Anyone flown with a rifle case on United or Delta lately?

[BD]

It looks like every rifle case I have would be over the 60" length + width + depth limit for checked baggage. For what it would cost me to check an over sized bag both ways I could buy a gun and leave it behind. I see no way I can bring my backpack without it being oversize. it's been years since I checked a bag on a domestic flight.
BD

[Firebricker]

You can ship it to a local gun shop but then you have to do a back ground check to get your own rifle back. Any thing over sized or over weight they kill you on these days. I was out of town working and found a good deal on a .444 then found out what a hassle to get it home wound up shipping to a small local gun shop. The owners a great guy charged me somewhere around ten or fifteen bucks. FB

[waksupi]

If you have time, ship it by ground, going and coming.

Here's an example of airline baggage handling. Funny stuff!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

[mike in co]

you do not have to ship to a gun shop/nor do a background check...

simple ship to yourself care of where ever...
and then ship back to yourself when done.

usps will ship rifles.... use a hard case....
ammo ..no, take it with you or ship ahead


mike in co

[Trey45]

I have never heard of having to do a background check when you ship a rifle to yourself.....
You already own the rifle, why would you have to have a background check done on a rifle that you already own? It is not being transfered from you, to you.....
Ship it to yourself both ways.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Not sure where your going, but I drive most places . . . your gonna waste two days flying anyways . . . but if your gonna ship it, address it to yourself c/o the hotel your staying in, insured probably wouldn't hurt . . .

[Storydude]

Yep. Address to you, c/o whoever you are staying at.

Perfectly legal. And, I'd trust USPS or UPS with my firearms before airline hacks. I do this everytime I'm bringing a firearm and not driving. ;)

[Pepe Ray]

So where are ya goin Bill?
Coming home for Bullwinkle season?
Send it to me. You know where to find me.
Pepe Ray

[Firebricker]

I did'nt think you could ship it to yourself but I'm glad I'm wrong. When I bought the rifle out of town the only place I could find was one of those small shipping places and they would'nt ship it unless it was to a gun shop. Looks like they took me anyway thanks guy's for getting me straight. I'll be more prepared if that happens again. FB

[BD]

Thanks for the replies. It would appear that while BATF is OK with shipping a gun to yourself, the local UPS center is not. Although I did get a price of 140.00 to ship my backpack. I borrowed a good hard case and I'm checking it on the flight to Boise.

[wistlepig1]

:hijack: Sorry! Isn't airline travel fun these days, have you seen the New saddle seats they want?!

[Larry Gibson]

I've hauled numerous firearms around the country, including Alaska, the last 3 years. Not much of a problem if you do it right. The rifles have to be in a hard case that can be securely locked with paddle locks. Leave the bolt with the weapon, do not put it in your carry on. That is no longer allowed. Keep any ammuntion in your other check in baggage in "factory" boxes. I've not had a problem with the plastic boxes. When you get to the air port check in and pay for the bags. Declare the firearm(s) and the ammo. The ticket agent will have you sign a card for the weapon case that says it is unloaded, they do not check. They also give you the baggage tag or put it on the firearms case. You then either have to take the firearm case (the baggage with ammo is checked and you won't see it until you arrive at destination) to a TSA check in station where a TSA agent will make sure the firearm is in the case and watch you lock it. In smaller airports the TSA agents come to the check in and it is done there. Make sure you keep the baggage tag portion as you may have to show that to pickup the firearms case at the destination. I've batted about 50% on that but always have to show ID to pick up the firearms case. The firearms case will not come off on the regular baggage turnstile. It will be carried in or picked up at a special location unique to each airport. Not a lot of hassle but plan a little extra time on both ends to check it in and wait for it to come into the baggage area, usually the last baggage in off the plane.

It gets exciting when you open a gun case for TSA and there are 3 AKs and an RPK in the case while at the same time your small ruck sets off the "sniffer" because it does have explosive residue on it. That was a good time at that airport:-)

Larry Gibson

[Gar]

[QUOTE=. . . . Make sure you keep the baggage tag portion as you may have to show that to pickup the firearms case at the destination. I've batted about 50% on that but always have to show ID to pick up the firearms case. . . .
Larry Gibson[/QUOTE]

I wish !
Leaving from Phoenix Sky Harbor, once you clear the case through the TSA, the case gets thrown on to the luggage conveyor with everything else.
On the return leg, they take it out of the aircraft with the rest of the luggage and dump it on the carousel.
No security at the baggage claim, no id check and you best run from the gate to the baggage level to be first at the carousel when the bags come up.
God I hate that airport.

