Pistol in luggage

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  • 87iroc

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    Dec 25, 2012
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    Our family vacation is quickly approaching and I plan on flying with a firearm. It says that your gun must be locked in a lockable box.

    What have people used for lockable box?
    And
    I assume box can be inside of my checked baggage?
     

    ScouT6a

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    I have traveled numerous times with a handgun. Get online and check out, not only the FAA guidelines, but also the SPECIFIC airline(s) that you will be traveling on. They can add to the Federal requirements, but not take away from them.
    As an example, Frontier wanted the locked pistol case inside of a locked hard sided piece of luggage.
    I just use a small, lockable, hard sided pistol case available most anywhere.
    Ammunition is restricted to 11 pounds and obviously, the gun has to be unloaded. Ammo can be in the original manufacturer boxes, or plastic aftermarket ammo boxes. Some have gotten away with loaded mags, with tape over the top, to keep the rounds from popping out. I have never risked that. I always empty my mags.
    Just declare the pistol at the check-in desk and you'll be fine.
    Last time we traveled, we missed a connecting flight (due to the fault of the airlines, not us) and the luggage went on ahead, without us. I have to admit, I was nervous about that but the airlines had secured the bags behind the ticket counter and they were there waiting on us.
    Also the reason I don't pack a $1000 Kimber. I pack a $250 pistol, with no sentimental value.
     

    hpclayto

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    I've flown many a time with my gun in a glock case with a cable lock wrapped around the handle. Never had an issue.
     

    VERT

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    I use a small gunvault nanovault and attach the cable to the inside of my luggage. I usually leave the 1911 at home because I don't trust TSA not to steal my gun, instead opting for the Jframe. The revolver is also easier to deal with because some airlines say no ammo in magazines. I will be traveling this summer and am considering taking an auto. Have not decided yet.
     

    88E30M50

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    I'm getting ready to fly to CA for a week and am considering taking along a CZ with 10 round mags. Anything different about flying into and out of SFO for carrying? Flying is one thing, but taking a gun into SFO does worry me.
     

    MCgrease08

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    I'm getting ready to fly to CA for a week and am considering taking along a CZ with 10 round mags. Anything different about flying into and out of SFO for carrying? Flying is one thing, but taking a gun into SFO does worry me.

    Considering CA does not recognize any out of state licenses, I would highly recommend against it. Unless you want to be arrested at the baggage claim.
     

    87iroc

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    Thanks everyone! We will be spending time in California but not flying out of there. In retrospect it was a good plan.

    I have a grey plastic pistol case I could put it in I guess. It's lockable. I have looked at United's sight but not FAAs yet
     

    VERT

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    I use a small gunvault nanovault and attach the cable to the inside of my luggage. I usually leave the 1911 at home because I don't trust TSA not to steal my gun, instead opting for the Jframe. The revolver is also easier to deal with because some airlines say no ammo in magazines. I will be traveling this summer and am considering taking an auto. Have not decided yet.

    Now that I am returning from my trip I can elaborate. (Don't go posting details about your trip on social media.) I packed my J frame with a paddle holster and a pocket holster. The little revolver is easy to negotiate while traveling. For instance it is easy to load safely in the cell phone lot after picking up the rental car. I simply locked it inside the nanovault attached to the inside of my luggage. I also locked my knife in there. Flashlights and ink pens will pass through security and you can carry those on the plane.

    What strikes me me as odd when traveling is there seems to be no set procedure for checking a firearm. Indy will make you give them the combination to the gunvault even though TSA websites says this is a no no. Their rules are noboby in the secure area. They are polite and I just give them the combo. I have never had any TSA personnel ever open the safe during a return trip. So this is an INDY thing.

    First time ever ever when I checked in for the return flight the computer flagged me because it knew I checked a handgun on the flight in. Not a problem. Some airlines will zip tie your bag so carry on some nail clippers. American puts a tag on the bag and makes you take ID to claim the bag at the baggage office. Good thing is the airlines doesn't or at least shouldn't lose your luggage.
     

    mammynun

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    Now that I am returning from my trip I can elaborate. (Don't go posting details about your trip on social media.) I packed my J frame with a paddle holster and a pocket holster. The little revolver is easy to negotiate while traveling. For instance it is easy to load safely in the cell phone lot after picking up the rental car. I simply locked it inside the nanovault attached to the inside of my luggage. I also locked my knife in there. Flashlights and ink pens will pass through security and you can carry those on the plane.

    What strikes me me as odd when traveling is there seems to be no set procedure for checking a firearm. Indy will make you give them the combination to the gunvault even though TSA websites says this is a no no. Their rules are noboby in the secure area. They are polite and I just give them the combo. I have never had any TSA personnel ever open the safe during a return trip. So this is an INDY thing.

    First time ever ever when I checked in for the return flight the computer flagged me because it knew I checked a handgun on the flight in. Not a problem. Some airlines will zip tie your bag so carry on some nail clippers. American puts a tag on the bag and makes you take ID to claim the bag at the baggage office. Good thing is the airlines doesn't or at least shouldn't lose your luggage.

    Thanks for the info Vert.

    I'm flying United back in...and have now perused both sites. I think I'll be ok following your lead from what I've read.

    In my experience and what, I think, Vert is getting at is that there's no consistency across airlines and airports. It even extends down to individual employees and/or their managers.

