do NOT give the key to your hard case to the airline employee. ONLY to TSA, IF they asked. NO MATTER HOW MUCH PRESSURE THE EMPLOYEE GIVES YOU, DO NOT DO IT. ONLY TO TSA.. in the TSA guidelines, it says in plain English to give it to TSA upon request, NOT airline employee that says they'll give it to TSA for you.... You've been warned lol
Great advice Ben which has worked for me over many many years. One other consideration is being intimately familiar with the laws of the state you will be visiting. You will be subject to those laws the moment you take possession of your firearms and local law enforcement will not give a crap that you have complied with FAA and airline regs. Be especially cognizant of magazine capacity limits. You can travel with your guns, but your home states laws DO NOT travel with you. As Sgt. Esterhaus used to say, “Let’s be careful out there.”
A note on locks. You will typically need to have a lock for every hole. Four holes = four locks. Six holes = six locks. I have a midsize pelican case and the previous owner drilled additional holes. I had six holes and four good locks. Flown multiple times and no one cared. It bit me in the butt once. Locks are also additional wieght. If the pelican weighs 20 lbs and all your stuff weighs 28 pounds. Two pounds of locks significantly affects how much you can carry. My recommendation if your case has many holes is having 1/2 good locks and 1/2 crummy lighter locks. Additionally, make sure nothing can be retrieved from the case while locked. If you can fit more than a finger or hand inside, probably rethink your locks. A note on ammunition. Airline to airline will determine if you can fly with ammunition loaded in mags. I have not had an issue flying with loaded mags. I will usually secure the mags and gun in my holsters/pouches. Check the airline policies! A note on time. Generally people recommend being at your flight 2 hours prior. When flying with a gun, i usually arrive 3 hours before. I had to wait in line and the oversized baggage scanner was broken, thus every case had to be searched by hand. I missed my flight. Show up early. An air tag might be a good idea. A case that doesnt look like a gun case might be a good idea.
I flew with a pistol for the first time last year, and was a little nervous about it. I got to the counter and told the agent that I had a gun unloaded and locked in the large bag. She said 'ok' and that was the last I heard about it. Same in Austin Tx. Almost a 'ho hum'.
Coming back from 3 gun nationals a few years ago. Went to get my checked bags and my rifle case came around the carousel. I was told I would have to pick it up and sign for it. I grabbed it and walked out of the airport. Never heard anything from security or the airline. Kind of interesting how one airline just says declare it unloaded and others take you to a secure area and tear the case completely down.
I've flown with guns a lot and it's hilarious how different the results can be, even among the same airlines at the same airports on different days. I've had two incidents of airlines just tossing my case on the carousel with everyone else's stuff (a Pelican case that was very obviously a rifle case), that I just picked up and walked off with. I briefly considered trolling the airport/airline by calling them and reporting the luggage missing like "Where's my guns? Who'd you guys give them to?"
Thanks for this vid, Ben. I've started putting a long zip tie through the mag well and ejection port that demonstrates to anyone looking that the gun is indeed unloaded. This has saved me some time by calming nervous TSA employees who otherwise seem to need 3 supervisors to ensure that it is unloaded. PS Alaska Airlines has a 50# weight limit for ammunition for most domestic flights.
AirTag in locked pelican case. Keep all old orange & white (depending on airline) “Firearm unloaded” cards tucked in your case. Yes… I’ve done this before, hold up a dozen cards. Always ask for tape to stick card to outside of case, never inside. TSA had a melt down at MSP once when I was forced against my will to lock card inside case, almost missed my flight.
Air tag the case and print a copy of the TSA and airline rules and regs for declaring the firearm and keep it in the suitcase. You'd be amazed at how often they don't know this procedure.
I've had them deny the case I had because it wasn't rigid enough, so heftier cases are advisable. Also, if you use combination locks, I've had the airline call and ask for the combination because TSA wanted to see inside. Combination locks kept me from having to personally take the key there and risk missing the flight.
When i fly with rifles they always give me trouble. Always make me open it for them at TSA. They always chastise me for not having "TSA locks" and then i have to pull the print out from my pocket and explain to them that even according to their own rules the TSA locks dont count because anyone can just buy the key to open it and steal my guns. Then they always put some weird ziptie around it, apparently they started doing that after some guy shot up an airport. A lot of the airline staff dont know the rules either, theyll slap stupid shit on it like a big bright "FIREARMS" sticker. Hate it. On a few occassions i actually just ffl transfered the guns to my final destination and then transferred them back. You pay shipping costs though if the weight is heavy.
