I will be traveling with a firearm. (I work in St. Louis; having the means of personal protection may unfortunately become relevant shortly, depending on the timing of a certain grand jury decision announcement.) My current EDC is a Ruger SR9c, and rather than risk anything happening to it, I just picked up a second one to use specifically for such travel.
I have never flown with a firearm, so this will be a new experience. I would appreciate any pointers, tips, gotchas, etc.
Ruger ships the SR9c in what appears to be a suitable, hard-sided case. A quick pass with the drill press, and it has a nice, 3/16" hole in the center of the clasp, for which I've purchased a conventional (i.e. non-TSA keyed padlock. Opening either of the two side clasps, the gun can't be accessed when padlocked. So, I think I'm good on packaging.
I will be putting the locked gun case inside of a small suitcase, that I will check. I believe I understand the process to be like so:
1. Put gun in hard-sided case
2. Padlock hard-sided case with non-TSA lock, and keep control/possession of the key at all times
3. Put the padlocked, hard-sided case inside the luggage to be checked
4. Arrive at the airport with spare time (I'm figuring an extra 30 minutes?)
5. Proceed to the airline (United) check-in counter (I'll already be checked in - I assume I can check in online still?), and state that I have a firearm to declare in my checked luggage
6. The airline will have a TSA agent inspect the checked firearm
7. I will unlock the luggage, then unlock the gun case for inspection, while keeping the gun-case padlock key on my person (i.e. don't give the key to the TSA agent)
8. The agent will inspect the firearm, and then add a declared-firearm tag of some sort
9. I will re-lock the gun case, then re-lock the luggage
10. The airline will have me sign a firearm declaration form, and then handle the checked luggage as per normal
Is there anything else? Does this appear to be correct, and have I covered all the bases?
Also: I can carry up to 11 pounds of ammunition, provided that it is in appropriate packaging, in the checked luggage?
Has anyone encountered any issues regarding flying with firearms, or doing so at Indy airport specifically?
I have never flown with a firearm, so this will be a new experience. I would appreciate any pointers, tips, gotchas, etc.
Ruger ships the SR9c in what appears to be a suitable, hard-sided case. A quick pass with the drill press, and it has a nice, 3/16" hole in the center of the clasp, for which I've purchased a conventional (i.e. non-TSA keyed padlock. Opening either of the two side clasps, the gun can't be accessed when padlocked. So, I think I'm good on packaging.
I will be putting the locked gun case inside of a small suitcase, that I will check. I believe I understand the process to be like so:
1. Put gun in hard-sided case
2. Padlock hard-sided case with non-TSA lock, and keep control/possession of the key at all times
3. Put the padlocked, hard-sided case inside the luggage to be checked
4. Arrive at the airport with spare time (I'm figuring an extra 30 minutes?)
5. Proceed to the airline (United) check-in counter (I'll already be checked in - I assume I can check in online still?), and state that I have a firearm to declare in my checked luggage
6. The airline will have a TSA agent inspect the checked firearm
7. I will unlock the luggage, then unlock the gun case for inspection, while keeping the gun-case padlock key on my person (i.e. don't give the key to the TSA agent)
8. The agent will inspect the firearm, and then add a declared-firearm tag of some sort
9. I will re-lock the gun case, then re-lock the luggage
10. The airline will have me sign a firearm declaration form, and then handle the checked luggage as per normal
Is there anything else? Does this appear to be correct, and have I covered all the bases?
Also: I can carry up to 11 pounds of ammunition, provided that it is in appropriate packaging, in the checked luggage?
Has anyone encountered any issues regarding flying with firearms, or doing so at Indy airport specifically?