Seems like NY has bigger problems than to mess with someone trying to transport a gun "legally."

My family - 2 sons, DH and myself, fly with firearms from Sydney to Tennessee every year plus return. Ammo must be in a separate locked box. We pack it in a separate bag. Your firearm will be inspected. We keep the case locked, and safety locks on the triggers. We ALWAYS immediately tell the agent we are transporting firearms. We expect all bags to be inspected and for it to take extra time. Standard hardshell locking case should be fine. All our cases etc come from the Walmart. You don't have to spend a fortune on them. We sometimes have to surrender firearms at import in Sydney for inspection by federal agents ( they like to go off and play and shoot them lol) , but the last few years have just been able to walk out with them. We always have our papers in order and photocopied inside the case. We always have to present firearms licenses and Sporting Shooters Association licenses. Sometimes they question us separately - what do you hunt etc....are you competition shooters.... On the international run you get diverted to customs agents who specialize - usually the agricultural line so that saves some time, however it can be more time consuming in the inspection process, but not nessecarily - depends on the mood of the agent and whether or not they are a shooter also.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE .... last year on re entry into SYD UA LOST OUR FIREARM !!!!!!!!! Found it eventually but still .... you read about people wanting to know if they can take a cheesecake if it is a liquid yet airlines lost a FIREARM !!!!!


We had the same experience flying out of Knoxville in Jan but the female counter agent had to call a man over because she could not tell the diff in a loaded vs unloaded firearm. We also got lots of interesting looks from those around us. Usually I try to stand in a position with my back to my husband sheilding view of what we have in the case, while observing those around us to ensure that nobody is going to make a dive for the firearm or anything else crazy.

The only time they should take them away at SYD is in those situations where they reckon "checking clear" can't be done "easily"..

Lesson for me was to always pack the revolvers with the cylinders removed! Haven't had a problem since doing that... and like you I travel to/from the USA every year with firearms...

Never had any trouble with the TSA either... the TSA folks at DEN last time were even fun!!! ^

I don't use a gun case.. I just pack them (rifle, shotgun and 2 handguns) in a Samsonite suitcase... ammo in the other bag as my airline requires that (it does vary from airline to airline as already hinted!)

Leaving SYD we have to "clear customs" (show them the export paperwork and the guns).. on a good day the officer will then escort you up to check in - and take you to the front of the line... that's a nice bonus!! :D

I just ensure I get there EARLY... to cater for check in staff who are a little unsure of procedures and need to consult a supervisor... NEVER had any real hassles...

Maybe my sparkling personality helps???:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Trooper we should hook up for some target practice! Sydney likes us because I just tell them I am a Tennessee redneck and am converting my Sydneysider husband - they get a laugh when I tell them I am the better shot and he is just trying to keep up. (he even practices in secret lol)

The feds have taken our guns for inpsection when we have purchased at home in TN (MUCH CHEAPER)

We also reload our own - special loads - my formal dining room has been converted into a reloading lab ughhh. Time for the proverbial SHED. ha ha.

Yeah, had that happen as well. In PHL no less, the TA wanted me to show her the guns were unloaded. I reiterated they were and that's why I was signing the red card. No dice, she wanted to see them for herself. Note that she made no effort to come over to my side of the counter. So I did the same thing, pulled out each pistol, racked the slide, ejected the magazine and then placed them both on the counter. Well by the time I was done a super came over and yelled at me "Put those away!" When I explained the TA wanted to verify the unloaded status, she also yelled at the agent to never have pax pull out their weapons in full view of the rest of the pax waiting online...if the gun is loaded then it's doom on the pax.


Well I showed upat JFK with a securely-packed Sig P228 in my checked luggage and let me tell you, the ruckus that caused! :D I'd never seen an airport terminal where you go through the WTMD when coming inside the door! This was several years ago and I was due to fly PHL-LAX but a Nor'easter was cancelling flights out of PHL left and right. But JFK was fully functional. So, DL started trucking people up to JFK in buses and taxis because there was an 11pm flight and it was only 5pm or so...plenty of time to make the drive up. Not having experienced the security-at-the-door setup, I told the x-ray tech that I had a firearm in my checked luggage. :eek: The look on his face was quite hilarious as he called over a Port Authority cop to deal with me.

The cop asked for my gun permit. :confused: So, not knowing any better, I showed him my DE carry permit. :o The cop grinned at me and said "You ain't from New York are you?" :D So then I explained that none of us were, we were bussed up from PHL airport due to flight cancellations. He looked at my paperwork and then asked the closest 2-3 people and discovered that yes indeed, there were more on the way. So the cop walked me to the front of the ticket line all the while personally holding my bag with the gun inside. ^

Having flown a bunch with guns would suggest the following as well:

1> Zip-locks. Seal the handle around the lock. The TSA will cut it open if they need to get inside. They'll even put them back on sometimes (10%) if you leave spares in the bag. I put pink ones on the outside and leave green ones on the inside so I can see who did what.

2> Duct Tape. Run a ring around the gun case in 1/3 segments and one lenghtwise. This is more protective than anything else. The TSA will cut it if they need in. They will NOT put it back on for you, so no need to leave a roll inside.

3> But ammo when you get there, or put it in another bag. This rule seems to confuse the TSA and others, so I just avoid it. Plus they often (25%) open your ammo to inspect it and it gets loose.

4> Be prepared to "display" your gun at the counter. I kinda enjoy it. Once I did get three cops over in a hurry when I pulled my FN out, complete with scary magazines (ooh, Pelosi in a bikini scary!) inserted.

5> I give myself an extra hour. And I always call ahead to the arrival airport to find out where my gun will show up. Sometimes with the rest of the luggage, sometimes with the golf clubs (!!), sometimes in the luggage office.

-TF

PS - I was gonna make a joke about checking a shotgun from the back....

Just don't try it at Newark! http://www.gunweek.com/2006/NYNJ0320.html

I've just found about a US military exercise abroad recently and have seen numerous military travelling back into the US with their service weapons. One particular air carrier (and I'm not sure if this is a carrier policy or country policy) makes the soldiers check their weapons (even if it is a handgun) separately from their baggage. So...you have a 98 pound Asian woman carrying a pistol (in it's case) through a packed terminal, ahead of the military person. The first time I came across this, the soldier in question was drunk.

I shudder to think what could happened in that situation.

While I've never had any problems transporting a firearm, I usually have the slide locked back with cable lock looped through it just in case.

I imagine doing the same with long guns would make the process easier as well.

Great saying, may be from a movie but true nonetheless: "The coldest sound known to man is the racking of a 12 gauge pump action shotgun." ^:)^