Flying with a pistol?

krazichinaman

krazichinaman

pew.....IMPACT!.........**PING**
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Hope this is the right spot!

I've read the TSA guidelines about declaring the pistol at check in and having the firearm locked in an opaque case. Also that the firearm must be unloaded and each airline has a different policy about how much ammo can be checked in. (I'm flying Alaska, which allows up to 50 lbs of ammo, which must be stored in original packaging or magazines that are inside a mag carrier or has the bullets themselves completely covered. Also its ok to store the ammo inside the same luggage or locked case as the checked pistol.)

My gun case is a Gun Vault nano 300 (with key) and fits my XD 45 service and 2 mags. I want to carry 3 and was wondering if its OK to store my empty mags with my ammo in a pelican case. Or do the mags have to be locked up with the firearm in my gunvault?

My main concern is that I am flying to Texas which accepts WA CPL, however, I have a 1 hour layover in Denver, CO before I fly to Texas. Denver CO does not accept any other states CPL. The moment I land in Denver, even though the firearm is not on my person and is in the possession of the airline, am I legally allowed to stay in Denver and wait for my connecting flight to Texas? I recall reading that the moment I land in Denver, I can be arrested on the spot even though the airline has my pistol in their possession.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Brian
 
Man - If you don't have a badge, why would you even consider it? If you do have a badge, they should be able to direct you accordingly.
 
krazichinaman said:
I do not have a Texas CHL. I will be flying from WA to TX (which honors WA CHL). CO does not accept WA CHL so I am worried that while I am waiting at the airport, I would be in some sort of violation of their laws.
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Would you have the gun in your possession? I thought checked baggage gets automatically transferred from plane to plane. You don't get it off the carousel and then re-check on to your new destination, do you?

The airline has the gun, not you.
 
I highly doubt you're gonna get arrested in Denver. But I wouldn't trust anybody's word on a forum without getting advice elsewhere. I think all you really need to do is ask Alaska Airlines. I flew from PHX to SeaTac declaring my firearm. I was nervous cause I'd never done it before but all I did was check with the airline and find out their policy. The FedEx option does sound like the sure way to go if you don't trust the airline.
 
Alrighty, I'll try to give this the response it deserves.

First, forget about what everybody else has said. They're not lawyers, and perhaps even more importantly, they're not lawyers in Denver.

Seeing as you're required by federal law to check your bags, Colorado law wouid only enter into the picture if you were to be delayed at DIA during your flight and claimed your baggage in Denver. This is a gray area of the law, and the odds are it will never happen. Now here's where it gets interesting. DIA's pretty mellow about guns. Even in the event of that million-to-one shot occurring, you would probably be OK. Nevertheless, if you want to avoid even the potential problems that could arise from that, simply don't claim your bags in Denver. They'll either be forwarded on to Texas or returned to you at SeaTc.

I fly with guns a lot, and it's really a whole lot more painless than you'd expect, but you really have to dot the. "I"s and cross the "T"s. Sounds like you're doing that. Youi should have nothing to worry about.

Feel free to ask any other questions you may have; I'll be around for a while tonight.
 
krazichinaman said:
Hope this is the right spot!

I've read the TSA guidelines about declaring the pistol at check in and having the firearm locked in an opaque case. Also that the firearm must be unloaded and each airline has a different policy about how much ammo can be checked in. (I'm flying Alaska, which allows up to 50 lbs of ammo, which must be stored in original packaging or magazines that are inside a mag carrier or has the bullets themselves completely covered. Also its ok to store the ammo inside the same luggage or locked case as the checked pistol.)

My gun case is a Gun Vault nano 300 (with key) and fits my XD 45 service and 2 mags. I want to carry 3 and was wondering if its OK to store my empty mags with my ammo in a pelican case. Or do the mags have to be locked up with the firearm in my gunvault?

My main concern is that I am flying to Texas which accepts WA CPL, however, I have a 1 hour layover in Denver, CO before I fly to Texas. Denver CO does not accept any other states CPL. The moment I land in Denver, even though the firearm is not on my person and is in the possession of the airline, am I legally allowed to stay in Denver and wait for my connecting flight to Texas? I recall reading that the moment I land in Denver, I can be arrested on the spot even though the airline has my pistol in their possession.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Brian
Click to expand...

I'm not a gun expert or a lawyer but this just doesn't make any sense. I seriously doubt that.
 
Samael said:
Alrighty, I'll try to give this the response it deserves.

First, forget about what everybody else has said. They're not lawyers, and perhaps even more importantly, they're not lawyers in Denver.

Seeing as you're required by federal law to check your bags, Colorado law wouid only enter into the picture if you were to be delayed at DIA during your flight and claimed your baggage in Denver. This is a gray area of the law, and the odds are it will never happen. Now here's where it gets interesting. DIA's pretty mellow about guns. Even in the event of that million-to-one shot occurring, you would probably be OK. Nevertheless, if you want to avoid even the potential problems that could arise from that, simply don't claim your bags in Denver. They'll either be forwarded on to Texas or returned to you at SeaTc.

