Flying from New Jersey to Florida with a handgun

[gadwall8]

Ok so I'm going from New Jersey to Florida for vacation and I want to bring a firearm. I have a TSA approved case,my ammo is in the original container,I have my NJ firearms ID card,a copy of the permit that I bought the gun with and my Florida Concealed Firearm Licence. The case is cabled to the frame of my luggage and the luggage is locked. I called the TSA at Atlantic City Airport and Spirit Air and it seems everything is in order. Has anyone ever flown out of Jersey to another state and back without spending time in jail. It will sit in the safe 99% of the time while I'm there and just be used when fishing under the bridges late at night. I had a bunch of drunks roll up on me last year and I have to tell you I was very uncomfortable so I just packed up and left. I'll do the same this time if it happens again but I don't need someone robbing me and tossing me in the drink. I asked wee wee about this and he didn't know about the Jersey thing. I also sent an email to Evan Nappen last night but haven't heard back from him yet. Any help would be appreciated.

 

 

This is a serious question about a serious topic.

 

If your obsessive compulsive disorder to derail and scream "look at me!" is so insurmountable, you seek should seek professional help- for the good of the community, for the sake of the children.

 

[fishnmagician]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadwall8 

This is a serious question about a serious topic.

If your obsessive compulsive disorder to derail and scream "look at me!" is so insurmountable, you seek should seek professional help- for the good of the community, for the sake of the children.

I made what I thought was a funny comment,

sorry if it caused the nuts to have a melt down.

 

carry on with your convo,

internutz is serious business.

[goofy chris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GetDaGaff 

Ok so I'm going from New Jersey to Florida for vacation and I want to bring a firearm. I have a TSA approved case,my ammo is in the original container,I have my NJ firearms ID card,a copy of the permit that I bought the gun with and my Florida Concealed Firearm Licence. The case is cabled to the frame of my luggage and the luggage is locked. I called the TSA at Atlantic City Airport and Spirit Air and it seems everything is in order. Has anyone ever flown out of Jersey to another state and back without spending time in jail. It will sit in the safe 99% of the time while I'm there and just be used when fishing under the bridges late at night. I had a bunch of drunks roll up on me last year and I have to tell you I was very uncomfortable so I just packed up and left. I'll do the same this time if it happens again but I don't need someone robbing me and tossing me in the drink. I asked wee wee about this and he didn't know about the Jersey thing. I also sent an email to Evan Nappen last night but haven't heard back from him yet. Any help would be appreciated.

 

 

Call the airline ahead of time, and ask them (Done- CHECK!) . When you get to the airport, whip out a twenty and immediately inform the curbside skycap what you're doing. Some aren't great, but most times, they will go way out of their way to make everything as smooth as possible. They know the drill. Do not go inside the building if at all possible without first making contact with a skycap, even if it means going a good ways away from where you intend to board.

 

Have plenty of twenty's in a convenient pocket, it might take a couple to get to the head skycap. Do this flying both ways.

[layer8]

Sounds like you're covered.

The only other thing I'd recommend in addition to what you already have is to also carry a copy of your receipt which should have the serial number on it.

 

I've traveled to Europe many times with mine and as long as it's in the proper case and you have necessary documentation it should be smooth sailing.

Just allow some extra time for them to verify all this at the airport upon departure and arrival in FL, and same goes on return leg.

 

Good luck!

[gadwall8]

Have a safe and enjoyable trip and give up a re-cap upon returning.

 

[buckmaster]

You will be fine it is now big deal..I fly out of the NYC metro area 5 to 10 times a year with firearms. Actually Newark is my least favorite since they routinely violate TSA procedure for firearms check. They are required to keep the weapon within your line of sight the entire time, with you holding the keys to the locking mechanism, if you have a key or external lock. In Newark they routinely take your gun into a room, lock the door behind them and take the keys, and you never see it again...until it hopefully arrives at your destination...complete violation. In JFK and LGA the PA police do the checks and they are usually prompt and very cool...they never come near your weapon...open the casse...perhaps ask you to open the action...then back in the case and you lock it, and hand it to the airline yourself. The only downside of a NY airport, is they record the serial number of the guns you fly with in their duty pad.

If your flight is diverted to NYC, you cannot get arrested for the handgun...if it never leaves the airport, or it is less than 24hr from your arrival you are protected under the Federal safe passage law. The cases you heard of were people diverted to NYC...got off the plane went to a hotel...and came back to the airport outside of the 24hr window in which you are protected by the safe passage window. Granted it was not intentional...but a violation nonetheless. Or a professional athlete in town...had a handgun legally permitted in GA, came to NYC to play...stayed 3 days, and was arrested trying to get back on the plane because the 24hr window lapsed.

[MikeMc]

 

Why would a guy like Zimmerman "hunt you down"? Are you doubling back, attacking him and trying to kill him, or are you making up either ignorant or dishonest garbage  for dramatic purposes?

 

Rhetorical question??

[fishnmagician]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeMc 

Rhetorical question??

whatever it takes.

[Jonesy]

just ship it down

[GetDaGaff]

just ship it down

 

Well I made it here and it was a breeze really. I handed her the note,she asked me to open the luggage and sign a tag that she put on my case. Then she took my bag and asked me to wait a few minutes, came back and said everything is ok, have a nice trip. Now lets see if I can get back in.

[gadwall8]

Excellent.

