Why not avoid any hassle or potential hangups with laws, TSA, and such and just ship the thing? You're certainly not going to need your concealed (and stowed) weapon enroute.

Done it many times, no big deal really
 

I have to travel to remote transmitter sites on top of mountains where i am by myself 10 or 20 miles from help, and surrounded by mature, and some of its larger creations. Bears, wildcat, mountian lion are very common and have attacked forest/logging workers. When I am headed to these sites I am armed.

I have flown out of Milwaukee with my gun many times. I have it in a locked hard sided gun case and with a trigger lock on it inside. I have a small amount of ammo in the factory box inside as well. I get to the baggage agent (have to go inside) declare it, there is a dayglo orange form you put IN the gun case, check it, when you take your stuff to TSA you let them know there is a declared, unloaded firearm inside, they deal with it, no alarms, no big deal really. Just be professional and matter of fact. The first time I did this I called NWA before hand and discussed it with the ticket agent and they were exceptionally helpful.

--Paul

Maybe he wants to go target shooting or hunting the day he arrives? In any case, why should anyone else care? As long as he follows the regulations and it is legal at both ends, there are NO hassles or potential hangups.

And actually, your advice would be much more of a hassle. Weapons can be shipped interstate only to an FFL (Federal Firearms License) holder, with one exception: A repair facility holding an FFL can ship them back to the owner. Handguns and ammunition can never be shipped USPS. Private shippers normally require that handguns be shipped by air, but ammunition must be sent by ground.

Checking it all as baggage is a heck of a lot easier.

In order to do that, you have to go to a licensed dealer and ship it to a licensed dealer and then pick it up on the other end. They want to charge you and it's a huge hassle. You cannot just send it off FedEx, that would be a much easier way of doing things, believe me!

--Paul

Not exactly -- on the outbound shipment anyone can ship to an FFL holder (licensed dealer), but for the return trip, only a repair facility can ship it back to the owner; any other return shipments must be to a local FFL holder. The last (and only) time I had one shipped to me via a local FFL holder the fee was $30.

Well, technically, you can ship a gun to yourself, but if its discovered it would be delayed, and since I'd be shipping it to a hotel, that would complicate things..

You can't ship a gun to yourself, it must go to a FFL holder. So unless you are a federally licensed gun dealer, no dice.

Yes, you can bring ammunition, up to 11 pounds.

Yes, it can be in the same bag as the gun.

You can either lock the gun case, or have the luggage lock.. you dont need both.

If you're on your way to Alaska...welcome to you and your firearm! Guns are so common here that the CSA's and TSA's don't blink an eye. Many of them appreciate and can recognize a nice handgun (like my SIG P220) when they see them. :D