Question for traveling w/ handgun?

[xwing]

If you were to drive to Florida and then fly home...would you:

Buy an inexpensive but dependable pistol in case the airline loses it?

Or

Carry a normal EDC in your rotation and hope for the best?

Carry my normal one. EDC is meant to be used, not to be a BBQ gun. I've flown with my firearm many, many times and never had an issue. If for some reason the airline loses it, I would just bite the bullet and buy another...

 

[BigRed3588]

I’ve flown with my EDC multiple times and it’s handled separately from other baggage.

Once you declare it, you’ll have to stand aside and wait for TSA to arrive. They’ll have you open the case so they can verify it is properly secured and unloaded. Then they’ll put a tag inside the case, which I assume shows up on x-Ray so they know it was inspected. When you get to your destination, you’ll have to go to the airline’s office and show your ID to retrieve the luggage containing the firearm.

IMO, it’s probably the safest way to transport a firearm. Look at the chaos a few late departures can create. Can you imagine if they lost a firearm inside the secured perimeter of an airport?

On a side note, always pay attention to your connecting flights when traveling with a firearm. A lot of airports shut down at night and make you exit the secured area (LaGuardia is one of them). The last thing you want is to have your flight cancelled and get held over somewhere like NYC. You’ll have to re-check that bag and I believe they’ve arrested people in that situation in the past.

 

[Mgderf]

Where and when are you going?
You can PM me etc.
We might overlap and I'm driving both ways.

"Twigs &berries, twigs & berries..."

 

[cosermann]

Your luggage containing a firearm is likely safer in the airline‘s hands than luggage without a firearm.

I’ve heard of people deliberately packing a firearm in with other valuable items to ensure the container handled with extra care.

This said. YOU need to know what the procedure is. Sometimes the airline people don't know what THEY'RE supposed to do (i.e. are ignorant of their own policies/procedures). Not sure how often this happens, but if you fly enough, or get unlucky, you may run across one of these jackwagons. Probably will not result in the loss of a gun, but will probably involve some significant inconvenience. DeviantOllam discusses some of his experiences and some tips here (longish video, language warning).

Tips at the end around 34:33:

 

[ImNoTech]

Always carry what you’re comfortable shooting! Always carry what you can be safest with. I would probably carry
Me personally I would carry a gun that was under 1k to not chance my expensive collection but I wouldn’t do something that was only $200 like a hi point just because I thought it would get lost.

 

[Gabriel]

Considering the fact that I refuse to check baggage (I carry everything in a carry on), I just leave the gun at home... but that's flying both ways. If I were driving one way, I'd just ship the firearm home before I flew back.

 

[wcd]

We put our fireams in baggage and the airlines have a well documented history of losing those.

I must have been very fortunate when I flew from South Dakota to Indiana. I was told my baggage was lost . After a phone call from the division my baggage was located in less than 30 minutes, and ready to be claimed. So yeah my vote goes for reliable but inexpensive edc.

 

[J Galt]

I used to fly with firearms in checked baggage a fair amount (pistol and rifle). I accepted the fact that it might be stolen and went anyway. I field stripped it and placed (cable) locks on the field stripped pieces to make it less appealing to any airport thief.

I have not lost a firearm to theft while flying.

Check with the specific airline(s) web page(s) you are flying with for their specific requirements. Print out the page with their instructions and bring it with you. The ticket agent may, or may not, be familiar with the procedure. Arrive early. Follow any nonsensical requests. Smile and nod. Think back to Idiocracy. Bless their hearts. Have a good flight!

 

[STEEL CORE]

EDC carry your firearm.
When ready to come home, properly follow airline and Federal guidelines.
Pick up your EDC when you get back through baggage claim, and live happily ever after.
Yes I have had my luggage delayed, yes I had another Officer pick up my bag once by mistake, pissing me off pretty good that day, but never have I had a bag lost or stolen.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I’ve flown with my EDC multiple times and it’s handled separately from other baggage.

Once you declare it, you’ll have to stand aside and wait for TSA to arrive. They’ll have you open the case so they can verify it is properly secured and unloaded. Then they’ll put a tag inside the case, which I assume shows up on x-Ray so they know it was inspected.

All of this varies. I've never had to stand by for TSA, just the gate agent for the airline verifies it. The tag is just a regular tag, nothing that x-ray will show and x-ray isn't all that precise anyway. They can pop your luggage open with the TSA key to check it if they like.

What I do is break the gun down if it's a semi-auto and put the slide in one cut out and the frame in another (foam inserts) and then it IS readily obvious it's in non-firing condition via x-ray. With a revolver I run a gun lock through the frame window, accomplishing the same thing.

Ammo can be in your luggage as well, how it's stored varies from airline to airline. Some allow loaded mags, some don't, some require certain containers.

Some airlines will make you pick up the bag at the luggage office like it was "lost luggage", which has pros and cons.

I've only flown through relatively friendly states like NV, TX, CA, etc. Don't know about NYC, etc.

 

[KokomoDave]

We are enroute to Florida right meow. Sitting shotgun snd navigator position.
In Tennessee maybe going to go to Buckees but I seriously doubt it. Driver has Five Finger Death Punch on tunes & we both hs e had 4 Rdelines each and no breakfast or lunch. Determined to get were we are going.
I'm packing my Kahr and 3 magazines. SRO has his dept issued G19 and 3 spares.