Washington Shipping my pistol home

[Dogface Joe]

Hope this is the right place for this question. Thanks in Advance!
My daughter and her husband are moving to North Carolina and I am helping them drive there and will fly back to Seattle. I will have a handgun for the drive but need advice on getting it back home. From some reading it looks like getting a North Carolina FFL to ship it to a Seattle area FFL is one option. Are there others?

Thanks all for the responses! It never occurred to me to put it in my checked bag.

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[User 1234]

A). Ship it to yourself, or B) check it in your checked luggage and follow the airline's firearm procedures.

 

[Deavis]

Just put it in a checked bag.

Harbor freight little case with a pair of cheap keyed a like locks.

I fly with pistols a couple times a year.

Its easier than it sounds.

 

[Alexx1401]

You can fly back with it. Check the regs and SHOW UP EARLY. Its supposed to be simple. Normally it is. Now and then you run into some moron who makes it hard. All you can do is stay calm and wait for someone with a brain at that point. So do not cut it close and miss a flight. You can ship it to yourself but there is risk and hassle here.

 

[Anonymous 510]

Just grab a locked case to put it in...you can declare it as luggage... Has to be unloaded with no ammo around the firearm... And you can be the only person with the key... I'm not quite sure how many you can have now days but afew years ago it was 5 firearms and 50lbs of ammo per person

 

[HighlandLofts]

Fly back with it in a secure locked gun case in your checked in baggage.
Make sure you declare it at the check in counter.
They will take your case and you to a private room, check the gun & case out, put a card in the gun case and you will be on your way to the gate to leave. It doesn't take that long for the process.
I have flown with both handguns and long guns to several states with no problems what so ever.
For your ammo it will need to be in some sort of ammo case. I use the had plastic ammo cases from cabelas. The ammo also needs to be in a piece of checked in luggage.
Traveling with firearms isn't a big deal, just give yourself an extra twenty minutes of check in time just in case they are busy.

 

[P7M13]

Traveling with firearms isn't a big deal, just give yourself an extra twenty minutes of check in time just in case they are busy.

Depends on the airport.
Unknown airports, I arrive three hours before my flight.
Both at small and big (hub) airports, I've had to wait as much as 45 minutes just to have my gun case inspected. Some places make you wait outside the TSA gates until the case has passed all inspections.
It's an inconvenience, but if you miss a flight, that inconvenience is like comparing a fart to a full load in your shorts in a crowded subway.

 

[solv3nt]

Use an actual gun case made for carrying guns. Hawaiian airlines was hassling me on my locked ski case until I told them it was a black powder case. Do not use TSA locks. Carry the ammo in ammo box not in the magazines.

Check the TSA regs and the airline specific requirements. Don't forget that you're carrying and head into the checkpoint Charlie.

 

[weimar_police]

I have shipped guns in hold baggage numerous times and once I shipped like 10 of them for a gun show. All since 911.
You legally can ship it to yourself - read the ATF regs.

 

[Alexx1401]

Depends on the airport.
Unknown airports, I arrive three hours before my flight.
Both at small and big (hub) airports, I've had to wait as much as 45 minutes just to have my gun case inspected. Some places make you wait outside the TSA gates until the case has passed all inspections.
It's an inconvenience, but if you miss a flight, that inconvenience is like comparing a fart to a full load in your shorts in a crowded subway.

Ever since the beginning of having to check in firearms, LONG before TSA, there has been an amazing amount of "wrong info". Probably the one that makes me cringe the most is the "hell I have done this 5 or 6 times, takes :15, no big deal". The problem with people who tell everyone this is they may really have done it a few times. The system was set up to be that easy. What many do not want to "get" is the system is run by humans. Sadly some of them given a taste of power become kooks. Now if missing your flight is no big deal? Then by all means do not leave a time cushion. If missing your flight is a "big deal"? Get there plenty early. For every tale of how easy it was you can find a few of some poor person who ran into a kook on a power trip. The hands down WORST advice is to print out the rules and be ready to wave it in their face. This is the same as waving a flag at a bull and will get they same results. You are dealing with people who can not be fired and do not care if you miss your flight. So what I do? I get there with a couple hours to spare. Normally breeze through. I have something to keep me entertained on the other side of the security. Even the airport or airline someone has used multiple times with ease does NOT mean next time will be the same. Its all luck of the draw. Again though if missing the flight is a snap? Then no reason to give extra time to kill.

 

[Dogface Joe]

A). Ship it to yourself, or B) check it in your checked luggage and follow the airline's firearm procedures.

Ever since the beginning of having to check in firearms, LONG before TSA, there has been an amazing amount of "wrong info". Probably the one that makes me cringe the most is the "hell I have done this 5 or 6 times, takes :15, no big deal". The problem with people who tell everyone this is they may really have done it a few times. The system was set up to be that easy. What many do not want to "get" is the system is run by humans. Sadly some of them given a taste of power become kooks. Now if missing your flight is no big deal? Then by all means do not leave a time cushion. If missing your flight is a "big deal"? Get there plenty early. For every tale of how easy it was you can find a few of some poor person who ran into a kook on a power trip. The hands down WORST advice is to print out the rules and be ready to wave it in their face. This is the same as waving a flag at a bull and will get they same results. You are dealing with people who can not be fired and do not care if you miss your flight. So what I do? I get there with a couple hours to spare. Normally breeze through. I have something to keep me entertained on the other side of the security. Even the airport or airline someone has used multiple times with ease does NOT mean next time will be the same. Its all luck of the draw. Again though if missing the flight is a snap? Then no reason to give extra time to kill.

Good advice. I was going to print and take with me a TSA doc that I will probably leave at home now. I have no problem going early, always have a good book handy.

 

[Alexx1401]

Good advice. I was going to print and take with me a TSA doc that I will probably leave at home now. I have no problem going early, always have a good book handy.

It "should be" a snap as long as you clearly read the rules for both the TSA, and the airline you choose. Take something to do after you get past. In the event you run into a moron? All you can do is keep cool, ask for a supervisor. Somewhere there is always one who knows how it works. Arguing with some power trip idiot will only make it worse. Those are the kind who will dig their heels in just to show you. The workers who do this face nothing so they do not care. Its sadly just the way it is. Enjoy the time with family.

 

[Dogface Joe]

Hope this is the right place for this question. Thanks in Advance!
My daughter and her husband are moving to North Carolina and I am helping them drive there and will fly back to Seattle. I will have a handgun for the drive but need advice on getting it back home. From some reading it looks like getting a North Carolina FFL to ship it to a Seattle area FFL is one option. Are there others?

Thanks all for the responses! It never occurred to me to put it in my checked bag.

As a followup American airlines was great. I read the TSA and American airlines requirements and was prepared with a lockable metal box and TSA approved luggage lock. I even got to skip the line.

 

[solv3nt]

As a followup American airlines was great. I read the TSA and American airlines requirements and was prepared with a lockable metal box and TSA approved luggage lock. I even got to skip the line.

Do NOT use a TSA approved lock!!!!!!!

 

[Dogface Joe]

Do NOT use a TSA approved lock!!!!!!!

Why not?

 

[solv3nt]

Why not?

It's not required by law. TSA is already known to snag things out of bags, do you want them to be able to covertly snag your gun?

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Hope this is the right place for this question. Thanks in Advance!
My daughter and her husband are moving to North Carolina and I am helping them drive there and will fly back to Seattle.

1) Buy yourself a new carry piece for Washington.
2) Gift your current EDC to your daughter. No background check required.
3) Carry your EDC on the drive to North Carolina.
4) Leave your firearm with your daughter in North Carolina so you have something to carry while you are visiting them in the future.
5) Fly home and have wife pick you up at the airport with your new EDC.

 

[ma96782]

RE : Post #17


.......one of them says that they just don't want firearms in their house (even if just "stored").

And of course....
The requirements of different states.
Hint: SAFEKEEPING LAWS.

Aloha, Mark

PS..........why did I mention this?

Yeah.......I have a sister in California. But her BF is Anti-Gun.

 

[crstrode]

May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity?

Yes. A person may ship a firearm to him or herself in care of another person in the state where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner "in the care of" the out–of–state resident. Upon reaching its destination, persons other than the owner may not open the package or take possession of the firearm.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/may...s-or-her-use-hunting-or-other-lawful-activity

 

[Alexx1401]

It's not required by law. TSA is already known to snag things out of bags, do you want them to be able to covertly snag your gun?

YEP, use a lock only you have a key too. After the bag has been screened if further down the line some other droid wants to inspect it they will call you. That "normally" will not happen though because you already told them the gun was in the bag. Those TSA locks have a master key to them that there must be millions of floating around by now. Don't make it easier on the scum who want to steal.