 

 

[Jersey Joe]

I have made five round trips in and out of Newark with a rifle and ammo suitably cased without incident. It is pretty easy to see me coming with my big black case but I have never been nabbed or tracked prior to visiting the ticket counter. Each time I state what is in the case and after checked-in I am escorted to a room where they open the case and inspect the contents. Only one time did they view the contents without me being present, and while I was a bit annoyed, there wasn't anything I could do about it. I have never been asked to show a firearms ID or anything beyond normal travel documents. They do make you fill out an orange card that travels inside the case.

 

I do understand that a handgun may be different but I am tempted to assume the process is the same.

 

Other airports are different. Jacksonville Florida has me open the case at the ticket counter. Typically the woman agent then asks me "OK, what am I looking at". Destination airports sometimes route the case to a protected area such as Newark but West Palm and Jacksonville have the case come out on the conveyor belt without any special processing.

 

Maybe my time is yet to come but I have not found it to be a problem.

[Animal]

The issue is that NYC has a handgun ban. Upon inclement weather, if his flight is reroutted to NYC, he's gonna get raped.

[fishweewee]

The issue is that NYC has a handgun ban. Upon inclement weather, if his flight is reroutted to NYC, he's gonna get raped.

 

The problem with flying out of locales like anywhere in D.C., NY, NJ, CT, and MA is that these states require a state permit to simply be in possession of a handgun. These states also require a separate state permit to be in possession of a handgun OUTSIDE THE HOME. For example, in NJ, you can only be in possession of a handgun when you go to the range or to the gun shop, and back to home without a carry permit. No stops in between without a NJ carry permit. NJ does not issue carry permits freely unless for security guard purposes or retired LEO.

 

Also, in NY, it is a felony for a non-permitted individual to TOUCH a handgun. NY does not issue permits to non-residents unless they have a business in NY (NYC does in rare cases because it has home rule that is different from the rest of the state).

 

So here is the problem - you risk running afoul of state and local laws that might not apply in the rest of Free America if you are departing from an airport behind enemy lines.

 

The relatively recent "fix" to this is a federal law - the 1986 Firearms Owners Protection Act that states thusly:

 

 

18 USC § 926A - Interstate transportation of firearms

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof,

 

any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose

 

from any place where he may lawfully possess

 

and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if,

 

during such transportation the firearm is unloaded,

 

and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible

 

or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle:

 

Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver’s compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

 

 

 

This has been interpreted by the courts and the GWB DoJ to provide safe passage to airline travelers provided that travelers are making a continuous, uninterrupted journey.

 

Aforementioned DoJ sent memos to Port Authority Police at LGA and JFK, and during that time these airports were complying, but only barely.

 

If you deviate from this one iota, you will get arrested (many stories of this happening at EWR - see this story):

 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/18/traveling-mans-gun-arrest-appealed-supreme-court/

 

The thing is, some agencies are willfully ignoring FOPA, and your average airport cop still doesn't know the law or care to bother with the federal law. You may ultimately beat the rap but in the meantime you won't beat the ride. If the Port Authority Police at JFK are still abiding by the protection, the Westchester County Police are currently NOT at White Plains airport.

 

Currently, BDL and LOG are abiding by 1986 FOPA.

 

Your greatest risk is NOT the airline or the TSA. It's the local cops enforcing local laws at your point of DEPARTURE.

 

So my advice is:

 

1) Call the airline, confirm that they can accept legally owned firearms in checked luggage.

 

2) Get the correct TSA approved container, with a lock that only you can open (do not give keys or combo away to TSA).

 

3) Call the airport police (not TSA) at the airport you are departing out of ahead of time to confirm they abide by FOPA. For example, if leaving Newark, call the Port Authority Police at Newark. Ask them - I am departing out of airport, can I legally check my gun in checked luggage without a carry permit?

 

4) Abide by FOPA. Unloaded gun. Locked case. Ammo stored separately. Continuous journey. Gun has to be legal in your home state and your final destination.

 

5) Abide by FAA and Airline policies. Bring handgun to airport unloaded in TSA approved locked case for which only you have the key/combo. Ammo stored separately in original factory boxes or magazines (limitations on how much ammo you can bring apply and vary by airline). Locked case goes into checked luggage.

 

6) Bring a letter with you to the reservation counter in large type stating "I am checking a legally owned unloaded firearm in my checked luggage" so you don't have to advertise to the world (in particular nearby cops) what you are doing.

 

7) You will be provided a security tag by the airline to insert in your firearm case (which shows up on x-ray). You will be brought to TSA screener who may verify that your gun is unloaded. Remember that TSA doesn't care about state and local laws. Local cops may get you unwanted attention.

 

8) Avoid alcohol on the flight, or give yourself time to sober up. Many jurisdictions forbid the possession of firearms while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. Laws vary widely. In free VA, there is zero tolerance. In communist CT, for example, you can blow below 0.1% and be okay.

 

ETA:

 

Workarounds:

 

1) Fly out of PHX or PVD.

2) Fedex or UPS the gun to yourself at your final destination (don't use USPS to ship a handgun unless you are an FFL). Perfectly legal. Drawback, expensive and shippers will give you a hassle if they don't know the law.

 

 

https://www.atf.gov/files/firearms/industry/0501-firearms-top-10-qas.pdf

 

6. May I lawfully ship a firearm to myself in a different State?

 

Any person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in the care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner “in the care of” the out-of-State resident. Upon reaching its destination, persons other than the owner must not open the package or take possession of the firearm.

[GetDaGaff]

Well I made it back with no problems at all. Thank you wee wee for the "note" idea. It makes sense not to advertise at the check in counter. I have to find a place down there. There are gun shops all over the place and I went hog hunting to. Didn't see anything but it was cool just being in a tree stand again. It's been a long time.