Flying with a firearm is stressful. You have to worry about damage, theft, lost luggage and trying to get all the steps correct so that you do not end up talking to the police and getting yelled at by TSA. I have been traveling with firearms for about 10 years now and I have learned a few things. For example, not every TSA agent or ticket counter agent actually knows the rules they are paid to enforce. Or the fact that LAX does not know how to handle a gun case when it comes off the flight. I hope this guide answers some of your questions. Although I tried to be as accurate as possible I am not a lawyer or even an expert, your best course of action is still to call the airline your traveling on and confirm that this is correct information. You will find that 99% of the time they are friendly and more than willing to help.
Here are my steps for traveling with a firearm.
1 Make sure the gun is unloaded and then double check that its unloaded- it will save you grief later.
2 Place it in a hard side case – I use a Pelican and the baggage people have only managed to scratch it up. Use something similar and strong. Remember a good case is cheaper than a new firearm and will last forever. I also have my phone number written in silver sharpie on the case near the lock, just in case the tag gets ripped off.
3 Lock the case – DO NOT USE A TSA LOCK. You also want a lock that fits snuggly. If its a padlock with a 4 inch clasp that means your case can be opened far enough to get your gun or accesories out of the case. I use a 1 inch padlock which leaves about .5 inches of room to open the case if someone tried to. Not enough room to get anything out.
4 Make sure you have the key with you when you leave for the airport and do not put it in your other checked luggage. Make sure you have it available – you may be asked to unlock the case for inspection.
5 If your bringing ammo with you make sure its in its original box or a box specifically made for ammo. Don’t throw a ziplock bag of 9MM reloads into your checked bag and call it a day. TSA won’t be amused.
When you arrive at the airport you have to go inside to the customer service counter, there will be no curb side checking with the firearm. Once you wait in line and approach the counter hand over your ID put the gun case on the scale. This is when you calmly let the agent know you have a firearm to declare. Almost every time I have flown the agent has not even flinched and just handed me the “firearm declaration card” to fill out and asked if the gun was unloaded.
Only once did I have some take a full step back and look confused, I think they were new and really had no idea what to do. Someone else came over and walked them through the process and everything ended up going ok. Once everything is done and you have your boarding pass you will be directed, or escorted, to TSA so that they can check the case.
Do not drop it and run to the security line, most airports want you to hang around for 15 minutes until they X-Ray or swab the case. Sometimes they pop out and give you a thumbs up and send you on your way, occasionally they will want to open the case.
Now the TSA website says this – “Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations.”
OK, so, TSA can ask for the key or combo right? Sure their website says give the key up but here is the Federal law that states you should NEVER give up your key or combo.
Title 49: Transportation, Part 1540 – Civil Aviation Security: General Rules, Subpart B – Responsibilities of Passengers and Other Individuals and Persons, 1540.111 (c) (iv) – The container in which it is carried is locked, and only the passenger retains the key or combination.
And then this law.
Title 49: Transportation, Part 1544 – Aircraft Operator Security: Air Carriers and Commercial Operators, Subpart C – Operations, 1544.203 (f) (iii) The container in which it is carried is locked, and only the individual checking the baggage retains the key or combination;
To me – and remember I am not a lawyer – this means that you must be present if they want to inspect your case and you should not turn over your key. The decision on wether or not to have this argument with TSA is entirely up to you. You need to decide where to draw the line and you need to decide just how much you want to argue. I personally have made the argument that what they are asking is illegal and did not end up proned out and pepper sprayed.
The last time I flew out of LAX the TSA contractor (not even really TSA) asked for my key so he could go in the back with my gun case. I refused and that lead to an uncomfortable situation, I politely informed him that according to Federal law that was not permitted and that I could show him the law on my phone if he wanted. I was more than happy to open the case for them though – as long as I was within line of sight during the inspection. He decided to call in the more senior employee who told me “I didn’t ask for the key I just wanted to confirm that the key holder was standing by until the inspection was complete”. He thanked me and sent me on my way and I thanked him for coming out to clarify.
