Road trip with gun in checked bag.

[The Big D]

Flew to Sarasota, FL, for some spring training baseball Wednesday, March 10.

Flew out of BWI. Declared gun at checkin; in this case the American Airlines agent asked to verify my G43 was unloaded. Opened the case; she knew exactly what she was doing and recognized the make/model. Relocked the case and the suitcase and off it went. She advised me my suitcase could be claimed at the AA baggage office at SRQ.

She asked me to wait a few minutes in case there were problems. Got the all clear a few minutes later.

Went to baggage claim immediately upon arrival. A short lime later the SRQ agent had the bag and gave it to me after showing her the claim receipt.

As usual, ZERO issues.

Be safe.

[Sistema1927]

My experience is that you are less prone to have baggage issues with a checked firearm than when you fly unarmed.

[The Big D]

Flew back to BWI from Sarasota yesterday morning. Again via American.

Easy check in; agent did not ask to see/inspect gun or packaging.

No waiting period after Sarasota check in unlike BWI.

Was advised to collect gun at American’s BWI baggage office but it was first on the conveyor belt from the plane so I simply grabbed it. No issues.

Note: Have flown literally 100’s of flights to scores of states and airports. Never a gun lost. Just one ‘missing’ bag overnight on a trip to Boise. Bag was delivered to my hotel the next morning.

Be safe.

[CQB27]

My father was a 30 year employee of Delta Airlines, from 1964 to 1984, during the golden years of commercial aviation. As a result we flew all over the country and other lands and as a young lad I got to see the world. During my time in the military I often flew home during holidays to visit my family. In all those years, probably totaling 30 plus, I never had any baggage lost.

I once had a bag taken off a small commuter plane because it was overweight or had some weight and balance issue. The pilot announced we were holding at the ramp to remove some baggage and I actually saw the ramp man put my bag on the tug trailer. I had two layovers in route and by the time I arrived in Atlanta I was told by the stewardess to contact the "red coat" Delta customer service agent who would be waiting at the jet way entrance for me. When I got there he was holding my bag.

I haven't flown since 2015. I do think the airlines don't "lose" bags very often, but it might seem that way because now folks have the internet to squeal and squall to there's heart delight these days.

[LPD256]

I had a Pelican box with 3 1911’s and empty magazines checked in for a flight to Arizona to go to Gunsite. They told me to go to the agent on arrival. I did that and the guns didn’t show up. I went by the baggage carousels and my Pelican box was the lone bag going round and round. Fortunate that it was there.

[llowry61]

I have flown quite a bit for business as well as personal reasons. I have never had a bag lost.

Flown with guns many times. The only issue we ever had was a couple of guns not making it to SD when we went pheasant hunting. The plan was to fly to Sioux Falls, rent a truck and drive a couple of hours west to Mitchell, but when we got to SF my buddies guns weren't there. The gate agent said that the guns had not made the transfer in Chicago, and they would deliver the guns to us at the hotel after they came in on the next flight. Sure enough, about 3am a courier dropped them off.

The airlines have done a pretty damned good job from my perspective.

Every time I have traveled with guns, the gate agents knew exactly what to do and it went quickly and smoothly. You get some strange looks from folks in line, but so be it.

[Racer X]

Even at 99% of bags making it OK, on a full plane, that's one or two bags delayed or "lost".

[bovw]

I’ve only flown once with a handgun in checked baggage, no problem at all. SLC airport, the lady didn’t even ask to see it, at Dulles, the bag was on the carousel.

The only time I’ve flown since was to visit our son in Boise, I just used one of his handguns while in town and left mine at home.


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[jcs266]

I've flown many times and never had a problem. Declare it at the ticket / bag check-in and you're good to go. I have a hard-sided suitecase that locks plus nowdays I have a steel locking box i put the gun in by itself also.

[Old Arkansawyer]

Thanksgiving of 1970 I had 30 days leave coming and was going to
deer hunt, bought a new Remington pump 30-06 with a soft carry case.
I boarded a plane in Honolulu, in uniform, carrying the rifle over my
shoulder and flying military standby. Upon boarding the plane I handed
the rifle over and it was put in the pilots cabin they gave it back when
we deplaned. Repeated this at LAX, Love field in Dallas and again when
deplaning in Tulsa.
I memory serves me I paid $106.00 for the rifle plus case at the Navy
exchange.
Now 51 years later can you imagine?

[ISCS Yoda]

Flying with a firearms is usually fairly easy. Most airline employees know the drill and the TSA folks are generally very cooperative. The checking of guns by the airline personnel has become a rare event because someone, probably in the Law Department, figured out how stupid it was to permit their employees to handle other people's checked in guns. Once they touch it if something goes wrong they're in the chain of custody - oopsie!

There is one weird glitch in the current system. You used to have to check your firearm in a hard, locked case which meant a case designed solely for the firearm. The rule was reinterpreted at some point such that airlines permit the hard, locked case to be a lockable case similar to the hard case some guns literally come in (see picture) and then they permit that little hard, locked case to be tossed into a soft sided piece of luggage. Having flown many times with firearms I was astounded to learn of this stupidity but it exists. And is apparently completely acceptable to TSA.

I lost one piece of luggage one time almost 40 years ago. I checked a tennis-type bag with a tennis racket in the correct slot and handle sticking out. It said tennis bag and tennis racket. Someone stole it. I didn't care about the bag or the racket, I actually wasn't much into tennis and never bought a replacement racket. But I lost some irreplaceable, vintage Hebrew prayer books/psalms/etc., and my then new retainer for my recently removed teeth braces. THAT was annoying!!!

Locking, hard box:

[AJ]

Originally Posted by Old Arkansawyer

Thanksgiving of 1970 I had 30 days leave coming and was going to
deer hunt, bought a new Remington pump 30-06 with a soft carry case.
I boarded a plane in Honolulu, in uniform, carrying the rifle over my
shoulder and flying military standby. Upon boarding the plane I handed
the rifle over and it was put in the pilots cabin they gave it back when
we deplaned. Repeated this at LAX, Love field in Dallas and again when
deplaning in Tulsa.
I memory serves me I paid $106.00 for the rifle plus case at the Navy
exchange.
Now 51 years later can you imagine?

Had almost the same experience in 1972. Coming home from my second tour in SEA, we had a layover at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. I went to the base gun shop and bought a Remington 700 Custom in .300 Winchester Magnum. I had a Bushnell Scope Chief 3-9X with command post mounted on it and put it in a Samsonite hard gun case. Taped the Customs Declarations on the outside. Went through customs in Japan twice and Hawaii, and San Francisco, I was in uniform of course, and the customs agents never opened it once. I was surprised. While I was waiting in San Fran for a flight to Miami, I had two policemen watching me all the time. When I showed up in Miami again two officers following me around. This was the era of hijackings to Cuba. They watched me had over the rifle to the air crew when I got on the plane for the last legs of the flight. Have since sold the rifle for much more than I paid for it. Original cost was the rifle was $113.00, the scope was $70.00 and the case was $40.00. A box of ammo back then was $20.00, in 1972 to an Sgt. (E-5) that was a lot of money.

AJ