I am going to be flying soon with a handgun in checked baggage. I think I understand the rules. Handgun will be unloaded, and in a locked hard case. I want to put the hard case containing handgun inside my main suitcase. Does the main suitcase have to be hard side also, or can it be soft sided or a duffel bag?
Question about flying with a handgun
- Thread starter Balrog
- Start date
Col. Harrumph
Member
The gun must be in checked baggage; that could be a secure backpack. Both your airline and the TSA have their rules & regulations online.
Yes, I get that it has to be checked baggage. It was unclear if the just the handgun case had to be hardside, or if the suitcase it was in had to be hardside also.
FL-NC
Member
I have travelled many times with a handgun unloaded in a small lockable hard case inside of soft duffel bags and the like, along with the magazines and box of ammunition in its original container, taped shut w/ scotch tape, and my knife. I also print a copy of the rules from the TSA website (the same day as my flight, whenever possible, with the date on the printout) and I have it ready in my pocket as soon as I go to the baggage check. I have had to provide this information to TSA/baggage claim people to assist them doing their job. It is the same process whether as a civilian transporting my personal firearms as well as in the military when flying commercial and on orders with military issued equipment. My experiences have been like Forest Gump's box o chocolates. Sometimes the clerks are very professional and the process is so seamless its like nothing happened, and sometimes they act like they want nothing to do with the situation (as if I have a explosive with a burning fuse) and are afraid and make a scene. I believe the woman in Raleigh that did that's name was Karen- avoid her if possible.
I ran into one of those in Atlanta. She must have been traumatized at some point in her life. When I declared the gun she put her hand over her mouth and trotted over to another clerk. I heard the old woman tell her, "You have to check his bag- it's your job." Then she came and showed her the process anyway. I was asked to open the case the firearm was in, and the poor woman put her hands over her face and shrieked at the sight of the gun.
I asked if it was her first day on the job. I think it was her second or third day on the job. I hope she got over it.
A recent thread about this.
Look here for an answer:
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Look here for an answer:
Flying in near future, making sure I understand how to travel with a handgun.
It has been 5 or 6 years since I travelled by air with a handgun. I will be flying from Birmingham, Alabama to Las Vegas, then will immediately leave LV and drive to Grand Canyon, the national parks in Utah, and finally to Denver where I will fly home. I am familiar with the rules regarding...
www.thehighroad.org
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Old Dog
Member
The suitcase is not required to be a hard case, simply lockable. The box the handgun is in, must be a hard case with at least one lock.
Not sure what airports some of you guys fly in or out of, but I've never, ever had an airline counter clerk (or TSA staff) act as though my checking a firearm through in my checked bag was anything other than routine. Not even at Dulles or O'Hare.
Armored farmer
Member
I agree with the above posts.
My wife thinks we get treated to extra courtesy because we have declared our firearms.
Read your airlines policy and rules. Follow them.
Print them off.
Be confident....don't act weird.
They'll treat you right and walk you through.
No worries.
Don't chicken out and leave it home.
My wife thinks we get treated to extra courtesy because we have declared our firearms.
Read your airlines policy and rules. Follow them.
Print them off.
Be confident....don't act weird.
They'll treat you right and walk you through.
No worries.
Don't chicken out and leave it home.
LV Gun
Member
Just make sure you declare it and then as others have stated check TSA and the airlines policies and pack it correctly I have never had a problem flying with them.
Print out 2 copies of both the TSA and your airline rules. Put one copy in your check bag and carry the other.
I recommend that you use a non-zipper check bag for all flights simply because a zipper bag is easy to open with a stick style ballpoint pen. This is just a general security bit of advice instead of anything related to the TSA or airline rules.
I recommend that you use a non-zipper check bag for all flights simply because a zipper bag is easy to open with a stick style ballpoint pen. This is just a general security bit of advice instead of anything related to the TSA or airline rules.