I have been flying with guns for 20 years and never had this issue. I print out the TSA requirements and keep them in the gun case. I fly with my ammo in the locked gun case (in the US, not internationally as different rules apply). This is in and out of major airports, small airports, etc. When they don't know what they are doing you can show them the rules.
They have been changing the rules as time has gone by. Putting a special label on the outside of the luggage and putting the strap on it is a Delta policy I know. TSA doesn't care. I found that I can bring trauma shears on the plane and then cut the strap off as soon as they give me back my case. United airlines doesn't do either of those things.
Spot on video. To avoid having to handle the pistol to show it's unloaded, I insert a chamber flag with a label that says UNLOADED. Between this and an empty mag well, there's never a need to handle the pistol. I also add an Apple Air Tag. And bring wire cutters in your carry-on so in case they zip tie the outside of the case to secure it further, you can cut the zip ties upon arrival.
Obviously, traveling internationally is a different beast entirely. Best advice I can give is figure out every jurisdiction you will pass through, inform every airport, airline and police agency that is relevant for advice and make sure all your paperwork is complete and with you. Both export and import documentation is required to leave and re-enter both destinations. transit countries also often require permits and paperwork. Always keep copies of all advice and correspondence as well. Best protection you can have against mistakes is evidence of trying to do the right thing.
Just to spell it out for people who might not have gotten the point- do NOT use TSA locks on your hard case, use regular locks and have a backup key on your person besides the key you might hand over to TSA. Also have nail clippers in the carry on so you can cut the incredibly stupid giant zip ties Delta will put around your external bag when you pick up the bag at your destination (and don’t cut it in front of the baggage agent)
I use some tsa locks for one of my cases. It has six holes and every hole needs a lock. I put on 2-4 good locks and use crummy locks to cut weight. Dont use “only” tsa locks.
heard a first hand story from another world champion about a flight connection in NY that ended up bad, having him escorted out of the plane, losing his flight, even tho everything was fine, by the books. He ended up getting away with, but the fact he still a sworn officer might have helped. TL;DR: Avoid flying thru NY with firearms at any cost.
Retrieving the bag containing the firearm(s) after the flight is also different at every airport. In Alabama and in Florida, the bag was brought in by a baggage handler to a baggage claim official who then checked my ID and form that I filled out before letting me go on my way. In Chicago O'hare, my bag came out on the carousel with everyone else's bag and I had to wrestle it away from some other idiot saying it looked like his bag even after I had my unique markings and nametag. Yep, no security at Chicago. Go figure. Luckily I was smart enough to stand directly at the flap door where the bags come out. Be diligent!
You hit all the good points. Be respectful even if the ticket agent has no idea what they are doing. I have had several tell me that I have to give them the keys to the locks and/or I have to have TSA locks that they can open. NOPE. Politely ask for a supervisor and explain that the rules do not indicate allowing access once a firearm has gone thru security. (HINT: It's how shit gets stolen en route!!). Check and verify the airline rules BEFORE you get to the airport so that you know them as well as the supervisor does. If you are polite and understanding, the ticket agent will save face and will learn something. If you are an ass, well you get what you get.
Having the rules printed out and on your person can be helpful, but they do allow the TSA to have ultimate discretion--including inspecting the firearm without you present. Learned that the hard way.
Have heard to not leave the airport with your magazines if you have overnight layover, delays, etc in airports in states that have restrictions (JFK for example)
I would also dispose of the weapon and likely put the firing pin somewhere very different so it couldn't be used when found. A few additional thoughts on flying 1) the Delta experience traveling with firearms sucks because they put a strap around my luggage to prevent me from opening it when received in the unsecured portion of the airport. Carrying trauma shears on board the aircraft gives you a tool to defeat this when you get your gun back if you plan to carry concealed at your destination. 2) Because Delta personally ID's you to give you your luggage with a firearm (which isn't bad idea in concept), it has resulted in my small airport with low staffing making me wait hours to get my luggage which is a real problem with certain travel arrangements. Both of these problems have been solved by flying United. Just be at the luggage carousel when things start rolling in. 3) If you travel with a replica firearm (like a SIRT pistol), you are likely better off declaring it as a firearm even though it is not. Some TSA agents will freak out because they claim to have no way of knowing that it is a replica pistol and, since it might be dangerous, have refused to inspect it. They called the police to come to the airport and handle it to verify it was a SIRT pistol. Almost missed my flight. Definitely easier to get through with a real gun. 4) I found that having the slide separate from my Glock in the case seem to appease anyone wanting to know if it is unloaded. I think TSA likes it too when it goes through the scanner. Thanks for the video!
