Flying with multiple, valuable handguns?

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uspfan

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I know there have been millions of threads on flying with guns, and I've done it myself several times without issue. I'm wondering if anyone has advice on a new situation for me though: flying with multiple (about 10) handguns, with combined value of several thousand dollars.

My plan is to load them into a hardsided locking suitcase, and then secure that in a larger, regular suitcase with some assorted clothes and whatnot. The overall package should be pretty non-descript.

My main concern is that, flying with Southwest, the maximum value they'll insure is $5000. The guns are worth more than that. I doubt there will be a problem, as in the past, I've been able to watch the TSA guys as they inspect the guncase and then send it on its way to the plane, so I don't think a lot of hands will be touching it and funny-business should be limited. However, we are talking about a lot of money to risk.

The only other option I can think of is to overnight it with UPS to the location where I'm staying. Using conservative estimates on the weight/size of the container, plus insurance, it will be at least $200 each way to ship them like that. :eek:

I guess I'm just looking to hear if anyone has experience flying with multiple high-dollar guns (rifles, too), and whether it's worth being worried about. Are there any alternatives I don't know about? I've flown 4 or 5 times with a smaller amount of handguns and not had a single issue. The main difference here is the sheer dollar amount.
 
I'd go with the UPS thing.
Once your bags go "downstairs" you have no idea what's happening.
I've had things taken from bags and didn't know it until I unpacked at my destination.

If the trip is less than 600 miles I'd drive.

AFS
 
Personally, I would not fly with more than they would insure. Even at that, there's no guarantee you'd get the full dollar amount for what your guns are worth if they are damaged/stolen--or get anything at all.

Airlines are pretty strapped for cash right now and are not going to part with $5,000 easily.

*EDIT*

Why not charter a plane and take your guns with you?
 
Another idea I just thought of, that may be more of a headache than it's worth...

Could I disassemble the semi-autos and just overnight the frames (the part that the ATF considers the "firearm," right?), while doing 2nd day or ground shipping (insured) on the heavier components like the barrels and slides? There are a couple revolvers too but reducing the weight/size on the overnight package might make that option a little more palatable. Thoughts?
 
Do you remember a couple of years ago when they found a shotgun behind the Coke machine in the employee's lounge at the Atlanta airport ? Hmmm. Wonder how that got there ?
Ever since I found a bunch of dead grass in my suitcase after I arrived home from Las Vegas two years ago, I never check anything of value with the airlines.
 
Regular Insurance

Do you have your guns insured just through a normal insurance company. I know most insurance companies will attach a pretty affordable rider to your homeowners insurance for guns that probably should cover such a situation and isn't a bad idea to have anyway.
 
Don't fly with anything you can't easily replace. Have you really taken a look at those TSA guys?:uhoh:
 
you could check with the airlines?
UPS/USPS.. although UPS would probably be better for insurance, tracking..etc.

Or like John Wayne said, look into chartering a private flight.
 
Yeah, I guess that would suck for one package to make it and the other to be lost...and I guess splitting the "insured" value wouldn't really do much for me in that case, since the entire guns would essentially be lost.

Other thing I forgot to mention about the UPS deal is that this is going to be early next week. Basically, during their busiest time of the year. That alone would make me more nervous about something getting lost with all the craziness.

At the same time, since I'll be flying next Tuesday, maybe the airport will be so ridiculously busy that the TSA goons will be just too darn busy to try anything shady? I'd think they'd get more "curious" during slow periods when there's nothing else to do.
 
AFS said:
I'd go with the UPS thing.
Once your bags go "downstairs" you have no idea what's happening.
Click to expand...

I am just curious.... how is UPS different? Just substitute the word "package" for "bags" and it seems to be the same situation to me.

Zombiphobia said:
UPS/USPS.. although UPS would probably be better for insurance, tracking..etc.
Click to expand...

Not to mention UPS would be a hell of a lot more legal to use than USPS would be!
 
I've flown a few times, including on Southwest, with 4 or 5 handguns in a single Pelican case inside a suitcase and never had an issue.

Shipping them via UPS is another possibility, although I've never done that except when I've had to spend time in DC on the first portion of my trip. It gets expensive and is honestly more of a hassle than flying with them, especially since firearms have to be shipped from a UPS hub if you're shipping them to yourself.
 
Yeah, the case should be pretty secure: a locking hard suitcase with a 3/16" chain wrapped around it and locked with a padlock. For a TSA agent with sticky fingers, it would pretty much have to be all or nothing, unless they're allowed to have bolt cutters or are brazen enough to cut a huge hole in the side.

Thanks for the video link, I'm watching now.
 
Blackbeard said:
You can use the biggest nastiest locks you can find on your luggage if it contains a firearm. In fact you are required to use non-TSA locks. Stuff goes missing from regular bags but you hardly ever see a whole bag get stolen.
Click to expand...

