Flying with gun

[Peter Goldwing 90]

Sometime next month I will  fly to NJ.

 I have read the rules that apply to transporting a firearm in an airplane, so Im familiar with them.

I like to know how much headache is to bring a gun in  (people to see, waiting times for checking in and out).

And most importantly if there is any extra charge for it.

I want to do this experimentally and if it inconveniences me to much Ill leave the gun home. I will be in NJ for less then a week. Thank you!

[SmokenClay 21]

If you must don't bring hollow points.  Also check on what NJSP has to say: https://nj.gov/njsp/firearms/transport-firearm.shtml  You can't take it on bus or train so be sure to have someone pick you up/car service and put it in the trunk.  If you have a NJ carry permit once you are in the car you can carry but I'd personally wait until I was clear of the airport property.  If you don't have a NJ carry permit it's probably not worth bringing as it will live locked in the case unless you are on private property/at a range.

As far as fees it likely counts towards number of checked luggage.

Enjoy your stay!

[Krdshrk 3,877]

First of all - do you have your NJ CCW?  If not, I would say just leave it at home... 

If you do, then do what I do when I travel out of NJ. 

I'm assuming it's a handgun, not a rifle/shotgun...

You will have to pay to check a bag.  In the bag you should have a locked, hard-sided case (I use the same lockbox I do for my car).  Put the gun inside the case, unloaded, mags inside the same case.  Ammo, I bring a box of Hornady Critical Defense - in the original cardboard box.  TSA states that small arms ammunition “must be packaged in a fiber (such as cardboard), wood, plastic, or metal box specifically designed to carry ammunition.”  I usually put the ammo in the same case, however I've had airline check-in's once tell me to just take the ammo out of the locked container and leave it in the luggage.  YMMV.  

When you get to the airport, go to the baggage check in.  Go to the counter and tell the agent that you're declaring a firearm.  You’ll have to read and sign a tag saying you're complying with all the firearm regulations and then insert that tag into your checked luggage. The TSA inspection will take place at the check-in counter or may take place at another TSA area (they will escort or point you to the area).  Make sure you KEEP your luggage claim tag.

They should not ask for the key/combo for the lock.  DO NOT USE A TSA-APPROVED LOCK.  If they need to open the case for inspection, they will tell you or page you.  Make sure you check in with enough time to deal with the counter and with the additional security.

When you arrive in NJ, they may tag the luggage as requiring special handling since there's a firearm inside.  If you don't see your bag at the baggage carousel, go to the Baggage Claim office for the airline and tell them you had luggage with special handling.  They'll check your ID and luggage claim tag before releasing it to you.

Hope this helps.

[maintenanceguy 510]

3 hours ago, Krdshrk said:

First of all - do you have your NJ CCW?  If not, I would say just leave it at home... 

If you do, then do what I do when I travel out of NJ. 

I'm assuming it's a handgun, not a rifle/shotgun...

You will have to pay to check a bag.  In the bag you should have a locked, hard-sided case (I use the same lockbox I do for my car).  Put the gun inside the case, unloaded, mags inside the same case.  Ammo, I bring a box of Hornady Critical Defense - in the original cardboard box.  TSA states that small arms ammunition “must be packaged in a fiber (such as cardboard), wood, plastic, or metal box specifically designed to carry ammunition.”  I usually put the ammo in the same case, however I've had airline check-in's once tell me to just take the ammo out of the locked container and leave it in the luggage.  YMMV.  

When you get to the airport, go to the baggage check in.  Go to the counter and tell the agent that you're declaring a firearm.  You’ll have to read and sign a tag saying you're complying with all the firearm regulations and then insert that tag into your checked luggage. The TSA inspection will take place at the check-in counter or may take place at another TSA area (they will escort or point you to the area).  Make sure you KEEP your luggage claim tag.

They should not ask for the key/combo for the lock.  DO NOT USE A TSA-APPROVED LOCK.  If they need to open the case for inspection, they will tell you or page you.  Make sure you check in with enough time to deal with the counter and with the additional security.

When you arrive in NJ, they may tag the luggage as requiring special handling since there's a firearm inside.  If you don't see your bag at the baggage carousel, go to the Baggage Claim office for the airline and tell them you had luggage with special handling.  They'll check your ID and luggage claim tag before releasing it to you.

Hope this helps.

Somebody make this a sticky...does this forum have stickies?

[Old Glock guy 1,127]

Perfect advice from Krkshrk above.  I've done it many times, and it's really not a big deal.  It's usually easier on the return trip from anywhere else than it is from Newark, but at most it's a minor inconvenience that adds about 15-20 minutes to your check-in. 

