In the United States, you are allowed under law to travel with your firearm. That means if you’re going on a hunting trip far away, you can bring your gun on the plane with you. However, there is some important information you should know before you attempt to board a plane with a gun.
TSA has strict guidelines and legal procedures that you have to follow at all times. Failure to do so can get you kicked out of the airport or plane at best, or it can get you in some serious legal trouble. That’s why it’s important that you follow all laws and regulations when planning on traveling with your firearm.
In this article, you’ll find out everything you need to know about traveling with a firearm safely and legally. Here’s everything you need to know!
Preparing your firearm for travel
There are a lot of different kinds of firearms that you can take with you on a plane. For the purpose of this article, we’re going to pretend that you’re taking a pistol with you but the rules are pretty much the same for all firearms.
In order to properly prepare your pistol for travel, you first want to make sure that it’s unloaded, cleaned, and stored in a travel pistol case in your luggage. Never, EVER, attempt to carry your weapon on your person in the airport. TSA agents will not take the chance to hear your story first. They will arrest and detain you for airport violations.
It’s also important to note that you can’t use a carry-on bag to hold your pistol case. If you fail to store your pistol in your luggage, then you’re asking once again to have TSA arrest you for violations. Don’t risk getting yourself put on a no-flight list or banned from an airport because you weren’t diligent enough to read about the safety laws. Always put your pistol, firearm parts, and ammunition in a checked bag.
Give TSA notice
Never try to hide the fact that you have a gun in your luggage. It looks suspicious and TSA may detain you for questioning. Always comply with what TSA instructs you to do and when they ask if you have anything to declare before they check your bag, make sure you let them know you have a firearm in your bag. This way they won’t be negative surprises that could shock your TSA agent and make them detain you.
I also always recommend calling ahead of time to the airport TSA to ask for information regarding traveling with a firearm. Sometimes airports have their own rules and regulations, so if you’re using a new airline service, then it’s best to check ahead. There are sometimes fees and limitations on what you can and can’t bring with you to the airport. Don’t let yourself be caught unaware. Always do your research.
Give your codes to the TSA officer and no one else
When you’re locking up your firearm in your travel case, make sure it has a combination lock protecting it. You will need to provide this combination number to TSA so they can examine the firearm if they want to.
You should never give your combination to anyone else. You and the TSA officer are the only people who should have the codes for your combination. That way you don’t risk someone else accessing your weapon without your knowledge. For more information regarding storing your guns for travel and what locks you can use, follow the link. https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2021/10/13/6-ways-to-safely-store-your-firearms
Use your words carefully
This may seem obvious, but make sure you avoid using language that will make TSA think you’re about to do something illegal. Don’t threaten, verbally abuse, or joke about your firearm. TSA’s job is to protect the safety of passengers and crew and they don’t know you from a hole in the wall. They don’t know when you are or aren’t joking so they have to take every joke seriously.
Jokes to avoid when traveling with a gun are jokes about shooting, killing, or hurting someone. The TSA will take your words seriously. And never threaten the TSA officers. While it may be annoying if they’re asking you questions or looking over everything too slowly for you, they’re just doing their job. Be patient and respectful at all times.
Practice gun safety
Even though your gun won’t be on your person, it’s still important that you make sure that you’re practicing gun safety. That means double-checking everything. Make sure your gun is unloaded and stored in a case that is locked and secure. Always, always double-check that it’s locked and secured at least twice before you head to the airport. You can never be too careful.
Secondly, make sure that your ammunition and any additional parts are stored in your check luggage bag separately so that the TSA agent can examine them. Storing them outside the case will also render the guns and firearms useless. For more information about gun safety, click here.TS
Make sure you bring your license
Don’t show up at the airport with a gun in your luggage without your firearms permit. While every state has different legal requirements for obtaining and keeping a gun, a permit is the little scrap of paper that proves you are legally allowed to carry a firearm.
As you probably know, the United States has a lot of problems with gun violence and illegal gun use. Your gun permit will show TSA officers that you went through all the proper channels for obtaining a gun and that you are a citizen following the law. You could face fines and penalties if you carry a gun without a permit, to begin with so it’s best to keep a copy of your permit when you travel too just in case there’s ever a question in the next state.
Conclusion
Practicing safe gun travel will make sure that you're abiding by government rules and regulations. It’s all about being a responsible gun owner. Do your research, follow all the laws, and you’ll have a great time traveling.