I fly with guns a lot, and it's really a whole lot more painless than you'd expect, but you really have to dot the. "I"s and cross the "T"s. Sounds like you're doing that. Youi should have nothing to worry about.

Feel free to ask any other questions you may have; I'll be around for a while tonight.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd definitely forget the advice of asking the airline. And asking advice elsewhere. Just listen to this guy...he seems to know everything you need to know.
 
it was just in the news bout guy being arrested for what your describing. it wasnt Colorado one of dem liber eastern seacost states if I'm not mistaken. I think the article was bout his final chance for govenor to free him from jail and hopefully remove charges from his record. If your not in posession of gun it would be hard for em to charge you but yes if you got delayed and had to retireve your luggage is where the issue is(if it's a violation of colorado law)remember you have two agencies your dealing with (TSA) at the airport you land in plus the police dept hat has jursiduction of airport, not to mention the airlines. I would contact both and look for specific answers. Also ask for statues so you can look em up. I'd print em up just in case. rember if your flying back a different carrier not all carriers allow weapons transport. the airlines I have flown recently all required ammo to be stored seperately from handgu and def not in mags. Also I have had arilines want a handgun in its case and checked that way and then ones want it in case and in luggage. Bring multiple locks. I have had tsa inspect my weapon put their seal on it and tell me to lock it up. when I picked it up on other end the lock was cut and inside my case.(hint label your stuff) no idea why they cut it after inspecting it and telling me to lock it. I understand your delima I'm working out details for my safari to Africa and most of possible layovers will be in non rifle countries. no problems if there isnt a layover but if we do it turns into a nightmare and I dont like the idea of being locked up in a foreign country. I can remeber airlines asking me to put bolts to weapons and magazines in my carry on and I'm not even 40. boy times have changed unfortunately. If the info doesnt sound right either make sure you call back later and ask someone else too. All too often I see people get bad advice and more and more of the people getting to make the final decision to screw someones life up lack the common sense to leave the good guys alone.
 
rookie4real said:
I'm not a gun expert or a lawyer but this just doesn't make any sense. I seriously doubt that.
Click to expand...

According to this site:http://www.nraila.org/gunlaws/federal/read.aspx?id=59

People have been arrested at NJ for merely traveling through the airport with a legally checked firearm.

I just read CO state patrol website HERE and it appears that even though CO does not recognize my WA Concealed Pistol License, I can LEGALLY carry a LOADED firearm while driving in CO. I can not have on my person a loaded firearm when I leave my car, even if its to walk to the Hotel....Seems like a pretty gun friendly state and that I should have no issues at the airport.
 
Wow. Sorry, I couldn't read that. And I'm a lawyer. Try breaking it down so it's not all run-on sentences.
 
OK. CSP's website is telling you what Colorado law is. And they're correct, as far as it goes. But DIA (in spite of the fact that it's about a gazillion miles from Denver) is actually located in Denver, so you have to abide by Denver laws, and they're much more restrictive.

Now, here's the deal: You don't need to worry about that. You're not going to be driving here. You're just flying through. Don't worry about it, unless you should need to pick up your checked bags in Denver for some reason. Even if you do, there's a 99.99% chance you'd be OK (never trust a lawyer who says 100%), but if you end up in that situation, I've told you how to deal with it already.

Sheesh. Just relax already. It's gonna be alright.
 
I have done this 3 times now from LAX to DEN.
I put my unloaded pistol in a locked Pelican case and leave the ammunition loaded in the magazine. I leave one loose round tucked in the foam area as that was the one that came out of the pipe.
The best way not to advertise what you have is to check one bag. Put the locked box into that checked bag and the whole thing looks like luggage. If you are going to have to check a bag anyway(gun case) you might as well check the other bag.

Tips: read the specific airlines rules on firearms. Print a copy and bring it. Most of the time the people checking bags don't know what's going on.

Use a combo lock so you dont "forget" the key.
 
Hang onto that. Spark's in the Cove right now and it's getting interesting. I'll get back at you on this.
 
a plain looking Sears toolbox attracts less attention than a Pelican or Browning gun vault case typically associated with high value items.....it's been a few years, but if you've ever watched your gun box being loaded on an earlier flight while watching from the terminal... the thought of your gun bag running around a carousel unattended and hope you insured it for enough...causes anxious moments... called the airline, and they had it at the security office
 
Keep in mind that in any state you may carry a gun around "concealed" if it is not loaded and not "immediately accessible" to you. If the gun, magazines, and ammo are in a locked case such that you would have to set the case down, dig the key out of your pocket, fumble with the key and open the lock, open the case, unpack the case, unwrap the ammo, load the magazine, remove the trigger or breach lock from the gun, put the magazine into the gun, etc., that is NOT considered carrying a concealed weapon.

So, even if your flight out of Denver is canceled and you end up claiming your bag in Denver and going with your gun-containing bag to a hotel in Denver for the night, you will be legally just fine. Just don't take the gun to dinner with you. It can legally spend the night in your hotel room.
 
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