TexasCHLforum.com

The best advice I can give is to be flexible. Although the rules are essentially the same (As far as the TSA is concerned) procedure might be slightly different.

Take my recent trip to Michigan for example. Leaving Austin, I had my unloaded gun packed in a hard case and locked with TSA locks (ammo was in factory box in the same case). I notified the airline clerk at the counter. She had me sign a red paper (which just says that I affirm that the gun is unloaded…and blah blah blah) and had me place it on top of the gun case. She never asked me to open it or anything and then she sent me (unescorted) to the TSA station. At the TSA station the guy opened my bag and searched every pocket with the bomb sniff stuff….but he never even opened my gun case…it took about 15 minutes.

Leaving Michigan to head home, I had my gun packed the same way. This time when I declared my firearm at the airline counter, the clerk had me open the gun case. She then asked me if it was unloaded and then had me sign the red affirmation card. She had me put that red card inside the gun case (unlike Austin). At this point, she escorted me over to the TSA station and waited with me until the TSA agent told her that it was ok for her to leave. This time the TSA agent opened gun case and ensured that it was properly packed…he closed it, locked it, and put it on the conveyer belt…he did not search any other part of my bag.

Talking to both TSA aganets people traveling with guns occurs quite frequently. However, they see more people traveling with hunting rifles and shotguns as opposed to CCW pistols.