Im flying to compete and need to know............

[BLUTO]

Im familiar (very) with the rules and requirements for checking in my pistol(s), but havent needed to carry my range bag and all the stuff that goes along with that.

What are the rules on this? What do those of you who fly to compete do to get your stuff there with you?

Advice and information would be appreciated.

[BritinUSA]

My advice is to lock your range bag into a separate suitcase. The airline won't let you carry a bag that contains magazines etc onto the plane so it has to go into checked baggage.

[Rob Boudrie]

Ammo can be a problem - the common limit is "5kg or 11lbs, whichever is greater" (except for Air Alaska that allows 50lbs).

You can pre-ship ammo via UPS, but you must label it "ORM-d, Cartirdges, Small Arms" and ship it via an actual UPS shipping depot, not a "UPS store" or pack-n-send operation.

[DonT]

I've only flown with my equipment a couple of times but I put my locked gun case and range bag (handcuffed together) in the same suitcase. When you go through, it's more than likely not going to pass the explosives test so that way they only have to check out one bag. Just my .02

[Ed K]

The last time I flew with a checked range bag (inside another locked bag) I had to give up all of my cleaning liquids/aerosols to TSA.

Buy your stuff locally, after you land.

[dansy]

I fly to pretty much all the big matches I go too, gun bag in a bigger suitcase with gun's and cleat shoes.....ammo with my clothes tape at the bottom. If I required more the 400 rds I order some from Atlanta ammo....or ship my own prior to the match ups.

They never remove my oil or anything from my gun bag but again I only carry a very small bottle of FP10 and my guns are already clean for the match.

[MVZ]

Guns, Mags and ammo go in my checked baggage. I use my range bag as my carry on( toiletries etc.)

MVZ

[Jeff686]

Guns, Mags and ammo go in my checked baggage. I use my range bag as my carry on( toiletries etc.)

MVZ

What if your range bag gets 'swabbed' and sniffed by that funny machine in security?

[MVZ]

It has and not a problem

MVZ

[HI5-O]

I have to fly to all major matches since they haven't built the interstate bridge yet

I put my guns in a locked case, my ammo in another locked case and my range bag all in one hard sided suitcase.

Mags go in another suitcase with my clothes.

I have to take two suitcases on each trip. Also, I put a large note with my name and cell number in the suitcases in case TSA has to open something. That way they can call me instead of trying to page me on the airport intercom which doesn't reach the food places.

Somehow the residue from fired cases or from guns don't show up the airport explosives check.

Just try to act like you've done all of this many times and you'll be fine.

TSA has different procedures at all the airports. Worst was LAX then STL. Best was PHX and ONT

Oh, don't put shooting related stickers on the outside of your suitcases but you already knew that huh

[dansy]

Last year I got my gun swabbed and yes it ring all the bells....it in Vancouver Cnd right after the national I had shoot one gun the afternoon before on the man on man steel.......and out of the other 3 we had another one also ring the bells that my tender half had used 2 days previous to the flight back...

So yes the pistol can but it was around the comp (open gun) and swabbing the guns is pretty dumb but it can happen...

The gal that did this sort of look at me and called her supervisor......showed him my Military ID and sort of explain that these guns burn lot of powder and it wasn't very smart to swab them....because the only outcome is a strong detection.....I pack everything and didn't ask anymore question.

[Carlos]

Here is a secret you need to know:

-attach the gun's frame to the suitcase. Only YOU keep the key.

Gun theft from luggage is WAY up. And, it is often unreported - so its even higher than reported. Not only are baggage handlers going through your luggage, but low-level TSA workers are opening your luggage - which simply didn't happen before 9/11. That is a 100% increase in the number of people who you don't know who are handling your gun outside of your view.

How can you make sure your gun gets to the match?

1) Take the slide off the frame. The reason many gun owners don't do that is they simply do not know how to do it. YOU are smarter than that.

2) Run a cable lock or a "U" lock through the mag well AND through a suitcase handle strut. Now, to pass airline regs, the gun has to be in a hard-side case. But, even a Glock plastic gun case qualifies. Here is the shocking/difficult part: you might have to drill a hole in the gunbox (but I'm confident you can) to run the cable through the frame and suitcase.

Look - the reason handguns are stolen is that they are easily concealed after the thief gets off work at the airport. If the thief can't separate the gun from the suitcase, he simply won't bother stealing it, because he can't explain to his co-workers why he is taking a whole suitcase home. It is possible to cut a cable lock. But its more difficult than just waiting for the next guy's gun and stealing that instead.

What about TSA lock rules? TSA can look at the frame all they want. Nothing says the frame can't be locked to the suitcase. TSA has NO reason to cut that lock.

Fly safe. And have a good match.

[CenTX]

I've only flown with my equipment a couple of times but I put my locked gun case and range bag (handcuffed together) in the same suitcase. When you go through, it's more than likely not going to pass the explosives test so that way they only have to check out one bag. Just my .02

When we went to shoot in El Salvador, TSA examined our bags with the ammo because the ammo boxes were on their sides and blocking too much of the xrays.

[flyingchange]

Im familiar (very) with the rules and requirements for checking in my pistol(s), but havent needed to carry my range bag and all the stuff that goes along with that.

What are the rules on this? What do those of you who fly to compete do to get your stuff there with you?

Advice and information would be appreciated.

I never bring my range bag when I fly. It's way too big. I just put the gear I need in my suitcase and bring a duffel bag that can be smooshed for carrying everything at the range.

[BLUTO]

Thanks Guys - knew this was the right place to ask!!

[racerba]

Put your equipment in the range bag and put the range bag into a Pelican case. Lock the pelican case. Now the gun is in a locked hard case. They didn't say the case must be small and include only the gun. A few times, I had the airline personnel tell me that the ammo cannot be in the same case. No problem, I take the ammo out and put it in my other luggage. They don't seem to recognize that it is now easier to be stolen. Oh well. I don't need to argue and take off their rose colored glasses.

[shred]

I've had a heavily-used, rarely washed, range bag swabbed with no alarms, though I usually stick it in my luggage anyway-- I have a smaller bag I fly with that fits right in with the gun case.

A search will turn up several photos of my double-locking scheme like Carlos mentions above-- lock the gun to the luggage, lock the hard case separately. Only give TSA the key to the hard case.

[kevin c]

I have just bought a hard case to be perforated as described; guns to be cable locked through the sides of the locked case and to the frame of the checked suitcase. Great idea, guys.

A thought. I have an aluminum framed bag that doubles as wheeled luggage and as a loadbearing framed pack. I know that a hard case is more secure, but if the gun case is locked to the frame, and is locked itself, isn't that enough

[shred]

I have just bought a hard case to be perforated as described; guns to be cable locked through the sides of the locked case and to the frame of the checked suitcase. Great idea, guys.

A thought. I have an aluminum framed bag that doubles as wheeled luggage and as a loadbearing framed pack. I know that a hard case is more secure, but if the gun case is locked to the frame, and is locked itself, isn't that enough

I do the case-locked-to-wheel-bag-frame thing. Otherwise you end up drilling and fitting a hard point in the outer case as well.

Here's an older photo (I now use a really nice Secure Firearms Products case-- they added an external cable-lock setup that works nicely)

(from: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=438336 )

[kevin c]

Thanks, Shred.

KC