TexasCHLforum.com

jimlongley wrote:
You were lied to, in several ways.

That may well be. There is a definition on the TSA site pertaining to the security of the container, it seems open to a bit of local interpretation.

The firearm must be in a hard-sided container that is locked. A locked container is defined as one that completely secures the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be pulled open with little effort cannot be brought aboard the aircraft.

From TTAG:

Second, the case. Don’t buy cheap stuff. $15-20 plastic cases from Bass Pro ain’t gonna get the job done. The unwritten standard is that when the case is locked (not latched, but locked; think “someone trying to get in”) that you can’t fit your finger through the gap. (See this picture for a “bad” example.) I firmly believe Pelican (or something very, very similar) is the way to go. They are solid, and darn near bulletproof.

It would seem that the standard for being "pulled open" may vary a bit from place to place and managers influence.

At the time, I wanted to;

- Successfully check my bags (to include said pistol)
- Get back to DFW before the big storms got in

We got both done and the extra locks cost $12.00 (IIRC). Alot cheaper than a hotel if we were delayed and had to stay over.

Jeff B.

Excaliber wrote:

RetNavy wrote:thanks for all of the advices and stories.... will be flying American so hopefully will not have to prove its unloaded.... sounds like will have to keep the safe close to the top and not buried under all the clothes.....

That is part of the key to easy passage.

The second part is to take the slide off the frame (if a semiauto) because upon opening the security box a quick glance by the agent easily verifies that it is not in operable condition.

The third part is to leave lots of extra time (like an hour), know the rules, be calm, and use clear language:

"I am declaring an unloaded firearm in a secure case and ammunition in its original container in my checked luggage. Please provide me with the required tag so I can sign it and place it inside the suitcase."

This tells them:

- What they need to know
- That you know what needs to be done
- What they need to do if they don't already know

Leaving the extra time takes the stress off of you, helps keep your voice calm, and allows for different procedures (like waiting 20 minutes for someone to escort you from the ticket counter to the TSA luggage screening point).

I've never run into a significant issue when using this approach.

Very good advice.

I'll add a personal experience. Two Aprils ago we did a trip to the SE (Masters) and saw some folks in Brunswick & Savanah, consequently flying into and out of Jacksonville, FL. Trip out of DFW was uneventful, as described above. Nice trip, got to show piece to my BIL (Gylnne Co Sheriff) after a conversation about local crime.

Trip back... Got to AA, started process, then the ticket agent took his pen and got it in between the lids of the Pelikan case and told me the TSA would not accept that as secure and would fine the airline. He showed me his FL CHL and said, "I'm not busting your chops, we've got a new TSA boss from New York that doesn't think you should have that gun, let alone travel with it." He then told me to go to the gift shop and buy a pair of the TSA locks so I could have two locks on each case that would not allow a pen to get inside the cases. So I got the two short locks and essentially forced them into the cases and locked them. Checked my bags and came back to DFW (In time to get home and see a 53' trailer picked up by a tornado) and avoid some storms!

Allow that extra time!

Jeff B.