Flying with a gun.

[Alexx1401]

Keltek,
Are you using the Pelican case as the exterior box/case/bag/container as well with the card inside with the firearm? Not sure if I'm understanding you correctly and just wanted to make sure. Some airlines may require the card to be on the outside of the case...which would obviously be bad since everyone would know it is a gun case. I chain mine to the inside of an unassuming suitcase and Southwest tapes the card to the case inside.

Your case layout is awesome, very clean!

Long ago the airlines used to put a sticker on the outside of the case. This became known as the "steal me sticker" since it told all the handlers which bag to steal. This was long ago done away with for just this reason.

 

[cooldudeinPDX]

View attachment 329558

finger on the trigger, YIKES !!

 

[jbett98]

If she shoots you, I bet you go straight to heaven.

 

[rawen2]

A person can also use a large hard-sided suitcase (like a pelican) and put their gun, ammo, clothes and everything else normally taken on a trip inside it. Lock it up at the TSA counter after inspection and it becomes the hard-sided case for your gun. Now no one can easily get into ANY of your stuff since it's locked with non-TSA locks. Still doesn't prevent someone from stealing the entire case however... but being that it's big it would be harder to smuggle out.

 

[CHLChris]

Ammo, magazines, and pistols can all be inside the same lockable case. I carry ammo in its factory 50rd box, 5 unloaded magazines, and 2 Glocks (G19 & G43) in my Pelican 1500.

View attachment 328167

I admit, I got some butterflies seeing this photo. Awesome!! However, with this load-out, you would need 68 rounds (3x15rd mags, 2x6rd mags, 2 chambers), but are only carrying 50. May I suggest cutting just a bit more out and bringing 2 boxes of ammo?

 

[keltek]

I admit, I got some butterflies seeing this photo. Awesome!! However, with this load-out, you would need 68 rounds (3x15rd mags, 2x6rd mags, 2 chambers), but are only carrying 50. May I suggest cutting just a bit more out and bringing 2 boxes of ammo?

I usually only carry one loaded pistol and one extra mag at a time. However I'm not opposed to adding another box of ammo to my case

 

[CHLChris]

I usually only carry one UN-loaded pistol and one extra mag at a time. However I'm not opposed to adding another box of ammo to my case

I fixed that for you.

Unless you meant what you carry on your person. I thought you meant you only check one "loaded" pistol in your Pelican case at the airport. I often check two pistols (and take all the assorted mags and holsters for them) on trips. Just like at home, I often have different levels of dress when I go on trips and need both my papa gun and baby gun.

 

[R3dundantC]

Alright so I'm on my first flight out of EUG since the Ft. Lauderdale shooting and the are SUPER paranoid about anyone checking a gun. For the first time the ticket agent called a supervisor over had had me remove my Pelican case from my luggage for inspection. TSA had me wait at the counter until they were done inspecting my luggage. Then, while going through the security line when TSA checked my ID and boarding pass it appears I've been flagged by the system. When they scanned my pass rather than the scanner turning green it turned to amber and I got looks from a couple of the agents. Make sure all your ducks are in a row, because they're looking for any excuse.

 

[WillametteWill]

Flew out of PDX today with firearms. There anyway, it was business as usual, no changes to the procedures and worked with a polite, helpful and efficient TSA employee. They guy in front of me was checking a rifle in a rifle case looking hard container and he, as well, zoomed right through.

So the real test will be in two weeks when if fly through Fort Lauderdale...more to follow after that experience.

 

[Alexx1401]

Flew out of PDX today with firearms. There anyway, it was business as usual, no changes to the procedures and worked with a polite, helpful and efficient TSA employee. They guy in front of me was checking a rifle in a rifle case looking hard container and he, as well, zoomed right through.

So the real test will be in two weeks when if fly through Fort Lauderdale...more to follow after that experience.

Try to remember here folks. This is how the system was set up. It's supposed to be easy as long as you do your part. The problem with this is when someone reads how easy it was so they show up with little time to spare. After all they were told it's easy. Then they are the unlucky guy who gets some new, anti gun, just plain stupid, or better yet all of the above nimrod at the counter. They try to check the gun and this nimrod tells them they can't. They will still get past this but there is no way of knowing how long it will take a person with a brain to get to the counter. You can wave a printed out sheet of the rules in their face and nothing will happen. So if you want to take gun in checked bags give yourself plenty of time. You should skate through and then you can relax on the secured side and kill some time. Unless missing the flight is no big deal. Since if some nimrod makes you miss the first flight the airline is going to do nothing to make this better for you.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I usually only carry one loaded pistol and one extra mag at a time. However I'm not opposed to adding another box of ammo to my case

Watch that weight restriction, it'll cost $75 if over by 1#!!!! They got me for 3#'s over...

