Don't do it.

Yeah, got it, thanks, again it was a stupid idea on my side to ask something similar here. My bad, should've better learned the lesson around a year ago asking something similar

i fly out of newark at least 2-3 times a month and never encountered a problem. I have been doing this for the last 8 months.

I usually bring my G19, G23, G30s to Texas plus ammo and extra mags. 

glock cases with a pad lock on them (non TSA) and i use the factory c

lock orange cable to secure it to my luggage. 

Thanks, and couple of more practical questions:

1) How do you lock Glock cases, LOL? :-) I have 2 glocks and neither of the cases has holes to put a padlock on. Contrary to that my SIG & CZ cases have those holes, so I am likely going with a SIG one...

2) Do you need to put a cable lock on a gun itself (that is put in a container)?

3) Can you put a small hard box of ammo (holding 20 rounds, the one defense rounds are sold in) to the same container with the gun, or does it need to be separate from the gun?

4) Is it a requirement to secure the container to the luggage or is this just a "common sense" practice? I'm normally traveling with a soft duffel and scratching my head now on how to secure something to a soft bag...

 

Thanks again!

I highly recommend spending $40-$60 to get a pelican or skb case that can hold you $600-$1400 firearm safely with two padlock holes, and use two padlocks. I would also make sure it's attached somehow in you luggage either with some type of cable or flexible gun type lock. You might not be able to do that with a duffle bag. I have had different experience from different airports and airlines regarding ammo. Some want the ammo with the gun case locked up, so don't. I don't even ask anymore. I use the 25 round box from hornady and shove that in a pair of my shoes that's in my checked luggage, just so the box doesn't get smashed.

 

Of coarse you have to declair it at ticket agent, also get different results. Some airlines like us airways agent fills out declare tag with employee signature and then passenger signs it. With American the passenger fills it out. Some agents want to tape it to the case, some just say throw it in anywhere.

 

Some airports want you to take it to tsa for scanning and wait for an ok, some airports like hobby Houston just say have a nice flight, other airports like Springfield Mo the ticket agent wanted to check the firearm was clear in unloaded right there in the open at the ticket counter. In Orlando the ticket agent was yelling at the baggage handlers "WE GOT A WEAPON" and they took my bag to tsa as I followed for the " your good to go"

So, just a quick update - returned from my trip to Florida - used this chance to hand over my wife's application for FL CCW to one of their regional offices in Miami Dade county plus enjoyed some sun instead of NJ cold and rain...

 

Flying with a handgun was extremely easy (or I just got lucky, who knows), though the experience in two airports was slightly different. In Newark the lady at the American counter clearly knew what she was doing when I informed her about the firearm, but the fact that she was probably an extreme anti shined very explicitly. She quickly filled in the declaration paper, gave it to me to sign and then asked to put it in the same bag with the gun case and put the bag on the scale. No looking at the gun or its case, no other questions, just asked to wait 5 minutes nearby in case TSA has some questions to me.

 

Surprisingly my experience in Miami was a little different - lady at the counter there seemed to barely know the proper procedure. She had to go to the other officer to get paper declaration forms (she didn't have any at her counter), then she asked to open a case and show her a handgun for "her to check if it was unloaded". Okay, I removed the lock and opened a case - 2 seconds glimpse on my Glock - "okay, okay, close and lock it". SStill wondering if she was such a pro to notice the position of "chamber loaded" indicator in 2 seconds or if she didn't care at all... She also asked how many rounds of ammunition EXACTLY I had with me in bags and later suggested to put the declaration INSIDE the box and was very surprised when I told her that the lock was not a TSA-approved lock. She also tried to charge me $50 for bags despite my Platinum status with AA and free bags coming with it, so I guess she was just an example of how not to do anything properly... Later in Newark I noticed that the bag has been manually searched by TSA (found a piece of paper inside saying this), but the gun case and lock on it were intact...

 

Bottom line - my concerns around flying with handgun were probably just fruits of my vivid imagination - apparently nobody cares

So today another completely different experience at ewr. American airlines. Told ticket agent I had a firearm to declair, she replays are you carrying it on or checking it. My response was checking it in my bag. She fills out the declair form and I sign it, I place it inside my bag. She goes no sir it must go inside the case, I say no on top, she says no locked inside and I need to see the firearm to make sure it's unloaded. If not we ( American) will get fined big time she says. So there at the busy ticket counter, I opened up the case, trying to keep it inside my bag as much as possible. I show her it's unloaded. She says thanks. I locked it up with form inside for the case.... So no one will see that form until I unlock it. I asked her do you need to let the scanner guys know there is a firearm....like they did last time. She says no, but you can wait at the escalator for 5 min. I will come and get you if there are any problems.

 

So it's different every time, even at the same place.

 

So today another completely different experience at ewr. American airlines. Told ticket agent I had a firearm to declair, she replays are you carrying it on or checking it.

 

 

I've only been asked that question once. The Angel on my left shoulder whispered, "Say, well, what are my options?" The Angel on my right shoulder showed me a clip from Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

 

"I'm checking it in my checked baggage. Check."

As I understand it, the orange card goes outside the case.  If it's in the locked case, what purpose does it serve?

And yes, I have found that the procedure is often different, even at the same airport.  It's been my observation that in general, it is handled more

casually at airports out of the NY/NJ area.

Well I made it to my destination with no problems. But I was saying the samething, how would the TSA know that I did declair it. I was praying that they didn't confiscate if they couldn't find the form. But they would find the other 10 declaration forms from other flights in the bag. I was just happy to see my bag made my extremely close connection and lock box still inside.

 

American Airlines declair form is just black and white. I have flown us airways and Thiers is orange.

As I understand it, the orange card goes outside the case.  If it's in the locked case, what purpose does it serve?

 

No idea but I have been instructed to do both.  I know this - if I follow the instructions of the agent, I can point at "that guy" and say "I followed his/her instructions!"

 

I recently had an experience where TSA took me "behind the curtain" and asked me to open my case.  The inspector was decent, explained he couldn't tell when he scanned whether it was empty or not and complimented me on using the stupid plastic thing in the chamber that comes w the firearm to prove it's empty...

 

The only thing you can count on is that the process is different in every location, even within the same airport.

No idea but I have been instructed to do both.  I know this - if I follow the instructions of the agent, I can point at "that guy" and say "I followed his/her instructions!"

 

My sidearm will be just fine either way. Just make sure the Pilot isn't loaded

As I understand it, the orange card goes outside the case.  If it's in the locked case, what purpose does it serve?

And yes, I have found that the procedure is often different, even at the same airport.  It's been my observation that in general, it is handled more

casually at airports out of the NY/NJ area.

My understanding is the card has metallic ink or something I'm bedded in it which will show up on xray so they know it's a declared firearm. I check my gun in a locked case inside a locked Haliburton suitcase. I've been told to put the card in the internal case and/or in the Haliburton at different times.

My understanding is the card has metallic ink or something I'm bedded in it which will show up on xray so they know it's a declared firearm.

That's what I've been told.

 

I've flown with my handgun probably 10 or more times out of Newark to Phoenix, Salt Lake, Las Vegas and Jacksonville and have never been asked to put the card in the case, just on top of the case.

 

The only "different" instruction I've received was in Vegas and that was that the ammo had to be in the case with the firearm.

 

Never been told that before and never did that before.