How to Travel with a firearm???

[MR.T.]

Hey all, My sis has been asking lots of questions that I need to find some answers for.
She is going to be going to Florida for several days, she has a Concealed carry permit from OK, so I told her Florida will honor the permit. But now I kind of need to tell her what to expect & what to do for traveling to Florida. She & her husband will be flying, I don't know which airline yet, but what will she need to do to help their travel thru the airports with a Glock in the suitcase smooth as can be.

I assume
Contact the airline and let them know whats will be going on and let them advise you.
Keep mags and ammo in a separate suitcase from the gun itself.
Lockable Suitcases, etc.
Get the permission slips signed and ready ????????

 

[vvvvvvv]

Each airline has different requirements. Check their website.

Also, avoid stops in unfriendly states. If you have to take possession of your bags for any reason, FOPA doesn't apply.

Sent from my SGP312 using Tapatalk 4

 

[aestus]

Buy a pelican case. Go to walmart and buy the set of dual locks that both share the same key and a bike chain. Double lock your pistol case and when packing your suitcase, make room for your small pelican case. Unload all your ammo and place ammo in the original boxes they came in from the store.

Almost all suitcases will have an unzippable liner that allows access to the skeleton support structures in the back. Wrap the bike chain around the back skeleton that also houses your suitcases carry handle and then around your pelican case handle. I've known people who have had whole pistol cases stolen from their baggage. This prevents this and makes even 10x harder for someone to steal your firearm without jacking your whole suitcase. Unlike stolen guns in your car/house, firearms stolen from airports are a legal void. Airliners will claim no responsibility and your local police department will tell you to report it to the police department in the city where the firearm was suspected to be stolen. Basically, you'll be given the runaround by the police departments.

When checking in, tell baggage claim that you are checking in a firearm aka declaring a firearm. Some will ask to see your case to verify you have 2 locks on it. Some may ask you to open it. DO NOT hand them over your keys. If they want to see it it, you must open it. They will fill out a red tag (or have you fill it out) and they will either ask you to place the tag next or on top of the case inside your suitcase. Delta now has a policy where they ask you to stick the tag inside the case with the firearm so it doesn't get separated from the firearm. Ammo can be stuck in your suitcase as long as it's in one of those standard 25/50 round type boxes most pistol ammo comes in.

In some cities, they will call a TSA agent or walk you to a TSA booth and they will verify your locks and that you have it stored properly. Besure that any layovers you have are in a gun friendly city. If at any point in time your layover flight gets cancelled or delayed in a non-gun friendly city and you have to spend the night there, you are kind of screwed. Trying to check in a firearm in a non-friendly city due to a layover will get you arrested.

 

[Defnestor]

Good grief. Can you overnight a pistol to an ffl in Florida and have him hold it for you?

 

[elwoodtrix]

I watched a guy check in a pistol in Ontario Ca, he just went to the counter and simply checked it in...

 

[DAMAGAN]

I have a question to bump this thread with!


What do you guys normally carry while traveling when you can't carry at all?

Amtrak allows weapons in checked baggage but the Heartland Flyer that runs from OKC to FTW doesn't allow checked bags. So what would you take in this case?

 

[Parks 788]

As mentioned above. Buy the best caseyou can. While traveling back from Alaska last summer the check in lady made me take my pistol case over to the TSA guy to check to make sure everything was legit. It was a fairly cheap single pistol case you can get at most places. It is hard sided plastic with cheapy plastic Loops for a padlock in the middle of the handle. Well, with decent force you could pry up the front corners of the case and if really determined probably could have pulled the pistol out of it. Would have damaged the case but still possible. Luckily the TSA guys was good natured and not on a power trip that day. He said he techinquelly could have not let me fly with because of this but hemlet me proceed. Asked what would happen if he said it was a no-go. Said I could probably buy an approved case from one of the airlines, if they had any left at an expensive price, miss my flight and go to a local place and buy one or forfeit my gun.

 

[Boehlertaught]

I would suggest locking the pistol with a cable lock through the action and a trigger lock too. If someone jacks your roscoe it will be nearly useless when they get the locks off.

 

[ProBusiness]

always

 

[NightShade]

Since it wasn't mentioned for when she gets there and if she may go to another state nearby. Especially since the way the laws are applied can vary especially in the off limits places and no gun sign applicability.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/ and http://www.opencarry.org/ have a lot of great information.