I've flown with with my ccw pistol close to 10 times now. I've always used the same pelican case and packed 3 mags and a 50 round box of HST in the case. I've never had any issues with this setup. But the pelican case is big and heavy (so are the master padlocks). So I'm trying to find something smaller and lighter.

So my question is, does the ammunition have to be in the same case as the pistol? Can the ammo be in a separate plastic ammo case in the checked bag? Ive read the TSA section about flying with guns. All it says is the ammo MAY be included in the locked case. And it sounds like the mags can be loaded as long as there isn't a loaded mag in the gun?


Any recommendations for a lightweight pistol case?

I just used a smaller metal case that locks to a cable. Cable around my bag frame. Ammo in plastic boxes in the bag but not in the locking case. I printed the tsa rules and the airline rules just in case lol

I HAVE read that it is airline dependent.

The smaller metal lock boxes on Amazon (with steel cable to secure it to your suitcase) have worked great for me. The box goes inside your locked luggage. Lock on box is keyed.
I put empty magazines inside the lock box as well.

Ammunition should be separate from the lock box, but inside the luggage. Factory ammo boxes are fine and have always worked great.

For the pistol case, I use an inexpensive one very similar to THIS. This case and the ammo was then inside my checked luggage, which also had a lock on the zippers.




As for ammo, it needs to either be in the manufacture packaging, or in magazines where the primer of any round is not exposed. Unless anything has changed since the last time I flew, the ammo can either be in the same case as the pistol or in a separate case. I used to keep my pistol in the type of locking metal case I linked inside of a small hygiene type bag and my loaded magazines inside of mag holders inside that same bag. Everything was in one bag but separate from each other, which was not required, and no primer of any ammo was exposed. If I wanted to have more ammo, then I just put in a box of ammo in its original packaging.

There were also times I flew with the pistol in the type of case I pictured and a loaded magazine also in the case but just not inserted in the gun. It was next to it in the case. I just prefer several loaded magazines so I keep them in mag carriers as mentioned.

I haven’t flown since probably 2021, but prior to that I flew weekly with a firearm in checked luggage so I have done it hundreds of times. Only once did I have an idiot TSA person who was from a liberal state freak out and call a distress code and I was surrounded by police who later apologized for the TSA guy’s ignorance. He stated he just wasn’t used to seeing guns where he was from. I said, “Welcome to Texas.”

I think that lock box pictured above will be perfect!

Thanks for the help guys

Check, understand, and print out both the TSA’s and the specific airline you’re flying’s rules. Not all airline employees are 100% up to speed on either TSA’s Rules or their own company’s policies. Having a printed copy of both sets of rules, ideally with the URL printed on the page so they can look it up themselves it they like beats the heck out of arguing.

If you have a loose box of ammo in a suitcase, you may want to put it inside a ziplock back. That way if the baggage handlers manage to break the box the ammunition may still be somewhat contained.

Several times I have used the lockable metal case on a very short cable. Ammo in factory box. One trip through TSA the agent became a little testy because the locked metal box could not be removed from the luggage to swab it. The airlines never gave any objection to that setup.

I just ordered a Hornady alpha elite lock box. I'll get a 100 round MTM plastic ammo case to put the ammo in.

Once I had a problem with a TSA guy who took issue with ammo in magazines. I had the printed rules and showed him but he was not impressed. I chose to abandon my $$$ defense ammo so I could make my flight. Ended up having to buy FMJ at my destination as that's all that was available on a Sunday morning. I'd stick with ammo in factory box or purpose-built container.

“I just ordered a Hornady alpha elite lock box. I'll get a 100 round MTM plastic ammo case to put the ammo”


Exactly what I did except 2 50rd boxes. Packed a g36 and g42 with 2 spares and 1 spare respectively in the box.

I have used the above pictured metal clam shell type box many times without a problem. I found out the hard way recently that rough handling can dislodge the internal combination causing the box to be impossible to open. This happened on a recent trip to San Diego. I was able to pry it open when I got home. It would have been a major problem if the gate agent had asked me to open the case on the way home. I switched to the Pelican. No complaints since.

quote:

Originally posted by walker77:
I just ordered a Hornady alpha elite lock box. I'll get a 100 round MTM plastic ammo case to put the ammo in.

That will do well. My only suggestion would be to either duct tape the plastic MTM case closed, or have it inside some type of hygiene bag like I mentioned. If it is just in the luggage I can see it popping open with how the baggage handlers deal with luggage and then you will have bullets all inside your luggage. It might not be an issue as that would occur after inspection of you checking in your luggage but you never know with the extra X-ray scanning done on checked baggage before it is loaded on a plane. Just my two cents.