Travelling With a Long Gun
BY Herschel Smith
1 year, 8 months ago
For airline travel, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires that guns be transported in hard-sided, lockable cases. One way to maximize luggage space is to buy one of the top-quality bulkier cases, like a Pelican or Explorer, then remove the foam interior and pack your hunting clothes in the case. The clothes serve as padding for your shotgun while freeing up room in your checked bag for waders and other items. Gun cases commonly come in one- and two-gun models. The best field repair kit is an extra gun, and if you’re going on a long-anticipated trip, consider packing two guns. To maximize luggage space, many traveling waterfowlers wear their hunting coats and use a field backpack or blind bag as a carry-on. That’s a practical idea, but make sure that you don’t have any loose shotgun shells in your pockets or bags before you pass through security.
Interesting tips. The article is oriented towards water fowlers, but this could just as easily go for travelling to Kansas to shoot upland birds (in that case, Pheasants), or Minnesota (for Grouse). I can carry a Beretta A400 in the truck to do Quail hunting in S.C. or N.C., but that brings up another point.
Reader xtphreak made these remarks not long ago on another article.
MrGunsandgear also made a statement about 6:04 re: a “rule” requiring FedEx & UPS to mark packages containing firearms for shipping.
I posted a comment there asking for specifics on this “Rule”.
Their “Rule” doesn’t override 18 U.S.C. § 922 – U.S. Code – Unannotated Title 18. Crimes and Criminal Procedure § 922. Unlawful acts.
Specifically (e) which reads:
“…(e) It shall be unlawful for any person …. No common or contract carrier shall require or cause any label, tag, or other written notice to be placed on the outside of any package, luggage, or other container that such package, luggage, or other container contains a firearm. …”.
Can you specify the Rules that require common carriers to mark packages that contain firearms?
I personally used this against airline policy (Piedmont Airlines) to tag luggage with a bright orange CONTAINS FIREARM tag prior to 911.
[ … ]
I listen to MrGunsandgear, but on this he is wrong.
I posted the following to his youtube under my previous comment:
the UPS site states: “The labeling and outer box markings on all Firearm Products shipments must not identify the contents as containing Firearm Products. Labeling, including the shipper’s and consignee’s abbreviated names on the shipping label or air shipping document, must be non-descriptive.”
FedEx site says: “Re-package the firearm case in an outer box with no identifying markers”
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/how-to-ship-firearms.html
I think this is important because I think we need to know if carriers, including airlines, can legally put labels on our firearms cases?
On a final note, say you are carrying a shotgun for upland bird hunting on an airline. Let’s say that it’s a really nice one, like a Beretta DT11. What do you do? Purchase travel insurance for $12,000 to cover the gun? Perhaps the answer to this is don’t carry a DT11 on an airline. But then, how do the competition shooters do it? Maybe we can carry a cheaper gun on the airlines (good upland bird guns go for > $2000 though), but a competition shooter will carry his expensive weapon.
On March 21, 2023 at 6:41 am, Joe Blow said:
How do we handle this?
What do we do?
I’ll tell you what we do: we overthrow this tyrannical installation of traitors called the government, return to a Constitutional Republic of States, and shoot any motherfucker that has a problem with that!
Simple.
On March 21, 2023 at 6:59 am, jrg said:
I very rarely fly so this topic is a learning experience for me. When I travel by car and stay in motels, I often carry a broken down ‘riot length’ barrelled pump shotgun in case of home invasion. I once travelled to Oklahoma City by train and declined taking a firearm with me. I was nearly broken into on a ground level motel room. They apparently mistook me for a fellow criminal. All I had for defense was a fillet knife just purchased at Bass Pro Shop. Not a good feeling – I was lucky they realized their error and took off.
On March 22, 2023 at 1:16 pm, xtphreak said:
@Herschel
Thanks for the quote!
When I had the issue with Piedmont (in Wilmington, NC) the ticket agent insisted on attaching a bright orange “Contains Firearm” tag to the outside of my suitcase.
I argued the point with him, had to escalate to his supervisor.
My point here is this.
When traveling, print the following federal laws AND CARRY A HARD COPY WITH YOU
18 U.S.C. § 922 (e) [referenced above]
49 CFR § 1540.111 (a)-(d) especially (c)(2)(iv) This one gives me much grief as TSA will tell you they have to have the key or combination to the hard case if they want to search it again. I tell them I will open it for them, but Federal law PROHIBITS giving them the key or combination.
It’s amazing how many do not understand what a federal law means. Insist on a supervisor.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-XII/subchapter-C/part-1540/subpart-B/section-1540.111
49 CFR § 1544.203 Acceptance and screening of checked baggage. (f)(2)(iii) is the same thing as 49 CFR § 1540.111 (c)(2)(iv) above.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-XII/subchapter-C/part-1544/subpart-C/section-1544.203
Department of Redundancy Department at work here.
Or maybe it’s the Redundant Department of Redundancy?
49 CFR § 175.10 (8) Regulations on ammunition in checked luggage
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-175
Copies of the applicable airlines policies are good to read and have with you too.
They have revised the TSA regulations on their website …. again
“…TSA must resolve all alarms in checked baggage. If a locked container carrying a firearm alarms, TSA or the airline will make a reasonable attempt to contact the owner. If contact is not made, the container will not be placed on the aircraft. …”
https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/factsheets/firearms-and-ammunition
I also carry a hard copy of the “red light” laws as applied to motorcycles when the sensor doesn’t trip, for states I travel in/through.