Flying with airsoft guns

[weasle8877]

Does anyone have any experience flying with airsoft guns? My main question is wether or not I have to lock it in a case and check it like a real firearm, or if I can just put it in my checked luggage.

[Regular Guy]

Ship it to a hotel or house or wherever you're going...

[weasle8877]

Yeah thats what I thought. To expensive though, so I'll just leave it up here I guess. Thanks.

[carbonfibreguy]

If you decide to go, you also do have to check it in as a replica firearm.

[RiotingCows]

You can ship it via UPS for around $35. One way though.
About the same as another piece of luggage. Or a good rental.

[darkaces07]

You may only transport firearms, ammunition and firearm parts in your checked baggage. Firearms, ammunition and firearm parts are prohibited from carry-on baggage.

There are certain limited exceptions for law enforcement officers who may fly armed by meeting the requirements of Title 49 CFR § 1544.219. Law enforcement officers should read our policies on traveling with guns.

The key regulatory requirements to transporting firearms, firearm parts or ammunition in checked baggage are:

* You must declare all firearms to the airline during the ticket counter check-in process.
* The firearm must be unloaded.
* The firearm must be in a hard-sided container.
* The container must be locked.
* We recommend that you provide the key or combination to the security officer if he or she needs to open the container. You should remain present during screening to take the key back after the container is cleared. If you are not present and the security officer must open the container, we or the airline will make a reasonable attempt to contact you. If we can’t contact you, the container will not be placed on the plane. Federal regulations prohibit unlocked gun cases (or cases with broken locks) on aircraft.
* You must securely pack any ammunition in fiber (such as cardboard), wood or metal boxes or other packaging that is specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition.
* You can’t use firearm magazines/clips for packing ammunition unless they completely and securely enclose the ammunition (e.g., by securely covering the exposed portions of the magazine or by securely placing the magazine in a pouch, holder, holster or lanyard).
* You may carry the ammunition in the same hard-sided case as the firearm, as long as you pack it as described above.
* You can’t bring black powder or percussion caps used with black-powder type firearms in either your carry-on or checked baggage.

We and other authorities strictly enforce these regulations. Violations can result in criminal prosecution and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

Airlines may have their own additional requirements on the carriage of firearms and the amount of ammunition that you may have in your checked baggage. Therefore, travelers should also contact the airline regarding its firearm and ammunition carriage policies.

Also, please note that many other countries have different laws that address transportation and possession of firearms. If you are traveling internationally, please check with the authorities at your destination about their requirements

[DJ]

I have flown multiple times with firearms. The main concern is that ( with real firearms) they like to put a "firearms, steal me " sticker on your stuff inviting the luggage handlers to "loose" the stuff. Call the individual airlines for guidelines. They vary. As mentioned above LEAs have special rules.....they were too much hassle so I just did like everyone else. I had no problems. The air soft thing poses an interesting question.....advise what you find.

[Cjackfolife]

I have flown with a WE dragon and it was fine. My luggage was searched because I had a TSA piece of paper on top. They did nothing to it, because it had the orange tip on it. The gun was in my checked luggage and stored in it's original box inside my bag under my clothes.

[Steve]

I've done it a couple of times. I always lock mine in a hard case and bury it in my duffel. When I check in at the counter, I declare it as a firearm. I fill out the stupid little TSA form and then have one of the screeners verify that it is either a toy or (if RS), is unloaded and that the ammo is stored securely. Then I get on my plane.

Anecdotally, I have never had my luggage lost when I declared a firearm. When I have travelled without one, I have had bags lost a couple of times out of dozens of flights. I suspect that they treat bags containing bang sticks differently than regular luggage but have no hard evidence to back this up.

[Mini-Marine]

Here's how to fly with guns and why you always should

http://deviating.net/firearms/packing/

http://www.vimeo.com/3923535

The video takes a bit to get started but it has a lot of good info.

[weasle8877]

I know how to fly firearms, I just needed to know if airsoft guns needed to be flown the same way. I now know they do, so the thread is done.

[Mini-Marine]

Airsoft guns don't HAVE to be treated as real firearms, however they CAN be treated that way if you want to use them to help secure your luggage.

[DJ]

What mini is saying is correct. In most states air soft guns are toys. The goal is to not have them mistaken for real guns and get into a TSA hassle. Check with the individual airlines re this issue. In the end the pilot has the final say on anything on his aircraft.

[Steve]

I think what Mini is saying is that you can use your airsoft gun as an EXCUSE to actually lock your hard-sided luggage up with a real honest-to-god lock rather than some TSA-approved piece of trash.

I recommend this.

[LiberalPacifist]

What mini is saying is correct. In most states air soft guns are toys. The goal is to not have them mistaken for real guns and get into a TSA hassle. Check with the individual airlines re this issue. In the end the pilot has the final say on anything on his aircraft.

While this is technically correct when applied to his aircraft, the pilot has no say on what passes through the airport. It has more to do with TSA wanting to keep track of firearms and firearm looking things as they pass through the airport than the fear that they will actually be found in their bag en route and used. Just imagine the fallout if TSA just lost a gun somewhere in the airport. The whole airport would close down until it was found, I guarantee you.

And also, in almost all cases in the airline business the pilot has no way of knowing if there is a firearm in baggage, much less such details as whether or not its a replica.