benewton
Member
For one reason or another, I'm currently involved in out of state consulting, and stay in a residence hotel in Ohio while home's NH. Since, naturally, one doesn't go far from home without something along for defense, the S&W 4516 was brought along, broken down and hidden in luggage in the truck.
Thanksgiving, though, was fly home time, and the question about what to do with the weapon had to be addressed.
Now, I don't need that weapon at home, and I couldn't leave it in the truck at the airport or in the hotel room unattended, so I field stripped it, packed the frame in checked luggage, with the slide and barrel left at the hotel, and headed to Dayton International.
Informed TSA that it was there, but not the airline, since I had no firearm, just a part of one. A quick consult, TSA supervisor involved, and not problem, home I went, as expected.
On the way back, the TSA "found" the frame, and promptly paged me (any page in an airport is a bad sign...) . The situation was explained both to the locals, and to the TSA....
I was told that any piece of a weapon constituted the weapon, and that I'd not fly unless I either purchased a $50 "hard sided case", from them, on site, of course, or allowed TSA to confiscate the "weapon".
Asked why, since it was an obviously ineffective club.
Was told that others could bring on the remaining pieces.
Asked how that mattered, since it was checked and I'd not see it again
until Dayton, if then.
Was told to buy the case, give up the "weapon", or go home.
Asked how come it was OK coming up, four days earlier, but not going back.
Was told to buy the case, give up the "weapon", or go home.
The locals were much better, my being a resident CCW, and seemed to understand the total stupidity of the TSA rather well. They tried to negotiate a middle ground, my locked, hard sided briefcase checked with the weapon inside, which was, of course, turned down. TSA really wanted that piece!
Ended up leaving it with the local boys, and the wife picked it up a couple of hours later. Needless to say, since I flew back down on Monday, that more or less negated the idea of the rental car, which was intended to let go to work and not have to do the airport drive.
I will point out that the locals filled out a full incident report, including ticket info, home address photo ID, permit number, etc. Not happy about that, but I had to be in Ohio for Tuesday work, already having missed Monday.
Doubt that anything further will come of it, except my being unarmed in a hostile environment, but I'll pass it on if something does.
So, be advised that the rules aren't what they seem, and are subject to local abuse, in whichever direction interests the powers that be since, after all, you have to go or you wouldn't be there.
And, from my observations, the TSA seems to be the local variant of the JBT, appearing as Moe, Larry, and Curley than any type of normal human being. I even saw a midget in TSA uniform in NYC on the transfer...
If our security actually rested on that mob of retards, we'd be in trouble.
But, in truth, it doesn't; as usual, it rests with our fellow citizens, with whom we travel.
While I have to do so if I'm to get home once a month or so, I'd advise everybody not to travel by air: it's more of a hastle than it's worth, and it encourages the idiots of the TSA to think that they have some importance in the general scheme of life for the rest of us.
Thanksgiving, though, was fly home time, and the question about what to do with the weapon had to be addressed.
Now, I don't need that weapon at home, and I couldn't leave it in the truck at the airport or in the hotel room unattended, so I field stripped it, packed the frame in checked luggage, with the slide and barrel left at the hotel, and headed to Dayton International.
Informed TSA that it was there, but not the airline, since I had no firearm, just a part of one. A quick consult, TSA supervisor involved, and not problem, home I went, as expected.
On the way back, the TSA "found" the frame, and promptly paged me (any page in an airport is a bad sign...) . The situation was explained both to the locals, and to the TSA....
I was told that any piece of a weapon constituted the weapon, and that I'd not fly unless I either purchased a $50 "hard sided case", from them, on site, of course, or allowed TSA to confiscate the "weapon".
Asked why, since it was an obviously ineffective club.
Was told that others could bring on the remaining pieces.
Asked how that mattered, since it was checked and I'd not see it again
until Dayton, if then.
Was told to buy the case, give up the "weapon", or go home.
Asked how come it was OK coming up, four days earlier, but not going back.
Was told to buy the case, give up the "weapon", or go home.
The locals were much better, my being a resident CCW, and seemed to understand the total stupidity of the TSA rather well. They tried to negotiate a middle ground, my locked, hard sided briefcase checked with the weapon inside, which was, of course, turned down. TSA really wanted that piece!
Ended up leaving it with the local boys, and the wife picked it up a couple of hours later. Needless to say, since I flew back down on Monday, that more or less negated the idea of the rental car, which was intended to let go to work and not have to do the airport drive.
I will point out that the locals filled out a full incident report, including ticket info, home address photo ID, permit number, etc. Not happy about that, but I had to be in Ohio for Tuesday work, already having missed Monday.
Doubt that anything further will come of it, except my being unarmed in a hostile environment, but I'll pass it on if something does.
So, be advised that the rules aren't what they seem, and are subject to local abuse, in whichever direction interests the powers that be since, after all, you have to go or you wouldn't be there.
And, from my observations, the TSA seems to be the local variant of the JBT, appearing as Moe, Larry, and Curley than any type of normal human being. I even saw a midget in TSA uniform in NYC on the transfer...
If our security actually rested on that mob of retards, we'd be in trouble.
But, in truth, it doesn't; as usual, it rests with our fellow citizens, with whom we travel.
While I have to do so if I'm to get home once a month or so, I'd advise everybody not to travel by air: it's more of a hastle than it's worth, and it encourages the idiots of the TSA to think that they have some importance in the general scheme of life for the rest of us.
