I carry IWB

I'm flying to Virginia soon. Should I utilize my hard-sided pistol case and my main bag seperately? -- or should I pack my hard-sided pistol case in my main bag - at the top of the bag?

XD Flash

Yes, use your hard case to pack your pistol in. Make sure you have at least one good lock on the hard case. A lock that only you have the key for, not a TSA lock.
The outside of the suitcase can have a TSA lock on it as another precaution.
Declare during check-in that you have an unloaded firearm. They will want to see it, usually you will have to put in a signed card that it is unloaded. Lock the hard case in front of them and then lock the outside of the suitcase. They will either take it from you there or walk you to the TSA check-in for you to put the case directly on the screening belt.

Make sure you have plenty of time before your flight, and make sure you do not have any of the "extras" in your carry on.

I carry IWB

So you suggest I pack my pistol case inside of my suitcase together? You don't think the airline will make me separate them?

retsupt99

Read through this...

Packing & the Friendly Skies by Deviant Ollam

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"Give this to, uh, Clemenza. I want reliable people, people who aren't going to be carried away. After all we're not murderers in spite of what this undertaker thinks."


***********************************

NRA Life Member

SilenceDoGood

As usual retsupt99, a very good read.

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ppkheat

I've always packed my pistol case (locked, of course) inside my luggage, which is also locked as well.

JMHO, but it seems to me that my pistol case stowed out-of-sight inside my luggage would be somewhat less likely to walk away versus an obvious pistol case being alone and handled by who know's who?

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gdm320

+1

Excellent read, retsupt.

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Armydad

I bought one of those locking metal cases and carry it inside of my luggage. It gets locked after inspection and then the bag gets locked as well. A separate pistol case would be an open invitation for theft.

Armydad

rhenriksen

Deviant makes a good point - a pistol locked inside of a full-sized piece of hard luggage is a lot less likely to grow legs during the baggage handling. A small (locked) pistol case inside your unsecure suitcase is much easier to make disappear.

PLUS, if you put your pistol inside of a (properly constructed, locked) full size hard case, you can securely check other valuables - cameras, laptops, etc - without paranoia.

I found the steel 81mm mortar cases he uses at Coleman's for $20 each (plus $20 shipping...)

itsatoolbox

Packing your case within a case is a personal choice, and it seems to have been addressed...

There are some other concerns to mention, though you may be fully aware of them. I'm not sure which airport you are flying into in VA, but if it is Dulles or DCA be aware that, while Commonwealth law was recently changed to permit standard VA rules for carrying/transporting on airport property from the property line to the front door.

However, Washington Metro Airports Authority police still have a policy that makes it a felony (they have the power to make regulatory law) to be in possession of a firearm on airport property (one memo from the director indicated that this could include a person checking a cased firearm). Since the change in Commonwealth law, this is not enforceable, and I have not heard of anyone being detained or harassed over this. But, be aware of this issue.

What I mean to say, is be discrete...its Virginia, and VA is friendly to being armed, but if you are going to Northern Virginia, its a different culture and you should be careful to avoid unnecessary unpleasantness.

If you are going through RIC (Richmond), you won't have a problem. Enjoy your trip.