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TSA, international flight, and GSR on clothing and belt

Navy Moose

Navy Moose

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In October I'm flying international out of Logan and I'm wondering how much of a pain the TSA kabuki theater can be if I have GSR on my clothing.

I wear a Wilderness Instructor belt pretty much full time and it is the belt I wear when I carry. Needless to say, it makes every range trip I do. Same with my sneakers and ball caps.

How much of a pain will TSA be if I have GSR on my clothes? Also, what advice do you guys have for flying with NRA magazines or gun related books. Can any of these make me a "prohibited person" in terms of flying? Please note I'm a Vet, Conservative, and a gun owner. I'm on plenty of lists and databases for all of these.

Thanks in advance!
 
I did not have a problem with TSA wearing my hat/belt/shoes that I wear to the range. I think you might be over thinking this one
 
Most TSA agents can't find their own noses. I'm actually about to head out to the airport right now and I too most likely have GSR on my clothes. Not worried at all.
 
I have often caught an afternoon/evening flight after a couple of hours on the range that morning and have never had an issue - even when I am swabbed looking for explosive residue
 
I have had a swab show positive for explosives, but this was an evening flight after a morning and afternoon involving 8 cases of Tannerite.

I explained what I had been doing, showed pictures on my phone, talked to the Colorado State Police and Airport Police, showed pictures and video again, they laughed, asked where we were, and why they did not get an invite! TSA guy was doing the open-mouthed goldfish when the police said I was good to go without so much as a patdown.
 
Navy Moose said:
In October I'm flying international out of Logan and I'm wondering how much of a pain the TSA kabuki theater can be if I have GSR on my clothing.
Click to expand...

None, Bro. They're swabbing for explosives, which is different than GSR. I went through that already (remember, ex-wife had security clearance, etc). However, if you have black Cordura carry-on luggage, prepare to have them paw through it. Apparently, black Cordura is the luggage of choice of the modern terrorist... every time I have a bag made out of that, it gets searched. Some other color? NP. [thinking]
 
Same here, went to airport morning after a few indoor range trips. Same belt/shoes, no problem.
704b8fe26739f40f0bc711819a693778.jpg
 
I have come up positive for explosives on my shoes from the air puffer machine. This was when I was in the Navy, stationed on an aircraft carrier. That explanation and my mil ID was all i needed to continue on to my flight. If your not a terrorist and can explain w/out freaking out why you might be producing a positive, I am sure they will let you continue on. Good luck
 
No big deal. The time before last when I went through, I had on my NRA hat. I was pulled aside for the swab test. I asked if it was because of the hat, and they said no. I then asked if it would be an issue if I had just been to the range. The guy said "no, we don't check for that"
 
When the puff-and-sniff scanners were in common use, post-911 (and subsequently abandoned) I boarded a flight out of DTW. I had been shooting that morning, in the clothes I was wearing.
They were flagging every fourth person to go thru the puffer...
one two three four one two three four one two three crap!
I made a big show out of tieing my shoes (back when they WERE allowed!) to get into a different position. [rofl]
 
As the others have said, you won't have an issue.

Interestingly, security varies significantly depending on the airport. A short time ago I flew out of Bradley and you have to do the whole rigamarole with the shoes, belt etc. but when I flew back out of Orlando there was none of the shoes and belt drama.

I also have a large amount of internal "after market parts" which set off the detector at the Bradley airport but I sailed through the metal detector in Orlando

FWIW.
 
Navy Moose said:
In October I'm flying international out of Logan and I'm wondering how much of a pain the TSA kabuki theater can be if I have GSR on my clothing.

I wear a Wilderness Instructor belt pretty much full time and it is the belt I wear when I carry. Needless to say, it makes every range trip I do. Same with my sneakers and ball caps.

How much of a pain will TSA be if I have GSR on my clothes? Also, what advice do you guys have for flying with NRA magazines or gun related books. Can any of these make me a "prohibited person" in terms of flying? Please note I'm a Vet, Conservative, and a gun owner. I'm on plenty of lists and databases for all of these.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Seriously?
 
Don't sweat it. I have more or less the same Wilderness belt for carry & often wear it with casual clothes when flying for work. Last week it was swabbed for extra special analysis in China and Taiwan and has been swabbed in the US before. Also I have been to the range on a Sunday before flying somewhere Sunday night. I get about 150,000 to 200,000 air miles a year for work and so far no problema; even in Tel Aviv which understandably has the most uptight security to be found.
 
