While some might think it’s not possible at all (it is) here are a few tips on how to reliably transport your AR15, and other firearms, to your next destination. READ MORE
SOURCE: Team Springfield, posted by Steve Horsman
One question that I see frequently on the Internet and in forum chat rooms has to do with flying with firearms. Whether you are traveling domestically with a handgun or a long gun, following the guidelines set forth by the individual airline and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is of the utmost importance.
Note that the airlines and TSA can (and do) change requirements occasionally, so be sure to always check current regulations. Click HERE to get the regs.
LOCAL LAWS
Equally as important as knowing the airline and TSA rules about flying with firearms is knowing the local firearm (and ammunition) laws where you are traveling through (layovers) and to. You also need to know the laws of your return flight / departure location — where you will be traveling out of when going home. What might be legal in one state, may just be a felony in another. It is always YOUR responsibility to check the laws of local jurisdictions any time you travel. And keep in mind that laws change regularly and that laws often vary for rifles, shotguns, and handguns.
SHORT AND SWEET
Before I get into the deets, here is the short and sweet on air travel with guns. Firearms must:
Be unloaded
Be locked in a hard-sided case / container
Be transported in checked baggage only
Be declared each time you present checked baggage
FREQUENT FIREARM FLYER
I frequently travel with firearms, and whether I’m heading to a shooting competition, a work-related convention, or a training event, the process has become familiar. I’ve learned how to make traveling with firearms as easy as possible.
For many though, flying can be stressful, and bringing along guns may create some additional anxiety. However, if you are knowledgeable, polite, and just follow the rules, traveling with firearms should become a smooth, streamlined process. And even if things don’t go as planned, keep calm and carry — creating issues for the people at the ticket counter will NOT make things easier.
CLARIFICATION
Before we go any further, and just to be clear, when I reference flying with firearms I mean, and only mean, flying with firearms that are in your checked luggage. Unless you have federal law-enforcement credentials, it is illegal to have a firearm in your carry-on or on your person when boarding an airplane!
POLICY PARTICULARS
Over the decades, I have flown on almost every big-name domestic airline. During my travels, I have noted that many of the airlines have slightly different policies as they relate to flying with firearms, especially if flying with ammo or internationally (but that’s a different topic entirely). My advice again is to know the airline’s policies before you leave for the airport (policies can be found on the airline’s website), to abide by the airline’s requests and to be polite, even if one airline’s policy is different from another.
TSA rules and procedures should be standard. Click here to go directly to the FIREARMS and AMMUNITION page.
And it’s not a bad idea to print the regulations so you have a copy with you at the airport, should the need arise to reference them.
PROPER PACKING
Let’s start with how to pack the firearm. Successful flying with firearms starts at home, with an unloaded gun. When I travel with my SAINT™ Edge AR-15, I always put the unloaded rifle inside a soft case and then place the soft case inside a hard plastic case — one that is specifically designed for carrying long guns. Some of my favorite hard-case brands are Pelican, Storm, and Explorer. I know there are other manufacturers out there, but these are the cases that I have tested and traveled with. You can also get some hard cases with foam inserts that are custom formed or cut specific to your model of firearm. And that’s pretty cool!
These hard, impact-resistant rifle cases are rugged. They are touted as crush-proof, dust-proof, and water-tight and stand up to frequent travel, and the abuse of baggage handlers who are having a bad day. Such cases have handles and wheels to make transportingmuch easier. There are also designated areas on the cases for placing padlocks. I highly suggest purchasing TSA-approved cables and locks for all of your gun cases. Flying can be a strain on the brain, and approved locks just make dealing with TSA that much easier and fast.
CURBSIDE — NO GO
Note that when arriving at the airport, you cannot check your luggage with the baggage handlers outside, which is sometimes referred to as “curbside check in.” You must take your gun case to the ticket counter to “declare” your firearm.
When it’s your turn with the ticketing agent, notify them [nicely] that you have an unloaded firearm to declare in your luggage. The ticket agent will ask you to fill out a firearm declaration card (for each firearm). Write your name and mailing address on the card, and then sign and date the back side. READ this card. You are declaring that you have a firearm and that the firearm is unloaded.
The agent may ask to see the unloaded firearm. They then will ask you to place the orange copy of the declaration card inside the case with the firearm and then LOCK the external hard case. The TSA agents are going to want to see this card when they scan your bag, so make sure it’s easily viewable / accessible.
Once you are checked in and your bags have been tagged, most airlines will have a representative escort you to the TSA area. Once there, the TSA agent will scan your bag and may open your bag for inspection (in my case, every single time). Once TSA gives you the green light, you are allowed to leave and head to security (hope you are TSA Pre-Check). And that should be the end of your firearm-related duties, until you land.
I have run into virtually no issues when traveling with firearms, with the rare and one exception of flying out of New York City. But that too is a topic for another article.
AMMUNITION ASIDE
Sidenote: I pack my ammunition and unloaded magazines in separate, small storage containers, in the same hard case as the gun or in another case if weight is an issue. If you pack ammunition in the same case that your firearm is in, it must be in the original ammunition packaging, or a hard box that is designed for ammunition.
