TSA getting better?

[RugerSAFan]

Travel by air this weekend. Had an unloaded revolver in a hard shell travel case, padlocked. Ammo was also in the case. Revolver also had a trigger lock.

Airline agents didn't bat an eye when I stated at the ticket counter(s) that I had an UNLOADED FIREARM to check. They handed me the orange tag, asked me to sign it and place in the case, and to relock the case, and bring over to TSA.

Only delay was at DCA where TSA had to locate the agent to confirm that orange tag was placed in hard case.

On both departure and return flight, TSA agents gave a "thumbs up" following scan, and said have a good trip.

They were very professional; none of the inconsistency (at smaller airports) that I have experienced in the past.

Consistent with your recent experiences?

 

[Crunker1337]

I'm going on a trip to Cali tomorrow (albeit with nothing that needs to be declared), so I'll be sure to take notice of how the TSA treats a family of two immigrants (one a permanent resident alien, the other a citizen) and two homegrown citizens.

I sincerely hope that your experience was not a fluke.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Just came back from 10 days in California. Had no trouble from the Detroit people, very courteous. In Ontario, though, on the way back I went through hell. Suffice to say I finally told then to sh** can a bunch of stuff they weren't happy about. I was hot and they knew it. Biggest pain was 30 bucks worth of Drakkar down the tubes.

 

[Hypnogator]

Just got back from a trip from Indianapolis to Seattle. No problem checking handgun in locked case inside locked bag in Indy. The ticket agent said I might have to go downstairs and open the case for TSA (she said about 80% chance) but after a few minutes I got the "thumbs up" from the agent, and we proceeded to board and fly without incident. On the return trip in Seattle, I had to stand by and open the case and bag for the TSA agent, who checked only to see that the red tag was in the case, then took it out of the pistol case and put it on top, inside the bag with a "checked by TSA" form, after which he re-locked the bag. He said if the bag had to be opened again, they wouldn't have to find me or cut the locks off to see that the red tag was in the pistol case.

Interestingly, they don't seem to give a darn whether the pistol is actually unloaded -- no one asked me to open the action to verify no round chambered -- they just want to make sure the airline is aware of the weapon and that you've signed the red tag certifying that the weapon is unloaded.

In any event, bags, pistol, SWMBO and I all arrived where we were supposed to be in good shape and more-or-less on time. Kudos to Northwest airlines and the TSA folks at Indy and Sea-Tac.

 

[ED21]

TSA

I've flown with guns several time but not with ammunition. I keep some at the other end when I get there. I'm unclear about flying with guns AND ammunition. Does the ammunition have to be seperate from the gun? I know it should be in the factory box. Can I lock the ammo in the same case as the gun? What about loaded magazines within mag pouch? Thanks

 

[jestertoo]

Depends on the airline, but most airlines want the ammo in a box (original or plastic reloader type). Can be in the same locked container with the firearm.

SOME airlines will let you leave the magazines loaded, IF they are secured in another item, such as a velcroed/buckled pouch. You might also need to double wrap it with something else. Loose loaded magazines are not allowed by any.

 

[Albatross]

Airlines can have their own rules outside of the federal regulations (but they don't in my vast west coast experience). All you need to do is have the ammo in factory boxes, it can be locked/stored with the gun.

/Been everywhere from Alaska to Hawaii with a handgun and hollow points on all sorts of airlines.

 

[The Grand Pooh-Bah]

Left a Magazine in my Carry-On

I recently traveled from Idaho to Las Vegas. On the trip to Vegas I took my Range Bag as a carry-on and of course had my ammo and firearms in the checked luggage. Anyway I go through the X-ray and metal detector. They open up my range bag, inspect it, and then send me on my way. I’m sitting in the lounge waiting for the plane to arrive. A TSA agent comes up and asks if he can see in my range bag again. He thinks he saw something that shouldn’t be there and wants another look. Sure enough I left a magazine for one of my pistols in the bag. I have to go back to the area where they check your carry-on’s and they have to fill out some paperwork. It was obvious to them I wasn’t a terrorist or left-wing wacky red diaper doper baby so they sent me on my way again. The part that I was extremely impressed with, was that they found one of my suitcases and put the mag in the suitcase. Now that is service.

Kudos to the TSA agents.

I’m sure if the same thing happened on the return trip at the Vegas Airport the outcome would not have been so pleasant.

 

[EyebrowZing]

I flew a few times earlier this month, the first time in my life with firearms. I had read up on the process and people's experiences here and knew what to expect.
So starting off in San Diego I declare my double rifle case containing an SKS and 91/30, guy at the counter asks if they were unloaded, handed me the card to fill out, told me he didn't need me to open the case, and just taped the card to the outside. He told me to wait around for 10 minutes in case the TSA wanted to check it. Ten minutes came and went, and everything was fine. All four times I checked bags this month it went mostly like that, though in Dallas and Tulsa they had me open it at the counter.
What surprised me was leaving Love Field in Dallas the first time. TSA grabbed both my case and my bag with ammo. I had to open the case for them and they wanted everything checked. So foam had to come out of the case and get patted down. I just think it was an overzealous bag checker, wish not enough interesting things to do that day. The lady who checked my bag with the ammo was funny though. She was checking my bag while the other guy was going over the rifle case, so I was watching her out of the corner of my eye. I had my Brown Bear boxes held together in an ammo can in my bag, and it took her about a minute to figure out how to open it, and when she got it open, she just stood there staring at it with her head canted to the side. I suppose my little green boxes stamped 'Made is Russia' were a point of confusion. She just stared at it for half a minute, didn't touch it or anything, and just closed the can and put my bag back together.
My second time through Love was better, when my case came through the TSA check a guy pointed at my case and shouted across the room at me "Yours? Unloaded?" I nodded both times, and he gave a thumbs up and sent it on it's way.

 

[jefnvk]

You too Stevie? Ontario was bad to me too.

Busted the power connector for my laptop off the mobo, so I got it wired externally (I'm an electrical engineer, and a student, so I fixed the laptop cause I can't afford a new one). Travel Marquette, Detroit, Boston, Reykjavik Iceland, Chicago, San Diego and San Francisco with it that way. Not a mention from anyone. Get to Ontario, had to go through a song and a dance, and a threat that it would be confiscated if it came through security again, caused it looked like a bomb. Was about ready to rip the wires off, and fix it again when I got home, just to please them.

Oh, as far as the original question, everywhere I listed I've travelled has been since January, only issue with any of them besides what was listed above, was confusion over what my insulin pump was in Iceland. Although, they're not TSA, and even with the language issue it was much smoother, quicker and professional than the geniuses at Ontario