Flying American Airlines out of DFW

[frankie_the_yankee]

To keep my guns from being stolen, I take a steel cable and loop it around the inside support strut of the suitcase, then lock it around the padlock. This makes it very difficult for someone to quickly grab the case. They'd have to cut something, which would take time and I hope would be noticed.

I'm confused. Couldn't someone just pick up the whole thing right off the carosel?

I usually put my hard shell lockable gun case inside of another "normal looking" piece of luggage so it blends right in with everything else. And I secure the suitcase with one of those straps they sell that prevent it from popping open say, if the latch fails from being tossed around.

[jimlongley]

To keep my guns from being stolen, I take a steel cable and loop it around the inside support strut of the suitcase, then lock it around the padlock. This makes it very difficult for someone to quickly grab the case. They'd have to cut something, which would take time and I hope would be noticed.

I'm confused. Couldn't someone just pick up the whole thing right off the carosel?

I usually put my hard shell lockable gun case inside of another "normal looking" piece of luggage so it blends right in with everything else. And I secure the suitcase with one of those straps they sell that prevent it from popping open say, if the latch fails from being tossed around.

Yup, they could, and that sometimes happens, but individual gun cases (too large to fit in suitcases) are usually over with the golf bags and skis.

I still wonder what, if anything, the young lady from Michigan who took my bag at DFW when she was visiting her boyfriend a couple of years ago, thought when she tried to open my bag and found locks that went beyond the usual. And if she had gotten it open, what she would have thought of the locked box inside.

[Kalrog]

I still wonder what, if anything, the young lady from Michigan who took my bag at DFW when she was visiting her boyfriend a couple of years ago, thought when she tried to open my bag and found locks that went beyond the usual. And if she had gotten it open, what she would have thought of the locked box inside.

I'm wondering how you knew it was a lady that took your bag...

[aardwolf]

I still wonder what, if anything, the young lady from Michigan who took my bag at DFW when she was visiting her boyfriend a couple of years ago, thought when she tried to open my bag and found locks that went beyond the usual. And if she had gotten it open, what she would have thought of the locked box inside.

I'm wondering how you knew it was a lady that took your bag...

I assume she returned it when she realized it wasn't her bag. Despite the warning the airports post about many bags look alike, there are still some clueless people who grab the first black roller bag because they assume it's theirs. That's why I have an ugly hard-side case with my name stenciled on the sides.

[nitrogen]

To keep my guns from being stolen, I take a steel cable and loop it around the inside support strut of the suitcase, then lock it around the padlock. This makes it very difficult for someone to quickly grab the case. They'd have to cut something, which would take time and I hope would be noticed.

I'm confused. Couldn't someone just pick up the whole thing right off the carosel?

I usually put my hard shell lockable gun case inside of another "normal looking" piece of luggage so it blends right in with everything else. And I secure the suitcase with one of those straps they sell that prevent it from popping open say, if the latch fails from being tossed around.

I should have clarified; I do the same thing, I lock the locked container inside of a normal suitcase, locking the cable through the support structure of teh suitcase.

Sure, someone can steal the suitcase, but I'm more worried about snatch and grab once it gets past TSA.

[jimlongley]

I still wonder what, if anything, the young lady from Michigan who took my bag at DFW when she was visiting her boyfriend a couple of years ago, thought when she tried to open my bag and found locks that went beyond the usual. And if she had gotten it open, what she would have thought of the locked box inside.

I'm wondering how you knew it was a lady that took your bag...

Well, I don't know that she was a lady, but she actually called me to tell me that she had my bag, my name and telephone number were on the tag, and then wanted ME to drive to Red Oak to retrieve it, on the assumption that I had her bag and would be willing to make such a trip to correct HER mistake.

I had a few unwell chosen words to say about that, and then she REFUSED to return the bag to the airport promptly, she was going to spend the weekend with her boyfriend and would return the bag to the airport on Monday, which happened to be the next time I was traveling. I told her that I was reporting her to the police for theft of the bag and she might be surprised at the consequences. She and her boyfriend returned the bag to the airport within hours.

[para driver]

Anyone heard any stories of having their guns stolen at the airport? Can somebody post a pic of the locking cases they store their guns in.

