Advice for checking in firearm

2590 Views 22 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Kmurray96, May 6, 2012

supercazzola

Discussion Starter · Mar 30, 2012

My dad gave me his Remington 1100 shotgun. He lives in NY, and I in FL.
I'm traveling up there for work reasons, and want to return with the shotgun.
I've checked with the airlines (Delta) and have an understanding that the hard case must be locked, and the weapon must be unloaded, and I must declare at the counter that I'm checking in a firearm so I can sign some forms.

As hard as I've tried, they won't give me the forms ahead of time so I can know what info they require. For example, do they require the S/N, etc?

Anyone have advice or tips for me? Especially with it being NY (La Guardia), I don't need any trouble, and want to do this the right way.

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Redhawk41mag

· #2 · Mar 30, 2012

supercazzola said:
My dad gave me his Remington 1100 shotgun. He lives in NY, and I in FL.
I'm traveling up there for work reasons, and want to return with the shotgun.
I've checked with the airlines (Delta) and have an understanding that the hard case must be locked, and the weapon must be unloaded, and I must declare at the counter that I'm checking in a firearm so I can sign some forms.

As hard as I've tried, they won't give me the forms ahead of time so I can know what info they require. For example, do they require the S/N, etc?

Anyone have advice or tips for me? Especially with it being NY (La Guardia), I don't need any trouble, and want to do this the right way.

View attachment 3665

Last time I flew with a firearm was before 9/11 from Miami, Fl. to Billings, Montana to hunt...was pretty painless. ID and my ticket was what they asked for, the case had to be FAA approved and a lock provided. They wrapped the case in a yellow tape that stated "unloaded firearm" over the latches and the lock. When I picked up my luggage at the carrosel, I had to go to a pick-up window and sign for the case. I didnt dare to open it in the airport even though I was in a very gun friendly environment but did so @ the rental car joint. Hope it works out for ya...no reason it shouldnt.

fls348

· #3 · Mar 30, 2012

Make it easy on yourself, call the TSA and ask them, they'll tell you exactly what they require.

Read this too: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm

SHOOTER13

· #4 · Mar 30, 2012

They cannot make you submit your SSN...and it must say optional if it is on the form,

just the way it's optional on the ATF 4473 form when you buy a firearm...if that's all

you are worried about...

fls348

· #5 · Mar 30, 2012

SHOOTER13 said:
They cannot make you submit your SSN...and it must say optional if it is on the form,

just the way it's optional on the ATF 4473 form when you buy a firearm...if that's all

you are worried about...

I think he meant serial number???

supercazzola

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 30, 2012

fls348 said:
I think he meant serial number???

Yeah, I meant serial number.

Boracay

· #7 · Mar 30, 2012

You can send it by FFL (NY) to FFL (FL) to avoid all the hassles.. And you can send it right away..

supercazzola

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 30, 2012

Redhawk41mag said:
... the case had to be FAA approved and a lock provided...

I have a hard case, with lock. I saw / read nothing about it needing to be FAA approved. I guess I'll call TSA.

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

Webphisher

· #9 · Mar 30, 2012

Keep in mind the lock should NOT be a TSA lock.

supercazzola

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 30, 2012

Webphisher said:
Keep in mind the lock should NOT be a TSA lock.

The hard case has three latches, two of which lock with a key.

supercazzola

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 30, 2012

here is the case I will use

here is the case I will use. The outer latches lock

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supercazzola

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 30, 2012

Boracay said:
You can send it by FFL (NY) to FFL (FL) to avoid all the hassles.. And you can send it right away..

I could do that, but I want to bring it back myself.

supercazzola

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 3, 2012

2

Ok, here is how it went - quite painless. And once my Dad's, now my '64 Remington 1100 is here with me in FL.

(1) locked the unloaded shotgun in a hard case, and went to LGA
(2) walked up to ticket counter line for Special Services
(3) Informed Agent I had an unloaded firearm in the case to be checked in
(4) I filled out a red tag and signed it (date, name, signature). It stated I was the only holder of the key/combo
(5) I showed agent my drivers license
(6) Port Authority Police were called. I showed them my ID, and they asked what city I was in while in NY, how long, and if I did any shooting there?
(7) they verified gun was unloaded, photographed my ID and the S/N on the shotgun.
(8) I locked the case up, and we all went to the X-ray machine. Once cleared through there, the Port Authority police wished me a safe flight, and I was on my way.

The whole experience was very painless, and I was very happy to find it in the Baggage Assistance area in my destination airport.

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I also brought back the 1962 Hoppes cleaning kit. Check it out :

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ROYALE-W-CHEESE

· #14 · May 3, 2012

Thanks for posting your experience. I'll be traveling with firearm soon for the first time. This is good to know.

That vintage Hoppes kit is something else!

nukinfuts29

· #15 · May 3, 2012

Its pretty easy stuff keep in mind many airlines require u to declare during ticket purchase, even online

Eye_Peeled

· #16 · May 3, 2012

supercazzola said:
here is the case I will use. The outer latches lock
View attachment 3672

Nice Savage lever-action! What caliber? .243 was the most popular. They are great guns and becoming more desirable, hang on to it.

supercazzola

Discussion Starter · #17 · May 5, 2012 (Edited)

Eye_Peeled said:
Nice Savage lever-action! What caliber? .243 was the most popular. They are great guns and becoming more desirable, hang on to it.

I didn't bring back the rifle, but just the 1100 shotgun. But, I believe it is a .308 Winchester Savage model 38

SteveC

· #18 · May 5, 2012

Thanks for posting the experience. I'm sure more than a few people will find that helpful. As an aside, I keep a list of SNs on my smartphone in a password protected app called Safe Note.

BLCKWLF

· #19 · May 5, 2012

Personally I would have the gun shipped via FFL to my destination. Might take some extra time and planning to work out, but it's worth it in my opinion. I don't trust the TSA. I don't like them knowing that I own firearms. And I especially believe that a hard sided gun case marked "firearm" all over it is an open invitation for something to go missing.

jonm61

· #20 · May 5, 2012

I basically refuse to fly any more. I won't get fondled and I don't like or trust the full body scanners. Insufficient study time before they put them out and TSA's own "safety" inspections have found some of them to be putting out more than the specified amount of radiation.

If I had to fly with a firearm, as long as it was from and to gun friendly states, I'd take it with me. If it were CA, NY, NJ, IL or MA, I'd ship it. After the stories of people getting arrested in NY, including that guy who had declared his firearm on the flight and ended up getting arrested at LaGuardia despite supposedly doing everything right, I just wouldn't be willing to risk it.

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