[DLCTEX]

Fly Southwest, no charge for bags. Too bad they don't go everywhere.

[Gar]

TSA will Not let you lock the case so dont woory about haveing a nice lock.




:?:

Federal Law requires the case MUST be locked.

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

[Storydude]

Thanks for the replies. It would appear that while BATF is OK with shipping a gun to yourself, the local UPS center is not. Although I did get a price of 140.00 to ship my backpack. I borrowed a good hard case and I'm checking it on the flight to Boise.

Don;t tell them what it is. Federal Law prevents them from asking what is shipped.

Contract carriers legally CANNOT ask any questions other than if it's hazmat.

I had a fun time at the UPS hub with that one. Or then I pull out my FFL and say "want to take this matter up with the local ATF office? I can call them right now if you like....."

Or even more fun is showing the USPS guys that nothing in the regs prevent me from shipping a firearm though them. I love watching little miss know it all get reamed by a supervisor.

[scrapcan]

I would not fly united and check my rifle. Every trip that Myself or my wife has flown with United and checked the baggage in the last 5 years, they have lost the baggage and we had to wait several days for them to find it.

You might be ok if you have a direct flight, but three weeks ago my wife flew form Chicago to Denver and they lost her luggage before she needed to transfer to a commuter where whe would have carried it on. Baggage arrive the next day.

[405]

I would not fly united and check my rifle. Every trip that Myself or my wife has flown with United and checked the baggage in the last 5 years, they have lost the baggage and we had to wait several days for them to find it.

You might be ok if you have a direct flight, but three weeks ago my wife flew form Chicago to Denver and they lost her luggage before she needed to transfer to a commuter where whe would have carried it on. Baggage arrive the next day.

Oh crud :( I wish you hadn't mentioned United. I have to fly a United connection flight into DC Dulles with a firearm next year. Arghhh.

[Gee_Wizz01]

I have flown with firearms frequently on Continental, American, and Southwest, without any real problems. For Handguns, I put them in a lockable hardcase and place that in my large suitcase. You have to tell the ticket agent that you are checking in a firearm, and they fill out the little card that indicates firearm is unloaded, you sign it, and most of the time it goes in the case, but some places want it taped to the outside of the case, if the case is placed in the suitcase. Some ticket agents will ask to see the firearm and for you to show them its unloaded. Then the Gun Case is locked. If the airport is one where you carry your luggage to the TSA checkpoint, I always tell the TSA people that I have a firearm in my luggage, and they usually ask me to wait while they run it through the X-Ray machine. You do the same procedure when you check a rifle or other firearm in a hard case that isn't inside a suitcase. At the destination, at least in the airports I frequent, your firearms come out on the carousel with all of the other luggage. Southwest personnel are usually the most knowledgeable about firearms procedures in my experience, and American is usually the worst, and I have been harassed by American ticket agents in Jacksonville, FL and Orlando when I was checking in my firearms. Continental is normally good also. TSA rules say you can pack your ammo in the hard case with the firearms, but recently American has told me I couldn't, and I placed it in my luggage. American has also told me that I can't carry loaded magazines in magazine pouches even though TSA says its OK. I usually carry my ammo in plastic ammo boxes and put a couple of big rubber bands around the box to keep it from coming open. I also put a piece of foam or even folded paper towels in the top of my ammo boxes to keep the ammo from rattling the boxes as I have found that rattling ammo makes some ticket agents nervous. As a last resort, I usually print a copy of the airlines firearms and ammuntion policies, and TSA regulations and carry them in my briefcase or backpack just in case I run into an airline employee that starts causing problems. Although I will caution you that in my experience its usually easier to just jump through the hoops than to argue with Miss Knowitall. The last time I had a problem was in Jacksonville, FL on American Airlines, and the ticket agent told me I wasn't going to be allowed to check in my suitcase with 50 rds of 45-70 ammunition and 50 rds of 30-06 as it was against regulations. I showed her the airline rules and the TSA rules and she just looked at me told me she KNEW the rules, after her supervisor finally came over and then a TSA agent, I was allowed to take my ammo, but I was delayed about 20 minutes. Also if you are traveling to areas that have a lot of hunting, there are less problems, as the ticket agents are used to checking in firearms. Good luck on your hunting trip.

G