Advice needed re: air travel with a "contaminated" range bag

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I've used the a back pack as a range bag and carry on bag in the same day. I've flown shortly after shooting 100's of rounds. Like others have mentioned I'm pretty sure your safe on your that front.
 
627PCFan said:
They don't look for gunpowder residue. Its already burned. They are looking for verify specific chemicals. I have traveled with residue on my hands ie, right from the range. Nary a problem ever. Ive also loaded ammo which was loaded up and off to the airport for a trip, no problem.
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This. I used to fly virtually every day. Sometimes I flew right after shooting or reloading. They aren't checking for gunpowder, it's explosives they are after.
 
swede4198 said:
Ten years ago I got "selected" for additional screening for a red eye flight that was almost empty. Since I was the only one selected I got to talk to the TSA agent while she was swabbing my shoes. I told her the shoes were contaminated with GSR and she said that was not a problem What did drive TSA crazy were gardeners that had shoes contaminated with fertilizer! The tests would pick up the nitrates and ring the alarm bells. Burnt powder no problem, spilt powder from handloading might be a problem, but walking through your freshly fertilized lawn will get you some one on many discussion time with TSA.
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+1 --- if you are a big user of Tannerite (or similar) you will set off alarms if nitrate residue is present for the same reason.
 
Get a new bag for sure.
A friend's son, who is in the Army, was detained at an airport when a sniffer dog reacted to him . He had been on exercise, handling demoloition explosives. After a few hours, a missed flight and a call to his CO later he was allowed on his way.
 
Ignition Override said:
My wife has been swabbed more than once (in the US, possibly also at AMS or LHR) simply because she wears a small insulin pump. Even an innocent, well-understood insulin pump is just one more reason to justify the 'smoke and mirrors' from our bureaucracies to make "the sheep" feel like all of this is done for their safety.

During my 'transportation' career we sometimes watched a small presentation during Annual Recurrent Tng. about chemical residue, and the suspicions about any airport passenger with residue.
After 9/11, you would not want to take the risk, especially not knowing how a random TSA Supervisor might interpret their so-called "regulations".

Is he/she a 'big picture' person using common sense, or more of a Martinet with a little personal power on display?
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Right after 9/11 was a nightmare for me. I had some pretty long waits trying to check in. Express check in wasn't an option. Kiosk always shut me down and I had to go to the agent where they looked at every piece of ID I had for a very long time. Once they kept it for an hour and I finally ask for it back as I was about 5 minutes away from missing a flight.

Those were the good old days of flying, I don't miss them.
 
In other threads on the topic, active duty military personnel reported coming from combat zones where they were wearing the same uniforms from when they were engaged in firefights (small arms etc) and then were screened by TSA sniffers.

They only has issues with the sniffers if they had walked across ground where high explosives had detonated,
 
The sniffers do not detect gun powder residue.
The sniffers are looking for organic explosives,ie C4.
Can you imagine the chaos on July 5th if they detected powder?
Want to know what sets off the explosive scanners, not the sniffers?
Golf shoes and peanut butter.
Seems like the fertilizer used on golf courses can also be used for other things and peanut butter has the correct density.
I used to repair explosive scanners and sniffers.
 
My concern for using the range bag as a carry-on bag wouldn't be so much the concern for the sniffers as it would be for the random case or bullet than manages to wedge itself into an odd corner, never to be seen again except for bu the guy running the scanner. I travel a lot with my firearms and gear and have never set off the sniffer. A lot of times I go straight from the range to the airport. Same boots, pants, etc. etc.

That said, I have had the wipes trigger before. Always when the start swabbing gear in my checked luggage with the declared items in it. Meh. If you are already hand searching the bag, have fun.
 
I've traveled a filthy machine gun and empty brass. Airline guy asked the TSA guy if the empty brass was OK and he nodded OK. Shot some Tannerite that weekend too. They swabbed some stuff. I have no idea the results but can't imagine them being negative.
 
ClickClickD'oh said:
My concern for using the range bag as a carry-on bag wouldn't be so much the concern for the sniffers as it would be for the random case or bullet than manages to wedge itself into an odd corner, never to be seen again except for bu the guy running the scanner. I travel a lot with my firearms and gear and have never set off the sniffer. A lot of times I go straight from the range to the airport. Same boots, pants, etc. etc.

That said, I have had the wipes trigger before. Always when the start swabbing gear in my checked luggage with the declared items in it. Meh. If you are already hand searching the bag, have fun.
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I agree. If I decide to take the range bag as a carry on, I will do a very careful search of it before packing it. I do often have stray bullets in it.
 