I believe there's a legal exception for that, something to do with common carriers under federal law. Same as a truck driver driving a shipment which contains 30 rd magazines through a state with a restriction
Do you travel with aluminum ammo? Seems to save some weight on the bag. Also do you pack clothes in the same bag your gun box is inside? Thanks and love the content.
Great Video Ben, thank you. Do you put your ammo in a locked case in the second bag? I'd like to put it in the SAME hard sided box so I'd only have to deal with one bag. Or have one bag go to oversize and the other hit the carousel. Where were your Mags? Same Locked case?
I’ve flown with a firearm dozens and dozens of times without issue. In my hard sided Pelican case is my gun, 5 magazines, and two 100 round plastic boxes of ammo. Additional ammo in my second checked bag. Never had a single issue. Even when TSA thoroughly inspects the case and contents. AirTags are a great way to watch the bag’s progress. Also, never use locks that TSA can open with one of their keys. Too many of those keys floating around.
Every airport is annoyingly different. I've had the TSA ask me to hold a pistol up and show clear in Seattle, in St. Louis they insisted on taking my key and inspecting without me present. It's like the TSA with everything else, the actual rules are barely known by the employees and they seem to make things up at the spot. I once saw an off duty TSA agent stuff an AR with 10 loaded mags in a soft side luggage and get waved through by his boss.
Спорт
I’d put an AirTag in the case as well. Good peace of mind if TSA makes you miss your flight.
do NOT give the key to your hard case to the airline employee. ONLY to TSA, IF they asked. NO MATTER HOW MUCH PRESSURE THE EMPLOYEE GIVES YOU, DO NOT DO IT. ONLY TO TSA.. in the TSA guidelines, it says in plain English to give it to TSA upon request, NOT airline employee that says they'll give it to TSA for you.... You've been warned lol
Great advice Ben which has worked for me over many many years. One other consideration is being intimately familiar with the laws of the state you will be visiting. You will be subject to those laws the moment you take possession of your firearms and local law enforcement will not give a crap that you have complied with FAA and airline regs. Be especially cognizant of magazine capacity limits. You can travel with your guns, but your home states laws DO NOT travel with you. As Sgt. Esterhaus used to say, “Let’s be careful out there.”
@OrionCorsari Extra points for Hill Street Blues reference. 💯
One thing I always did when flying is have the gun disassembled in the hard case. Never been questioned that it's unloaded.
A note on locks. You will typically need to have a lock for every hole. Four holes = four locks. Six holes = six locks. I have a midsize pelican case and the previous owner drilled additional holes. I had six holes and four good locks. Flown multiple times and no one cared. It bit me in the butt once. Locks are also additional wieght. If the pelican weighs 20 lbs and all your stuff weighs 28 pounds. Two pounds of locks significantly affects how much you can carry. My recommendation if your case has many holes is having 1/2 good locks and 1/2 crummy lighter locks. Additionally, make sure nothing can be retrieved from the case while locked. If you can fit more than a finger or hand inside, probably rethink your locks.
A note on ammunition. Airline to airline will determine if you can fly with ammunition loaded in mags. I have not had an issue flying with loaded mags. I will usually secure the mags and gun in my holsters/pouches. Check the airline policies!
A note on time. Generally people recommend being at your flight 2 hours prior. When flying with a gun, i usually arrive 3 hours before. I had to wait in line and the oversized baggage scanner was broken, thus every case had to be searched by hand. I missed my flight. Show up early.
An air tag might be a good idea. A case that doesnt look like a gun case might be a good idea.
I flew with a pistol for the first time last year, and was a little nervous about it. I got to the counter and told the agent that I had a gun unloaded and locked in the large bag. She said
'ok' and that was the last I heard about it. Same in Austin Tx. Almost a 'ho hum'.
Coming back from 3 gun nationals a few years ago. Went to get my checked bags and my rifle case came around the carousel. I was told I would have to pick it up and sign for it. I grabbed it and walked out of the airport. Never heard anything from security or the airline. Kind of interesting how one airline just says declare it unloaded and others take you to a secure area and tear the case completely down.
