When you go to other countries or fly across the US how do you get your guns there? Do you have to shipped them ahead of time or will TSA allow the guns to be flown in the cargo area of an airplane?
A question for Jim Chapman or anyone who travel outside the US with airguns
- Thread starter blackdiesel
- Start date
I imagine it is the same as real guns. If you are flying within the United States, you are going to need a hard case that is lockable. Either with a padlock or the case itself locks. After you check in, tell the person you are shipping a firearm and they direct you to another person. This person will inspect the contents of the case. Make sure no live ammo. Then they give it an inspection ticket then watch you close, and lock the case. Then they put that little destination sticker on it and put it with all the other baggage, and it counts as checked baggage. I am not sure about international flights though. One way is to check the airlines web sights. They can tell you how they deal with it.
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Hi Guys,
as a matter of fact sitting on a plane as I write this, though I don't have any shooting gear with me on this one. However I do have an airgun shop in Edinburgh to go to as soon as we land!
Ted and I have spioken about this quite a bit, and I'll tell you what I know though its always subject to change, or more likely different interpretations of the regulations. TSA is unpredictable, in a screwed up and not a strategic way
, the simple advice is to handle them as if they were firearms. As stated above, this means they need to be stored in a locable hardcase, and though I have been told you can have a small locked box containing ammo within the case, I always keep it in a seperate bag. Don't give any excuse for something to go wrong.
At the check in counter tell the agent you have a firearm. Most of them don't know the rules very well and if you say airgun you may just confuse an otherwise simple task, so leave it at a firearm. I'll tell you why in a minute. The agent will have you open the case, fill out the firearms card, state the gun is unloaded, place the card in the case and lock it back up. You can have three guns per case. At some airports you then have to carry it to a special TSA line, at some you have to stand by with the key or meet TSA on the other side of secuity with the key so they can inspect, and at some it simply disappears like any checked baggage.
When you arrive, again it can differ. At some airports you will collect it at the regular baggage carousel and at others you need to go to a special or oversize baggage claim area. Somebody can usually help you at pickup or go to your carriers baggage handling office. It's really quite easy, at least for domestic. When you are going international, you need to check with that countries regulations, which are typically very strict.
For South Africa, you need a temporary export permit from the USA to get your guns back home after the hunt. You also need the South African Police (SAP) paperwork filled out, an invitation letter from the outfitter you will be hunting with that states what you will be hunting and what guns you will be using (you are allowed three per hunter). You will have to sign in with police on arriveal, and if you are flying onward you will check in your gun with police again at the domestic checkin, then again at your destination. Simple, but a bit of a pain after 30 hours on a plane. When I take people from the USA to SA, I meet them in Atlanta or New York and guide them through the process just to simplify it.
Why I don't claim them as airguns? If you are carrying high pressure airtanks, like scuba, you need to have the tanks empty and the fittings removed so that TSA can do a visual inspection. This is why I generally either call ahead and arrange rental tanks, or pack a handpump. For my guns, I typically degas them and on most occassions showing a pressure gauge reading of 0 has been sufficient. But twice I have had TSA agents insist that the guns be dismantled so that a visual inspection of the air reservoir can be performed. I ended up shipping my guns home in both times. For this reason I pull a silicon gun sleeve over the forestock of the gun, especially if its a bottle forward design..
Another option you might be able to use, again depending on the country you'll be traveling to, is shipping your guns ahead. I do this within the USA quite a bit. some countries like SA, make it mandatory that you travel in and out with the guns in your possession.
Hope this helps a bit.
Jim
as a matter of fact sitting on a plane as I write this, though I don't have any shooting gear with me on this one. However I do have an airgun shop in Edinburgh to go to as soon as we land!
Ted and I have spioken about this quite a bit, and I'll tell you what I know though its always subject to change, or more likely different interpretations of the regulations. TSA is unpredictable, in a screwed up and not a strategic way
, the simple advice is to handle them as if they were firearms. As stated above, this means they need to be stored in a locable hardcase, and though I have been told you can have a small locked box containing ammo within the case, I always keep it in a seperate bag. Don't give any excuse for something to go wrong.At the check in counter tell the agent you have a firearm. Most of them don't know the rules very well and if you say airgun you may just confuse an otherwise simple task, so leave it at a firearm. I'll tell you why in a minute. The agent will have you open the case, fill out the firearms card, state the gun is unloaded, place the card in the case and lock it back up. You can have three guns per case. At some airports you then have to carry it to a special TSA line, at some you have to stand by with the key or meet TSA on the other side of secuity with the key so they can inspect, and at some it simply disappears like any checked baggage.
When you arrive, again it can differ. At some airports you will collect it at the regular baggage carousel and at others you need to go to a special or oversize baggage claim area. Somebody can usually help you at pickup or go to your carriers baggage handling office. It's really quite easy, at least for domestic. When you are going international, you need to check with that countries regulations, which are typically very strict.
For South Africa, you need a temporary export permit from the USA to get your guns back home after the hunt. You also need the South African Police (SAP) paperwork filled out, an invitation letter from the outfitter you will be hunting with that states what you will be hunting and what guns you will be using (you are allowed three per hunter). You will have to sign in with police on arriveal, and if you are flying onward you will check in your gun with police again at the domestic checkin, then again at your destination. Simple, but a bit of a pain after 30 hours on a plane. When I take people from the USA to SA, I meet them in Atlanta or New York and guide them through the process just to simplify it.
Why I don't claim them as airguns? If you are carrying high pressure airtanks, like scuba, you need to have the tanks empty and the fittings removed so that TSA can do a visual inspection. This is why I generally either call ahead and arrange rental tanks, or pack a handpump. For my guns, I typically degas them and on most occassions showing a pressure gauge reading of 0 has been sufficient. But twice I have had TSA agents insist that the guns be dismantled so that a visual inspection of the air reservoir can be performed. I ended up shipping my guns home in both times. For this reason I pull a silicon gun sleeve over the forestock of the gun, especially if its a bottle forward design..
Another option you might be able to use, again depending on the country you'll be traveling to, is shipping your guns ahead. I do this within the USA quite a bit. some countries like SA, make it mandatory that you travel in and out with the guns in your possession.
Hope this helps a bit.
Jim
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Thanks for the detailed explanation. I might be traveling out to TX and AZ this summer and wanted to have access to my guns while there so this was very helpful.
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Great info on flying, thanks, Jim.
Is there anything to worry about when driving AGs across state lines in the US?
Is there anything to worry about when driving AGs across state lines in the US?
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Hi Greg, for the most part not on the state level, though there may be city or county ordinances that could cause problems. I think if you keep your guns unloaded and cased you'll be fine. If going through a traditionally gun unfriendly state you probably want to lock them in the trunk.
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I would suggest reading this.
http://www.crosman.com/get-hunting/legal-issues-related-to-airgun-use
Basically store the gun in a locked case, unloaded in the trunk, with the ammo in the glove box and you should be OK. So just supporting what Jim said.
But Illinois, NYC, PA, and NJ can be a pain.
http://www.crosman.com/get-hunting/legal-issues-related-to-airgun-use
Basically store the gun in a locked case, unloaded in the trunk, with the ammo in the glove box and you should be OK. So just supporting what Jim said.
But Illinois, NYC, PA, and NJ can be a pain.
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