Flying with your turkey gun

[Roost 1]

Planning a turkey trip out west, but have never flew with my gun.
Looking for some tips from others that have done this. I like to be prepared and don't like surprises.
What are the best ways to fly with guns and ammo???
TIA

[rakkin6]

Each airline is a little different and you will be charged a separate fee from everything else for checking the gun into checked baggage which varies from airline to airline. I would suggest the best and strongest possible gun case you can buy to include being able to place padlocks on your gun case, those baggage handlers just toss stuff around and snoop.

  You can not have any parts to your gun in any of your carry-on luggage. Gun must be unloaded obviously. At the time ammo could be stored in the same case has the gun has long has it is unloaded. They will make you open your gun case to verify it is unloaded and will put a certain sticker on it verifying it was unloaded. I have only flown one time with a gin to South Dakota for a duck hunt that was put on by a non profit for wounded warriors about four years ago and it really wasn't to bad.

  Whichever airline you are flying I would give them a call and see if they have any other restrictions just to be safe. And check out the fees. Happy travels brother and wish you luck.

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

[ChiefBubba]

I've done it multiple times. Get you the best case you can afford. They will try to destroy it. If it has a place for a lock put a lock on it. I have the Pelican gun case with 4 locks keyed alike. Use your own good locks not the crappy TSA locks. Give yourself 2 hours to check in and check in at the counter. You'll probably have to make at least 2 checks to get it in. Bubba

[USMC0331]

Last time I flew your shotgun had to be in a locked case and ammo had to be in its irginal ammo cardboard box and in a locked container. They will pull you to the side and have you open both containers. After inspection they will be put on plane. You with be checked for powder residue , have you open your carry on bag if you have one.

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[rakkin6]

Last time I flew your shotgun had to be in a locked case and ammo had to be in its irginal ammo cardboard box and in a locked container. They will pull you to the side and have you open both containers. After inspection they will be put on plane. You with be checked for powder residue , have you open your carry on bag if you have one.

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Forgot about the powder residue, one time I was flying out of Fort Bragg on an evening flight from the airport in Fayetteville while I was out there for training. I had been at the demolitions range that morning for about 4 hours. Obviously I showered and cleaned up before I flew. They decided to randomly swab my hands for residues. Needless to say I set off the machines and they locked down the airport because the machine came back with dynamite and C4 residue on my hands from being at the range all morning. Obviously they didn't find anything and they said it happens all the time being an airport right next to a major Army installation but it was still embarrassing has could be. Everyone standing there looking at you.

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

[Tom007]

Each airline is a little different and you will be charged a separate fee from everything else for checking the gun into checked baggage which varies from airline to airline. I would suggest the best and strongest possible gun case you can buy to include being able to place padlocks on your gun case, those baggage handlers just toss stuff around and snoop.

  You can not have any parts to your gun in any of your carry-on luggage. Gun must be unloaded obviously. At the time ammo could be stored in the same case has the gun has long has it is unloaded. They will make you open your gun case to verify it is unloaded and will put a certain sticker on it verifying it was unloaded. I have only flown one time with a gin to South Dakota for a duck hunt that was put on by a non profit for wounded warriors about four years ago and it really wasn't to bad.

  Whichever airline you are flying I would give them a call and see if they have any other restrictions just to be safe. And check out the fees. Happy travels brother and wish you luck.

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

Key points here.  He nailed the main thing for safe gun travel, get the best case you can afford. This is an understatement. When I started traveling by plane with a firearm, I purchased a stainless steel gun case made by Impact Case Company (ICC). This case is a double rifle case made of stainless steel with beefed up gusseted  welded corners. It has 6 heavy duty hasps that a stainless rod the length of the case slides through and locks. I bought it because the add shows a dump truck rolling over it without damage. The case is all scratched, couple small dents, but it protects my guns. If you saw this case, you would realize the stress it goes through in baggage. I am ok traveling with this case, anything less, I would be concerned. It's almost like baggage handlers don't like hunting......best of luck....

[eggshell]

I will add one more tip. If it is a pump or semi auto. then put a zip tie through the action to make it nonfunctional without removing the zip tie. They have complimented me on this before. I think you can have  your shells in any box that is closable or made for shells and in your checked luggage. Do not leave them in a pocket or vest, you will get called to the TSA office, and that is not fun. Believe me I know this. 

[Tom007]

I will add one more tip. If it is a pump or semi auto. then put a zip tie through the action to make it nonfunctional without removing the zip tie. They have complimented me on this before. I think you can have  your shells in any box that is closable or made for shells and in your checked luggage. Do not leave them in a pocket or vest, you will get called to the TSA office, and that is not fun. Believe me I know this.

Good idea...