I have had people advise me to load the ammunition into the firearm’s magazines. I would NOT, I repeat, NOT, do this. Also note that airlines have a weight limit on the amount of ammunition you can check in your luggage. And it’s never enough! So consider shipping your ammunition “ground” if you need a considerable amount, as might be the case for a multi-day match.
WHEELS DOWN — PRIORITY ONE
Once you’ve landed, head straight to baggage claim. Your gun case may come out on the carousel or it could be with over-sized baggage or held in the airline customer service area. Again, different airlines, different airports, do baggage delivery differently. Ask questions to locate your gun case as soon as possible.
Once your case is in your possession, and before you leave the airport, make sure your firearm(s) is actually still in the case. Always keep a description of the firearms you travel with — makes, models, and serial numbers minimum — with you in the event of loss or theft. Report loss / theft to the airline customer service rep and local law enforcement IMMEDIATELY.
HI-TECH TRACKING
Technology continues to improve our lives, and with the availability of smart luggage tracking devices, our future travels may become even more worry-free. I have not personally tested any of the GPS luggage trackers, but it’s on my list of to-dos. If you have a device you trust and like, drop me a line. I’m going to buy one soon, as these GPS tracking units seem like a good investment, an affordable piece of insurance, to guarantee that my gun arrives safe and sound to my final destination — and back home again.
READY TO FLY WITH FIREARMS
So now you have no excuse NOT to travel to the USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals. Registration is still open. 🙂 By following these simple travel guidelines you shouldn’t have any issues when flying with your new SAINT™ Edge rifle. Your only concern will be how well you are going to perform at the match! Best of luck with your travels and match results, fellow shooter — go book your airfare and get ready to “declare.”
Editor’s note: Since an AR15 can “come apart” easily, separating upper from lower, it can fit nicely into a shorter but perhaps deeper case, one that’s not so overtly screaming “RIFLE CASE.” I transport mine in this manner, and it’s also easier to carry a shorter case around.
— G. Zediker
Packing ammunition with a firearm is absolutely forbidden by the several domestic and foreign airlines that I have flown during recent hunting trips. It was required to be properly packaged, placed in stowed luggage other than he case carrying the firearm and declared at check in.
For what it is worth all bets are off when flying Air Canada, which I did last fall and will never, under any circumstances do again. I will never go back to Canada!
I always put the ammo in the locked gun case and have never had any problems with Southwest, American, or United Airlines. However, I have never flown with a rifle, all my experiences are with handguns and handgun ammo in a locked case inside my suitcase.
Two things in the article that are incorrect. From TSA’s website (https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition):
Do not use TSA locks on your hard sided firearm case:
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.
Magazines may be loaded or empty:
Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm. Read the requirements governing the transport of ammunition in checked baggage as defined by 49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8).
Small arms ammunition, including ammunition not exceeding .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any gauge, may be carried in the same hard-sided case as the firearm.
49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8). 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.
The above are the Federal rules. Please check with your individual airline for their rules.
I believe that the locks on the gun case must NOT be TSA capable locks. The passenger declaring and checking the firearm(s) must be the only person with the means to open the locks. TSA will contact the passenger if they want to view the contents.
Do not use TSA approved locks on a gun case. I do not know how you can get away with this because the regulation states “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.” TSA can open approved locks, they should not be able to open your gun case.
I always pack ammo in separate plastic containers and into one of those military ammo cans and put it in my checked bag, never in the rifle case. I usually travel to Phoenix, AZ to shoot at the Ben Avery range. I take one of my antique rifles in the required locking hard case and check in. Flying from NYC, I have never run into any issues except when the TSA and/or Port Authority cop keep me at the counter as they are fascinated by the rifle and ask me about it and my antique rifle hobby. Sometimes I am asked for my NYC Rifle/Shotgun permit which I always have and they make note of it in their memo book. I always tell them, “A harmless toy, Mr. Bond!”
Best 2A airline in the business is Southwest. Never a problem or question. Just fill out your declaration form and off you go. Some airlines limit number of firearms per case, not Southwest. They also do not sent out your case on the carousel, you need to claim it at the baggage office with your claim tag and ID.
I always pack into a Pelican 1700 and check it at the counter. With two free bags per ticket, no additional baggage fees. I find it best to check a separate bag as it gets its own luggage routing tag. I have heard of missing cases that are packed inside other luggage. If you do, more TSA location will want the declaration attached to the outside of the case. Slap on one of those plastic shipping pockets to hold the declaration. Have your name and cell number near the carry handle if TSA needs to have you open the case just in case the need to contact you.
No TSA approved locks on that case either, padlocks where only you have the key or combination is the rule.
If you not have a the proper licensing avoid NYC and Newark altogether, NOT 2A friendly. Just 3 hots and a cot.
I’ve hear horror stories about arrests for being in possession of “banned” weapons when diverted to New Jersey. If that ever happened to me, I would not touch the gun. Better to have it confiscated than be arrested.