I've flown with guns a lot and it's hilarious how different the results can be, even among the same airlines at the same airports on different days. I've had two incidents of airlines just tossing my case on the carousel with everyone else's stuff (a Pelican case that was very obviously a rifle case), that I just picked up and walked off with. I briefly considered trolling the airport/airline by calling them and reporting the luggage missing like "Where's my guns? Who'd you guys give them to?"
Chamber flags also work when going through check in.
Thanks for this vid, Ben.
I've started putting a long zip tie through the mag well and ejection port that demonstrates to anyone looking that the gun is indeed unloaded. This has saved me some time by calming nervous TSA employees who otherwise seem to need 3 supervisors to ensure that it is unloaded.
PS Alaska Airlines has a 50# weight limit for ammunition for most domestic flights.
AirTag in locked pelican case. Keep all old orange & white (depending on airline) “Firearm unloaded” cards tucked in your case. Yes… I’ve done this before, hold up a dozen cards. Always ask for tape to stick card to outside of case, never inside. TSA had a melt down at MSP once when I was forced against my will to lock card inside case, almost missed my flight.
Air tag the case and print a copy of the TSA and airline rules and regs for declaring the firearm and keep it in the suitcase. You'd be amazed at how often they don't know this procedure.
I've had them deny the case I had because it wasn't rigid enough, so heftier cases are advisable. Also, if you use combination locks, I've had the airline call and ask for the combination because TSA wanted to see inside. Combination locks kept me from having to personally take the key there and risk missing the flight.
When i fly with rifles they always give me trouble. Always make me open it for them at TSA. They always chastise me for not having "TSA locks" and then i have to pull the print out from my pocket and explain to them that even according to their own rules the TSA locks dont count because anyone can just buy the key to open it and steal my guns. Then they always put some weird ziptie around it, apparently they started doing that after some guy shot up an airport. A lot of the airline staff dont know the rules either, theyll slap stupid shit on it like a big bright "FIREARMS" sticker. Hate it. On a few occassions i actually just ffl transfered the guns to my final destination and then transferred them back. You pay shipping costs though if the weight is heavy.
I have been flying with guns for 20 years and never had this issue. I print out the TSA requirements and keep them in the gun case. I fly with my ammo in the locked gun case (in the US, not internationally as different rules apply). This is in and out of major airports, small airports, etc. When they don't know what they are doing you can show them the rules.
They have been changing the rules as time has gone by. Putting a special label on the outside of the luggage and putting the strap on it is a Delta policy I know. TSA doesn't care. I found that I can bring trauma shears on the plane and then cut the strap off as soon as they give me back my case. United airlines doesn't do either of those things.
Perfect..! Thank You for addressing this..! Cheers..! 👍🍻🇺🇸
thanks for the tips
Spot on video.
To avoid having to handle the pistol to show it's unloaded, I insert a chamber flag with a label that says UNLOADED. Between this and an empty mag well, there's never a need to handle the pistol.
I also add an Apple Air Tag.
And bring wire cutters in your carry-on so in case they zip tie the outside of the case to secure it further, you can cut the zip ties upon arrival.
Excellent information. Thank you for sharing!
Obviously, traveling internationally is a different beast entirely. Best advice I can give is figure out every jurisdiction you will pass through, inform every airport, airline and police agency that is relevant for advice and make sure all your paperwork is complete and with you. Both export and import documentation is required to leave and re-enter both destinations. transit countries also often require permits and paperwork. Always keep copies of all advice and correspondence as well. Best protection you can have against mistakes is evidence of trying to do the right thing.
Just to spell it out for people who might not have gotten the point- do NOT use TSA locks on your hard case, use regular locks and have a backup key on your person besides the key you might hand over to TSA. Also have nail clippers in the carry on so you can cut the incredibly stupid giant zip ties Delta will put around your external bag when you pick up the bag at your destination (and don’t cut it in front of the baggage agent)
I use some tsa locks for one of my cases. It has six holes and every hole needs a lock. I put on 2-4 good locks and use crummy locks to cut weight.
Dont use “only” tsa locks.
Trauma shears are carry on approved.
heard a first hand story from another world champion about a flight connection in NY that ended up bad, having him escorted out of the plane, losing his flight, even tho everything was fine, by the books. He ended up getting away with, but the fact he still a sworn officer might have helped.
TL;DR: Avoid flying thru NY with firearms at any cost.
