Transporting hunting guns on airlines?

[boycan]

I plan to fly to Michigan the week before Thanksgiving and would like to take my shotgun and my 45 S&W, does anyone have any post 911 experience traveling with guns? I know they can't be carry on naturally.

1. Is it even cost effective anymore since I could use the brother-in-laws guns but would love to play with mine.

2. Would/do you insure them and if so I assume you do that thru the airlines?

3. I know you have to use an airline approved gun case and the ammo has to be seperate but haven't seen ammo cases boasting airline approved. Have I missed that?

Any first hand experiences and advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[fuelfather]

go to the website of your preferred airline and look there. I know some people have posted that they shipped the ammo in the gun case with the firearm unloaded. But airline specifics will be on the airline or TSA specifics

 

[kingofwylietx]

Don't worry about it, they deal with this all the time. I've not had any issue with it. It should be unloaded (obviously), you need a TSA lock, and the ammo must be seperate from the firearm. Call your airline & ask for any suggestions. It's reall not a big deal.

 

[MuddyWaterMan]

Actually you don't NEED a TSA lock, but it IS better.

 

[MuddyWaterMan]

Oh! The ammo only has to be seperate for certain airlines, others it can be in the same case. Just check with your airline.

 

[Gutshot]

Unloaded and in a secure lockable container. As said some airlines will let you carry in same container as gun. I carry my ammo separtly. When I carry a bolt action rifle, I place bolt in separate bag. If some aairline bag smasher was to try to steal it it would be worthless with out it. I worked for a major airline. Get a good case. I have seen them drive over cased rifles before. They just don't give a f***. They are in an union and the company will not go after them. Hey that is what insurance is for! I would self insure. It is hell to get them to pay and don't exspect them to pay full price on your Weatherby if you don't insure it. I haven't had any bad experiences while traveling with mine. A word of advice...don't try to carry through England with one. They are very anti-gun, hunting, and American overall and will deliberly try to destroy you gun.

Gutshot

 

[kerryp]

Actually you don't NEED a TSA lock, but it IS better.

Don't worry about it, they deal with this all the time. I've not had any issue with it. It should be unloaded (obviously), you need a TSA lock, and the ammo must be seperate from the firearm. Call your airline & ask for any suggestions. It's reall not a big deal.

Your best bet is to go to the TSA and Airline websites to research what is needed, below is an excerpt from TSA's web page about TSA locks:

"We recommend that you provide the key or combination to the security officer if he or she needs to open the container. You should remain present during screening to take the key back after the container is cleared. If you are not present and the security officer must open the container, we or the airline will make a reasonable attempt to contact you. If we can't contact you, the container will not be placed on the plane. Federal regulations prohibit unlocked gun cases (or cases with broken locks) on aircraft. TSA locks are not approved for securing firearms "

Here is the link to the TSA page on transporting firearms (you still need to go to research the airline you are flying in addition to this):

[url]http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm[/URL]

 

[kingofwylietx]

Your best bet is to go to the TSA and Airline websites to research what is needed, below is an excerpt from TSA's web page about TSA locks:

"We recommend that you provide the key or combination to the security officer if he or she needs to open the container. You should remain present during screening to take the key back after the container is cleared. If you are not present and the security officer must open the container, we or the airline will make a reasonable attempt to contact you. If we can't contact you, the container will not be placed on the plane. Federal regulations prohibit unlocked gun cases (or cases with broken locks) on aircraft. TSA locks are not approved for securing firearms "

Here is the link to the TSA page on transporting firearms (you still need to go to research the airline you are flying in addition to this):

[URL="http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm"][url]http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm[/URL][/URL]

Nice catch! We never used a TSA lock (don't even have one), but thought they required them now.

 

[boycan]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Okierifleman]

I fly all the time with them. Its really pretty painless. Both Continental and Southwest require the ammo in a different bag. As was said earlier, buy a good, lockable gun case. TSA locks are not required, I use 2 small, keyed alike, masterlocks on my Browning travel vault and they work fine. Pack them with the bolts out, but in the case, show them they are unloaded, sign the little tag, and you are done.

 

[CharlieBear]

I travel with my Rifle and Pistol to MN out a corpus for the past 9 years. Continental Airlines

Invest or borrow a well made, sturdy, hard side lockable gun case. I've a metal cabelas case and another metal gun case with small wheels and they get banged around (i can see the scars) and I only have one wheel left.

I always take the bolt out of the rifle to show its empty and store it in my other bag. You can keep the bolt with your gun in the case if you want. (thinking about it if they loose my bag but I get my gun, I can't shoot) (never happened, but who knows)

per pistol, my clips are stored in my other bag. The slide is back and locked to show that it is empty. I'll store my pistol in the same case as my rifle.

All rounds must be stored in a box! If I remember its a one pound limit on all rounds. The box of rounds is packed in the my normal checked bag along with my clothes. Dont' forget the heavy bag rule on most airlines. Buy rounds where you are going if you plan to light things up and do alot of shooting.

You must check in 2 hours prior to departure time! (I learned that lesson the hard way)

Basically, you present your case at check in, open it when the TSA person shows up, they'll eyeball it and ask a simple question or two, make you sign a red gun tag, they;ll put the tag in the case and they will usually close it and lock it for you. They've always let me stand by and watch them lock it and give me back my key or spin the locks for my benefit.

I've never bought insurance, I am more worried about lost more than I am about damaged goods, my Cabelas case is bad ass and very sturdy. Plus, I can really raise a stink if they loose a gun via transit. That would have TSA shitting bricks about a lost gun in an airport.

Good luck, get a big one, and take lots of pictures