Airline Travel with Suppressor

General silencer discussion. If you want to talk about a specific silenced rifle or pistol, it is best to do that in the rifle or pistol section for that brand.

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jawdog
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Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by jawdog »

Lets say I want to travel from Texas to Alaska to hunt. And I want to bring a suppressor. I've flown with guns before; so, I'm familliar with the TSA drills. And, I know I would have to bring a copy of the stamp and form.

My questions is, does the suppressor travel with the gun & luggage, or with me?

Since the suppressor is in my name, do I have to keep possession of it in my carry on lugggage? Or, can the airline/baggage handlers have possession of it for the duration of the flight?

I've read that ATF considers a suppressor a firearm; so, I don't think I could take it on the plane in my carry on luggage.

I know I can carry it across state lines (I do from Texas to Oklahome frequently) without a problem, as long as I have a copy of the stamp & form.

Thanks.

John
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doubloon
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by doubloon »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDtd2jNIwAU MUSAFAR!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrOL-ydFMI This is Water DavidW
Complete Form 1s http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=79895
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jdasilva
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by jdasilva »

Since some people cant help but be unhelpful, I'll assist. You treat it just like you would a normal firearm. Hard case with locks & your copy of form 1 or 4 in it. Also carry a copy of your form 1 or 4 with you.

Also be sure that the state you're going to allows for nfa items. here's a link that has all the states & what nfa items they allow http://www.submachinegun.net/sbsconr.htm

Hope this helps & have a safe & quiet trip
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este
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by este »

Pretty much. I've flown with silencers, it's not big deal at all. No TSA scanner has ever asked me to even open my gun cases. Show up with it locked along with the guns and no more than 11lbs of ammo and good to go. I was asked what was in my case by a TSA guy and I said two handgun, and two silencers, he didn't believe me I don't think. Just tossed it back in my bag and checked both together.

However.... I did once have a gun case get lost for a day. Reason enough to not check any bag unless I have to, guns or not.
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L1A1Rocker
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by L1A1Rocker »

Deviant Ollam has a good web site about flying with guns. The silencer is treated the same as a gun for the purposes of flying.
http://deviating.net/firearms/packing/

His video is well worth the time to watch, it's a bit funny too. He comes at it from a different point of view though. He uses big ass metal boxes as his "gun box" and puts all his valuables in it. Then he can put a non-TSA lock on it. He advocates flying with guns so that you can better secure your other stuff.

http://vimeo.com/3923535
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Danomite45
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by Danomite45 »

Lets say you do travel from the little state of Texas, to the Great State of Alaska....be sure to look me up!
Danomite!!
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eastern_hunter
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by eastern_hunter »

I too have flown to hunting trips w a rifle and can. I check them in the same Pelican case with double locks. I put a copy of the Form 4 in with the can and carried one on my person.

No one even mentioned that anything was at all unusual.
OJB4
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by OJB4 »

When coming back from alaska this past Janurary from a duck hunt I accidently left a choke tube for my shotgun in my carry on and came really close to having to go through some major hell to keep me out of trouble. The guy that screened my bag asked me if I had anything sharp in my carry bag and I said no.....when he opened it and pulled out the choke tube he asked what it was. I told him exactly what it was and he called the BOSS. When she got there she got the same story I told him and after about 30 minutes of getting dirty looks from TSA employees and passengers I got a lecture about how I shouldn't have ANY firearm parts in my carry on. The only reason I didn't get it taken is because the boss said the term "choke tube" wasn't on the detailed list of firearm related parts that isn't allowed on board and therefore she felt it could not be a firearm part and would take the heat from the BIG BOSS if it turned out that she was wrong and therefore keep the screening agent out of trouble.

Keep that can locked in that gun case.....I guess choke tube is in the gray area but I will be sure to keep them or cans in my gun case from now on.....not worth the hassle even if it IS legal to carry them on board. The last thing you want when flying is to be delayed enough to miss a flight on the way up there and miss out on a hunt or a day of vacation.
I've gotta stop this habit.
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Bendersquint
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by Bendersquint »

jawdog wrote:Lets say I want to travel from Texas to Alaska to hunt. And I want to bring a suppressor. I've flown with guns before; so, I'm familliar with the TSA drills. And, I know I would have to bring a copy of the stamp and form.

My questions is, does the suppressor travel with the gun & luggage, or with me?

Since the suppressor is in my name, do I have to keep possession of it in my carry on lugggage? Or, can the airline/baggage handlers have possession of it for the duration of the flight?

I've read that ATF considers a suppressor a firearm; so, I don't think I could take it on the plane in my carry on luggage.

I know I can carry it across state lines (I do from Texas to Oklahome frequently) without a problem, as long as I have a copy of the stamp & form.

Thanks.

John
As been said by other posters......

A silencer is federally classified as a firearm and as such can NOT be brought onto the airplane, it must go in the cargo hold.

Yes, it is registered to you however since it is locked up and noone else has the ability to access it then no transfer of possession has taken place by having it down below.

Just stick in in your gun case and don't worry about it!
lostwasthechild
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by lostwasthechild »

If I may offer some suggestions as well for my experiences from flying with everything from machine guns, SBR's and silencers.

1.) Double locks for sure. I ran into a situation where I was at the airport and the TSA agent said because there are places for two locks, there needed to be two locks.

2.) I've tried to use verbage that avoided "silencer" after a TSA agent really dug into my kool-aide. "Silencers aren't legal," "Are you a hit man or somethin'" blah blah blah. Last time I traveled with a silencer, I used "Barrel Attachment"

3). Otherwise just rock out like it's a normal gun, and you'll be fine.

Lost
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Bendersquint
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by Bendersquint »

lostwasthechild wrote:If I may offer some suggestions as well for my experiences from flying with everything from machine guns, SBR's and silencers.

1.) Double locks for sure. I ran into a situation where I was at the airport and the TSA agent said because there are places for two locks, there needed to be two locks.

2.) I've tried to use verbage that avoided "silencer" after a TSA agent really dug into my kool-aide. "Silencers aren't legal," "Are you a hit man or somethin'" blah blah blah. Last time I traveled with a silencer, I used "Barrel Attachment"

3). Otherwise just rock out like it's a normal gun, and you'll be fine.

Lost
Were you flying out of the 'Nam airport? They gigged me on that as well. Even had the handler stand ON the case and pry it open like a monkey to show me WHY the second lock was needed.
lostwasthechild
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by lostwasthechild »

Oh Bender, you read me like a book.

I'm out in AZ working, and I had a can that got approved, so naturally I had to fly back to 'Nam to scoop it up from Minutemen Tactical. The dude literally said,"Whaazzz that? it don't look like no guun?"

The fun times of domestic travel through regional airports.

Lost
jawdog
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by jawdog »

Thanks for the info. Planning a trip next fall.
Ramius
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Re: Airline Travel with Suppressor

Post by Ramius »

Paperwork stays with me, I don't include it with the suppressor.
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