transporting firearms via airlines

B

BAB

New member
Hi all. I've got a question that hopefully someone here can answer for me that's kind of a variation on the "Carry on Airlines" thread currently going. My question is: what steps does one have to take to transport firearms with them while travelling via air? How about ammunition? Are the policies governing such transportation guided by Federal law? Are they airline-dependent? Reason I ask is that the wife and I are planning on flying home for Christmas, and I'm thinking that I'd like to take a couple firearms home with me so that my family and I can go shooting.

Thanks for any and all input.
 
Just got back from a flight where I toted my Remington PSS.

Ammo and gun must be in separate containers. The container containing the firearm must be a hard case that locks.

Ammunition must be in its original manuufacter's box.

You must claim both firearm and ammunition when checking your luggage. They are more concerned about the ammo than the firearm. In some cases they will want to weigh your ammo (you can not have more than 11 pounds) THey may also request to check the firearm (although I have never had this happen).

Good luck
 
Call the airline ahead of time. Requirements may vary; Continental allows 11 pounds of ammo, while another allows 5 pounds. Some demand that the ammo be in original boxes; another might not even look at the ammo container.

From Brenton's comments, I see that focus can vary widely. His experience is almost the opposite of mine: for me, a tag was attached to the rifle and they didn't even want to see the ammo box; for him, they weighed the ammo and did not look at the gun.

Again, call the airline for specifics. Don't fuss; it's a standard process so it's nothing "wierd". Just don't try to carry it on!

Suggestion: remove some small but significant component and carry it separately...that way, if the gun is stolen it will be useless. I take the barrel out of a handgun and the bolt out of a rifle and stash them in my carryon luggage. Just remember to put them back when you arrive!
 
Thanks for the replies.

ctdonath--I like the suggestion of removing a critical piece of the gun. On that note, I have another question for you: are you ever made to take these pieces out of your carry-ons? I assume there's no problem with having a piece or two of a firearm in your carry-on? I was thinking I would remove the cylinder of my revolver (Ruger SA convertible) and carry that in my carry-on, but I didn't know what kind of grief I would get if asked to take it out (I'm thinking of Rich's recent thread about minimum wage servants interpretting our rights) being as I always am made to take out and show such metal items such as belt buckles, tools, etc.
 
I'd use a separate LOCKABLE container for the gun and the ammo. They can't bitch about that. Also declare the value, and carry extra flight insurance in case your stuff gets "liberated" by the fine outstanding servants of the airlines.


[This message has been edited by Dennis Olson (edited September 27, 1999).]
 
The idea about separating a critical part form the checked firearm is a good one. But, I'm not sure carrying it in the carry-on luggage is though - for this reason: Last week in San Jose, the MWS at the security station took my laptop case and wiped it all over with a filter paper and then placed that in what looked like a chemical analyzer or a mass spectrometer. I asked what he was looking for. "This is a random explosives search." I'm glad I hadn't done any reloading for a few days, because if their analyzer worked it would most likely have picked it up from the handle. My point is that handling gun parts and then handling your carry-on might trigger a, less than desirable, search of your baggage and maybe even you.

Placing the critical part in another checked bag that isn't marked as containing a firearm would be better, even if it meant adding a separate piece of luggage you normally wouldn't need to take. Of course, you run the risk of lost luggage no matter what. Some of my luggage has seen exciting locations on this planet I can only dream about visiting!
 
I haven't had them dig deep enough yet. Last time the parts were in baggies in a box stuffed near the bottom of a backpack covered by a wok; they'd have to be motivated to dig thru _everything_.

Good point on the explosives detection. Should that occur, I'd blandly explain the truth: I've checked a firearm in cargo luggage, and AS A SAFETY MEASURE removed a key component to prevent misuse if it were stolen, and that the part by itself is quite harmless. The guards are programmed to shut up and move you along when you start talking about safety.
 
ctdonath-
I don't know that the barrel will pass in carryon, if noticed. I had 3 empty Mac 10 mags confiscated at Atlanta some years ago. The reasoning was simple and sensible, from security's standpoint: Six guys could board, each carrying a different component for assembly in the air.

Probably, the best thing would be to remove an unidentifiable part: firing pin, mainspring housing or the like.

Benton-
My last three flights with Delta have resulted in a request to "see" the firearm. None of the three agents knew a thing about them.
Rich

[This message has been edited by Rich Lucibella (edited September 28, 1999).]
 
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