{"id":5712,"date":"2017-01-25T11:12:21","date_gmt":"2017-01-25T16:12:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/?p=5712"},"modified":"2018-10-25T15:46:51","modified_gmt":"2018-10-25T19:46:51","slug":"take-skies-flying-firearms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.luckygunner.com\/lounge\/take-skies-flying-firearms\/","title":{"rendered":"Take to the Skies: Flying with Firearms"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you travel a lot, you probably do at least some of it by air. When flying, many of you probably leave your firearms behind. This means that you don\u2019t have your defensive firearm on you from the time you walk out your door until you get back home, and if you\u2019re a dedicated concealed carrier, this probably bothers you at least a little. For some, leaving the gun behind may be a conscious decision. The inconvenience and cost associated with checking a bag, especially for shorter trips, might make this an acceptable trade-off.<\/p>

For many others, there is a really good chance you just aren\u2019t familiar with the process of flying with a firearm. You may even be one of those people that think\u00a0flying with a firearm is extremely difficult or impossible. This is completely understandable \u2013 with the increased focus and spending on security at airports, the thought of bringing a (legal) firearm into one can be intimidating. Though flying with a firearm does require a couple of extra steps, it is entirely possible and not all that difficult. The first and most important step is understanding the rules and regulations governing air transportation of firearms. There are three sets of rules you should know before embarking on a trip with a gun.<\/p>

The TSA Rules<\/strong><\/h2>

The basic and most stringently enforced rules regarding flying with firearms and ammunition are those issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). There is some good news here: the TSA\u2019s rules are extremely straightforward and easy to follow. Because you will probably deal with a lot of uninformed or misinformed individuals that wield a lot of power, I would encourage you to try to live within the spirit of these rules. I will summarize the rules below, but you should always consult the TSA website<\/a> for updates or changes. Additionally, it isn\u2019t a bad idea to print these rules and have them handy when you arrive at the airport.<\/p>

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A small, hard-sided handgun case like this one can be packed inside a normal suitcase. TSA requires the handgun case to be secured with a non-TSA lock, but the outer luggage may only be locked with a TSA-approved lock, or it may remain unlocked.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

It should go without saying, but when you arrive at the airport, your firearm must be completely unloaded. Regulations also require that it be locked in a hard-sided case. Although any\u00a0other locked luggage must utilize a TSA-approved lock, (that is, a lock for which the TSA holds the master key) luggage containing firearms must be secured with a non-TSA lock. The regulations specify that only<\/em>\u00a0the passenger may be in possession of the key or combination, and using a TSA lock would circumvent this. If you are thinking about going cheap with the \u201chard-sided case\u201d \u2013 don\u2019t. The TSA rule, and the rule of nearly every airline, state that locked cases that are easily opened will not be permitted. That blue box from S&W sure is pretty, but it wasn\u2019t built for security.<\/p>

You should look for a case that accepts at least two padlocks. Many of the cheap, flimsy hard-sided cases you can purchase at big-box retailers will accept only a single padlock in the center of the case. Because this allows the case to be pried up at each end, making it\u00a0possible for items to be removed, if you\u2019ll pardon the pun, these cases won\u2019t fly. A case with two padlocks is more secure and can deter theft. Remember, the firearms that you are traveling with are your investment and your responsibility. Theft by TSA agents and airline employees is possible and has happened, and you don\u2019t want to spend your trip stressing about getting your stolen firearms back. Because you must place the bag and its contents into their hands, you can only do so much. But, you should do all you can. Use a good case and good padlocks<\/a>.<\/p>

You have two really distinct options for cases in which to lock your gun. The first option is probably a little less secure but a lot more discrete, the \u201chidden-in-plain-sight\u201d option. With this option, you place your firearm and ammunition in a small locking case and put that case into your regular suitcase. The downside is that if someone opened your suitcase, they could easily remove the smaller handgun case without interfering with the bag\u2019s audit trail as it is scanned en route to your destination. The airline would have no way to track such a theft. A great way to prevent this is to use a cable lock to secure the smaller case to the frame of your suitcase so it can\u2019t be easily removed. This is possible with many suitcases, especially if you\u2019re willing to do a little modification to that silky liner inside the case. It doesn\u2019t take much \u2013 just enough make it possible to slip the cable behind the frame of the telescoping pull-handle.<\/p>

The second option is to lock your entire hard-sided suitcase. Instead of placing a smaller case inside my checked bag, I sometimes travel with a large Pelican case as my suitcase. This lets me transport as many pieces, parts, and gadgets I want, all with in the big, locked container. Of course, if you travel with long guns, this is your only option. The downside is that it is pretty obvious your case contains firearms. While it is probably harder for someone \u201cbehind the scenes\u201d at the airport to walk away with an entire suitcase, it would also be easy for someone to grab it off the baggage carousel and walk away with it. When I travel with a gun, I always try to get down to baggage claim as quickly as possible\u00a0and always<\/em>\u00a0inspect my bag before exiting the airport.<\/p>

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For maximum security, secure your gun case with high quality padlocks that cannot be easily cut or picked.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

When bringing a gun for concealed carry, I usually only travel with about 20 rounds of ammunition, but TSA allows you to pack up to 11 pounds of ammo. It can usually be stored in the same case as the gun (some airlines’ rules differ on this), but it doesn\u2019t have to be. However, it must be packaged properly. Leaving ammunition in factory packaging is perfectly acceptable, though if there\u2019s a chance the box could open, it\u2019s probably not a bad idea to tape the ends closed. I also like using the plastic MTM ammunition boxes sold for reloaded ammunition. Other fliers report mixed results with ammunition stored in magazines, and again, this is largely dependent on airline rules. Once your gun and ammunition are properly packed per TSA’s rules, it is time to head into the airport and approach the ticket counter.<\/p>

The Airline’s Rules<\/strong><\/h2>

When you get to the ticket counter to check-in, you must declare your firearm. I recommend doing so very early-on in the process. This just involves discretely letting the ticket agent know, \u201cMy checked baggage contains a firearm that I wish to declare.\u201d When you get to this stage, it is also a good idea to know your airline\u2019s rules and know them well enough to educate the airline\u2019s employees. There are a lot of myths surrounding flying legally with firearms, and I\u2019m not going to repeat any misinformation here, but it abounds, especially by airline personnel.<\/p>

Unlike the TSA rules, each airline\u2019s rules are a little different. These variations are slight but important. American Airlines, for instance, is one of the only airlines whose rules specifically forbid transporting ammunition in magazines. Prior to your trip, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the airline\u2019s rules. As a \u201cjust-in-case\u201d, I also print a copy of the rules directly from the airline\u2019s website. Though not common, it is not unheard of to run across a ticket agent who has never checked a firearm and has no idea what the procedure entails. Having the rules handy can usually help smooth the process a bit.<\/p>

Once you have declared the firearm, you will fill out a firearm declaration form indicating that your gun is unloaded. You will then take your bag directly to a TSA agent. You will usually be asked to hang out while the bag is x-rayed, just in case it needs to be opened for further inspection. At this stage, I have sometimes been asked to open the case and demonstrate that my gun is unloaded. Once you get the thumbs up, you can go through security and get on your flight. This definitely isn\u2019t a conclusive list, but I\u2019ve linked to some of the major airlines, along with some of their peculiarities, below:<\/p>