I am doing some work in Texas and want to buy Remington 870 Express. I am pretty sure I can check it with my luggage with plastic case and lock. Does any one have any experience buying a fire arms in other states and flying them home? I don't want to buy the shotgun and then have it confiscated by TSA in Boston. Any info would be great.
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Buying a firearm in Texas and flying it home
- Thread starter getch74
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Perfectly legal, but how much is the hassle worth to you? If you're saving $50 bucks over buying locally is it really worth dealing with the TSA? The airline might charge you that much just to check it....
On the arrival side I have never had any interactions at all. Bags come out and you're on your way.
Mr. Brownstone
NES Member
I don't know what airline you are flying, but Jet Blue considers the checked firearm a piece of checked luggage. So if you are checking anything else you will encounter a fee. So how much are you saving in TX? Aside from it being cooler to buy a gun in Texas than in MA, is it worth the hassle?
JetBlue | Help
JetBlue | Help
My company will pay for checked luggage. I was just inquiring. I am not sure if I will but I was just looking into it. Sorry if this is a stupid question but do you have register the firearm once you bring it in the state?
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Mr. Brownstone
NES Member
Q: Do weapons purchased by Massachusetts residents while in another state have to be reported in Massachusetts?
A: M.G.L. c. 140, §128B, residents who purchase from someone other than a Massachusetts dealer, either within or outside the Commonwealth, must report the purchase within seven days to the FRB. The FA10 form, which can be obtained from any police department, is the simplest way to make such a report.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A: M.G.L. c. 140, §128B, residents who purchase from someone other than a Massachusetts dealer, either within or outside the Commonwealth, must report the purchase within seven days to the FRB. The FA10 form, which can be obtained from any police department, is the simplest way to make such a report.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The only "stupid" question is the one you don't ask.
OP is talking about a long gun. This would be ok to buy at FFL in any state and take it home as long as it is legal gun in your home state. Not the same with hand guns
MAGG
NES Member
Like Mr Garrison said on South Park..."There are no stupid questions, Just stupid people" not calling the OP stupid either as I had no clue, just always loved the line about not being afraid to ask a question 
Is this some law specific to TX? Long guns can usually be purchased outside your home state as long as it's legal to own where you live.
40 caliber
NES Member
This! or buy it at home . unless this was a collectable you purchased at a great deal, i personally can't see any reason to do this.
each to his own
Mr. Brownstone
NES Member
Not sure if you can, he may be just referring to handguns, not long guns.
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Flying with it is no problem, just a hard case with locks. I just went to Oklahoma with my AR, you have to open it when checking in to put in a paper you sign from airline to state that it is unloaded. TSA did check in Boston but can only do so when you are present and cannot touch weapon, the clown had no clue about guns. He says "oh that's one of those guns that's hard to get now" In Oklahoma they did not inspect, I just put in the paper at the counter. Oklahoma recognizes any out of state LTC...I`m not sure about Texas.
At Logan (as with most airports I've been in), you are free to steal any and as many bags coming off the conveyor belt at your destination as you want/can get away with. Nobody checks bags to make sure you only take yours. So I'd be a bit nervous about an obvious rifle case coming down the conveyor at Logan personally but nobody will bother you about it.
AFAIK, USPO will still ship long guns from owner to owner. Never tried it nor have I asked. Recently saw a buddy ship a long gun at the USPO counter but don't know if it was personal or if he was doing it for the PD (he's a FT PO) and didn't stick around to ask him. [UPS and FedEx now have rules against doing this!
![[sad]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/004.gif "Sad [sad]")
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Horrible
NES Member
This. With the CF that are the MGLs, there are NO stupid questions. If you buy long gun out of state, FA-10 when you get back and you should be good to go (disclaimer - IANAL).
But, like others have asked, is it worth the hassle? Also, I prefer to give my money to local shops to keep their doors open.
Rifle cases sometimes do get special handling on arrival.
Flew from Texas to Manchester with a rifle in a case last year. Upon arrival at MHT, baggage claim had my rifle case off to the side with the oversized luggage and checked my ID against the name on the baggage tag before releasing it to me.
Flew from Texas to Manchester with a rifle in a case last year. Upon arrival at MHT, baggage claim had my rifle case off to the side with the oversized luggage and checked my ID against the name on the baggage tag before releasing it to me.
Dream to Dream
NES Member
I doubt the OP is doing this just to save a buck. My guess is souvenir... Or just for the experience of buying a gun out of state.
I was on vacation in Arizona and on my way to the Sonoran Desert Museum with the family when we passed a gun store with "FREE BBQ" sign out front. My wife said "We're going to the museum...". Otherwise I can pretty much guarantee I would have bought a long gun, PITA or not.
I was on vacation in Arizona and on my way to the Sonoran Desert Museum with the family when we passed a gun store with "FREE BBQ" sign out front. My wife said "We're going to the museum...". Otherwise I can pretty much guarantee I would have bought a long gun, PITA or not.
I was thinking this is the best route
StevieP
NES Member
Can't say much about the legal aspect of buying in TX (I bought my 870 at KTP in Maine and did an FA-10 in MA).
I did fly to Texas in February, with a bone collector case containing my AR-15, a 1911, and ammo. I had a connection in DFW to get to Lubbock. My guns did not arrive on my plane when I landed in Lubbock. I about went nutso. The guns arrived on the next flight, and arrived where I was about six hours later. I was not happy. For the life of me, I could not grasp how they could NOT put a gun on the same plane as the owner. And what if it was the other way around? Would the "delivery driver" have been legally allowed to take possession of my firearms, cased or not, in MA? Or would they need someone with an LTC-A to deliver an AR-15?
Coming home was no problem. rifle case came out with the rest of the luggage at the carousel at Logan.
I did fly to Texas in February, with a bone collector case containing my AR-15, a 1911, and ammo. I had a connection in DFW to get to Lubbock. My guns did not arrive on my plane when I landed in Lubbock. I about went nutso. The guns arrived on the next flight, and arrived where I was about six hours later. I was not happy. For the life of me, I could not grasp how they could NOT put a gun on the same plane as the owner. And what if it was the other way around? Would the "delivery driver" have been legally allowed to take possession of my firearms, cased or not, in MA? Or would they need someone with an LTC-A to deliver an AR-15?
Coming home was no problem. rifle case came out with the rest of the luggage at the carousel at Logan.
Common carriers are exempted from the need to have an LTC-A. So the UPS driver can deliver guns to a gun store without having an LTC-A.
Similarly, when you checked your bag, it was in the possession of the airline and handled by airline employees, many of whom didn't have an LTC-A. I'm guessing that having an airline employee deliver your locked bag to you is little different from having an airline employee deposit your locked bag on the carousel.
I assume that the common carrier exemption applies to airline personnel.
Could you cite your source, please?
I bought a shotgun in NC a few years back and brought it home on the airlines. It is no big deal. I then registered it in MA using an FA10 when I got home. No one at Logan cares that you have a locked, cased shotgun from my experience. I have flown with firearms many times. Just declare as required and enjoy your flight.
The biggest issue was the NC gun shop checking the MA rules to determine there was no MA rule against selling me the gun.
The biggest issue was the NC gun shop checking the MA rules to determine there was no MA rule against selling me the gun.
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