I am hoping to do my first hunt that will require air travel next spring and wanted to start thinking through everything well in advance.

What do you guys pack your guns and ammo in? Any advice for a novice?

Guns must be in a locked hard case. Have your key handy in case you need to open it (depends upon the airport and carrier).
Ammo in luggage with clothing, etc. NOT in case with gun.Individual cartridges must be in "factory" boxes or cases (the plastic ones are okay). I put a rubber band or 2 around the cartridge box to help prevent them from spilling open.

Good advice because its exactly as stated....

how about this?
or this?

or maybe something else you would recommend
Good thoughts on the rubber band

SBH,

What are you planning on transporting? If small enough, you can take a briefcase-style case, declare it, lock it and stow in your regular bag. I've done that with the smaller Doskocil cases when I'm traveling with few or smaller guns. But most of the times I take the kitchen sink!

For larger flight cases I've used everything from the Plano Gun-Guard (now called Gun Guard AW), to Boyt hard cases to Pelicans. The Plano's were my "value" buy, but the baggage handlers have tried to send it to the great plastic dump in the sky, having broken off handles and latches - it's officially retired from flight travel and gets used on "local" service in the truck. Good purchase that saw a lot of airline miles.

My ammo is typically packed in factory cases (even if reloads) and placed in checked bags (separate from the guns). Depending on amount, I have also packed ammo in a separate hard case that I've locked and placed in my luggage - TSA may want to inspect after you've gone through check-in, so have your keys handy if you decide to do so.

Where you going and what are you hunting? Good luck!

I have only flown Houston, TX to Las Vegas, NV and back a couple times. Check with the airline for what they want to see in terms of packaging and inform yourself of the respective state laws in PA and wherever you go.
This has worked for me, YMMV: slide locked back, lock through the action or barrel. Gun into lockable Pelican case. Ammo, Continental allows up to 11 lbs (stupid limit - who in the world shoots less than 11lbs per trip???), either in original factory box or a cardboard box in which the ammo is securely packed.

I usually take a couple 500rd bullet boxes, put the ammo in a zip lock bag, ammo goes in box, paper or other stuffing material goes on top to fill the box and compress the ammo. Then I duct tape the box tight so there is no rattling when you shake the box with ammo. Ammo goes in suitcase.

At the time of check in, I tell the person that I am declaring a firearm. They tell me where to wait for friendly TSA assistance. The TSA person will direct me (what to do, where to stand, whether I or they handle the firearm). Once the check is done, I lock the outside of the Pelican case with the other two locks and put my handgun IN THE SUITCASE. Nobody then knows what's in the suitcase and it's less likely that a large suitcase gets lost than a small guncase with a "firearm" or other label.

I hope this helps a little. Keep in mind that your local laws may be different. The airlines usually have a sheet available online that you can print off. Take it with you in case you are dealing with an ignoramus at the airport - that way you'll have it black on white.

All in all, it's no big deal. Safe travels!

All good stuff...
I will be taking a Ruger Suber Blackhawk hunter.

Your allowed up to 11 pounds of ammo. I would suggest going to the TSA website and your airlines website as well to check if there have been any last minute regulation changes. These days you can never be to sure.

If the SBH Hunter is not scoped, your original Ruger case (locked) thrown inside a suitcase will suffice the "locked hard case rule". That's how I travel with mine every time (I also lock the suitcase). Even the unlocked Ruger case inside a "locked" suitcase covers the rule. I'd have the two locks to cover yourself though. As stated before "you have to unlock it and relock it at airport so have the key". For a handgun there is no sense paying for an extra bag just for the gun. Figure a way to put it in with your suitcase. You already have to have 2 separate bags for gun and ammo. I travel with guns quite a bit inside the US and have never had an issue.

The ziplog bag of ammo inside the cardboard box..... I wouldn't do that one. It might work but some overzealous TSA droid might bring that to the airlines attention. Factory looking ammo box in the other suitcase is how I do it. If you need more than 11 lb's fedex it to yourself where you are going.

Calling first is good but that person that answered the phone wont be there when you check in. If you're close to the airport go by there. Most airline supervisors are roaming and can be called to field questions. Get his or her name and then be early when you check in.

ps. Keep the "at least checking two bags" thing in your head when you're buying tickets. Saving $50 bucks on your flight only to pay $90 for 2 checked bags will burn your butt. Southwest Airlines, two bags free.

Zac.

The hunt is a spring bear hunt in Montana

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but in the past three years I have flown to Alaska twice and Wyoming once. On all three trips, I packed my guns and ammo together in my hard gun case (as did my hunting partner). From TSA's Website:



Good luck on your bear hunt!

All locks are mandated to be TSA approved locks. You can buy them at luggage shops and walmart target as well. The lock will say TSA approved. If you don't have a TSA lock you may be looking at having your guns left behind. Even if the case is inside another suit case.

Check with the airline your flying with before putting ammo in the same case as your guns. The TSA may control some aspects of aviation but not all. the airline still has control of their aircraft.

