TSA catching guns in carry ons.

[MrSmitty]

My daughter travels...alot, recently she was driving around south Florida (she lives near Tampa) so her husband put her G43 in her purse...fast forward a week, my daughter was home with her 5 kids driving around home doing mommy stuff...She then had to fly out of Tampa to Texas....guess who forgot the G43?......She splained to the TSA agents all of this, and they called her husband, and he told the same thing, not having previously talked to her, so they let her fly on, but they are leaving it up to the DA as to what he wants to do about it..... still waiting 2 months on......

 

[cg21]

Out of curiosity, I looked it up. Similar rules to an airplane:
Travel Policies - Alaska State Highway (Ferry):
Firearms, and ammunition transported in vehicles must be declared, and stowed in suitable locked compartments i.e., locked trunk, locked vehicle. Walk-on Passengers wishing to transport a firearm must surrender any and all firearms (and ammunition) to the custody of the Loading Officer or Purser for the duration of the passage.
Ticketed persons and vehicles entering an Alaska Marine Highway System facility, or boarding an AMHS vessel are subject to screening and/or inspections.

But what is really crazy is the price. Just for fun, I price compared:
Flying from Indy --> Anchorage for 3 people - $3500 round trip
Taking the ferry with 3 people and a car - $11,000 round trip
and that doesn't include the cost to get from Indiana to the northwest tip of Washington.

It seemed like a good idea until I got to that part. It would probably be kinda fun, but not $11k fun...

I thought it was around the 4K mark round trip still a lot but the vacation is about the journey not just the destination

 

[iceberg]

Meaning about 100,000 people walked on and off planes with guns and weren't caught...

Hot take, there is nothing inherantly dangerous or improper about CCW on a plane any more than walking down the sidewalk or riding the ...

 

[iceberg]

Meaning about 100,000 people walked on and off planes with guns and weren't caught...

Hot take, there is nothing inherantly dangerous or improper about CCW on a plane any more than walking down the sidewalk or riding the bus.

Can you elaborate on that? Not sure what you mean.

 

[iceberg]

I hate to admit it, but I’ve been down this road. My dad borrowed one of my 1911s but didn’t have a designated range bag, so he took it to the range in a backpack. When I gave it to him, it had a 10rd CM mag and spare loaded with critical duty rounds. A month or so later we were coming back to Indiana for Christmas and I didn’t pack ahead of time. We were in a hurry so I got to his place and threw some random items in the same backpack without checking all the pockets. I went through TSA and the bag got flagged, so I just assumed it was my electronic cigarette. Next thing I know, TSA, PBSO, and DHS are on scene asking me if I had a firearm in my baggage. Turns out my dad had put the CM mag/spare back and I had a loaded Sig Nightmare in my carry on.

The charges were eventually dropped and I got the gun back after threatening to sue PBSO, but I learned the hard way it’s an easier mistake to make than one might think.

Wow, glad to hear things worked out. Especially appreciate your story. Like a lot of folks my initial reaction was along the lines of "What idiot would do that?!?". But your story puts things in perspective I can relate to.

 

[Route 45]

While I definitely don't want to be the "it's perfectly fine to crank off shots in a pressurized aircraft" guy, it's hardly the only context for very high consequence shooting. Is a full subway car much different?

I could be wrong, but I don't think subway cars hit the ground at 400+ mph if critical systems are damaged by gunfire.

 

[Ark]

I could be wrong, but I don't think subway cars hit the ground at 400+ mph if critical systems are damaged by gunfire.

Are modern airliners built so frail that a 9mm hole in the fuselage can send them plummeting to the ground?

I'll take that risk over sitting calmly in my seat while the plane is driven into a building at 400+ mph.

 

[eldirector]

I travelled to and from DCA with a handful of spent brass in my carry-on. I had grabbed my range bag instead of my identical carry-on overnighter bag. Oops.

Never set of a single alarm or anything unusual.

 

[BigRed3588]

Wow, glad to hear things worked out. Especially appreciate your story. Like a lot of folks my initial reaction was along the lines of "What idiot would do that?!?". But your story puts things in perspective I can relate to.

I felt the same way until it happened to me. And trust me when I say it’s a horrible feeling. I had a T2 level security clearance at the time and would’ve lost my job if the judge hadn’t dismissed the charge.

 

[BigRed3588]

My daughter travels...alot, recently she was driving around south Florida (she lives near Tampa) so her husband put her G43 in her purse...fast forward a week, my daughter was home with her 5 kids driving around home doing mommy stuff...She then had to fly out of Tampa to Texas....guess who forgot the G43?......She splained to the TSA agents all of this, and they called her husband, and he told the same thing, not having previously talked to her, so they let her fly on, but they are leaving it up to the DA as to what he wants to do about it..... still waiting 2 months on......

My situation occurred at the West Palm airport. I went to my initial court date and the judge granted a continuance with the recommendation I complete a safety course (which I did). When I came back for the second court date they considered the safety course, my CWP, and my employment as a government contractor. The charge was dismissed outright and I was told the gun would be returned. When PBSO refused, I threatened to sue and they turned it over.

That being said, I paid quite a bit in attorney fees for that outcome

 

[ditcherman]

"What idiot would do that?!?".

