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This is a very hypothetical question that is just conversation fodder. I don't have an emotional investment in the outcome. That said:

I was picking up an AR lower this morning and I got to thinking. We all know that the lower is "the gun." Amazon can mail me everything else. If I am in line with a carry on bag, can I carry a stripped slide to an automatic? A spare cylinder for a revolver? Can I have springs from a trigger group? A barrel? Any other steel tube? What about spare magazine springs and followers?

Do the regs apply to the serial numbered parts (lowers) or to all components? Or like shampoo, can you only carry barrels less than 3.5 inches? :-)

Nope, no parts of guns or anything they deem as a part.

You cannot carry on anything. It all must be declared, checked at the counter and board the aircraft as checked luggage in the luggage compartments.

:-/ that wasn't nearly as fun as I had hoped. It is sort of why I mentioned springs from a lower parts kit. In that they might be somewhat hard to identify by the un-initiated.

Anyway, apologies. I was bored in a meeting. I should have waited and used some Google juice. Thank you all for the quick info.

A friend of a friend had a Comp-Tac light magazine carrier combo confiscated for everyone's protection because it was a "gun part". The lithium batteries in the flashlight had to go in carry on, so he tossed the whole thing (no magazine obviously) in and he had no idea a bent piece of plastic would be a national security risk.. Dumbest thing I have ever heard.

Nothing that could be misconstrued as a gun part should go in a carry on.

AJSully421 wrote:A friend of a friend had a Comp-Tac light magazine carrier combo confiscated for everyone's protection because it was a "gun part". The lithium batteries in the flashlight had to go in carry on, so he tossed the whole thing (no magazine obviously) in and he had no idea a bent piece of plastic would be a national security risk.. Dumbest thing I have ever heard.

Nothing that could be misconstrued as a gun part should go in a carry on.

I don't doubt it for a second, but it never should have gone down that way. I can't tell you how many times I've waltzed through security with my empty holsters/mag pouches...Had a few questions, a couple of bristles, but never denied access.

Of course, it never hurts to be in the position to answer that infamous "Do you want to fly today?" question with "Welp, wasn't planning on it anyway--just escorting my kids!"

And yes, I admit to entertaining myself with the TSA at times. Truth is, in the Texas airports, I've found them pretty understanding (I carry IWB--I leave the pistol in the truck for the short trips in, and if I drop the holster too, my pants wanna fall....)