Every year I take a group of shooters from our community (Florida) and go to a well known firearms training institute (Nevada). Prior to gearing up for travel, I conduct an orientation and indoctrination class on everything from how to check a gun at the airport to what to expect during the day and what to do in the evenings during the training event.
At a meeting yesterday, one of the shooters brought his gun box with him to ask me to determine if it was acceptable. Indeed it was but it was absolutely huge. When I queried him as to why he purchased such a large case he told me that the salesman at the gun store told him that gun boxes must not go in a suitcase, must be properly marked as containing a gun, tagged and checked.
For all those that would like to travel with your gun I submit the following:
1. Check the gun laws for each and every state you will be visiting. Insure that it is legal for you to carry there and that state has reciprocity with your state if you plan to conceal carry. If not, what are the laws with regard to having a gun in a vehicle.
2. Do get a hard case that has foam inside and your gun fits securely within that foam. Insure that your gun is unloaded. No ammo goes into that gun case. Remember that whatever size case you buy, it must go into your checked suitcase. (Not a plug for any particular box but I use Pelican Gun Cases as they meet all the requirements and are waterproof.)
3. The gun case should be locked with two locks. Either a key lock or combination lock is acceptable. THESE LOCKS SHOULD NOT BE TSA LOCKS. Only you should have access to the key or combination.
4. When arriving at the airport ticket counter, tell the ticket agent that you have a gun to declare. They will give you a form to fill out. This form will ask several questions and you must declare that the weapon is unloaded and there is no ammo in the case. (I have lost count of the number of times I have traveled on airplanes with a checked weapon and not one ticket agent has ever asked me to open the case.) That declaration form will either be placed on top of your gun case or taped to it, depending upon the particular agent.
5. The gun case WILL REMAIN INSIDE YOUR CHECKED SUITCASE. Your suitcase should be locked with TSA locks. Once your suitcase is locked and checked, there are no tags or other identifying ways to let anyone know there is a gun in the suitcase.
6. Most airlines will allow up to 11 pounds of ammo to be inside your checked suitcase. (No ammo in carry on bags.)
A couple of other noteworthy things that may help you:
I always have at least three magazines with me for concealed carry. During training at the Institute, I have a dozen. I place the magazines in a plastic bag and then wrap some tape around that bag to keep the magazines together. If the TSA opens your bag, you do not want loose magazines falling out.
I insure that my mag carriers and holster are positioned in the suitcase so if the contents of the suitcase should shift, they will not get crushed.
I use my Range Bag as a carry one. In it are my ear muffs, eye protection and my medications. No gun related articles such as tools or gun mags are allowed.
(By gun mags, I am referring to those hold cartridges.)
If you get nothing else from this, know that a gun must be in a secured box and that secured box must go inside your checked luggage.
At a meeting yesterday, one of the shooters brought his gun box with him to ask me to determine if it was acceptable. Indeed it was but it was absolutely huge. When I queried him as to why he purchased such a large case he told me that the salesman at the gun store told him that gun boxes must not go in a suitcase, must be properly marked as containing a gun, tagged and checked.
For all those that would like to travel with your gun I submit the following:
1. Check the gun laws for each and every state you will be visiting. Insure that it is legal for you to carry there and that state has reciprocity with your state if you plan to conceal carry. If not, what are the laws with regard to having a gun in a vehicle.
2. Do get a hard case that has foam inside and your gun fits securely within that foam. Insure that your gun is unloaded. No ammo goes into that gun case. Remember that whatever size case you buy, it must go into your checked suitcase. (Not a plug for any particular box but I use Pelican Gun Cases as they meet all the requirements and are waterproof.)
3. The gun case should be locked with two locks. Either a key lock or combination lock is acceptable. THESE LOCKS SHOULD NOT BE TSA LOCKS. Only you should have access to the key or combination.
4. When arriving at the airport ticket counter, tell the ticket agent that you have a gun to declare. They will give you a form to fill out. This form will ask several questions and you must declare that the weapon is unloaded and there is no ammo in the case. (I have lost count of the number of times I have traveled on airplanes with a checked weapon and not one ticket agent has ever asked me to open the case.) That declaration form will either be placed on top of your gun case or taped to it, depending upon the particular agent.
5. The gun case WILL REMAIN INSIDE YOUR CHECKED SUITCASE. Your suitcase should be locked with TSA locks. Once your suitcase is locked and checked, there are no tags or other identifying ways to let anyone know there is a gun in the suitcase.
6. Most airlines will allow up to 11 pounds of ammo to be inside your checked suitcase. (No ammo in carry on bags.)
A couple of other noteworthy things that may help you:
I always have at least three magazines with me for concealed carry. During training at the Institute, I have a dozen. I place the magazines in a plastic bag and then wrap some tape around that bag to keep the magazines together. If the TSA opens your bag, you do not want loose magazines falling out.
I insure that my mag carriers and holster are positioned in the suitcase so if the contents of the suitcase should shift, they will not get crushed.
I use my Range Bag as a carry one. In it are my ear muffs, eye protection and my medications. No gun related articles such as tools or gun mags are allowed.
(By gun mags, I am referring to those hold cartridges.)
If you get nothing else from this, know that a gun must be in a secured box and that secured box must go inside your checked luggage.