Well, seems a good place for my story;
Flying to Az out of Indy wife and I were waiting to get through security, sometime in February, and were laughing and marveling at the sign at the front of the line that said how many firearms and related stuff was confiscated. Same deal, what idiot would do that?
I had planned on leaving my coat in the car, but was running a few minutes behind and had to park and wait for a bus so I just kept it on, with my toboggan in one pocket and gloves in another. That's why I didn't notice the weight of the loaded 1911 mag in an inside pocket.

I've never seen someone roll their eyes so hard. Scanner dude's shoulders fell and he sighed and said "we've got another one".

They believed my story, and the nice lady letting me go even rebutted my wife when she said "I don't know why he thinks he has to carry a gun" with an admonishment that she should too, just not at the airport.

 

[ditcherman]

Are modern airliners built so frail that a 9mm hole in the fuselage can send them plummeting to the ground?

I'll take that risk over sitting calmly in my seat while the plane is driven into a building at 400+ mph.

Of course a 9mm can! Planes have lungs too, ya know!

 

[Route 45]

Are modern airliners built so frail that a 9mm hole in the fuselage can send them plummeting to the ground?

I'll take that risk over sitting calmly in my seat while the plane is driven into a building at 400+ mph.

Yeah, that happens all the time, doesn't it?



I guess you missed the part where if you have a gun, then they likely have guns as well.

Good luck, Mr. Wick.

 

[BigRed]

Folks are aware that it was not that long ago when one could carry a sidearm and do so on an aircraft right?

 

[Joniki]

Folks are aware that it was not that long ago when one could carry a sidearm and do so on an aircraft right?

My Father did for years.

 

[1nderbeard]

people leave a bunch of stuff in bags. Especially people that (myself included) don't want a bag for every purpose and duplicate uses. I have to check all the pockets of my stuff everytime I fly.

Not unrelated I'm considering getting my private pilot's license to avoid airports forever. A six figure solution to a minor annoyance, yes.

 

[chipbennett]

My daughter travels...alot, recently she was driving around south Florida (she lives near Tampa) so her husband put her G43 in her purse...fast forward a week, my daughter was home with her 5 kids driving around home doing mommy stuff...She then had to fly out of Tampa to Texas....guess who forgot the G43?......She splained to the TSA agents all of this, and they called her husband, and he told the same thing, not having previously talked to her, so they let her fly on, but they are leaving it up to the DA as to what he wants to do about it..... still waiting 2 months on......

Yep; it's not always about being careless or stupid. As a frequent flyer with lots of home responsibilities, I can relate. I had a similar experience. Had a late-afternoon Sunday flight out of IND. Worked security at church that morning, went straight to a church building planning meeting, then straight to Sunday afternoon small group - ran late, and had to get to the airport. Forgot about my EDC until I was at the airport and in the security line. I didn't even go through the metal detector; told the TSA agent as I was emptying my pockets. He said, "too late; you already presented yourself to security."

In my case, IND TSA and IND PD were pretty awesome. The cop escorted me out, and handed my pistol back at the front door. I Ubered back home, dropped off the EDC, and Ubered back in time to catch my flight. No charges, I assume because I didn't actually try to take the firearm into the sterile side, although I had "presented myself" to security already. ( )

Still caught a hefty fine and loss of TSA PreCheck for 3 years, though.

I have a normal routine when flying. Bags are sterile. (My range bag and my travel bags never meet.) I change clothes before leaving for the airport, and I stow my EDC when I change clothes. It just so happened, that day, due to home/life circumstances, I was out of my routine. The fine hurt, but 3 years without PreCheck was downright painful.

 

[STEEL CORE]

Thousands of firearms discovered at US airports improperly presented , not unloaded, un declared, and or improperly packaged.
Most by mistake I bet.
How many hijackings, in flight shootings, negligent discharges, or other issues that you know of?
Many crank on TSA because you can, but it appears to me they are doing their jobs pretty well.
TSA (Thousands Standing Around)
keeping guns, water bottles, and other things like explosives off aircraft for over twenty years now.

 

[glank09]

Back in 2010, I got asked to fly out to the Baltimore area to assist in a warehouse inventory audit. We flew in on Monday morning for the audit to start on Tuesday morning. Long story short, Tuesday morning during the audit I grabbed my pocket knife to cut open a ripped box to count the contents. It was then I realized the knife was clipped to my jeans in my carry on bag. To this day I still question how a 3.7" stainless knife wasn't visible during the scan. If that can be missed, I guarantee a mostly polymer handgun can be missed.

 

[Dirtebiker]

Back in 2010, I got asked to fly out to the Baltimore area to assist in a warehouse inventory audit. We flew in on Monday morning for the audit to start on Tuesday morning. Long story short, Tuesday morning during the audit I grabbed my pocket knife to cut open a ripped box to count the contents. It was then I realized the knife was clipped to my jeans in my carry on bag. To this day I still question how a 3.7" stainless knife wasn't visible during the scan. If that can be missed, I guarantee a mostly polymer handgun can be missed.

I got to my condo at Park City, unloaded my backpack to get ready to ski- found my oversized utility knife with 7-8 extra blades!
TSA probably misses as much as they catch (at least knives, they might catch guns easier.)