That would be me actually.

About 1993 when I was living in Chicago, on a flight to Dallas. Checked the bag at O'Hare and that was the last I ever saw it. Seems the AA desk agent gave the suitecase to a guy and said 'it's a gun, walk it down' and he did, right out the door. It turned up a month later in a gang on gang shooting. Cops called me in response to the theft report, and to advise me my Lwt Commander was evidence. It took a year, and my lawyer filing a claim in Cook County criminal court to get the gun back, which I finally did. Last ditch by the ADA bimbo was to have the gun destroyed because I was 'careless enough to lose it, and cause this whole mess in the first place'.

[stevie_d_64]

This is why I just don't fly anymore, unless I absolutely have to...

It used to be cool to do this, but I feel some airports, and their resident hacks are reverting back to the time old tradition of being dumber than a bag of hammers...

Folks should really listen to the wise ole sage, Mr. Jim Longley...He be heap full of good info kemosabe!!!

[DoubleJ]

Folks should really listen to the wise ole sage, Mr. Jim Longley...He be heap full of good info kemosabe!!!

Jim, he just called you old!!

[Kythas]

Well thanks for the info , as I will be flying to Northern Va. in March with 3 guns my 1911, 870 shotgun and my M-4 , I was wondering how Delta airlines are like. now the question is how is Ronald Reagan Int. Airport like for the return trip as they have a gun ban in the DC area.

I will let you know how I made out in DC area with guns.


Doc

Texasdoc,

I'll let you know, as I'm flying into Dulles on Sunday and will be traveling through DC to Virginia and I'll be taking my XD40.

I'll post a report upon my return.

[para driver]

Texasdoc,
I'll let you know, as I'm flying into Dulles on Sunday and will be traveling through DC to Virginia and I'll be taking my XD40.
I'll post a report upon my return.

Dulles is in Virginia, not DC. IIRC there is a bypass around the city, no reason to go through unless you want to for some reason. I doubt the DC police would be very friendly during a traffic stop.

[amber]

Can somebody post a pic of the locking cases they store their guns in.

I would like to see that too. I read the airline policy but I'm still confused so an example would help.

[ELB]

Can somebody post a pic of the locking cases they store their guns in.

I would like to see that too. I read the airline policy but I'm still confused so an example would help.

Amber and Nedmoore,

I started out to photograph my cases, and realized that a) my wife took the digital camera with her on a trip, and b) she took one of the cases we use for her handgun! However, here are some links that are similar to what we use:

This is a plastic case, $5.99 at Midway, similar to what my wife took with her.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=196598
If you look closely, you can see some small holes near the latches that a padlock hasp can fit through. In our case, we don't have the holes in our case, so I just bought a lock big enough that the hasp can go all the way around the handle and lock. Just DON'T buy a TSA approved baggage lock to use on your gun case -- you are supposed to be the only one with a key or combo to it. Not even the TSA is supposed to have it.

Here's another plastic case similar to what I have. You can probably visualize how I would put a padlock around the handles:
http://www.plasticase.com/productdetail ... 30&lang=en

Here are some aluminum and PVC pistol cases with locks included in them. Quite a bit pricier at $60 and up. But you get wild colors and designs. (!)
http://www.tuff-cases.com/pistolcases.html

Here's an aluminum case:
http://www.anglersupply.com/product.cfm ... lano&type=

You can also do an internet search on "Pelican cases" and find more cases for hauling stuff around than you can shake a stick at. Nothing says your case has to be expensive, it just has to be hard-sided (usually they are plastic or aluminum) and be able to be locked, either with an integral lock or one you buy and add on.

Good luck.

elb

[para driver]

After my O'Hare theft incident (see above) I made it a habit to dissassemble the gun, and put a heavy cable or hardened padlock through it in such a way as to make it undesireable. On a trip to Africa I ran a hardened cable through the actions of the rifles so that they were all tied together, if you wanted one, you had to grab all 3. I also padlocked the bolts together so you would have to destroy them to seperate them. The gun case locks were destroyed going both directions, either Atlanta or Johannesburg airports, you pick. But it seems the guns were too much to bother with and they didn't take them.