Originally Posted by
mglvrug
A family member who shoots competitively has reported that onsite check-in of a firearm with UA is a much longer/less efficient process than with other carriers he's flown. YMMV, of course, but I'd suggest allowing a lot of extra time for the check-in at the counter.
Totally agree with this statement. Also, each airport differs in how the TSA deals with the security screening of firearms. Some airports only allow TSA supervisors to handle the firearms screening and paperwork, which often means that you have to wait for one of them to walk down from the security lines / metal detectors down to the ticketing area just to assist you. That alone can take up to 20-30 minutes, especially at airports likes EWR. Others like LAS let you check it like baggage and it is a simple process.
Give yourself an extra 30-45 minutes of time just to be safe.