Anyone ever had airline lose a gun?!

[cocky84]

When flying with Alaska airlines, has anyone ever had them lose luggage with a gun in it?

Ive flown with a gun several times and have never had my gun be lost or not on time. Seems like they take extra precautions with them obviously.

However i have heard of people not having their bows or other gear show up.

So im thinking if flying with a bow, why not put a handgun and other important stuff in the case with it and check it as a firearm.

Thoughts?

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I see your point but, when you check it in you will have to open the hard case for them to inspect it so just ship it as a bow. If it gets lost, wink, wink, you will only be out a bow, not a bow and gun or what ever.

 

[n816kc]

I’ve been going commercial with a firearm one trip a year for the past 5 or 6 years. My rifle case is the only thing that’s never been lost. Small sample set, but I do think they keep track of firearms better than the other luggage. I’ll ask someone in the industry next chance I get.

 

[nettereo16]

I've flown 20+ times with firearms and never been lost. I suspect if they do get lost the airline will find it MUCH faster than a normal bag in their possession.

They have lost my bow and it showed up 3 days later.
On my trip this year I put my bow, rifle, handgun in an SKB case and that worked great.

 

[Billy Goat]

When flying with a gun, you if course get to lock the case and they can't open without you present. So putting a handgun in your bowcase prevents it from being tampered with. It's not an uncommon practice. Just takes more time.


No idea if it's statistically less likely to be lost.

 

[Smallie]

Yes flying from Texas to Chicago with 2 rifles in a hard case. Only thing that didn't show up. They ended up tracking it down in Vegas. Was a long night waiting for them to show up the next morning. We just pictured a gun case going around the turnstile at baggage claim in one of the busiest airports in the country and someone recognizing what it is and snagging them. After that we purchased one of those oversize golf bag carriers so you couldn't tell what was inside. Has wheels on it too so getting around the airport is easier. Have also had a case damaged where it looks like someone was trying to pry the case open with a crowbar in two different spots.

 

[Pramo]

I travel with my bow and always put a handgun in the case so I can declare a firearm and keep the case properly locked. Prior to this I had TSA steal a range finder from my bow case. This year I started putting an Apple Air Tag in the case so now I can track my luggage on my phone.

 

[cocky84]

Thanks guys. This kinda confirms my thoughts. I typically take a golf club case, put rifle in soft case inside gold club case. Then i pack other expensive and stuff that would be hard to replace at destination. They take it to a different area then rest of my bags and pick up at separate area. Have never had any trouble.
From now on, even flying with a take down recurve, i will be sure to put a handgun in there so i can declare it as a firearm.

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

When flying with Alaska airlines, has anyone ever had them lose luggage with a gun in it?

Ive flown with a gun several times and have never had my gun be lost or not on time. Seems like they take extra precautions with them obviously.

However i have heard of people not having their bows or other gear show up.

So im thinking if flying with a bow, why not put a handgun and other important stuff in the case with it and check it as a firearm.

Thoughts?

I drop a handgun in my SKB just for this reason

 

[Corey Paulsen (teamkabob)]

I travel with my bow and always put a handgun in the case so I can declare a firearm and keep the case properly locked. Prior to this I had TSA steal a range finder from my bow case. This year I started putting an Apple Air Tag in the case so now I can track my luggage on my phone.

This is brilliant

 

[Dos Perros]

I had the idea to get the smallest cheapest thing that the airline would technically rule as a firearm exactly for this purpose. Like a little 22 cal pistol upper or whatever they’re called. Little cheap piece of machined steel to make sure my bow arrives as it should.

 

[MattB]

Some airports have the TSA screening behind closed doors (e.g. Philadelphia, San Jose), so if you use non-TSA recognized locks you may get delayed ~15 minutes in the event they do need to open your case for inspection and need to get the keys from you. Not a big deal but something to be mindful of.

