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I'm travelling next week to pick up my daughter in Calif. Her hubby is in the Marines and will be discharged in Sept. Meanwhile, I'm driving daughter and household goods back to Austin to set up their permanent residence as civilians. After 3 tours in Iraq, I'm sure he'll be glad to be back home. I know I am!

I am trying to be sure I have everything covered for bringing along my handgun(s). I have a TX CHL.
First of all, I'm flying Southwest to Ontario California. SWA seems to be pretty liberal in their rules for transporting firearms. You can pack as many as you like.
Must be unloaded, in a locked hardcase.
Can be its own bag or inside another travel bag (soft or hard side, no lock necessary).
MUST be checked and declared at the counter... NOT curbside.
The ammo can be in the same travel bag, but not in the firearm case.
Ammo must be in an appropriate container (fiberboard, wood or metal....plastic?). I'm inclined to have ammo in a separate bag than the firearm at check-in counter.

While driving....
In California, keep locked up firearm, unloaded either out of the passenger/driver area or in the trunk. No honoring TX CHL there.

In Arizona and New Mexico, rules are pretty similar to TX with reciprocity for both states, so I can carry.

Anyone see any errors or additions to this plan?

I have a copy of SWA regulations and copies of the reciprocity agreements of AZ & NM.

Thanks

Be sure to view and print out the TSA regs also.

txinvestigator wrote:Be sure to view and print out the TSA regs also.

Which are here:
http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?conte ... 19800ac232

O6nop,

Be sure and Read through the regs of each state that you plan to carry in. NM has some strange rules like you can only carry one gun at a time. Also, I believe, they don't have the alcohol issue as well thought out as we do. It's been a while, but the last time I looked on packing.org I got the impression that you can't carry anywhere they sell alcohol like places that sell gas and beer.

You go in to pay for your gas and you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law.

Also, kalifornia has a prohibition on hi-cap magazines, ones that hold more than 10 rounds.

Good luck.

SS

TSA regs are pretty much what he listed.

Locked in a hard-sided gun gase, unloaded.
Ammo seperate in fiberboard, metal or wood container - or other container designed to hold small amounts of ammo.
Weapon MUST be decalred through the airline.

While I am a fan of informing the screeners about what I have in my luggage, simply saying "there's a gun in there" would be silly and a good way to end up on the wrong side of DPS or ATF(both have large offices at DFW fwiw). Lots of stupid ignorant screeners who would not always be garuanteed to react in a professional manner if you mentioned something like that. They probably won't freak out, but it could make your day a little uncomfortable/hassle-ridden. On the other hand, there are plenty of very professional ones there that would not blink. Guess right ;)

O6nop wrote: Anyone see any errors or additions to this plan?


Thanks

Just one "addition". When you get face to face with that son in law: Please tell him everyone here said Thank You for his service!


Flint.

Thanks for all your advice. I'll keep checking in for updates until Tuesday when I leave.

I'm proud of my son-in-law as well as my daughter who has provided lots of support for him.

When you get face to face with that son in law: Please tell him everyone here said Thank You for his service!

I'll be sure to do that. He assured me he'd be at the airport to greet me. So, I'll do it then.

+1, thank him for all of us. My best friend is former Marine. Semper Fi from alot of folks around here.

IIRC, in the DPRK ammo in the magazine of a gun otherwise legally carried (i.e. in a case in the trunk) is considered loaded and hence illegal. Stow your piece with the mags empty as they are considered part of the gun.

I was able to take my trip with my carry, no problems, no incidents.

The folks at SWA and the TSA were very friendly and very familiar with the procedure for declaring a weapon at the check-in counter. Overall, it took maybe, an extra 5 minutes for paperwork and actually showing the weapon.

Driving home, there were no problems. There was a mandatory checkpoint along the way, where they stopped all vehicles. I'm not sure what it was for, probably looking for illegals. I was waved through. I was expecting them to ask for my ID but, as I said, I was waved through.

I was able to 'hangout' with my son-in-law and several of his buddies one night and made a point to thank them for their services to our country!

Glad to hear that everything went well for you and your daughter.

I appreciate your taking the time to thank the troops for their service.

I'm sure you're glad to have your daughter back home. Although Austin has changed over the years, it is still a good place to live (for a big city).

I lived there from 69-84...and will probably go back some day.

Good to hear that the airlines were cooperative.