I would like to think that the contractor misunderstood what was asked BUT I have had a handgun stolen by TSA / baggage handlers so I am wary of anyone who is doing anything abnormal. Ill tell the stolen gun story at the end of this.
Portland and Seattle airports have been much better. At both airports they take my locked case, ask if I filled out the declaration that the firearm is unloaded ad then swabbed the case for explosives. When the swab came back negative they sent me on my way. I have had PDX put the case through the X-Ray and then ask me to open my case and step back from the table. I complied and he opened the case and pushed some stuff around, thanked me had me lock the padlocks back up and sent me off to security.
Just like with TSA during security each encounter is different depending on who your interaction with. They have no standard – or maybe its just because they all interpret the rules differently. I have no idea I just know it makes for a frustrating ordeal sometimes.
Ammunition
Here is what the law says – Small arms ammunition for personal use carried by a crewmember or passenger in checked baggage only, if securely packed in boxes or other packagings specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition. Ammunition clips and magazines must also be securely boxed so no ammunition is loose or exposed..
The average weight limit for ammo on airlines in the U.S. limit seems to be 5 kg (11 pounds) gross weight per passenger. This has been true every time I have traveled but please, check with your airline before you go to the airport. I have never been asked to weight my ammo but I have also never tried to take more than a few boxes. If you have ammo the airline will also (usually) let you use a padlock on your bag, a nice perk.
I have heard that TSA goes back and forth on if ammo is allowed in the same case as the firearm. It seems to be different depending on the agent who is checking your bag at the time of check in. I have read stories of people being forced to remove it from the case and place it in their checked bag. So I just put it in my checked bag and call it a day- less hassle and less chance to run across someone who is not sure of the rules.
According to the airlines customers are required to present photo ID at the baggage office located near the luggage carousels to retrieve their shotgun or rifle case/box. Sound like a great idea and makes you feel good about your checked gun arriving safely to your destination right?
Portland, Seattle and Phoenix Sky harbor all make you show an ID to collect the case from the customer service reps at the baggage claim. Its been a while since I went through PHX but last time I did they asked for ID. Portland has always been great about the case being at customer service.
At LAX this won’t happen. Every time I have flown for the past 7 years into LAX the case gets spit out on the oversize baggage conveyer belt and I make damn sure I am there to grab it. The fact that LAX sends the rifle case out in the open like that with no security is a theft waiting to happen. If someone gets caught at the back of the plane and the gun case gets out before them its going to be an easy swipe for a criminal or one of the homeless that sometimes wander through the terminals.
Earlier on I promised a stolen gun story. Here it is.
I had a 1911 stolen from my bag going between LAX and PDX a few years back. I went through all the normal steps, locked case fill out the “Unloaded firearms declaration” and placed it inside. Looking back I should have said something about the TSA agent that was eyeballing me the whole time trying not to be obvious and fidgeting a lot. Once I put the declaration card inside the case and locked it back up he came over and offered to take the case back to the luggage room for the counter person. I did not think anything of it at the time because I was still new to flying with a gun.
I landed in OR and got my luggage from the agent. I had my pistol and rifle in separate cases attached to each other and locked. Got to my buddies place and unlocked them to go ahead and make sure the rifle was still sighted in and when I opened the pistol case there was no gun.
Queue absolute terror and panic.
On closer inspection I found the case had been tampered with and one side had cracks and tool marks on it. These marks were on a bottom corner lip where it was not seen until it was open so I did not notice it until I actively looked. It was glaringly obvious once the case was open what had happened. Who ever did it was careful and I assume had done this before.
I notified the airline, TSA, and the Police and filed a claim that night with the airline. When I got back from my trip and pulled my saved paperwork and I sent in everything the airline needed for a claim. 3 months later after calling almost daily I had a check for my loss. I also bought a much better Pelican case and the biggest locks that will fit in the holes to avoid that ever happening again.
I hope that this post has helped you in your quest to find out how to fly with a firearm. If something is missing please comment below and let me know so I can add to the article and make it more complete. Flying with a firearm can be stressful and cause some worry that something will happen to it, but the best way to avoid trouble is to be prepared.
