[crf3973]

Many of you may remember my earlier post about flying with a glock case with a padlock around the handle… here is my experience..

I had no issues with the AA rep checking in my bag. Everything went smoothly, she never asked to see if it was unloaded, just took my word for it and had me sign the declaration card.

I took my checked backpack containing only my gun and 150 rounds of ammo to the TSA screening area. Handed my bag to the lady and told her that there was an unloaded, declared firearm in there. She said no problem, and that I needed to go to the other side of the screener and wait. She placed my backpack on the screening machine and said NOTHING to the screener. I thought it was weird, but didn’t say anything at this point. I walk to the other side to find my backpack coming out of the machine and see a TSA officer place it on the cart with other checked baggage. More and more bags come through and pile up and no one says anything to me, so I finally ask one of the officers if the yellow backpack containing the pistol is OK to go… You won’t believe this.. His response, “There is a firearm in there?” I said yes, he then goes over to the guy watching the xrays of the bags and talks to him for a second.. He stops scanning bags and they both attend to my backpack, open up all the zippers, look at the case and check that the lock is on securely and throw it back on the baggage cart, then told me to have a nice flight.

This was my first time flying with a firearm… definitely and interesting experience and not at all what I expected from TSA.. I expected them to be extra safe and give me issues about not having my firearms secured enough or something, definitely not missing a firearm in the screening process…

 

[davychanchan]

you've had a much easier experience than I. i've flown w/ my G19 once. it wasn't particularly unpleasant, but very time consuming walking ALL OVER DIA w/ a TSA attendant carrying my bag, unlocking and locking the case at least 6 times. i'll be flying w/ my xd40sc in a week, hopefully no problems.

 

[MadMac]

I just posted in the other thread about some of my experiences, so I won't duplicate the posts here. Suffice it to say that how your handgun is treated at any given airport is totally dependent on the individuals in question - both TSA and ticket agents.

150 rounds? That may not be illegal, but that seems like a lot unless you planned to visit a range on your trip. Even then, I'd just plan on buying some locally. I usually just travel with a box of SD ammo.

 

[crf3973]

150 rounds? That may not be illegal, but that seems like a lot unless you planned to visit a range on your trip. Even then, I'd just plan on buying some locally. I usually just travel with a box of SD ammo.

ya, 2 boxes of FMJ for practice, and 50 rounds of my SD ammo.

 

[limatunes]

I've flown with multiple handguns multiple times and this is about the speed of things. Sometimes they asked to see the firearms sometimes they don't. Most of the time they don't seen to care one bit.

I once gas to walk the attendant through the whole process as she'd never done it before. Even then it was as smooth as silk.

 

[swinokur]

I just posted in the other thread about some of my experiences, so I won't duplicate the posts here. Suffice it to say that how your handgun is treated at any given airport is totally dependent on the individuals in question - both TSA and ticket agents.

150 rounds? That may not be illegal, but that seems like a lot unless you planned to visit a range on your trip. Even then, I'd just plan on buying some locally. I usually just travel with a box of SD ammo.

Many airlines including United allow up to 11 lbs of ammo. I don't know what that equals in actual rounds but I've flown with 100 rounds of 45 no problem. Sometimes there is not ammo in good supply at your destination. I was traveling to Vegas for a CCW class so I took my own ammo just to make sure I had it.

 

[WHEC724]

TSA is a joke. I can't tell you how many times that I've looked back at the blob watching the x-ray screen and saw them sitting there asleep. Disturbing their slumber is asking for a strip-search.

I strongly suspect that it wouldn't be difficult at all for a persistent terrorist group to bring a firearm onboard. I'm guessing they may get caught 3 out of 4 attempts, so it only takes 4 commited nut-jobs to pull it off?

The sky-marshal is the only back-up for this situation that I know of, but it's shutting the barn door after the cows are gone. Oh yeah - don't forget to take your shoes off - they'll inspect the heck out of them...

