Airline apporved handgun case

[Capuchin Monkey]

i know it is long shot because we all have lost our guns in a boating accident. Could i borrow someone's airline appoved gun case? Willing to pay for your services if it helps. Thanks.

[Bill]

I don't believe there is something called a TSA-approved gun case. For handguns it's a locked case (non-TSA lock) with no identification it's a gun just your name and put inside your checked luggage. For a long rifle, I'd borrow a hard golf club bag and just check it as luggage, you do not have to declare an unloaded long rifle (I think I'm correct on that).

When I check my bow I tell them it's "sporting equipment".

[AJ the TP Guru]

When I check my bow I tell them it's "sporting equipment".

Me too, Bill, but last trip the SWA supervisor objected to my locking the case so that TSA couldn't get in it if it turned out to be the one in four (supposedly) that they actually search. I used restraint to keep from telling him that's exactly why I lock it, but did manage to ultimately get it checked without unlocking it.

Subsequently I went to the SWA baggage guidelines, and here is all I could find in the regs:

Firearms - firearms carried as checked baggage MUST be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided container, and declared to the airline at check-in.

Here is the link to all regs: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...d-items.shtm#5

[DocHolliday]

Me too, Bill, but last trip the SWA supervisor objected to my locking the case so that TSA couldn't get in it if it turned out to be the one in four (supposedly) that they actually search. I used restraint to keep from telling him that's exactly why I lock it, but did manage to ultimately get it checked without unlocking it.]

that's funny, I think the SW supervisor must have been mistaken
last time I checked a pistol, the SW lady told me to put the card in the case, and I could lock it, she said it's "pretty much just on the honor system"
the TSA guy saw me put the card in my case, i told him my handgun was locked in the case inside my bag, and he said good

[stinkbelly]

Sorry I don't have one for you to borrow, but try to get one with a combination. They have master keys for all the key type locks. When I traveled with my handguns, I used a combo for that very reason and I got called to the check in booth because they wanted to search it and couldn't get in. At least that way, everyone knew that they opened the case.

[cj7zrcool]

My wife (a CHL holder) took her revolver with her on a business trip last year to a reciprocal carry state. She flew AA and had to declare it at the counter, and was then redirected to the TSA office, which inspected it, relocked it, put it back in her checked luggage, and took the bag to be loaded on the plane. It was a time consuming PITA so she sent it back home with a colleague that drove her car to the conference just so she wouldn't have to go through it all again.

[Bill]

If you check your bow (or a longrifle in a hard case) as luggage, then the lock must be TSA approved so they can open it like they would another piece of luggage. I believe since the pistol case is inspected at the time of check-in and put into the luggage and sent to the plane without you touching it, it qualifies as having been checked already.

The other thing I've noticed is when landing, the luggage was in a very cold portion of the plane, and the metal stays cold and gets condensation on it when you land if it's humid. It's not a problem here since our humidity is so low, but elsewhere you need to be prepared to wipe down the weapon. My bow was soaking wet with condensation when I checked it to Austin a few years ago and opened the case at the airport. I opened it at the baggage office since I did not want people freaking-out that I was handling a 'weapon' in the airport.

[AJ the TP Guru]

If you check your bow (or a longrifle in a hard case) as luggage, then the lock must be TSA approved so they can open it like they would another piece of luggage.

Following up on my earlier comments as well as Bill's.

When I opened my bowcase yesterday, there was a TSA inspection note inside, same as other times when my unlocked luggage was inspected. I hadn't really thought about them having a master key, but obviously they do.