Over the years I have flown more times than I can count with handguns & rifles.
Here are some helpful "bullet points" (pun intended) for your next flight.
Some lessons I learned the hard way & some just from chatting with the ticketing agent.
• BE POLITE! I always try to make friendly small talk with the ticketing agent if they seem receptive. More than a few times that has gotten me better seats, made for a smoother process or changed their mind about allowing my gun to travel.
• BE EARLY! Every airport & airline has their own process for handling firearms. Most of the time its quick but a few times it added 45 - 60 minutes to my check in.
• NO AMMO IN ZIPLOCKS! On my last trip I was chatting with the ticketing agent & she said the #1 screw up she sees is people putting ammo in a ziplock bag. I use either the manufacturers original packaging, a hard plastic reloading ammo case or my favorite choice for pistol is the Federal HST plastic case.
• HARDER GUN CASE! The regs say "hard sided locking case" what they should say is a "Pelican style case". I've tried using several hard plastic cases and if there is any flex to the case at all some will not let you fly with it. I almost got denied coming back from Colorado for this very reason. Luckily I was polite, early, and had been chatting with the agent. She wasn't going to allow the case. I "politely" asked if she could get her managers opinion because I had flown several times with that case. Luckily I was "early" and had plenty of time to wait for the manager who allowed it to fly.
• MORE LOCKS! If there is a place for a lock, put one in it. My pelican style rifle case was almost not allowed to fly because I had only one lock on it. I got lucky, the manager got involved again, they let me borrow a lock and let it fly.
Here's pics of cases I currently use & cases have flown with but no longer use. I use the Pelican & the Boyt cases now.
EDIT: I DO NOT suggest using the other cases I have pictured. Those are the cases that almost created major issues for me. Use a rigid case like the Pelican or the Boyt.
It has been a few years since I've had any issues flying with a firearm.
Here are some helpful "bullet points" (pun intended) for your next flight.
Some lessons I learned the hard way & some just from chatting with the ticketing agent.
• BE POLITE! I always try to make friendly small talk with the ticketing agent if they seem receptive. More than a few times that has gotten me better seats, made for a smoother process or changed their mind about allowing my gun to travel.
• BE EARLY! Every airport & airline has their own process for handling firearms. Most of the time its quick but a few times it added 45 - 60 minutes to my check in.
• NO AMMO IN ZIPLOCKS! On my last trip I was chatting with the ticketing agent & she said the #1 screw up she sees is people putting ammo in a ziplock bag. I use either the manufacturers original packaging, a hard plastic reloading ammo case or my favorite choice for pistol is the Federal HST plastic case.
• HARDER GUN CASE! The regs say "hard sided locking case" what they should say is a "Pelican style case". I've tried using several hard plastic cases and if there is any flex to the case at all some will not let you fly with it. I almost got denied coming back from Colorado for this very reason. Luckily I was polite, early, and had been chatting with the agent. She wasn't going to allow the case. I "politely" asked if she could get her managers opinion because I had flown several times with that case. Luckily I was "early" and had plenty of time to wait for the manager who allowed it to fly.
• MORE LOCKS! If there is a place for a lock, put one in it. My pelican style rifle case was almost not allowed to fly because I had only one lock on it. I got lucky, the manager got involved again, they let me borrow a lock and let it fly.
Here's pics of cases I currently use & cases have flown with but no longer use. I use the Pelican & the Boyt cases now.
EDIT: I DO NOT suggest using the other cases I have pictured. Those are the cases that almost created major issues for me. Use a rigid case like the Pelican or the Boyt.
It has been a few years since I've had any issues flying with a firearm.
Last edited: