FLYING WITH GUNS

Airline travel is changing and with it the challenge to arrive at Hunt camp with your gun and gear intact becomes more difficult. 

Last August the domestic airlines set a new record.   They had lost, damaged, delayed, or had reported stolen 437,000 pieces of checked luggage…in just one month (That is up 33% from  the year before and translates into 14,000 bags mishandled  per day during the month of August)  With airports reporting a nearly 2% increase in travelers for the first quarter of 2007, the numbers will surely only get worse this fall when many hunters will be flying  to their destinations with guns, bows, and gear.

If that wasn’t reason enough to worry about traveling with firearms, Airlines are becoming more critical about the size and weight of not only carry-on but also checked baggage.  While in previous years a lot of leeway was given regarding slightly overweight bags and oversized gun cases, in today’s world of high jet fuel costs, and over-booked flights, you can be assured that the airlines are cracking down on their excess baggage rules.    There is nothing more frustrating (other than having your guns lost or stolen) than to arrive at the airport and having to pay $50-$100 surcharge for overweight or oversized luggage. 

What can a sportsman do when traveling to protect his hunt from being ruined by lost gear or excessive penalty fees?


Know the rules.

While the basics rules are simple, the details may vary from airline, and certainly additional paperwork, rules, and fees will apply if you fly out of the country to hunt. 

The following is taken directly from the TSA’s website:

The key regulatory requirements to transporting firearms, firearm parts or ammunition in checked baggage are:

Here is the link for the full article:

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

In addition, (but not listed on the TSA site) is that you will be asked to sign and date an orange “unloaded Firearm” tag  that requires you to certify that the gun is unloaded.  This tag then must be placed inside the locked gun case.

Airlines will have their own rules in addition to the TSAs.

Check your airlines website (and airline partner’s website if you’re on a code share flight), for information regarding their own, and sometimes contrary baggage requirements.

A quick check on Delta Airline’s website (www.delta.com) shows that their oversize baggage is considered to be 62 linear inches and considers the total combined measurement of length, width, and height of a particular piece.  While I’ve flown several dozen times without any hassles with a hard case that measures 8 inches over their limit  (52” x14” x 4½” for a total of 70½”), it’s just a matter of time before I run into an airline employee, perhaps one that belongs to PETA, that would love to charge a hunter the oversized baggage penalty fee.    I now fly with a takedown shotgun case with my rifle in two pieces to avoid any possible oversize fees or delays.   Delta Airlines charges $100/piece for oversized luggage…each way.   $200 is about the same price that a quality aluminum takedown shotgun case costs.

Air Canada requires a $50 fee for simply checking guns and has their own requirement of not allowing ammo and guns to ride in the same case and to require trigger locks on each gun.  Check the airline’s website  (and any other partner carrier’s) for baggage requirements before you book flights.  

Some tips to make travel easier.

Smart travelers learn to avoid mistakes by being prepared and sometimes exceeding what is required. 

It all starts before you purchase a ticket.  

Compare your flight options.   With today’s travel websites this has become much easier than in pre-internet times.   Note that the chances increase for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage (and flight delays or cancellations) increases as the following numbers get higher:   

Try to book flights early in the day as there is less likely a chance of flight delays and the total number of passengers and baggage in the system is lower than later in the day. Also consider how you purchase your airline tickets. Some credit card companies automatically insure your baggage from theft or damage;   with most other credit card companies and or travel websites you can purchase optional travel insurance.  Of course, the Airline has liability for lost and damaged baggage and we’ll cover that next month in Part II of Flying With Guns.

Security screeners and Airline employees.

Since 9/11 their jobs have become much harder and much more important.  The best way to make sure your trip goes with out any hassles is to know the regulations for flying with firearms- both federally and for the airline you have booked your flight with.   Print out a copy of the rules should you run into a new recruit, or someone who may not be knowledgeable about firearms. However don’t get into an argument on the interpretation of the rules.  Let’s face it, they have the power to keep you from your flight and if abiding by their rules as they understand them gets you through in time and safely, so be it.  

Buy a Good Case.  

Just because a case is advertised as “Airline approved” doesn’t mean that it is airline proof.  Plastic cases just don’t hold up with repeated handling by the airlines.    Spend the extra money on a good sturdy case to protect your gear.  I believe that you cannot find an airline-proof case that costs less than $150 (If you can find a case for less, let me know).  Just like anything else, you will get what you pay for. 

I like the solid aluminum cases such as those put out by ICC Case Company, Kalispell Case company, and a couple of other company’s that specialized in airline shipping containers.   Most of these are made of .063” thick aluminum, but some also offer .080” thick construction- about the same thickness of metal of a well built aluminum jon boat. Look for full-length heavy constructed hinges, welded and or riveted construction. 

Some aluminum cases are nothing more than thin aluminum-clad hardboard that is assembled with corner brackets and extruded components.  While they look nice on the store shelf, they are not designed sturdy enough for airline travel.    I have used the high end synthetic cases with the air tight purge valves but found them to be bulky, heavy, and have had a hasp break off one while traveling.  The aluminum ones will get scratched and dented, but I find that dents generally can be pounded out with a piece of 2x4 and a heavy hammer, and the scratches and smaller dents just add “character”.

Add some colorful tape or paint a couple of stripes on your case so that when you arrive in Anchorage or Boise that you can tell your case apart from the dozen or so similar cases that are in bag claim.   Some engrave their name on the outside of the case near the handle, in the event that the baggage sticker and ID get knocked off.

Locks. 
Make sure your case has the provisions to be securely locked by one or more quality padlocks.   Do not rely on integral locks that come on many cases: Most are made of Pot-metal and easily broken.  If the case cannot lock, it won’t be put on the plane.

You may want to consider buying multi-pack keyed alike locks so that everyone in the hunting party has the same locks and keys.  This is an asset should one of your party lose a key.    You will need to open the case at the airport for inspection and to certify that the guns are unloaded, so make sure you carry the keys rather than put them in checked luggage. 

Ammo. 

Most airlines allow up to 11lbs (5 kilograms) of ammunition to be checked.  That’s not a consideration when rifle hunting, but on a 5-day duck hunt that is going to be a problem.   You’ll have to buy your shot shells locally, or make arrangements to have ammo shipped ahead of you to camp.   For Black Powder hunts you’ll have to make other arrangements in getting powder or pellets to your final destination.

Even if you reload for your rifles, it’s best to pack ammo in original factory boxes rather than plastic cartridge boxes.  The TSA rules say “You must securely pack any ammunition in fiber (such as cardboard), wood or metal boxes or other packaging that is specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.”   You might come across a TSA agent that thinks 50 rounds is not a small amount of ammunition, or that your plastic boxes for reloads don’t identify the contents as ammunition.  In these cases it’s better to have packed the ammo in factory boxes, than to argue at the check in counter with an airline or TSA agent.

Guns. 

Disassemble your rifle down into barreled action and stock components in order to use a smaller gun case.  This makes easier to get through the airport with and to keep from being charged oversize baggage fees.   Wipe any solvent from your gun, and coat with a light film of quality rust preventative.   Don’t let the metalwork come in contact with the foam in your case.  (Expanded foam and solvents will react with each other and can discolor and even remove the bluing on a rifle in the matter of a few hours).  I use a flannel gun sleeve to pack the barreled action in to protect it from any possible contact with the foam lining and the sleeve fills a dual purpose role when hunting in areas that require firearms to be cased in a vehicle or after shooting hours.

Targets and re-sighting in.

Some shooters use a boresighter, whether an older collimator- type or a newer laser type, to recheck there zero at camp but they forget that point of impact can change with a change in elevation, temperature, and the re-assembly of the action in the stock.   Sighting in is only the true way to be sure of zero.   

I found a simple lightweight wire target stand and target system that I use which goes with me on each rifle hunt.   I simply tuck the whole thing, stand and all under the foam padding in the hard case.   If you forget to bring targets, an old pizza delivery or soft drink carton makes for a suitable sight-in target to check your point-of-impact.

What to carry on (and what not).

In the event that the airlines should lose your luggage (or send it to San Diego while you’re heading to Denver) you will want to carry on some essentials.  

Years ago I had a friend fly out for an Elk hunt, and as luck would have it the airlines lost his luggage, but delivered his rifle.   With the hunt to start the next morning, he arrived into town wearing a flannel shirt, tennis shoes, and jeans.    He was able to borrow a blaze hat and some gloves, but had to run to town to find a suitable jacket, boots, and blaze vest.   The only vest that they could find was a medium (he was a 2XL) and he had to break in a new pair of boots that were more suitable on a farm, rather than in the back country of Colorado.  He showed me the photos, and he was a sight to see with that too small vest scrunched around his large frame and the shin high rubber boots.    His gear finally showed up 3 days into his hunt.

Since then I try to wear onto the plane a base layer, a pullover, jeans, and my boots.   In my carry I stow a simple safety vest and ball cap, a change of underwear and socks along with my camera and binoculars, and any paperwork such as hunting licenses and customs forms.  I will also have the serial number from my gun tucked away in my wallet.

You cannot bring aboard any gun parts, regardless of their function.  There have zero tolerance.    I once was stopped, detained, and questioned by the TSA for having 2 choke tubes in my carry on.  As a result I had to go back through security and find the mail center in the airport so the parts could be mailed to my home.  I made my flight, but now I won’t take so much as a sling swivel stud through the gates to avoid any possible delay.

There is only so much you can do to prevent being delayed at the airport, or to prevent your gear from being lost or stolen.   Next Month we’ll post Part II which will go over what to do if your gear or guns are delayed, damaged, or go missing.

www.kalispelcaseline.com
www.icc-case.com

BackLand Outdoors Staff


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