I've had my bag swabbed. Fortunately, I had anticipated this! I didn't purchase a new bag, but I did wash my bag (in this case, my carry on was a backpack, you know, the millennial's replacement for a briefcase) before the trip.

So... yes, they might swab your bag. And yes, you should just get a different bag to function as your carry on. I no longer use my airline carry on backpack as a range take-along.
 
I recently learned, and ,yes, it is on the TSA’s website....that the agent at the gate has ‘aboslute’ authority, and may make a decision that is contrary to official stated rules...His (or her) word is final!! And is not open for question or discusssion.
 
Everything I own is contaminated with gunpowder residue. I have never had a swab problem or any other problem with my carry on bag. For that matter I have never had any problems on the several occasions I have checked a bag with a handgun.

One of those metal Snap Safe boxes with the looped cable is a good investment.
 
I traveled off to Norfolk last year, was a tad concerned about not being Pre-Check on the tickets, but that was because the level had gone from amber with a bit of rose to ocher with hints of crimson, so, pre-check just went to the head of the same line as the rest of us. They were being very interactive. About every fifth person was being stopped and swabbed. They did the soles of my boots, the end of my belt and both palms. Then, a very cursory pat down. They seemed upset I had no reason for further interaction The gal in the severe business suit five behind me was a bit more vocal about "being treated that way" (she was also miffed they made her stop her endless cellphone gab session).

Probably better that all that was on the way out, as on the way back, after having reviewed a job site, I had wandered through spilled diesel, hydralic fluid, and all sorts of nitrogen-rich soils. But, it was pouring down rain, too, so anything I walked in was much diluted.
 
IMHO. Buy another bag. Keep everything you have in separate ziplock bags inside to reduce any contamination. Even keep a large 30 gallon bag to put the range bag in at the range
 
Gun powder is a non issue. I fly a few times a year. I shoot dialy out of my pickup so I’d assume the whole thing is contaminated. I use my computer in the reloading room and they have swabbed it every time I go through. I did cause a minor freak out one time with a empty 30-06 case that got inside the liner of a bag. It was no big deal though. They offered to let me keep it, but I threw the quarter in the trash so I didn’t get strip searched next time.

Who knows if they are even testing anything. Someone up above may just be watching your reaction on the camera or profiling.
 
I just flew 4 weeks ago. Carried my Army issue pack. It has been to a war zone, many field trips while in the Army, who knows how many range trips post Army carrying ammo, picked up cases, and what not. Never been washed, dirty as all get out. Never been a problem. Not even a second sniff from the dogs. Heck, TSA swabbed my check baggage due to my checked guns and that bag has been through hell and back as well. Their swab sniffer didn't even give a blip of what they are looking for. Far as I am concerned, it isn't even an issue to use your range bag as carry-on. I have been through Boise, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Denver in the last month with all mine. You should be fine.
 
ID-shooting said:
I just flew 4 weeks ago. Carried my Army issue pack. It has been to a war zone, many field trips while in the Army, who knows how many range trips post Army carrying ammo, picked up cases, and what not. Never been washed, dirty as all get out. Never been a problem. Not even a second sniff from the dogs. Heck, TSA swabbed my check baggage due to my checked guns and that bag has been through hell and back as well. Their swab sniffer didn't even give a blip of what they are looking for. Far as I am concerned, it isn't even an issue to use your range bag as carry-on. I have been through Boise, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Denver in the last month with all mine. You should be fine.
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All that "use" is probably shorting out the mechanical sniffers and confusing the bejeeezus out of those poor doggies!:evil::what::D
 
Smokeless powder is not an explosive. We all know this. Random airline employees and TSA types probably do not, but smokeless powder residue will trigger neither the dogs nor the swabs. But if the OP is concerned, there have been several suggestions on how to proceed. Asking questions is likely to increase confusion.
 
All advice appreciated. Naturally I chose to follow the advice I wanted to hear. Hey, I’m only human. Anyway I am at the airport all checked in and passed through security. Waiting for my flight. Easy-peasy.

Checking the luggage with the gun could not have been easier. A total non-event. Or as they say on the the political 24 hour news channels, a nothing-burger.
 
rpenmanparker said:
In a major airport I don’t see TSA agents near the luggage check in desks. How do you get one to come over?
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Just declare the firearm at check in and they will escort you and your bag to the correct people. No big deal..
 
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