that any other agency buys into that foolishness.
 
I'd lock it in the case with the gun. That's the only way to have it in a locked container (I'm not counting the 'TSA locks' as locked because passkeys for those are available).

I've heard stories of people with, say, expensive cameras who travel with a cheap gun ... so they can lock the camera in with the gun.

I wouldn't consider carry on. Even if there isn't a specific ban (and they might be rare enough the issue hasn't come up), what happens when one of the TSA folks asks 'what's this'? When your answer includes the word 'firearm', it's hard to imagine them not getting the willies. They confiscate GI Joe plastic rifles that are 3 inches long. Then there you are, with a $1000 suppressor that takes months to replace, and a plane that leaves in an hour. Your locked rifle case is already on the plane.

Besides, if terrorists could carry suppressors on the plane, they could hijack the plane ... silently, using hand gestures or something. Where would we be then?
 
Do not try to carry it on, please. You must declare it as a firearm, and it is to be locked up with any other gun in checked baggage. Your tax stamp must remain with you.
 
Serious IT folks also travel with firearms in checked baggage so that their expensive electronics can be checked in non-TSA accessible locked containers.
 
hamp sandwich said:
Do not try to carry it on, please. You must declare it as a firearm, and it is to be locked up with any other gun in checked baggage. Your tax stamp must remain with you.
Click to expand...

I think the only ones foolish enough to think it's a firearm are the ones from the BATFE.

As for taking your "tax stamp" with you; REALLY? A copy of your authorization to own the suppressor would be prudent but I wouldn't be hauling along the original tax stamp.
 
I don't have "orders" yet, so I don't know which carrier I'll be flying on. What I'm mostly concerned about is that, technically, the suppressor will be out of my possession while it is locked away in checked baggage. Is that an irrational fear based on ignorance?

I was hoping someone with actual experience might respond like yugorpk.

I will definitely double check with the carrier once I know who it will be. I'll also be carrying a copy of the original stamp rather than the original...a REALLY good copy.
 
Silencers are legally defined as firearms. Follow the same rules as your rifle.
 
I don't have any personal experience flying with a silencer, but the people I know who have done it just checked it in just like it was a firearm. The only difference is that they put a copy of their Form 4 next to it and had another copy on their person. I don't know if it's required to have a Form 4 with it, but it's definitely not a bad idea.
 
If you had asked in the NFA sub-forum you'd get better answers quicker.

Checked luggage--treat as firearm or firearm parts (which are generally not allowed on a plane out of fear of a team each smuggling parts of a firearm and assembling on the plane)-and yes it is legally a firearm whether that is dumb or not.

The form to travel with most NFA items is a form 5320: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...sUOwG2FiA&sig2=9N19J39qKV07V2hzvxUzSQ&cad=rja
A form 5320 is not needed to travel with an AoW or Silencer but the ATF will check applicable legality in your destination state and the form may carry some gravitas with some doubting Thomases you may encounter.

Mike
 
hamp sandwich said:
Do not try to carry it on, please. You must declare it as a firearm, and it is to be locked up with any other gun in checked baggage. Your tax stamp must remain with you.
Click to expand...
There is no must (but it is a good idea) and there is no "with you" requirement. I throw copy/printout in the luggage. The only think you must keep with you is the key to the luggage. Traveling with an original tax stamp would not be a good idea.

Mike
 
I think the only ones foolish enough to think it's a firearm are the ones from the BATFE.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't take that gamble.. It's not wether or not it's a functional firearm, but that it's a NFA item.

As for taking your "tax stamp" with you; REALLY? A copy of your authorization to own the suppressor would be prudent but I wouldn't be hauling along the original tax stamp.
Click to expand...

You're right. The copy. I got in a hurry posting before work, but thank you. REALLY. LOL!
Personally, I keep a copy of my stamps ready to go in case I'm traveling with a can. My apologies for the confusions..
 
Original tax stamps go into an envelope never to see the light of day again. They get scanned and put in a file on google drive and on my cell phone. Anyone wants to see one, which has never happened in 20 years BTW , I will whip out my cell phone and they can look at a copy on the phone.
 
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