[1LtCAP 4,264]

little side track on this........

 

 what's the law if you're renting and flying yourself? say for instance i wanted to fly to ocean city, or down to cape may county airport?

[Peter Goldwing 90]

9 hours ago, 1LtCAP said:

 

 

 what's the law if you're renting and flying yourself? say for instance i wanted to fly to ocean city, or down to cape may county airport?

I guess you want to tell us you have a pilot license. LOL

I wouldn't think it would make a difference if you rent or own the machine you are riding be it a motorcycle, a car, an UFO, a boat or airplane

[1LtCAP 4,264]

3 hours ago, Peter Goldwing said:

I guess you want to tell us you have a pilot license. LOL

I wouldn't think it would make a difference if you rent or own the machine you are riding be it a motorcycle, a car, an UFO, a boat or airplane

i thought that was known, lol.

i haven't been in the air since about 2010 though. i was about to get current then the stuff with mom happened.....so now i'm too poor for the time being.......but it'd be nice to know that i can carry from the time i leave home to the time i land, enjoy whatever i'm gonna do and then return........when i can afford it of course.

 

[Peter Goldwing 90]

My Bursa mag takes max 8 rounds. The way I read the rule I think the mag could be loaded if not inserted in the gun and side by side in a hard case locked box. Am I right?

[GRIZ 3,369]

12 hours ago, Peter Goldwing said:

My Bursa mag takes max 8 rounds. The way I read the rule I think the mag could be loaded if not inserted in the gun and side by side in a hard case locked box. Am I right?

AFAIK ammo should be carried in a factory box or one of compartmented plastic cartridge boxes used reloading.  This is how I carried ammo.  No loaded magazines.  Never had an issue.  Ammo in the same locked box with the gun.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

13 hours ago, Peter Goldwing said:

My Bursa mag takes max 8 rounds. The way I read the rule I think the mag could be loaded if not inserted in the gun and side by side in a hard case locked box. Am I right?

Ammunition should be stored in its ORIGINAL packaging / factory box, or in containers SPECIFICALLY designed for carrying small amounts of ammunition (eg a MTM Plastic ammo box). A magazine is not considered a container for storing ammunition...

Shotgun shells and ammunition .75 caliber or less can be packed in the same hard case as a firearm.  It must still first be packed in a small container specifically designed for carrying ammunition, then packed into the larger case.  

Are you really going to risk getting jammed up just because you wanna save a few seconds of loading?  Put it in an ammo box.

[Grima Squeakersen 482]

On 6/29/2023 at 11:05 PM, 1LtCAP said:

i thought that was known, lol.

i haven't been in the air since about 2010 though. i was about to get current then the stuff with mom happened.....so now i'm too poor for the time being.......but it'd be nice to know that i can carry from the time i leave home to the time i land, enjoy whatever i'm gonna do and then return........when i can afford it of course.

 

I'm pretty sure you could legally carry while airborne, flying a private plane, subject to any restrictions in the rental agreement (and nobody is going to do a fly-by to check), but I suspect that even a lot of smaller airports may be regulated out the kazoo on such matters, especially given that even in civil aviation there is frequently quite an overlap between local, state and federal authorities. Before takeoff and after touchdown, I'm not sure I'd want to try to definitively analyze what is and is not legal transport. If you subscribe to one of the legal expense insurance companies (I have US LawShield) it might be a good test to try to get them to do the analysis for you :-)

[planenut 60]

On 7/10/2023 at 2:17 PM, Grima Squeakersen said:

I'm pretty sure you could legally carry while airborne, flying a private plane, subject to any restrictions in the rental agreement (and nobody is going to do a fly-by to check), but I suspect that even a lot of smaller airports may be regulated out the kazoo on such matters, especially given that even in civil aviation there is frequently quite an overlap between local, state and federal authorities. Before takeoff and after touchdown, I'm not sure I'd want to try to definitively analyze what is and is not legal transport. If you subscribe to one of the legal expense insurance companies (I have US LawShield) it might be a good test to try to get them to do the analysis for you :-)

You would probably be good to go with regards to a privately owned, public or private use airport. A publicly owned airport that's run by some sort of airport authority may be where the problem is, especially if they require badging to be out on the ramp (i.e. Morristown, Teterboro, Trenton). Places like that are typically the ones that have prohibitions on carrying weapons and heavy restrictions on transporting them. I have Law Shield but I'm not sure I have faith in them to find the right answer (I've gotten incorrect information from the lawyers before regarding states other than NJ), I do wonder if someone like Yodice and Associates (they run the AOPA legal services plan) may know what the airport regulations are regarding firearms.