And TSA can cut off the biggest nastiest lock on your luggage as well, or use any other means to get into the luggage.

The Non-TSA lock goes on the GUN CASE, NOT on the luggage containing the gun case. Now, if you use a hard sided suitcase and the firearm is in the suitcase by itself without it's own gun case, THEN you put the non-TSA lock on the suitcase.

The myth that you can secure your luggage by putting a gun in it is just that.... a myth.
 
And TSA can cut off the biggest nastiest lock on your luggage as well, or use any other means to get into the luggage.
Click to expand...

Or they can ask you to unlock it, since you're standing there while it's screened. That's the point here -- use your gun case as your luggage. Nothing says the gun case has to go inside another case. Since the OP was looking to protect his valuables (which also happen to be guns), this seems particularly appropriate. Make the case big and hard to "boost".
 
I just ordered a nice Pelican.

My concern with the original plan was that a generic locking suitcase didn't really feel secure enough to me, hence the chain/padlock idea. I'm pretty sure they'd have an issue with a big old chain being exposed like that, though, so I was going to put it in another suitcase. The guy in that video (it was a great video, btw, so thanks for sharing it) says the only time he hears of guns getting outright stolen is when they take a smaller case out of a bigger one.

Long story short, I think I'm going to just put them in a big rugged Pelican, put a couple tough locks on it, and trust that it will arrive as planned. The guy in the video makes that sound like a pretty safe way to go.

I've been needing a good case for range trips, anyway.
 
actually, the case is OPEN, the TSA agent screen the case & container to ensure the gun has been inspected (sig card) Then he closes it and you lock it, or at least the two time's I've flow that was how it worked, and the guy made a big deal when I stepped up to close it.
 
Do not, under any circumstances, check or bring any luggage aboard an airline that you cannot live without. Yes, I know you can literally live without your guns but, as a rule, do not check anything you're not willing to lose. Ever.

Baggage handlers are one of the most unskilled, overworked, and lowest-paid workers in any industry. This is not intended to impugn or insult them, since they perform a very important and physically demanding task, but it's an unfortunate fact of the airline industry. Some airlines are much better than others, AFAIK Soutwest is one of the better ones, but in general consider the following when traveling by airline:

United breaks guitars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

If I needed to ship 10 guns, I would take it to a UPS store and have them do everything. That places all responsibility on them. In the event you need to file a claim the store will be your sole point of contact.

I would not worry about the holiday season. UPS knows the volume of traffic they will have to handle and are prepared. It may even arrive faster during holiday season than it would normally.

Learn to travel light. Bring only what you're prepared to lose. It's not often I say "trust me"... but trust me.
 
The UPS Store won't even ship gun parts. I tried to ship some magazines through them once and they made me take them to the hub. It's too bad our out of control government has made shipping handguns such a huge hassle... there's no reason we shouldn't be able to put them in a box and ship them through the post office.

When I fly with a handgun, I put it in a Pelican case with non-TSA locks. Then I lock the Pelican case to the inside of the suitcase with a steel cable and a non-TSA lock. Then I lock the suitcase with a TSA lock. No problems so far, in fact I was pleasantly surprised how hassle-free it was to check a firearm the first time I did it.

I use the Pelican 1170. It was about $35 and I can fit a Glock 19, holster, and 7 magazines in it. Very convenient.
 
It really is annoying how much of a hassle it is. When there's no ammo around, they are as inert as inert can be. Might as well be a wood carving of a moose or something. Although I guess the recoil spring could fly out and hit you in the eye maybe.
 
UPS will require very costly air service to ship guns (and only from the UPS hub, not the old Mailboxes, Etc. chain they bought).

As to stealing large cases, it almost happened to a friend when he went to Argentina with his $30,000 K-80. His partner noticed his gun case being touted off out a side door by an employee and was putting it in another vehicle when the local police stopped it. Maybe that's why many places now sell the luggage you can fit a gun case inside.

There are places you can purchase insurance for things like gun collections which might help. IIRC, some of the credit cards offer insurance when you use their card to buy the ticket, etc.
 
Shadow 7D said:
actually, the case is OPEN, the TSA agent screen the case & container to ensure the gun has been inspected (sig card) Then he closes it and you lock it, or at least the two time's I've flow that was how it worked, and the guy made a big deal when I stepped up to close it.
Click to expand...

The procedure varies greatly by airport. Of the half-dozen or so airports where I've checked a firearm, Bush Intercontinental in Houston is the only one where TSA wanted to look inside the case and have me show the guns were unloaded.

Houston Hobby is the best I've dealt with--you just sign the card and put it on the outside of the case and they send it on down with the rest of the bags. They said their X-ray machines are sufficiently sensitive to tell if the chambers are loaded.
 
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