Loading weapon in public

[rm9792]

+1 on the restroom suggestion. I pop into the stall and unload at the shows in case I want to try a holster or something. I dont get chambered till I get to the car. Pop into a stall, slide the mag in and go. Yes I have a loaded mag at the show, signs aren't legit and cops are just security guards so no moral issue to me.

[Excaliber]

Excaliber - take note of the text from the "flying with firearms" section on the AA site, that has changed (regarding TSA locks are now approved), it use to not say that (meaning, it didn't have that part last year, it's fairly new). So, AA policy has changed? Or they (AA) know something we don't? I dunno.

Thanks for calling attention to this.

It notes that the TSA locks are "now approved," indicating a change. It does not say that they are "required." I can see nothing to be gained by using a lock any TSA agent (or any of the lots of other folks who have gotten a set of TSA keys) could open with ease when a better (although only marginally so) option is available. It makes discreet theft just a little harder - and sometimes that's all it takes to make the difference between a gun that arrives at its destination and one that does not.

I also don't fly with my favorite high value firearms - my fly gun is a very easily replaced Glock.

Even better than that, when I visit friends or relatives who are also gun owners, I just make arrangements to borrow one of theirs (all the folks I know have more than enough to accommodate this) for the duration of the trip, and I provide the same arrangement when they come to visit me. The only thing that has to be transported is a holster if one of us is a southpaw and the other is not, or if our holster preferences differ. This eliminates the risk of gun theft during transit and saves time and hassle at the airport.

[rdcrags]

Drawing a gun at the ticket counter is NOT the way to handle things for anyone who wants to make his flight. There is NO good reason to do this, since the gun has to be unloaded and in a locked container in your luggage before it goes to TSA inspection.

My experience and interpretation of the rules: If you have a locked gun case inside a suitcase, the suitcase does not have to be locked, and, if it is, any old kind of lock is accepted.

[jordanmills]

At the gun show, it's legally no different than people openly carrying zip-tied unloaded handguns. Loaded/unloaded makes no difference for adults (except maybe in hunting regulations.)

Actually it is legally different. Penal Code Ch 46.15(3) would appear to cover gun shows. It eliminates applicability of 46.02 which prohibits carrying of weapons.

[ScottDLS]

At the gun show, it's legally no different than people openly carrying zip-tied unloaded handguns. Loaded/unloaded makes no difference for adults (except maybe in hunting regulations.)

Actually it is legally different. Penal Code Ch 46.15(3) would appear to cover gun shows. It eliminates applicability of 46.02 which prohibits carrying of weapons.

Gun show a "sporting activity" akin to hunting or fishing? What type of handgun is commonly used in that sporting activity.../ . And people think I'm crazy for thinking I can give someone "control" of my premises while I'm at home...

[cbr600]

At the gun show, it's legally no different than people openly carrying zip-tied unloaded handguns. Loaded/unloaded makes no difference for adults (except maybe in hunting regulations.)

Actually it is legally different. Penal Code Ch 46.15(3) would appear to cover gun shows. It eliminates applicability of 46.02 which prohibits carrying of weapons.

Like I said, there's no difference between loaded and unloaded in 46.02, 46.03 or 46.035 that I can see. If the openly carried zip-tied unloaded handgun is legal, then openly cutting the zip-tie and loading the handgun would also be legal, all else being equal.

[Dutchster]

For those who answered the airport scenario by using the restroom -how do you avoid public panic with the racking sound? It's pretty distinictive. Pehaps a well timed *cough*?

But seriously - how?

We just flew into DFW yesterday and had to get a rental car. I was annoyed by the gunbuster sign saying "State law prohibits carrying a concealed handgun on these premises." I went searching for the restrooms and found one, fully intending to do the cough and flush routine when I was pleased to see that they had a family restroom. Locked the door for privacy and took my time.

Other times when I've loaded up in the airport I've looked for a restroom at the far end of the terminal, away from any active baggage carousels. When everything is ready I do a quick scan under the stall to make sure nobody has walked in and then give a couple coughs while flushing. If it's busy I'll push my suitcase over just as I'm racking the slide. That creates enough noise and everybody knows what it is, especially if they look under the stall and see me reaching to pick it back up.

[dicion]

At the gun show, it's legally no different than people openly carrying zip-tied unloaded handguns. Loaded/unloaded makes no difference for adults (except maybe in hunting regulations.)

Actually it is legally different. Penal Code Ch 46.15(3) would appear to cover gun shows. It eliminates applicability of 46.02 which prohibits carrying of weapons.

Like I said, there's no difference between loaded and unloaded in 46.02, 46.03 or 46.035 that I can see. If the openly carried zip-tied unloaded handgun is legal, then openly cutting the zip-tie and loading the handgun would also be legal, all else being equal.

I have said this many times in the past as well. The law does not differentiate between loaded, unloaded, ziptied or not. a Ziptied gun in a holster is the same as a fully loaded handgun in the eyes of the law.

[RHenriksen]

Even better than that, when I visit friends or relatives who are also gun owners, I just make arrangements to borrow one of theirs (all the folks I know have more than enough to accommodate this) for the duration of the trip, and I provide the same arrangement when they come to visit me. The only thing that has to be transported is a holster if one of us is a southpaw and the other is not, or if our holster preferences differ. This eliminates the risk of gun theft during transit and saves time and hassle at the airport.

I love this. Don't have that sort of relationship with anyone I travel to visit at the moment, but this arrangement gives me warm fuzzies :-)

[mkosmo]

The TSA lock should go on the suitcase that holds your gun case, and your non TSA lock should go on the gun case itself. There should be no need for the TSA to open the gun case, because they can see what's in it on x-ray. However, they sometimes do. In my experience, they always ask me for the key and open it in my presence, then close everything up in my presence, give back the key, and we all go on about our business.

