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Thread: Airline travel with rifles?

  1. #51
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    Rather than verbally declare that I'm traveling with firearms, I'm fond of showing the ticket agent the orange declaration tag from a previous flight and telling them, "I'll be needing another one of these today too, sir/ma'am."

    Following that, I usually preempt their questions with, "Everything is unloaded, and packed in compliance with all of your airline and TSA regulations."

    I've had excellent luck with these practices.
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  2. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skintop911 View Post
    Rather than verbally declare that I'm traveling with firearms, I'm fond of showing the ticket agent the orange declaration tag from a previous flight and telling them, "I'll be needing another one of these today too, sir/ma'am."

    Following that, I usually preempt their questions with, "Everything is unloaded, and packed in compliance with all of your airline and TSA regulations."

    I've had excellent luck with these practices.
    Great Idea!

    I'll keep that in mind for the next time and keep the tag.

    Buckaroo
    "It is better to be a Warrior in a Garden than a Gardner in a War"
    Let's use the First Amendment to protect the Second so we can avoid using the Second to protect the First.

  3. #53
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    I've also flown a lot with firearms.

    1) Say clearly, but quietly to the Agent checking your luggage (you can even use the auto ticket machine) that you have an "unloaded firearm" in your luggage. This cuts out the, "is it unloaded question."

    2) Don't wrap the case in duct tape as one post mentioned, when you get to the counter have all of the locks off because you have to put a slip of paper in the case & re-lock. Keep the key on your person, and you'll almost always be asked to take your bag to the TSA screening area.

    3) Tell the screener again that you're checking a bag with an unloaded firearm and WAIT THERE for them to give you the thumbs up after they rapid-scan it.

    4) Sometimes I've been asked to open the case at this point and they actually put eyes on the contents. Usually these days it's just a "you're all set."

    I fly with Mobile Armory softcases inside the storm cases, I have the im3100 size & the longer size for bolt guns which don't break down in length.

    If I only have a handgun I'll use a small pelican case and put that in a larger checked bag.

    I know an expert in lock security who travels with firearms intentionally when he wants to make sure his luggage is secure, as it's the only time you can use strong padlocks.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGjddG5Owsc is a video of a talk he gave on the topic.

  4. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrCleanOK View Post
    Having flown with long gun cases a few times, my experience has been that the airline will hand carry your gun to their baggage claim office, where you will have to show ID to claim it.

    I've used a cheap, flexy hard case before. But now my guns fly in a soft case packed into a Pelican case. The wheels on the pelican case come in handy if you have multiple guns plus ammo in the case.

    Mr. Clean, you must look dirty? Sounds like that is pretty uncommon, never happened to me.

    Quote Originally Posted by Daekwan View Post
    About the only advice I'd add is to get to the airport extra early. That way if any snags do possibly occur (which Im sure wont) you will have more time to decide on another plan.

    Another thing I would do is definitely call the airline/airport first and find out if they have any specific rules beyond what TSA requires.
    Best advise, especially for the first time flying or a new airport.


    I flew for the first time out of Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago and I didn't like the experience at all. Early, early flight and new airport and I didn't leave myself as much time as I would have liked. Everything at the counter was cool, except they gave me a slip of paper saying that I needed to check with the TSA checkpoint manager after my molestation to make sure my bag had made it thru the screening.

    Made it thru security and then checked with the mananger, who called down and they did want to see inside my case. They said it was down stairs, actually in the other side of the terminal so just give them the keys. Bozo No-no I know, but with 20 minutes before boarding, I gave them the keys. I was surprised they wanted to see in (Two handguns, plus a 22 slide for an STI and no ammo anywhere). He came back 15 minutes later and said everything was cool, I was never worried. I asked him what I could have done so that they didn't want to look in the case. He said nothing, I had packed it perfectly.

    Airports that scan your bag right there are good because everything is settled right there. Once I was 'threatened' by a TSA agent (old hag) that asked about unloaded and clear and I said they were. She said "They better be, or else they are going to take you away in handcuffs." That maybe true, but not a nice way to put it.

    Whenever I go to classes, though I have always driven with rifles, I put them in a soft sided golf bag. Rolls well, and no one gives you a second look as you drag 1800 rounds of 556, two rifles, handguns and the usual clutter, all tucked away in the golf bag.
    I just did two lines of powdered wig powder, cranked up some Lee Greenwood, and recited the BoR. - Outlander Systems

    I'm a professional WAGer - WillBrink /// "Comey is a smarmy, self righteous mix of J. Edgar Hoover and a gay Lurch from the "Adams Family"." -Averageman

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