 

[64zebra]

I've not had any bad issues with TSA, although once they didn't catch my HK USP full size 45 on the initial scan, they saw something that caught their eye....maybe the knife, 3 mags, or the ammo, I don't know.....but they open the case and see the pistol and look at each other with a "oh crap, I didn't know that was in there" type of expression and even said something close to that

 

[packinnova]

TSA is a joke. I can't tell you how many times that I've looked back at the blob watching the x-ray screen and saw them sitting there asleep. Disturbing their slumber is asking for a strip-search.

I strongly suspect that it wouldn't be difficult at all for a persistent terrorist group to bring a firearm onboard. I'm guessing they may get caught 3 out of 4 attempts, so it only takes 4 commited nut-jobs to pull it off?

The sky-marshal is the only back-up for this situation that I know of, but it's shutting the barn door after the cows are gone. Oh yeah - don't forget to take your shoes off - they'll inspect the heck out of them...

Sir...we have some WMD's here!:hand5:

 

[WHEC724]

Sir...we have some WMD's here!:hand5:

Yah - with my feet, that may be true! :rofl:

 

[dukalmighty]

I hate having to take my shoe off ,I'm disabled and they want me to take my shoes off everytime,I'm tanned,not middle eastern,If they saw my legs they would know I'm so caucasian I glow

 

[MadMac]

My wife and I were traveling a couple weeks ago, and when we got to the hotel, she noticed she had gone through TSA screening with THIS in her purse.

 

[Hopyard]

There is no predicting what will happen with TSA, (or their international counterparts in other countries) Customs, or even Immigration if you have or are traveling internationally.

We have had pretty good experiences here in the US and one or two strange ones. We have had great experiences abroad, and were literally detained for several minutes by a guard once because --well we never did find out what exactly caused the problem.

It isn't just an issue with traveling with guns. Anytime you have to deal with officialdom, some of the officials will not remember or know the rules and make them up as they go along. And then, everyone is counting on computers and databases and those machines can really foul things up; even if you aren't on the no-fly list.

 

[schwaa]

If we're on the subject of how incompetent TSA is, heres one for the books. A last year I traveled Tampa->McArthur for a nice week in NY, then McArthur->Tampa return trip. This past March I traveled from Orlando->Denver for week at copper. During all of these flights, I had my camera bag with me. On my way back to Tampa from Denver, while passing though TSA, the TSA employees searched my bag. I figured the search was for explosives or something because I allways get my camera bags wiped down and tested. That wasnt it this time though. After a little bit of fumbling around, the TSA employee asks if I want the red thing in her hand. It was my nice sized swiss army pocket knife(a cheap one though). It had been in the bag since the NY trip last year. :twak:

 

[mamakennedy]

Back in 2005, I had to take a flight for a wedding. On my flight out and my return flight I got the privilege of enduring one of their random checks...removing boots, jacket, over shirt, belt, and receiving a pat down from the dark side and then once over with the hand held metal detector.
I didn't realize till I got home that I had my leatherman in my jacket pocket for the whole trip, or that my little survival pack (small pocket knife, lighter, candy bar, and some parachute cord) was in the side pocket of my carry on, a mid size hiking pack.
I guess they weren't to worried, or they never noticed.

 

[Logan5]

If you are taking a ski trip: don’t pack your gloves and ski mask on or near your gun.

 

[OldVet]

What did you expect? Did you get the minimim wage stare?

 

[Guns and more]

150 rounds? That may not be illegal, but that seems like a lot unless you planned to visit a range on your trip. Even then, I'd just plan on buying some locally. I usually just travel with a box of SD ammo.

You are allowed 11#.
It has to be in the original boxs or a suitable container.

 

[bzdog]

While I understand the concern about the various issues with TSA, we should remember that from TSA's perspective, a firearm in the cargo hold does not pose a threat. Basically, they don't care.

My understanding the procedures regarding securing firearms are more about preventing theft by baggage handlers, etc.

*shrug*

-john

 

[shooterX]

Yah - with my feet, that may be true! :rofl:

That would be my wife's feet! :hand5: