Flying and Checking a Firearm. FL law

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DanB

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Since these threads are few and far between I figured I would seperate this from my vacation thread in the GD section.

We flew out of DFW on American. I checked both TSA and American's websites and found the most restrictive requirements(American's) for checking firearms. Really only difference from TSA to American is the requirement to have all Ammo in a factory container and not in the magazines. They only thing I was asked to show were empty magazines.

At DFW I had to physically carry my bag from the check in counter where I picked up my boarding passes and got that nifty card I signed declaring the gun unloaded to the station labeled Oversized luggage. This is where they take golf clubs and other oddly shaped luggage declared as oversized. the Homeland Security guy made fun of the lock on my bag(What can I say it was free). Other than that the process was painless.

Flying out of Fort Myers I checked the bag just as I did at DFW but had no additional requirements it went on the same belt as my wifes suitcase. I was told if they had issues I would be paged.

I went to Bass Pro and picked up one of their smaller metal hardside cases that has a key lock latch. I paid less than $30 for it. Its big enough to fit my Glock 23 ammo, magazine and a couple of knives snugly. The Glock stayed home and the Keltec P3AT went on the trip. It along with the small box of ammo, two magazines, two holsters, my Benchmade and Plan B all fit the case without issue. I locked them up and didn't think twice.

Painless to fly with a firearm. I pulled the case out of my bag and loaded the gun in the car before backing out of my spot at DFW.

Hope this helps some.

On the FL CCW Laws I found nothing to terribly different from OK laws. Knife law was the biggets. In OK you can carry a fixed blade without a CCW. In FL most knives that have a blade that folds into the handle are not considered "weapons" However Most fixed blade knives are. You must have a CCW in order to carry a Weapon(gun or knife) concealed.

As usual do your own reading and make your own decisions on carry. I honestly didn't even take a gun or my Plan B out of the house we were staying in. I made a bet that most meals would involve some sort of Alcohol and didn't want to mix the two.
 

Grant

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Glad to see you made it with out any problems.

I just got back the 5th from my trip to FL and had no problems. I brought both my G26 and my also for my wife had my her G19.

Here is how I had them packed:
I picked up an aluminum sided case from Sports World for about $30. Both guns had the slide open one of those hokey cable locks through them. I had a small spare piece of cable laying around and looped it through it's self around the interior frame of the luggage (where the handle pulls out) and then back into the gun case where I had cut a small notch. This cable was fed through one cable lock and locked to the other.

This is obviously overkill but I didn't want any problems with it since I was traveling with the in-laws.

Ammo was in a hard plastic case. Note that it must be a case that separates each individual cartridge.
 

cowboydoc

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Glad things went well for you.

In general my experiences have been good when flying with a firearm. I just flew out of Tulsa on American (again) yesterday and the guy made the comment that I didn't look nervous like most people when I was checking my pistol in at the counter. I told him I've done it a few times before.
 

hipshot

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several years ago ( before al- queda) I bought 3 pistols in Las Vegas at an auction for ffl dealers only, When I got ready to head back I called the airline and asked what to do to transport back to Texas, I was told the person at the ticket counter would have me open the weapon and show them it was clear, When I got there I informed her what I had and she said I had to show her they were unloaded. I commenced by pulling out the first one, A S&W 629 with a 83\8 bbl. and swung the cylinder out, There was about 200-250 people standing close by and in about 5 seconds you could have heard a pin drop, She ok'd it and I showed her the other 2 and she let me put them in the bag and then she tagged it with a "firearm enclosed" tag, I didn't like that part but rules are rules. She took my bag and put it on the belt and I didn't see it again until I got to lubbock Texas a few hours later and all was well. The ticket lady must have done it before because she was very cool the whole time. When everyone got quite I thought that was funny.
 

Glocktogo

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I fly with one all the time (yesterday as a matter of fact). Not a big deal. Just plan about 5-10 extra minutes at the ticket counter when you do.
 

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