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kidder014 wrote:

Excaliber wrote:Another thing to remember is that the metal box you lock the gun in should have a key that only you retain (not a TSA bypassable lock) and the luggage it's contained in should have the TSA lock on it. That way, if the bag is opened again after the initial inspection, it can be done without cutting off a lock and there is no direct access to the gun. The firearms declaration tag should be placed inside the bag on the outside of the metal storage box to show the gun has been declared.

I did have everything locked in the manner you specified above. The one thing I wanted to mention was that the TSA agents at both airports insisted on the declaration tag being inside the locked case with the gun. I personally thought this was stupid, and it would make a lot more sense for it to be on the outside of the case, since obviously i'm the only one with the key to that case, and if it was inside the case they wouldn't be able to verify it had been declared, but regardless, I was specifically told by the agent at DFW that it was to be inside locked up with the gun.

Long story short, I really don't think there are any specific rules regarding this process. CHL holders seem to understand one set of rules, the ticket takers understand another set of rules, and every TSA agent has his own interpretation of the rules as well. Doesn't matter to me, as long as my firearm makes it where it needs to be and I don't end up in handcuffs...

Your logic is correct, and most TSA folks I've met either understand leaving the tag outside the case is the most reasonable thing to do, or they catch on when I point out that a reinspection would require physical destruction of the case lock to verify that it had been declared. The good thing is, even if the tag is put in the case, the bag is almost never reinspected because of the symbol placed on the destination tag, so in practical terms it doesn't matter much unless something unusual happens.

Ticket agents appear to have very little training in this area, and you need to be vigilant and insist that the procedures you know are required are followed. If they're not, you're the one in trouble, not them. I make sure I know all the ins and outs, and ask for a supervisor at the first sign of uncertainty.

kidder014 wrote:

Excaliber wrote:Most TSA folks I've dealt with are much more knowledgeable than the airline ticket agents and take care of their end efficiently. They aren't allowed to touch the gun, but they may ask you to show them the empty magazines, empty magazine well, and empty chamber. I take the magazines out of the gun and put a plastic chamber flag in the breech to give a visual indication that there are no cartridges present.

Interesting... someone should inform the TSA agent that inspected my bags in MCO of this detail. He had no problem handling my pistol, while I stood behind the barricade and watched. The agent at DFW picked it up with tongs, and inspected it that way, but the agent in MCO didn't bother with the tongs at all. I was surprised he actually took the time to put on latex gloves.

Their rules say they're not to actually handle it, and the TSA agent I worked with on Sunday confirmed that again. However, the implementation of this rule is spotty at best, and I've had curious agents handle the guns at least as often as not. If they go to pick it up, I ask them if they are qualified to inspect firearms for safety, and offer to demonstrate that it is unloaded for them. If they insist on handling it, I figure they can do whatever makes them happy as long as they don't damage the gun. To do otherwise would probably result in a lot of unhappiness and a missed flight. This approach has worked pretty well for me so far, and I haven't had any really bad experiences on the TSA side of the process.

Another thing to remember is that the metal box you lock the gun in should have a key that only you retain (not a TSA bypassable lock) and the luggage it's contained in should have the TSA lock on it. That way, if the bag is opened again after the initial inspection, it can be done without cutting off a lock and there is no direct access to the gun. The firearms declaration tag should be placed inside the bag on the outside of the metal storage box to show the gun has been declared. I also ask the TSA agent to place an "inspected baggage" notice along with it so if it is opened later (which hasn't happened to me yet), there shouldn't be any need for anyone to go through the bag again. The inspecting agent usually also marks the luggage routing tag on the outside with some symbol specific to the airport that lets other inspectors know what is inside and that it has been checked.

bdickens wrote:You could just drive and save all that hassle.

Yup, I could, but I couldn't see as many people or be in as many places in a given time as I can by flying.

For me, a 4 hour drive is the dividing line for business - 4 hours or less, and I drive. 4+ hours I fly - unless I can work in some fun sidetrips by driving.

I fly a lot, both with and without guns in checked baggage.

When declaring a gun, I find that I often have to tell the ticket agent what the procedure is. Some of them will otherwise just put your bag on the belt with no declaration card inside and no notification to TSA. This happened to me this weekend when flying Continental out of DFW. I had to refuse to let the bag go and demand to see a supervisor to get it handled properly. If you let them just put your bag on the belt, you can be sure neither you nor your luggage will make your flight when the apparently undeclared gun shows up on x-ray and the LEO's come looking for the guy it belongs to. If the agent appears confused and doesn't know what to do, always ask to speak to a supervisor. They are usually well versed in the procedure and can straighten things out pretty quickly.

When flying with a gun, leave LOTS of extra time. You will have to go through the line at the service counter to declare the gun with an agent, and unless you've got elite flyer status, that can take quite a while. I suggest being at the ticket counter at least 2 hours prior to flight time to avoid having to make a mad dash to make your flight.

The airline you fly and their checked baggage handling procedures also make a difference. Some will go through the declaration process and escort you to the TSA screening point. This usually goes fairly quickly. Others do not have access to the screening point, which is in the basement in some airports. In that case, you will have to wait for a TSA agent to be called to meet you at an inspection counter. This process can easily take 30 - 45 minutes.

Most TSA folks I've dealt with are much more knowledgeable than the airline ticket agents and take care of their end efficiently. They aren't allowed to touch the gun, but they may ask you to show them the empty magazines, empty magazine well, and empty chamber. I take the magazines out of the gun and put a plastic chamber flag in the breech to give a visual indication that there are no cartridges present.

Ammo should be transported in the original packaging and secured with rubber bands or tape. The reason is that if the rounds fall out of the box due to the rough handling baggage receives, your baggage becomes noncompliant and TSA must make a decision to either confiscate the ammo and do a whole bunch of paperwork, or go fishing for each loose round in your luggage and put them all back in the box. You don't want to put them through this aggravation, and if this happens there's a real good chance your bag won't make it onto the same plane you'll be on. This brings up a whole host of other issues about how you and the bag can be reunited at your destination. A little rubber band or tape prevention goes a long way to make for uneventful travel.

Go to handgunlaw.us. Click the "All State Laws" link in the menu on the left side and select "Florida." That should give you all the info you need for that state, and for all the other states as well.