Transporting Firearms and Ammunition | Transportation Security Administration

www.tsa.gov

 

[Dos Perros]

Did they change the lock requirement in the last 5 years? I thought I remember it used to be non-TSA locks only for firearms....locks that can only be opened by the owner.

 

[carter33]

Did they change the lock requirement in the last 5 years? I thought I remember it used to be non-TSA locks only for firearms....locks that can only be opened by the owner.

Last time I flew with a firearm this was the case, I wouldn't really want TSA having free reign to open and handle my firearm. I will be flying with a firearm again both this month and January. I did have a buddy get his ammo that was in a plastic reloading case taken from him. I had mine screened just prior to him and they let me pass with the same style ammo case. Buddy tried to argue but when you have a firearms incompetent agent with absolute authority their isn't much that can really be done or said to reason with them.

 

[ODB]

I travel with my bow and always put a handgun in the case so I can declare a firearm and keep the case properly locked. Prior to this I had TSA steal a range finder from my bow case. This year I started putting an Apple Air Tag in the case so now I can track my luggage on my phone.

Dude…I just looked this up. The tag interfaces with other Apple devices in a mesh network type scenario to locate the tag and then delivers the location only to you.

That is effing brilliant technology. Kinda scary in a way, but fantastic for keeping track of stuff like this.

Thanks for the mention. I will be grabbing some of these.

 

[Fatcamp]

Some airports have the TSA screening behind closed doors (e.g. Philadelphia, San Jose), so if you use non-TSA recognized locks you may get delayed ~15 minutes in the event they do need to open your case for inspection and need to get the keys from you. Not a big deal but something to be mindful of.

Transporting Firearms and Ammunition | Transportation Security Administration

www.tsa.gov

LOL. That link specifically states only the passenger should have access.

 

[Fatcamp]

Last time I flew with a firearm this was the case, I wouldn't really want TSA having free reign to open and handle my firearm. I will be flying with a firearm again both this month and January. I did have a buddy get his ammo that was in a plastic reloading case taken from him. I had mine screened just prior to him and they let me pass with the same style ammo case. Buddy tried to argue but when you have a firearms incompetent agent with absolute authority their isn't much that can really be done or said to reason with them.

Factory ammo only. Or factory ammon box anyway.

 

[MattB]

LOL. That link specifically states only the passenger should have access.

Yes, and in the same paragraph says TSA-recognized locks are acceptable. Our government at work….

• Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only. As defined by 49 CFR 1540.5 a loaded firearm has a live round of ammunition, or any component thereof, in the chamber or cylinder or in a magazine inserted in the firearm. Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations. You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks.

 

[Bear_Hunter]

Thanks guys. This kinda confirms my thoughts. I typically take a golf club case, put rifle in soft case inside gold club case. Then i pack other expensive and stuff that would be hard to replace at destination. They take it to a different area then rest of my bags and pick up at separate area. Have never had any trouble.
From now on, even flying with a take down recurve, i will be sure to put a handgun in there so i can declare it as a firearm.

Sorry not really following the logic. If you lock up your bow case, how would anyone know whether or not you had a firearm in there (besides the check in person)? It's not like they slap a sticker on the outside advertising it. You slip the signed paper stating it's unloaded in the case and that's it. And they usually have your guns in a separate area to pick up because the case won't fit on the conveyor belt thing. Your big golf case/bow case/whatever will likely be off to the side regardless. I sometimes fly with a pistol in a small pistol case stuffed in my duffel bag and it comes out with the rest of the luggage because nothing on the outside indicates there's a firearm inside. Doesn't make my duffel bag any more safe.

 

[wyosteve]

I don't know if the airline rules prevent it now, but I used to take my bolt out of the rifle and keep it in my carry on. If the rifle was lost or stolen at least they wouldn't get a functional weapon. To the OP's question. I've never lost a rifle, but had a nightmare with United in 1999 going to Edmonton. Rifle showed up a day after my flight and coming back it took 2 days to get it back to me. I've not flown United since that day!!