Flying with bow and hand gun

[colonel00]

Oh, one other suggestion. Look up the TSA regulations and your airlines regulations for travel with firearms. Print them out to have with you or at a minimum have links on your phone at the ready just in case there is an issue.

Also, be polite and patient. These folks are just doing their job.

 

[Beendare]

Kinda off topic and it doesn’t relate to the OP question, but the last time I flew with a bow (just a bow in the case), TSA treated it exactly like a firearm. In fact, they scrutinized it a little more with tearing the entire case apart, taking the foam out, etc., before finally locking it up and sending it.

I've flown many times with archery gear....and I've never had to take it to firearms inspection unless I have a handgun in there.

IMO, The key to flying with archery gear is a good packing system....as TSA will never pack it back the way you do.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I've flown many times with archery gear....and I've never had to take it to firearms inspection unless I have a handgun in there.

IMO, The key to flying with archery gear is a good packing system....as TSA will never pack it back the way you do.

I hear ya, and it makes no sense to me either, but that's how they treated it.

 

[buck_shot11]

Does your pistol need to be in a separate case, or if I put a slide lock on it can I just throw it inside the bow case and lock the bow case?


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I put my pistol in the same box with my bow. Magazines go in there as well just cannot be loaded in the pistol. I put EVERYTHING of value in that bow box and lock it with none tsa locks. That way, no one rummages through and "decides/steal" what you don't need to take with you.

I learned this many years ago when I was racing Ironman and traveling with a bike. If you put a gun in your bike box, it would guarantee that no one would mess with the bike. Hate to train for a year for a race and show-up at race and your bike is F&%Ked up

 

[TradAg02]

Some TSA x-rays in smaller airports can’t see through an skb. If it is only archery equipment they will literally dump everything out and remove the foam. If you have a pistol they have to call you to come unlock it, so you are present while they go through it. In either case I pack all smaller items in ziplocks or bags so they don’t get lost during the process.

I pack pistols and rifles loose along with my bow. Leaving the slide open on pistols and removing the bolt from rifles makes it pretty obvious that the firearm is unloaded without having to completely unpack the case. I generally pack my archery gear on bottom, then my sleeping bag, then put firearm related items on top so that everything they need to see is in plain view without unpacking.

As with the poster above, I like to throw a pistol in my bow case just so that I can lock it. I also had a trip where I had a late arrival on a tight layover. I was the last passenger boarded and I told the attendant that my luggage contained firearms. They ended up holding the flight 45min until my skb was loaded on the plane.

While most of the time I have to pick up my skb separately, I have had it arrive on the belt with general baggage a few times so you never really know.

 

[Werty]

Shouldn't be an issue, just make sure you give yourself enough time go declare it

 

[Beendare]

I hear ya, and it makes no sense to me either, but that's how they treated it.

Guberment employees

 

[Dos Perros]

I actually recommend flying with a handgun in your hard bow case, as I did this last year. You just need to use regular locks, not tsa locks, and declare when you get to check-in. The biggest benefit of declaring a handgun at check-in, you are basically guaranteeing that your bow isn't going to get lost. From time to time, airlines will send your bags on separate flights and will meet you at your destination. This will never happen with a gun! They will sign for the bag/box at check-in and you will have to sign for it at your destination. Your box will not arrive on the belt with general baggage as it will go to a special checkpoint. So if you basically want to guarantee you bows safe arrival, put a gun in the box.

+1

I've actually been looking for a cheap 'firearm', like a very small 22 LR receiver or some sort, to pack in my bow case for just this purpose.

 

[fwafwow]

+1

I've actually been looking for a cheap 'firearm', like a very small 22 LR receiver or some sort, to pack in my bow case for just this purpose.

You could I believe declare a firearm part. I got in trouble for carrying a rifle bolt in my carryon bag and they said any firearm part is a firearm. They confiscated it. I got it back about 4 months later. I also got kicked out of TSA precheck for 6 months (3 months after an appeal) for "attempting to board a plane with a firearm."

BUT - it would not surprise me if there was an inconsistent approach taken by the person who checks in your case, vs the one at the screening post.

