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Might be making a quick trip from Dallas to Houston next week to pick up a car and drive home. How should I go about taking my gun so I can have it for the drive home? I know it will have to be checked, but what's the standard procedure?

Here is a summary of my recent experience as described in this thread http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=43467" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Well, I'm back from vacation and wanted to share my experience of flying with my gun.

First of all, if anyone is hesitant or unsure about doing this..Don't be. It couldn't have gone more smoothly.
The important thing is to do a little research of the airline and TSA guidelines, and of coarse the laws in the state(s) which you will be traveling.

I used a Nanovault, which for those who don't know is a slim steel lockable box with a steel cable to attach it to something solid.
I stored the unloaded gun and a box of ammunition inside and locked it. The steel cable looped around the structural support inside my luggage.

Upon checking my luggage I informed the baggage clerk that I need to declare my firearm (don't say gun) and that I need to fill out the appropriate form. The form is really just a card that has your contact info and flight info.

At this point I was expecting her to call for a TSA agent but she never did. She just asked me to open the box so she could see the gun and ammo. That was it. I locked the box and she taped the form onto the outside. I closed up the luggage and locked it with a TSA lock.

Coming back the other way was a little different but still effortless. This time the baggage clerk called a TSA agent who showed up in a couple of minutes. He leaned down, looked at the gun and said "looks good to me". He explained that my luggage would still be subject to search but the box inside would not since it had the form on it

Overall it wasn't any harder or more time consuming traveling with my firearm and I would highly recommend it to anyone who can legally do so."

Here's my procedure:

1. Place the unloaded gun and magazines in a pelican case with my name and cell phone on a tag attached to the case. Make a note of model and serial number (just in case you need it for some reason).

2. Padlock in both places for the case (do not use a TSA approved lock). Keep the key with you at all times. You may need it during an inspection.

3. Case goes in suitcase.

4. Place ammo in a factory box (this is a requirement at American Airlines - they have asked me about the ammo in the past).

5. Put the ammo in the suitcase.

6. Put a TSA approved lock (i.e one they can open) on the suitcase

7. Declare it at the counter ("I have an UNLOADED firearm to declare" is my exact words). You'll have to sign a card. Ask the clerk where to put the card (in with the gun, or just in the suitcase - it varies from airport to airport)

From there the process varies from airport to airport. D/FW will make you take the case to a particular TSA station for inspection and sometimes they want you to open the gun case, Las Vegas just takes the bag and puts in the conveyer.

When I get to my destination and claim the bag, I immediately open the bag and ensure the gun case is still there. If it weren't I would contact the airline baggage people and insist on both law enforcement and TSA be present for reporting a stolen firearm. If they don't want to contact law enforcement, I would pick up the phone and dial 911 to report a firearm has been stolen from the secure area of either your departing or arriving airport.

I've done this about a dozen times and have never had an issue.