Retrieving the bag containing the firearm(s) after the flight is also different at every airport. In Alabama and in Florida, the bag was brought in by a baggage handler to a baggage claim official who then checked my ID and form that I filled out before letting me go on my way. In Chicago O'hare, my bag came out on the carousel with everyone else's bag and I had to wrestle it away from some other idiot saying it looked like his bag even after I had my unique markings and nametag. Yep, no security at Chicago. Go figure. Luckily I was smart enough to stand directly at the flap door where the bags come out. Be diligent!
You hit all the good points. Be respectful even if the ticket agent has no idea what they are doing. I have had several tell me that I have to give them the keys to the locks and/or I have to have TSA locks that they can open. NOPE. Politely ask for a supervisor and explain that the rules do not indicate allowing access once a firearm has gone thru security. (HINT: It's how shit gets stolen en route!!). Check and verify the airline rules BEFORE you get to the airport so that you know them as well as the supervisor does. If you are polite and understanding, the ticket agent will save face and will learn something. If you are an ass, well you get what you get.
Having the rules printed out and on your person can be helpful, but they do allow the TSA to have ultimate discretion--including inspecting the firearm without you present. Learned that the hard way.
Have heard to not leave the airport with your magazines if you have overnight layover, delays, etc in airports in states that have restrictions (JFK for example)
The Senator Wilson situation apparently involved a revolver of some sort. Perhaps a bit harder to dismantle.
I would also dispose of the weapon and likely put the firing pin somewhere very different so it couldn't be used when found. A few additional thoughts on flying 1) the Delta experience traveling with firearms sucks because they put a strap around my luggage to prevent me from opening it when received in the unsecured portion of the airport. Carrying trauma shears on board the aircraft gives you a tool to defeat this when you get your gun back if you plan to carry concealed at your destination. 2) Because Delta personally ID's you to give you your luggage with a firearm (which isn't bad idea in concept), it has resulted in my small airport with low staffing making me wait hours to get my luggage which is a real problem with certain travel arrangements. Both of these problems have been solved by flying United. Just be at the luggage carousel when things start rolling in. 3) If you travel with a replica firearm (like a SIRT pistol), you are likely better off declaring it as a firearm even though it is not. Some TSA agents will freak out because they claim to have no way of knowing that it is a replica pistol and, since it might be dangerous, have refused to inspect it. They called the police to come to the airport and handle it to verify it was a SIRT pistol. Almost missed my flight. Definitely easier to get through with a real gun. 4) I found that having the slide separate from my Glock in the case seem to appease anyone wanting to know if it is unloaded. I think TSA likes it too when it goes through the scanner. Thanks for the video!
Great point on trauma shears. I add them to my ifak in my carry on. Never had an issue.
How did it work when you competed in other countries?
One thing worth touching on is flying/traveling with magazines which may not be legal in a state you are on layover.
I am pretty sure if you do not claim/take possession of them you are okay.
I believe there's a legal exception for that, something to do with common carriers under federal law. Same as a truck driver driving a shipment which contains 30 rd magazines through a state with a restriction
It might be a problem if the next flight is cancelled, and the layover airport becomes your new destination until a future date.
Do you travel with aluminum ammo? Seems to save some weight on the bag. Also do you pack clothes in the same bag your gun box is inside? Thanks and love the content.
What kind of identification info do you put in, on or attach to your gun case when flying?
I think the zip tie mentioned above might be just as good if not better, but do you ever fly with chamber flags in your guns?
Great Video Ben, thank you. Do you put your ammo in a locked case in the second bag? I'd like to put it in the SAME hard sided box so I'd only have to deal with one bag. Or have one bag go to oversize and the other hit the carousel. Where were your Mags? Same Locked case?
I’ve flown with a firearm dozens and dozens of times without issue. In my hard sided Pelican case is my gun, 5 magazines, and two 100 round plastic boxes of ammo. Additional ammo in my second checked bag. Never had a single issue. Even when TSA thoroughly inspects the case and contents.
AirTags are a great way to watch the bag’s progress.
Also, never use locks that TSA can open with one of their keys. Too many of those keys floating around.
Unfortunately that dude had a revolver if you are to believe the story. That would be quite a bit more difficult to disassemble inconspicuously 😂
Every airport is annoyingly different. I've had the TSA ask me to hold a pistol up and show clear in Seattle, in St. Louis they insisted on taking my key and inspecting without me present. It's like the TSA with everything else, the actual rules are barely known by the employees and they seem to make things up at the spot. I once saw an off duty TSA agent stuff an AR with 10 loaded mags in a soft side luggage and get waved through by his boss.