Traveling by air with a firearm.

[Jim Bremner]

So, I traveled to Detroit from Orange County with a Garand that I wanted to bring with me

I found out that I could only carry 11 pounds of ammo so I left 1/4 of the ammo that I planned on

I get to the airport with the rifle, 10# of ammo secured in a rifle case with 3 locks on it.

The airport people had me unlock the case where they didn't inspect that the rifle had a clear chamber! Let's say that there's one in the chamber and the plane has turbulence and a round goes off?

So I get to Detroit, go to where the rifle should be. I'm told to go get my regualer baggage and come on back. So Come on back and my WWII garand with 144 rounds of 30/06 loaded on emblocs isn't there! WTF!

Well it seems that it's SITTING on the over sized luggage by it's self. no one standing over it.

I was amazed. good job United!

[Embraer]

technically, it's supposed to 11 pound, max per passenger, with a total limit of 99 pounds per airplane. the ammo should be stored in a separate container from the firearm, in a sturdy wooden or metal box in a case.

firearms are so commonly shipped on airplanes that nobody stands over them. you'd be surprised the amount of LEO's that carry in the cabin of the airplane (not air marshals)

[id10t]

***

[Embraer]

not for a family member.

[Embraer]

on second thought, im sure jim was just delivering his son's M1 one to him, that he left at home when the son left for detroit.

[MT930]

Had the same thing happen in Detroit in November with my favorite auto shotgun. Pretty Scary !

Had to hand over my claim ticket in Indy to claim it.

Had a long interview with TSA departing Indy for Montana with it. ????

Last time I checked more people get shot in Detroit than Indianapolis. Why the diffrence ?

In the fall in Montana 1 of 2 people are packing a long gun at the air port. The bolts must be open no exceptions.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

The airport people had me unlock the case where they didn't inspect that the rifle had a clear chamber!

I think you have an unrealistic expectation of the firearms expertise of the average United Airlines baggage worker.

[Brando]

Last I took a firearm with me via Southwest, they got it right: Go to the special pickup counter and retrieve.

What airlines just let you check it and fly, I wonder?

[onewhippedpuppy]

My brother in law is Border Patrol, he says that when he carries on an airline that he also has access to the list of other law enforcement that is carrying on the same flight. He says that he's never the only one.

[JTO]

Tsa has always checked my gun since they came into being
Prior to that I just needed to sign a slip that the gun was unloaded and away it went with the other checked baggage
Troy

[HardDrive]

WOW! I had a similar experience in Detroit with my hunting rifle, except that the damn thing went missing for an hour. When I finally got it back, it looked like someone had tried to pry open the gun case. Scary, but I guess expected given that you are flying into the American equivalent of Mogadishu.

[Joe Bob]

50% of airline employees don't know WTF to do with firearms.....I once had an asshat that tried to put the redflag on the OUTSIDE of the case. Ummmm, OK, steal this, it has a gun in it. I had to get a supevisor from another airline to correct this dimwit.

[aigel]

I don't get the excitement. Don't we all want guns to be treated like a commodity? Your golf clubs may be worth a lot more $ and are tossed on the luggage carousel as well. I would not cause a big stink, otherwise someone may come up with an idea to over-regulate taking your gun with you on your trip.

G

[Joe Bob]

Excitement?

Because if there is a screw up, the TSA blames the owner.

[aigel]

If you check your rifle with your luggage with a round in the chamber, you probably need to be blamed.

I had to keep airline employees from looking down the barrel from the muzzle end to check if the gun was loaded. But the last thing I want is for them to do more "training" - it will only backfire for gun owners on travel. (no pun intended).

G

[Bill Douglas]

One of the guys at the pistol club flew somwhere for a competition. When he went hand in his luggage as checkin luggage he declaired the pistol. They said "You not checking that thing in. If you want it on this plane you are going to have to have it as carry on luggage." WTF.

When I checked in a .22 rifle I had to fill in a form and declare it. The Asian lady on the desk wasn't 100% with her English and asked me if I have removed the firing pin, I said yes I have pulled the gun to bits. She said what? I said I had disassembled it. She said WHAT? I said it's in parts. She said Argh, you don't have to declare gun PARTS, and threw my bag on the conveyer belt.

[slodave]

I still can't believe that I was able to take a box of ammo from Cali to Italy in a jacket pocket that went through 3 x-ray machines (carry-on).

[Rick Lee]

I had a United pilot call me to the cockpit after we landed at Dulles and tell me he had me on a list as having brought a gun aboard. I told him it was in my checked luggage. He said they didn't tell him that. I then asked why he waited until we landed to ask me about it.

[slodave]

These days, when I do fly with a firearm, both the gun and ammo are within easy reach. No forms, no security checks. W00t!

[intakexhaust]

Jeez guys... do you think we have to blab on of how stupid the TSA is? Al Querdo and Ali Bama will now know our secret... LAUGH