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[colonel00]

+1

I've actually been looking for a cheap 'firearm', like a very small 22 LR receiver or some sort, to pack in my bow case for just this purpose.

Pick up a cheap AR lower from Palmetto State Armory for $30-$40 bucks. It's a registered firearm. Once your travel is complete, spend the winter acquiring parts and building a gun. Next year, rinse and repeat!

 

[elkstabber]

I actually recommend flying with a handgun in your hard bow case, as I did this last year. You just need to use regular locks, not tsa locks, and declare when you get to check-in. The biggest benefit of declaring a handgun at check-in, you are basically guaranteeing that your bow isn't going to get lost. From time to time, airlines will send your bags on separate flights and will meet you at your destination. This will never happen with a gun! They will sign for the bag/box at check-in and you will have to sign for it at your destination. Your box will not arrive on the belt with general baggage as it will go to a special checkpoint. So if you basically want to guarantee you bows safe arrival, put a gun in the box.

No doubt this is the way to go. It ensures that your bow can't get screwed up. When I did this last year the airline's policy was to only inspect the bag in my presence. So it lessens the chance that they'll actually search. It cost an extra $25. It was free to active military members.

 

[N2TRKYS]

You could I believe declare a firearm part. I got in trouble for carrying a rifle bolt in my carryon bag and they said any firearm part is a firearm. They confiscated it. I got it back about 4 months later. I also got kicked out of TSA precheck for 6 months (3 months after an appeal) for "attempting to board a plane with a firearm."

BUT - it would not surprise me if there was an inconsistent approach taken by the person who checks in your case, vs the one at the screening post.

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Why did you take your bolt out of your rifle and then store it separate from your rifle?

 

[fwafwow]

Why did you take your bolt out of your rifle and then store it separate from your rifle?

Long story. Read (on the internet) it was a good idea so someone was less likely to take the rifle. So stupid. And it was a Cooper so I couldn't just get a new one without having to ship my rifle back.

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[Beendare]

I like my Nomad- its pretty incognito.

Seems a lot of baggage is stolen right off the carrousel.

Forbes Article on how to protect your luggage and the extent of theft
HERE

And just for the heck of it, Cheatsheet.com has a list of the top 10 airports for theft- Boston Logan tops the list
HERE

..

 

[N2TRKYS]

Long story. Read (on the internet) it was a good idea so someone was less likely to take the rifle. So stupid. And it was a Cooper so I couldn't just get a new one without having to ship my rifle back.

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Dang, I hate that happened. I was just curious. I’ve only flown Southwest, but know that different airlines require different things.

 

[dtwhite]

I actually recommend flying with a handgun in your hard bow case, as I did this last year. You just need to use regular locks, not tsa locks, and declare when you get to check-in. The biggest benefit of declaring a handgun at check-in, you are basically guaranteeing that your bow isn't going to get lost. From time to time, airlines will send your bags on separate flights and will meet you at your destination. This will never happen with a gun! They will sign for the bag/box at check-in and you will have to sign for it at your destination. Your box will not arrive on the belt with general baggage as it will go to a special checkpoint. So if you basically want to guarantee you bows safe arrival, put a gun in the box.

I agree

 

[tracker12]

I hear some guys y use non TSA approved locks. Trying to figure out why. I see nothing in the Airline instructions that mention that. BELOW is the TSA regs.

• 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.

 

[Trial153]

I hear some guys y use non TSA approved locks. Trying to figure out why. I see nothing in the Airline instructions that mention that.

Why would you want the TSA to have acess to your checked firearm.
I never use TSA locks when I check a hand gun in my bow case.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Why would you want the TSA to have acess to your checked firearm.
I never use TSA locks when I check a hand gun in my bow case.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think that a TSA approved lock is a lock that they can easily (meaning without using bolt cutters), open. I think it’s just a lock that is approved by TSA, whatever locks meet their approval.


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[Trial153]

I could be wrong, but I don’t think that a TSA approved lock is a lock that they can easily (meaning without using bolt cutters), open. I think it’s just a lock that is approved by TSA, whatever locks meet their approval.


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TSA locks have a set of 5 universal keys. One of the 5 will open every TSA stamped lock.