In the past Alaska Airlines has had the rule of ammo in a seperate bag or case. Can't speak for today. Not saying it might not go through. In the days before TSA the airline counter people used to check them in your presence & I had them take ammo out of the case the gun was in & put it in the suitcase in my presence. It was a company policy, not TSA. The carriers website should give their rules which can be stricter but not less strict than TSA's.

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

There is no requirement that the locks be TSA approved, and actually you don't want to use TSA approved locks or every TSA idiot can open your case... If your case doesn't have TSA locks on it they will recommend you wait outside the screening area until your case has been screened before proceeding to your gate so you can reopen the case for them if need be. SKB had issues several years ago with their cases which only had TSA locking mechanisms on them as the TSA realized that not only did the owner have access to their guns, but all the TSA baggage inspectors did also which defeats the purpose of said lock... As noted in the link they will cut your lock if they can't get ahold of you so show up to the airport early to make sure your bag goes through before you do!!!

I just finished packing my guns for Alaska. Every time I have checked in guns, the airlines had me open the case and open the actions. Once that was done they handed me a orange tag that said: UNLOADED FIREARM, that I had to sign, date & place in the case with the guns. Always keep your key handy (combo locks are to cumbersome), and don't leave until the airline or the TSA agent says it's okay. ALWAYS allow an extra 45-60 min. to check in with guns. I've had to wait while a TSA agent called his buddy from the other side of the terminal, to come see this crazy-looking single shot pistol that this crazy guy was going to shoot a bear with. True story.

The lock requirement must be a new thing. When I flew last a TSA approved lock was rquired. Definately give yourself an extra 45 minutes or so to clear your guns thru.

Here is the link from the TSA site: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm

When arriving at the airport, just get in line at the ticket counter just like everyone else. Tell the ticket agent you are transporting a firearm and he/she will give you a red "unloaded" tag. You sign it, open your case, place it inside then relock the case. Depending on the airport they may take the firearm right there and walk it back to the TSA screening or you may have to carry it to another screening checkpoint (varies by airport).

TSA locks on a firearm are a no-no. Use a standard Master lock or similar. You should be in control of the keys at all times. If TSA needs to search the bag, they, per the law, need to have you unlock it for them, then re-lock it. They should not at any time have the keys in their possession. Depending on which airport you are flying out of, they may open the case, they may not. Philadelphia just X-Rays the case. If everything looks good, you don't need to open it. Dallas has you open and manually searches each and every case.

As far as ammo goes I am relatively certain that it needs to be in either manufacturers "fiber" boxes (cardboard) or plastic reloading boxes designed for ammunition. I would not under any circumstances use a baggie with loose ammo inside, even if it were packed securely. Team Amish 1 seems to have been able to slip though a couple of times, however it is not per the regulations so I wouldn't chance it.

When I have flown to hunts in the past I have used a pelican case (1500, about the size of a briefcase). Along with my gun, I essentially use every bit of space in the case to pack all of my other hunting goodies. I remove the foam from the bottom of the case, and wrap my gun in my some of my hunting clothes, then just keep adding layers of equipment and clothes until the case is full. It allows me to really utilize every little bit of space and keep my other bag to a manageable weight.

While you can pack the ammunition in the same case as the firearm, I have always packed it in a separate bag. While it is technically legal, there are issues with transporting it in the firearm case on the way to the airport (just had to deal with this when flying out of Newark....I hate NJ).

All and all, flying with a firearm is no big deal. The ticket agents are pretty nonchalant about it and TSA is used to dealing with it.

A couple of other points:

I don't like aluminum firearm cases. They get dented and bent too easily. I have a buddy that had a brand new rifle case, just like the one SBHunter81 linked to (the top one with the bar that slides in). After a single trip the case looked like it had been through the war. Ever edge was dented and dinged, and the flats had some pretty good gouges in it. By the 3rd year the case had given up the ghost and was actually broken open in one spot. I prefer a good solid plastic case like a Pelican case as if they get dropped or bumped the plastic springs back. I have had the same Pelican 1500 case for about 10 years. It has seen more flights and shows quite a few "battle scars" but still seals tightly and looks good to go for another 10.

Be mindful of the weight of your gun cases. If you have a large rifle case, often times they can be something like 19 or 20 lbs all by themselves. It does not take too much loading to push you over the 50# limit most airlines have for overweight bags.

Thanks Redline, I have some re-packing to do.

My son Joe has been flying to and from Colorado now for years with his Encore and several other pistols and uses a Cabela's http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/...known%3Bpod5221

aluminum case packed inside a Cabela's wheeled baggage cart

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-A...ch-All+Products

I have used the same set-up flying to Africa. It works great. They have a separate bottom compartment that holds the aluminum case inside with room to spare for other stuff. That way the airline does not know there is a gun inside after it is all checked in and won't intentionally abuse it (not that they would intentionally abuse a gun case if it looked like a gun case)

With these TSA approved locks you can set your own combo but I bet they are built so any TSA agent could unlock them with a master key or ?.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Safe-Skie...ch-All+Products

Gregg, I read the TSA website and they have changed the rules regarding TSA approved locks. If you look at the bottom of a TSA approved lock there is a key hole for them open any TSA lock with the same key. Now the TSA website says they will just cut the lock off if they want to check a bag or guncase.