The way I read it (and did it, after verifying with the airline and TSA in the airport), was that I could use non-TSA locks on both. And so I did. No hassles. They could easily break in to the gun case if they get in to the luggage, so I feel more comfortable with two real locks.

[Excaliber]

The TSA lock should go on the suitcase that holds your gun case, and your non TSA lock should go on the gun case itself. There should be no need for the TSA to open the gun case, because they can see what's in it on x-ray. However, they sometimes do. In my experience, they always ask me for the key and open it in my presence, then close everything up in my presence, give back the key, and we all go on about our business.

The way I read it (and did it, after verifying with the airline and TSA in the airport), was that I could use non-TSA locks on both. And so I did. No hassles. They could easily break in to the gun case if they get in to the luggage, so I feel more comfortable with two real locks.

That's true, and shouldn't be a problem 99% of the time.

I usually use a TSA approved lock on the outer case and my own lock on the inner case. That way they can open the bag for inspection at some later point if they need to without breaking my lock.

In most cases it's not an issue because they either open it in front of me or ask me to stand by for about 5 minutes until they clear it by X-ray only, and they mark the routing tag with some local indication that the bag has already been inspected. My strategy would only come into play if a second inspection done for unusual circumstances were done at some point further on.

[Westfield]

I think this question pegs the stupid meter. Come on...When you are flying you don't unholster your gun and put it in your bag....You need to have it in a locked case IN YOUR LUGGAGE WHICH HAS TO BE CHECKED. You declare your locked handgun with the airline attendant and then you will be directed to TSA.
A little common sense is called for here. You don't need to rack your weapon in the airport's rest room. Let's use some common sense when we carry.

[ScottDLS]

I think this question pegs the stupid meter. Come on...When you are flying you don't unholster your gun and put it in your bag....You need to have it in a locked case IN YOUR LUGGAGE WHICH HAS TO BE CHECKED. You declare your locked handgun with the airline attendant and then you will be directed to TSA.
A little common sense is called for here. You don't need to rack your weapon in the airport's rest room. Let's use some common sense when we carry.

So when does your gun magically unload itself and put itself in a locked case...at home? So you forgo your right to protect yourself to and from the airport when you're flying?

Personally, unload mine in the car in the parking lot, but I always park close to the terminal. I understand people who prefer to disarm at the last possible moment before checking their gun in.

[drjoker]

Don't go into the restroom to load/unload your weapon at airports and gun shows. Restrooms and parking lots are favorite mugging places for thugs. You're unaware of your surroundings because you're preoccupied with your gun. BEFORE you finish arming yourself... BAM! Some low-life has a gun to your head (not good).

When going to the airport, have your guns secured per airline/TSA regulations (assume the position and prepare to be photographed nude and molested/groped). Don't fiddle with your gun in the parking lot, especially if you're overweight or drive a small car because the lack of space may cause you to have an accident. You can get bruised and some guy at Red's Range in Austin accidentally shot himself in the parking lot because he was fiddling with his gun in his car. Have an armed friend go to the airport with you (somebody has to drive you to the airport). When arriving at the airport, have an armed friend pick you up. Although it is legal to be armed in the unsecured area of the airport in Texas, be careful in other states as this may be illegal in other states.

At gun shows, just wear a poncho. In summer, I put the poncho in my backpack at gun shows. You can buy a poncho at any flea market or touristy Mexican place or online. You can buy a rain poncho in any sporting goods store. When going to a gun show, Israeli carry the gun by NOT chambering a round when carrying to the gun show. This makes it easier to unload the weapon under your poncho without having to drop a round on the ground when clearing the chamber. When leaving a gun show, you may chamber a round and holster the weapon under the poncho.

When arriving in a high crime gun banned city such as Los Angeles or Bogota, be sure not to get into a cab at the airport. Muggers driving gypsy cabs with fake licenses abound in places like Mexico DF, Bogota or Phnom Penh (just kidding about LA ). Book in advance for an armored car. Give them a secret code for verification. Before getting into the car with the guy holding up a sign with your name (especially if it is a common name like "Smith"), ask for the secret code word. Have the same armored car and driver drop you off at the airport (don't gamble on a new car/driver. tip the driver well and ask for his name.). You don't need the armored car routine in a low crime destination like Zurich, Hong Kong or Narita. For weapons banned areas, train in Krav Maga and carry a Mag Lite (big metal flashlight).

Also, when visiting dangerous 3rd world banana republics with bad traffic and a reputation for kidnapping Americans, consider NOT going by land and booking a helicopter to take you to your destination instead. In college, I had a college professor who scoffed at my idea to take a heli to see the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. She went by bus and was killed. I flew there directly by chopper from the international airport. At Angkor Wat, I told the pilot to keep the chopper engine running and took his flight control stick with me (to ensure that he doesn't leave without me when trouble starts, i tipped him a big chunk of change for him to accept this.). I visited Cambodia and left the same day, didn't even have to stay in a crummy prostitute/drugs infested Cambodian roach hotel.

To determine whether or not the armored car routine is needed, look at the following murder statistic web pages:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Sta ... crime_rate" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... icide_rate" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Be careful! Some American cities are more dangerous than most 3rd World destinations! For example, New Orleans and Baltimore are more dangerous than Bogota, Colombia!

Multiply the USA cities murder statistics page by 100 to compare it with the international murder statistics page because the international page is crime per 100,000 population and the USA page is crime per 1,000 population. Have fun getting raped by the Rapiscan at the airport!

[Bart]

I flew there directly by chopper from the international airport. At Angkor Wat, I told the pilot to keep the chopper engine running and took his flight control stick with me (to ensure that he doesn't leave without me when trouble starts

Pics?