Isn't there a Shakespeare play: "Much ado about nothing?" I have never had a problem taking firearms publications aboard aircraft either and in fact have purchased gun rags at airport newsstands.

Gotta ask you this question: are you kinda doing this on purpose to push the envelope just to see how far it takes you? Do you simply have to wear a ball cap or sneakers? Personally I usually wear loafers when I fly, why? Because if I have to take off my shoes, easy on, easy off. What's my big concession? Cargo pants, why? I love cargo pants...but not 5.11's but old War-mart Wrangler ones with lots of pockets, more pockets, less stuff to put in carry on bags, very convenient. Great when you travel. Wear 'em everyday... Why not just blend in with the crowd, why stand out and call attention to yourself in any possible way?

I do think that you have gone into overthink mode in this, though. Don't use any range bags for luggage or anything that might have gunpowder residue on it, that would be of greater concern to me, and then there are those folks who carry extremely lightweight pistols and revolvers and forget they have them on them. Make sure you are completely free of all guns and ammunition and sharp pointy things too.

Highly unlikely you are on anyone's data bases, more .gov paranoia. I think some of you guys really worry too much about stuff that's not really real. Unless things have changed in the last two months of course, but I don't think they have [wink]
 
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I call TSA employees diddlers and ask them how my d**k looks when they refuse to let me through the metal detector.

Who gives a f***.

Just wear your damn belt. And your shirt, and hat. Nothing will happen.

Ps: Keep in mind I have an accent. Maybe I get away with it because they are afraid to be called racist.[laugh]
 
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Navy Moose said:
In October I'm flying international out of Logan and I'm wondering how much of a pain the TSA kabuki theater can be if I have GSR on my clothing.

I wear a Wilderness Instructor belt pretty much full time and it is the belt I wear when I carry. Needless to say, it makes every range trip I do. Same with my sneakers and ball caps.

How much of a pain will TSA be if I have GSR on my clothes? Also, what advice do you guys have for flying with NRA magazines or gun related books. Can any of these make me a "prohibited person" in terms of flying? Please note I'm a Vet, Conservative, and a gun owner. I'm on plenty of lists and databases for all of these.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I don't think you'll have a problem...unless the reason you have GSR on your belt is still attached to your belt. I flew out of Logan last month for business and the backpack I used as a carry-on is the same backpack I use as a range bag. I didn't think a thing of it and when I was going through security, nothing would give me concern that GSR would be a problem. I don't even think they check for it. Going through security, you'll take your belt off as they're checking out your junk. It will get x-rayed and nothing more.

ETA: The NRA mags probably won't be a problem either. Before my trip, I ripped a few of my DVDs that I hadn't watched in a while to my tablet, including Munich. I forgot how violent and graphic it was...but no one complained, no one told me to turn it off, no one cared.
 
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youll be fine. I flew from logan to O'Hare last month, 5.11 belt, the boots I wore to the range the night before, my reading material included a few gun rags I bought the night before and a t shirt that said All American Infidel with a silhouette of a guy aiming an M-14. TSA said nothing and I passed a rather gigantic statie with an EGA tattoo on his forearm who asked where I got the shirt because he wanted one.

my carry on bag was a cheap digi-camo thing I picked up at Walmart, you know, so I can scream "operator"
 
Not looking for gunpowder, and that's IF those machines are even working properly in the first place. Not the first to the TSA has forgotten to PLUG the metal detectors in!
 
I've had my hands scanned or whatever it is they do before. They never rand any equipment over my clothes or shoes.

Of course wasn't much else to scan as I was in shorts, t-shirt and flip flops...lol Did have my bottle openers on the bottoms though.
 
I just flew home from mass with my dad's old service revolver and wreaking of weed from being at my brother's place for 6 days. Cruised right through security with no issues at all.
 
Wanna have some fun? Just ask the security twit if their scanner will trigger on nitro-cellulose propellants and watch their head spin in circles.

Be sure to hand them your LTC when they ask for your ID. When they ask if you have a driver's license, just cock your head to the side, and say in a confused tone "I'm flying. Not driving".


They love that!
 

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