OK - 

so last year i chickened out; but this time i am doing it!  Tomorrow i leave for Florida for vacation and would like to carry my Nano.

I got me a new plano case and non - tsa locks

and got everyone nice and snug -

 

i know that i have to declare and all that stuff.  Quick question for the veterans - 

loaded or unloaded mags?

After declaring goes back in checked suitcase (with cloths and what not) to be checked

ammo in checked suitcase in box or other secured case? or should i just buy it when i get there?

 

cheers,
AM

 

 

Unloaded mags.

Check with the individual airline for requirements for ammo. If United, it's OK to keep it in the same case as the gun, but it has to be in a box of some sort.

1.  Ammo must be in factory boxes or boxes designed for ammo.  Leave it in factory boxes then there is no question.  Don't load magazines.

2.  I've flown United, American, and Delta in the past 6 months.  I carry my guns in a small lockable steel case which is cabled to the hinge of a Haliburton which has a combo lock on it.  No room for ammo, mags, or holsters with the gun.  I put the all the extras in the Haliburton and have had no problems.  Take your ammo with you.  Gun is worthless without it.

3.  I've flown at least 50 times since I retired out of Newark, Philly, and JFK.  Other than declaring the only incidents I've had were:

-once the ticket agent asked me to show the inside box locked.

-once the agent had asked me to show the gun was unloaded.  That was at O'Hare.

-American makes you pick up your bag at the baggage service office on arrival.  That's supposed to be extra security.  Sure was, they sent my bag to Charlotte instead of Philly.  I had to go to Philly the next day to pick up the bag because they said they wouldn't deliver the luggage with a gun.  I'll never fly American again.

-Kansas City had private screeners not TSA.  They told me to give them the keys so they could check the bag in the back.  I told them no as that was a violation of TSA regulations.  After some "discussion"  the bag was opened in my presence.

-flying out of JFK I encountered PAPD.  I'm covered under LEOSA so there was no issue.  The PAPD officer told me their issue is people who bring a handgun to NY and stay in NY. Then they are violating NY law. He said if I was coming from NJ just to get a flight at JFK it would also be no problem.  That was what he told me.  Fact is you can get a flight to anywhere out of Philly or Newark.

They will have you wait at the counter for TSA to check the bag.  Usually takes about 10 minutes.  If you're checking in well ahead of time at a smaller airport I've had them tell me to just listen for my name on the PA.  They'll call me if TSA has an issue (they never did).

I've never had an issue with my locked hard case inside a locked hard case.

thanks for the info.  I am leaving from Atlantic CIty and heading to Fort Myers, we shall see how it goes.  

 

It will go fine,  I just got back from Florida,  always bring my CCW pistol,  it's a non issue,  they don't even bat an eye.... Just declare it,  follow the rules, and you will have no problems.

The Pelican case gets locks only you can open, they may want to tape the declaration form to the outside of the Pelican case (new thing this last trip to FL if the case is in luggage), mags your choice.  

I never taped the declaration to the interior locked case.  I always put it in a portion of the case where there is no metal (other than the suitcase itself). I believe the "declared firearm" has metal in the ink so it shows up on xray.  If you put the tag on a metal case it may not show up clearly.

Used to be you could carry loaded magazines.  I read somewhere it has to be in factory boxes or something designed to carry ammo (which a magazine is).  I've always used a factory box.  No question if my magazines are "designed to carry ammo".

Just my experience.

At Newark/United I have flown with the mags loaded in the same case with the gun without any issue. Just be sure to leave extra time. They ask for your combination, which they're not supposed to do, but I didn't make an issue of it and told them. 

I use this case. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003841ZBS/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1509785765&sr=8-15&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=gun+lock+box+gunvault&dpPl=1&dpID=51FCTlCElLL&ref=plSrch

@bcp281 I use the same case but with a key lock.  Easily holds a full size SA with room for a 380 or j frame.