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Who has flown with firearm?

I'm 100% going nowhere near New York. That would be a legal nightmare with the slightest error on my part.


I obviously know that the firearm must be unloaded when declaring/checking. Is there any rules against the firearm have an EMPTY magazine inserted? It is still technically an unloaded firearm, isn't it? Just making sure before I start cutting my foam in my Pelican 1170 that I have stashed in the basement that I've never used. Delta advised me to call TSA directly to ask for clarification.

No there is no rule against having an empty mag in the gun. The rules only say "unloaded."

But I will tell you this, having flown all over the United States with guns, going back to when you could take it on the plane and put it in the overhead (true dat).

You will be dealing with some of the dumbest mofays on the planet Earth. They don't know whether your gun is unloaded or not -- especially the TSA numbnuts. The easier, simpler you can make life for them, the easier your life will be. A empty magazine in a semi-auto is functionally no different than an empty revolver, but you are going to run into screeners who don't understand that.

Actually the problem I have run into most often is the opposite - people checking loaded firearms and the idiots are too stupid to know it.

As far as I know, you can pack a loaded magazine in your locked gun case, just not in the gun.
 
Considered a “functional firearm part”

oy...


Yeah I remember years ago when a buddy of mine was going through security, and it was the first time I saw any one get dinged for it. At that time you still could carry on knives and toe nail clippers - I always had a Swiss Army knife with a corkscrew.

I about died laughing because there was no way he was going to leave a couple of $60 chokes at the checkpoint. About a half dozen of us "world travelers" tried to argue that they were little pieces of pipe. His mistake was telling them the truth. If he had said they were pipe couplings, no problem.
 
I'll add this note to discussion, although it's not responsive to OP.

With long guns, you have the option of mailing your gun to yourself. With all of today's checked baggage fees and what not, it is a very viable option. Especially if you've seen how baggage handlers treat your stuff.

And if it's damages, USPS insurance is WAY better than airline insurance.

You have two options. You can mail it to yourself, c/o General Delivery of the post office where you are going. They will hold it 30 days for you to claim, which gives you plenty of lead time.

If you have destination (guide, lodge) you can mail it to yourself "c/o Big Bull Lodge". This is specifically addressed in the BATF regs, and it is not an interstate transfer, no matter what you read on the internet.

A lot of people don't want to trust their prized firearms to the post office, but compared to baggage handlers they are a good option.

I've done this when I wanted to travel light, and it's not a bad option at all.

Long guns only.
 
Flew with my daily carry to Colorado a few months ago. It was easy. Just have the pistol unloaded in a lockable hard case. I had my ammo in the factory box in the same case. Just can’t have loose rounds or a loaded firearm, but TSA didn’t open it and look. When they checked it I had the locks on it. They X-ray and look for bombs/ explosive **** really.

It was kinda hard to find the TSA counter, as they were doing construction on the ATL airport at the end of July, and probably still are, so it could be in a new spot. Just ask the folks checking your luggage in and they will tell you where to go.


More importantly, check state, and local laws where you are going. You may not even be able to carry.
 
I have done it many times with no problems. Ammo can be in the same case as the gun. It has to be in factory boxes. Usually it gets you moving along quickly with a gun.
 
I'll add this note to discussion, although it's not responsive to OP.

With long guns, you have the option of mailing your gun to yourself. With all of today's checked baggage fees and

what not, it is a very viable option. Especially if you've seen how baggage handlers treat your stuff.

And if it's damages, USPS insurance is WAY better than airline insurance.

You have two options. You can mail it to yourself, c/o General Delivery of the post office where you are going. They will hold it 30 days for you to claim, which gives you plenty of lead time.

If you have destination (guide, lodge) you can mail it to yourself "c/o Big Bull Lodge". This is specifically addressed in the BATF regs, and it is not an interstate transfer, no matter what you read on the internet.

A lot of people don't want to trust their prized firearms to the post office, but compared to baggage handlers they are a good option.

I've done this when I wanted to travel light, and it's not a bad option at all.

Long guns only.



As far as mailing be sure to have signature required , if insured over a certain $$ its automatic I think

I had USPS leave a $2800 mini Uzi ate the door of a closed gun store .
 
Flew with my daily carry to Colorado a few months ago. It was easy. Just have the pistol unloaded in a lockable hard case. I had my ammo in the factory box in the same case. Just can’t have loose rounds or a loaded firearm, but TSA didn’t open it and look. When they checked it I had the locks on it. They X-ray and look for bombs/ explosive **** really.

It was kinda hard to find the TSA counter, as they were doing construction on the ATL airport at the end of July, and probably still are, so it could be in a new spot. Just ask the folks checking your luggage in and they will tell you where to go.


More importantly, check state, and local laws where you are going. You may not even be able to carry.
Mirrors my experience past July hen I flew back home to AK. Had a box of 25 rds, one empty 12 rd magazine next to it, one empty 12rd mag in the pistol, all in one hard case with 2 locks.
I went ahead and cablelocked the case itself to the inside of the suitcase. Suitcase had TSA approved locks. I hung around while TSA swapped for explosives, in case they needed me to open the gun case. They did not not. Delta gave me a tag to put in the suitcase.
 
Got through Atlanta without issue. Green Bay zip tied my bag before giving it back to me.

Atlanta did tell me that since my case had 2 holes for locks, I had to utilize them both. Good thing I had an extra lock with me, because I only put one on the case at first.
 
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