Traveling to Matches

[smokshwn]

I am thinking of going to a couple of big matches in the next year and I have a question for everyone who travels to matches. How do you get your ammo to the match location when flying to those matches? Most airlines have a 11lb. ammo limit. Do you ship it by ups of fedex? or what? thanx in advance Craig

[Chuck Anderson]

I use UPS but you'll probably have to go to one of the actual UPS facilities. Around here you can't drop it off at the "UPS Store", because it is evil and may explode just sitting there in the box. Just contact one of the match officials. If it is a match where there are people flying in they normally have an address and person you can ship the ammo to. Otherwise I ship it to the hotel, C/O myself. Just make sure the hotel knows it is coming and will hold it.

[shred]

You can get 300+ rounds of Super in under the 11 lb limit. Otherwise I either sponge it off on somebody driving (thanks guys), or ship it to myself at the hotel (call them first and make sure they'll accept the package-- they don't need to know what's in it). Best bet on outgoing shipping is a friendly gun store-- they have boxes with the right stuff written on them and a UPS guy that'll pick them up.

Hopefully a little searching will turn up lots more on this topic-- we go over it every 6 months or so.

[SteveZ]

When picking an airline....look at their baggage policies. Alaska Air for example allows you to put 50lbs of ammo in your baggage. Actually they allow you to put 50lbs of whatever you want in your baggage! Alaska from my experience is EXTREMELY gun friendly.

[Nolan]

Take your wife/girlfriend/significant other with you. That way they can also carry 11 lbs of ammo. 22 lbs should be enough, unless she/he/it also shoots.

Nolan

[Shooter Grrl]

I've always had good luck taking THREE bags with 11 lbs in each! American has never hassled me over it (the only airline I fly!)

[smokshwn]

Thanx for the ideas, I like the multiple bags, multiple 11lb parcels system. I love beating them at their own game.

Nolan, I was viewing this in the same room with my gf when I read the he/she/it statement and starting LMAO, I then suggested that I liked the mule idea. She kicked my ass and I think she wants to kick your ass now. Good luck.

[Chuck Anderson]

Be careful with trying to take more than 11 lbs per passenger. I have been told by ticket agents that FFA rules have said no more than 22 lbs per plane. This was their rationale for the weight restriction. They just decided to limit it to 11 lbs per passenger and hope that there are not 3 shooters on a plane. I have no idea whether this is actually the rule, especially since Alaska Airlines doesn't enforce it. But, I would rather be safe then end up at a major match with 300 rounds of 38 Super Comp and need 310.

[BigDave]

Be careful with trying to take more than 11 lbs per passenger.  I have been told by ticket agents that FFA rules have said no more than 22 lbs per plane.

The FFA is now in chage of the airlines? Great.

Here is a handout from the FAA. The FAA has no restriction on weight if it is for personal use. Their regs only revolve around packaging and where it is on the plane. But, at the top of the document it does say that the airline or country you travel to could impose their own restrictions regarding quanitity.

[Vince Pinto]

Hi guys,

IATA classifies ammo as 1.4s (UN Code 0012) and they recommend a maximum of 5kgs (11lbs) per passenger, but they are silent about how many passengers are permitted with the allowed personal quantity per flight.

However each airline is entitled to modify the recommendations to suit themselves, so the answer is always to check with the airline you intend to fly.

For example, there's an airline in Asia which many IPSC competitors support, and they've allowed as many as 30 passengers each carrying the maximum individual allowance, to board the same flight.

[shred]

Be careful with trying to take more than 11 lbs per passenger. I have been told by ticket agents that FFA rules have said no more than 22 lbs per plane.

There's your problem. Ticket agents make up mythical "FAA" rules on flying with firearms all the time. Whether pieced-together from half-remembered long-ago training snippets or break-room conversations, I don't know. They do have the power to keep you off the plane, so your best bet is to be polite and know the actual rules as best you can (bring copies of the airlines web site).