 

[easy-e]

Watch that weight restriction, it'll cost $75 if over by 1#!!!! They got me for 3#'s over...

Alaska Airlines at SeaTac had me put my cases on the scale but in Raleigh they just handed me the slips and I slid them into the cases on the floor before they rolled them away to be inspected. I brought my luggage scale with me and I didn't shoot much ammo so I still had to be pretty careful to balance my gear between my two cases.

I bought heavy locks which ended up adding 3 pounds to each pelican case. I sat there for 10 hours individually weighing EVERYTHING. I even emptied my nylon molle pouches and put the stuff in ziplock bags to save a few pounds. In the future I'm going to try to just arrange to buy ammo when I get there or if I need to take more gear only overload one of them and just hope they don't weigh it. I can't carry/roll 3 cases so I would have to fit everything into 2 anyways.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I was never even close but that time I was expecting to stay for a month...... needs my stuff for that long....

 

[Skier]

Nice to hear. There have been a number of positive stories on this site about air travel with guns. I plan to go to Michigan next year to compete in the State games of America (the cheezy downscale olympics) with a couple of pistols and a rifle. Nice to hear I won't have big hassles.

I went to Michigan about 2 years ago, and here's my experience:

Leaving PDX: Pistol in small pistol case locked with a non-TSA lock (yes, that's how you do it), placed inside large checked baggage locked with a TSA-Compliant lock. Went to counter checked baggage, declared the firearm. They brought my bag down to the end of the counter, where I met with a TSA guy, who put on gloves, asked me to open my large bag, verified that my pistol case was locked (I don't honestly remember if he had me open the pistol case, I don't think so). He then swabbed the pistol case, maybe some of the clothes, and the outside of the large bag, stuck the swabs in a machine to check for gunpowder residue that my set off some other alarm or dog or something, but all came back clean. Zipped the big bag back up, locked it, and off it went on the conveyor belt. Everyone was nice, no attitudes, no problems. Pickup in Detroit was nothing different than without a firearm. Bag came down the turnstile.

Leaving DTW: Even easier. I declared it, told them it was in a locked case inside my big bag, and they said okay, and didn't even want to look inside or inspect like they did in PDX. Pickup in Portland was the same as usual, as well.

BTW, Michigan's rule on CCW is that they will respect out of state permits, so long as they're issued by your home state (e.g. if I have an OR driver's license, then my permit needs to match). For example, I have both Oregon and Utah permits, but in Michigan, even though Oregon has no reciprocity agreements, and Utah has a bunch, Michigan would respect my OR CWL, but not my UT permit.

If you're going to be traveling with a firearm and have an Android phone, I'd highly recommend the app called "Legal Heat." It allows you to download info (that is pretty kept up to date) about the open carry, concealed carry, transport rules, etc, for all the states in the US. Lots of good info, and in easy to use/read format.

 

[Skier]

I took my Utah class a while back. I think it was around four hours, the cost is pretty inexpensive and it's good for several years. It's nice now you can renew online.

Yep, roughly a half day class, fairly inexpensive, and UT is valid for 5 years (OR is only 4).

 

[Skier]

Yea, you toss it in your checked luggage.

And declare it...

 

[Skier]

Watch that weight restriction, it'll cost $75 if over by 1#!!!! They got me for 3#'s over...

My wife and I ran into a luggage weight issue on one of our flights, but we just opened the bag, and started pulling a could high density (i.e. heavier, but small) items from the bag, and threw them either in another bag that had a pound or two to spare, and a couple items in our carry-on/personal items. If you're worried you're close, check your heaviest/suspect bags first, or don't let them throw your other bags on the conveyor until you're sure they're all good to go, so you can redistribute weight, if necessary.

 

[Caveman Jim]

My wife and I ran into a luggage weight issue on one of our flights, but we just opened the bag, and started pulling a could high density (i.e. heavier, but small) items from the bag, and threw them either in another bag that had a pound or two to spare, and a couple items in our carry-on/personal items. If you're worried you're close, check your heaviest/suspect bags first, or don't let them throw your other bags on the conveyor until you're sure they're all good to go, so you can redistribute weight, if necessary.

I traveled alone & my carry on backpack was full, I should have left all but 32 rounds at home......

 

[jbett98]

Home Depot sells these nifty luggage scales for only $10.65

 

[Adam12]

Over the country, I have had different procedures but never had a bad experience. I usually fly Alaska but have flown other airlines and never had a problem. Only once was it more than a ten minute experience and that was only because they had to find a TSA agent and she had to check the bag... it took about fifteen minutes