Flying With Firearms

[djsmiles]

ok. i have never flown with a firearm. so, i need some questions answered.

first off, i am a MA ressident with a LTC-A and non-res NH permit. i will be flying from Bradley International to Charlotte, NC. My LTC-A covers me in MA. and my non-res NH permit covers me in NC.

question #1- how will this affect me when flying out of CT without a CT licsence? i live about an hour away from Bradley, so it was easier for me to get there, instead of Logan.

question #2- i have a TSA approved case, Hardigg Storm, but what lock is TSA approved?

question #3- can ammo be in the same case as the pistol?

what should i expect from airport personal? should i get there extra early to deal with any major hassels? should i just say screw it, and not bring my pistol with me?

please help me out. i am very nervous about this whole thing. thanx in advance.

 

[vellnueve]

The lock does not have to be TSA approved. If they want to inspect it, you must be present and take the key with you.

Ammo in the same case varies by airline.

FOPA protects you from when you leave home to when you arrive in yoru destination, assuming that your possession is legal in both places. No license is required to possess a firearm in North Carolina, only to conceal carry.

 

[G3]

#1- I have flown with guns 4 times. They don't ask to see your LTC.
#2- I had padlock first time around, not a special one but you can read the fine print on their site. You lock your case and keep the keys with you, they will leave a small tag inside the case that They have checked the firearms are unloaded. Maximum 4 handguns per case.
#3- BIG NO and 10 to 11 pounds of ammo per person.
Go ahead and take it with you. If you arrive half an hour earlier than usual is sufficient. Don't worry they are very professional and they do this all the time. But make sure they are unloaded that is all.

 

[GSG]

first off, i am a MA ressident with a LTC-A and non-res NH permit. i will be flying from Bradley International to Charlotte, NC. My LTC-A covers me in MA. and my non-res NH permit covers me in NC.

question #1- how will this affect me when flying out of CT without a CT licsence? i live about an hour away from Bradley, so it was easier for me to get there, instead of Logan.

Read up on CT law, IIRC the only way to legally have a pistol in your car in CT without a CT pistol permit is on your way to/from the gun store, organized training, or driving between your home and business.

 

[vellnueve]

Read up on CT law, IIRC the only way to legally have a pistol in your car in CT without a CT pistol permit is on your way to/from the gun store, organized training, or driving between your home and business.

Irrelevant as long as the pistol is locked in the trunk per FOPA.

 

[vellnueve]

Maximum 4 handguns per case.
#3- BIG NO and 10 to 11 pounds of ammo per person.

Both of these vary by airline.

 

[MACGYVR]

Just did it last weekend.

Piece of cake. Check in as usual.
Say I need to check a firearm.
They will diig around for a 3x5 card that they will write the flight# and date on and have you sign.
They will then call the TSA. TSA person comes out asks you to unlock the case and open it (they do this as every case it different and its easier if you just do it for them)DO NOT UNLOCK AND BE OPEN WHEN THEY COME OVER
They will ask if there is any ammo in the case, pat down the foam and give a quick look at everything and then have you put the 3x5 card in the case (just toss it in there) and then close it up and lock it. TSA person walks away with your case and takes it down to the baggage area for loading on your flight.

Pad lock is yours. Get a nice beefy one. Do not use the TSA locks. Nobody will open your case after the TSA person checks it. They want it this way.
You unlock the case, and lock it back up and keep the key and go on your way.


The procedure varys slightly but is pretty much the same. In Virgina at Reagan National it was fill out the card and then put the card in the case but not TSA person ever looked at the gun. I only had to open the case to put the card in. Took the case over to the xray machine and put it on the conveyor and once it passed through I left.

 

[djsmiles]

thank you all for the replies. i am not too worried about the ammo. my brother-in-law in NC said he can supply that for me.

another question i just thought of. can i put the locked case in to my checked baggage? as opposed to being out in the open? i have a rather large bag that it will fit in.

 

[vellnueve]

Yes.

 

[jdubois]

Irrelevant as long as the pistol is locked in the trunk per FOPA.

And as long as Holder agrees with Gonzales that 926A still applies while changing modes of transport.

 

[GSG]

Irrelevant as long as the pistol is locked in the trunk per FOPA.

I didn't know FOPA covered driving to the airport as well.

 

[vellnueve]

It does. It covers the entire trip. The flight is just one leg of it.

And as long as Holder agrees with Gonzales that 926A still applies while changing modes of transport.

Also a very good point.

 

[MasterShinken]

Are you allowed to have an empty magazine in the weapon?

 

[vellnueve]

I don't think there's a law against it, but there may be airline policy against it.

 

[GSG]

It does. It covers the entire trip. The flight is just one leg of it.

Makes sense to me, I just never thought of it that way. Good to know. I'm assuming that's why they don't check for LTC's when checking guns at Logan?

 

[djsmiles]

ok, another question. and i know this may sound stupid, but i figured i would ask anyway.

does a holster need to be locked up too? or can i just toss it in with the rest of my luggage?

 

[M1911]

ok, another question. and i know this may sound stupid, but i figured i would ask anyway.

does a holster need to be locked up too? or can i just toss it in with the rest of my luggage?

You can just toss it in your luggage.

What I do when traveling with a handgun is put my unloaded handgun and magazines in a S&W Performance Center locking hard case. I put that case inside a hardsided, locking Samsonite bag. I put the holster, magazine carriers, and ammunition in a factory box inside the Samsonite bag, but not in the PC hard case.