[PalmettoRon]

I've done it many times. It is a variable process depending on the TSA process at each airport and the airline too. Buy a good quality case as the baggage handlers are in a hurry and toss around luggage like a Frisbee. I would recommend Pelican.

To simplify matters, I would not put the ammo in your gun case even if it's in the original box. Put the ammo in the original box in a separate piece of checked luggage. You can't carry the ammo in a carry on. I once had to take my ammo back to my vehicle as the woman for Delta would not let me check it as it was in a hard plastic ammo box instead of the original paper box. I tried to argue that my ammo was much more safely secured in the plastic. No go. I've later successfully checked ammo in hard plastic and have read the airline info supporting the ability to do so.

Put a good quality lock on every place on your case that has a place where a lock can fit. I used to lock my Pelican with 2 locks. I had a buddy get held up by the airlines as they wanted 4 locks on the case, never mind that there is no way to open the case with 2 locks on it. I never had an issue until some young smartass airline agent smiled at me and said it was unacceptable to take my case with just 2 locks. I argued with him over the stupidity of that and that most gun cases only have one or two places to lock the case and challenged him to try to open the case. I was pleasant, but wanted to see how he would react. He then told me I would have to go to the gift shop and try to get 2 more locks. I then fished out of my backpack 2 quality locks, smiled and put them on.

You will not have to pay any more to check a gun than any other piece of luggage. It's the same fee.

Get to the airport unless it's a small airport 2 hours ahead of your flight. TSA has different ways of inspecting your weapon. Ask the airline agent how the TSA process will work. At some airports, you never see the TSA agent and you wait at the airline counter until the TSA agent tells the airline agent that you're good to go. Other times, an airline agent accompanies you and your gun case and takes you to TSA. It is extremely variable about how the process works.

Make sure you have a key or the combo readily available.TSA does not always open the case, but usually does and will want your key or combo.

I would strongly suggest you read the info from the airline you will be flying on regarding guns and ammo and copy it and have it on you. Many of the agents do not know the policies of their airline. Equipped with the info in hand and remaining polite but firm can help at times.

You will need to open your case at the airline counter and sign and date a card that the agent will also sign. You will then place this card into the case and lock it. It's been that way for years. Go figure!

Most of the time, it is not a big deal. I have never really had TSA give me a hard time. I have had airline agents try to make things difficult as I think the antigun and antihunter crowd if given a chance to annoy you, will try to do so.

Hope you have a great hunt!!

[PharmHunter]

To the OP, it really isn't difficult. 
You "must" have locks "2" on your case...preferably TSA locks which are easy to buy online or in stores.  If you have a case that has it's own second locking point, like a rod, then 1 lock works.  Most, like Pelicans etc will require the two or even 4.
I've flown many different places with firearms on different airlines...I've never been charged anything but a normal checked bag fee. 
You tell them what it is when you get to the counter.  Some have experience and some look for a coworker who has more.
They inspect it's unloaded at the counter, put the card in, you then either get called to inspect it with another agent or you get the greenlight to go about your business in 5-10 min from the agent once it's been sent back.
When you arrive it will not come out with regular bags.  Someone will bring it to the baggage claim office of your airline or a designated area to you, depending on the airport.
Shells can be in a box in the gun case or in your checked luggage separate.  ***Edited this from my original post saying they had to be separate***They do not.

Hope this helps, and have a great trip out West.

[Roost 1]

Guys I really appreciate all the info.. I will have a lay over, so is there any additional steps on my part or do I just hope to see my gun at my final destination??

[USMC0331]

They put it on next flight. They do not want the responsibility of dealing with a missing firearm.

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[eggshell]

When you arrive it will not come out with regular bags.  Someone will bring it to the baggage claim office of your airline or a designated area to you, depending on the airport.
Lastly, you "Cannot" have the ammo with your firearm.  Simply have shells in a box in your separate checked baggage.  Simple.

This has been my experience as well.

[PalmettoRon]

Yep. You will not see your gun until you get to your final destination. In the past, I had a case that had a single locking point and that was fine. My current Pelican has four points where a lock can attach. My point is however many conceivable points that a lock can be attached--attach a lock and attach a lock with the same access code or key.

Personally, unless you don't anticipate flying with your gun often, I would not use the TSA locks. They are not as sturdy over the long haul. I have flown with firearms multiple times a year for over 30 years. you can order sturdy brass locks online from the Wilson Bohannan Company keyed the same. These locks hold out well to the abuse from the baggage handlers. If you don't anticipate flying often, then this is overkill.

[Ranger]

Had what would have been my first out of state trip canceled last year...... I thought I was reading that your ammo HAS to be in your gun case with the gun?  I was only going to check my case and only use a carry on so I would have had no other checked bags. I always heard separate but pretty sure I found where the policy said to be with the gun, this was Amercan Airlines