    I usually fly on American, and I've had several airports put a bright red "special handling" tag on my bag that contained a firearm. USC says bags containing firearms shall not be marked, but the baggage handlers at SDF (airport in Louisville, KY) will sometimes hold my marked bag till the conveyor belt is empty and then roll my bag out from the back to me... explaining that "since my bag has a gun in it" they're not allowed to put it on the belt. This happens about 50% of the time when my bag has a "special handling" tag on it; the rest of the time it comes out on the belt as expected.

    In PHX I had a gate agent start to visibly shake when I declared my firearm. We did the paperwork, then he had me take my bag to a TSA inspection room. The TSA inspector had me get my key locked case out of my luggage, open it, and show her that my Sig was clear.

    Then again, several gate agents have told me NOT to place the paperwork inside the locked case. I can only assume that they... well, I don't know what they're thinking but I like to have the evidence that I lawfully declared the firearm locked inside the case.

    In less friendly states it will often require a manager to supervise the gate agents (and my?) actions while declaring and doing the minimal paperwork.

    I see a new twist on this theme nearly every week.

    None of this should dissuade you from taking a firearm, just be prepared to spend an extra 1 to 30 minutes at check-in and to possibly be the last person to receive your checked bag at the baggage claim.
     
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    VERT

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    I flew American last week. They do indeed put a tag on your luggage and you have to pick it up at the baggage office. My bag got there before the conveyor started. So faster but all the employees knew there was a gun in there like it was some sort of secret. I personally couldn't care less if they know. I think the airlines should use red tags for handguns and purple tags for sex toys and lube. Think of how colorful the baggage line would be.
     

    mammynun

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    I flew American last week. They do indeed put a tag on your luggage and you have to pick it up at the baggage office. My bag got there before the conveyor started. So faster but all the employees knew there was a gun in there like it was some sort of secret. I personally couldn't care less if they know. I think the airlines should use red tags for handguns and purple tags for sex toys and lube. Think of how colorful the baggage line would be.

    That illustrates the lack of a uniform and coherent policy; my bag has never gone to the baggage office. It either comes on the belt with everyone else's, or the hold it in the back till the belt is empty and then bring it out to me. It's slightly disturbing that when they bring it to me they don't ask for identification... I guess they figure since I'm the last person standing there it must be mine. But asking for ID would probably **** me off on some level.

    At any rate, the only airport that consistently puts the red tag on it is JAX, so someone there is training them albeit incorrectly.
     
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    JoeG1

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    Aug 6, 2016
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    I have found the easiest way to make sure you do everything you need to do is to call the airport police. They will tell you what you can expect. Call the airline as well. Best to have more than enough information than miss something. I would go overboard on lock case etc. just to protect yourself and avoid any unforeseen issues.
     

    87iroc

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    Dec 25, 2012
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    Bartholomew County
    Flew back in to Louisville Saturday morning. Whole trip was pretty seamless with my pistol. Only 'FAIL' was no magazine pouch. Tried to buy a 'cheap one' that I could get quick from Amazon. Waste of money...but only 15 dollars.

    For reference. We left out of here and drive to the west coast via grand canyon and phoenix, vegas, California...then back to Reno. 4k miles of driving. Only snafu was in San Fran. Smash and grab stole my hiking backpack. Should have taken it in...guess there are 'dozens' of those a day in SF. Gun was always inside the room in Cali...

    We flew out of Reno, NV. I was glad we didn't fly out of San Fran or something. Reno proved an easy airport. Nice, new, low traveler count on a Friday night. We were the ONLY ones in security at the time we entered. Baggage woman didn't even flinch when I told her there was a pistol in the bag. Never checked it, not even a glance. Just filled out the form(Orange Tag). Had me sign it. She sent it to the back. Realized she forgot to put tag in it. She called TSA while I did something else. They said 'oh, its already cleared...don't worry about the tag'. She still walked the tag back there minutes later as its United policy to put that little card inside the bag somewhere. I asked about a special tag. She said 'we dont' like to advertise there's a gun in there...makes it more prone to theft'. I was like 'reeeeaaaaalllllllly'. Awesome.

    Flew threw Chicago on the way back. Bag made it through transfer no problem. I had it locked inside one of those little Vaults like Vert suggested.

    I'll be flying with it again someday...but I get the point. Not to expect it to be so smooth everytime.
     

    JAL

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    May 14, 2017
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    . . .
    For reference. We left out of here and drive to the west coast via grand canyon and phoenix, vegas, California...then back to Reno. 4k miles of driving. Only snafu was in San Fran. Smash and grab stole my hiking backpack. Should have taken it in...guess there are 'dozens' of those a day in SF. Gun was always inside the room in Cali...
    . . .
    I lived in California for ten years before moving to Indiana (happiness was California in my rear view mirror). Don't EVER leave anything in an unattended or parked vehicle anywhere that you would be upset about if it were stolen, for any length of time, whether it's visible through the windows or not, and covering things with a blanket or some other concealment cover does nothing to lower the probability (if anything it increases it). They'll smash the window(s), then open the trunk and rifle through the glovebox and center console and every other storage area to see what you hid in them, and do it in 30 seconds or less. This caution applies everywhere statewide. It's a den of thieves.

    John
     
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