Flying with a handgun is a viable option for hunters, sport shooters, and concealed carriers. However, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has strict rules and restrictions that must be followed.
The author follows TSA guidelines and checks his handgun on board almost every time he flies, so he can carry it concealed for self-defense once he arrives at his destination. This is especially true if you’re heading to a Democratic-run city where crime and social unrest are very high. A part of life.
How can a handgun be properly checked on a plane?
Two basic steps are summarized below.
- First, get an airline-approved lockable hard case. My handgun case is approximately 14 inches by 12 inches and has padlock holes in each corner of the front.
- When you receive your case and get home, lock it and try to put your hand inside the case while it is locked. I often see airline employees do this when declaring guns at the check-in counter. So an easy way to make sure you have the right airline-compliant case is to make sure you can’t slip your hand into the case when it’s locked.
Once you have the proper case and lock and are sure the case is inaccessible, the next step is to make sure the handgun is unloaded and, if it’s a pistol, take the time to put the lock back on. Slide to reveal an empty chamber. Magazine must also be empty –zErotic ammunition in pistols and magazines –Leave the magazine inserted in the gun.
If you enter the airport with a handgun in its case and arrive at the airline’s check-in counter, you will be required to declare that you are traveling with a firearm, and the airline staff will tell you that the gun is not loaded. Ask questions to make sure. You will be asked to fill out a small form, including your contact information, and then your case will be taken to a TSA officer for inspection. When a TSA officer opens the case, they immediately look for an empty chamber and an empty magazine. Locking the slides back and showing both makes things easier.
The agent confirms that the gun is unloaded and then confirms that nothing else is inside the case. Make sure there is nothing under the foam on the bottom or on top of the foam inlay on the top. It will also be checked for residue/explosives, after which the case will be locked and loaded onto the plane. Once you arrive at your destination, your pistol case will be taken to the airline’s extra-large baggage area and presented with identification from airline personnel to be collected.
What about ammunition?
You can keep the ammunition in the case as long as the ammunition is in the ammo box so that it doesn’t roll (so it doesn’t roll out of the case during transport).
The author drills a rectangular hole in the foam of the handgun case and inserts a Sig Sauer ammo box into the hole. During the flight, he empties the bullets from the magazine and places them in an ammunition box secured with a foam inlay.
(AWR Hawkins/Breitbart News)
The TSA is unforgiving when it comes to mistakes in packaging and transporting firearms in and through airports, so take the time to read the guidelines word for word.Transportation of firearms and ammunition” web page.
Also, please understand that each major airport in Japan has slightly different responses.
For example, at some airports, if you declare you are traveling with a firearm, your firearm will be taken from the check-in counter and searched by a TSA officer behind the scenes. You won’t be able to see it again until you reach your final destination, an oversized luggage storage area.
Additionally, please note that the outlined steps shared in this article apply only to domestic flights. Also note that you will need to consider the rules of the state/city you are flying to. If you’re flying to a state with strict gun laws, be sure to familiarize yourself with state and local laws and TSA guidelines, as you could be violating local laws by possessing a gun at your destination airport. please.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and also writes Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment for Breitbart News. He is also a writer and curator. He is a political analyst for Armed American Radio and a professional staff member for Pulsar Night Vision. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and completed his Ph.D. Military history focusing on the Vietnam War (Brown Navy), the U.S. Navy since its inception, the Civil War, and early modern Europe. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. To get Down Range, you can sign up at breitbart.com/downrange. Please contact us directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
