Some airliner have that rule. Do you follow it?? I have done in until now, but I'm appraising.

Tomjac,

None I have flown have required it. I do not do it either.

jim

I haven't been on an airline yet that required it, but I have done it in the past.

For some reason, when you tell a (probably gun-fearing) ticket agent that you have an unloaded, disassembled firearm, they seem to relax a bit.

George

I have always taken the bolt out and put it in a different bag. I also put a lock through the trigger guard, like George said, and it's very true, "When I ticket agent hears you have a gun, they get very defensive, when I tell them it's unloaded and taken apart so it cannot fire, then get relaxed. I've seen it many, many times. I had a customs agent, on more then one occasion, in Zimbabwe airport, thank me for taking the gun apart and locking it..

even if it's not required, I'll do it every time!!

It's been a while since I traveled with firearms. The last time we did the ticket agent put a blaze orange sticker on the gun cases that said "Unloaded Firearms". Seemed unusual and unnecessary, but it was done like that. It just seemed to say 'take me".

Two words: NO WAY. If you lose the bag with the bolt, you're left with an expensive piece of iron. I do remove the bolt and place it in the same case to relieve the stres point of the bolt knowb on the case and to comply with the "partial disassembly" non-rule, but I just heavily insure my guns so if it gets lost, just get another one. jorge

I agree with Jorge. I have been there, in the dark, looking into some friends gun case and the bolt is not in the case!

I put the bolt in the same case as the rifles; if one is lost, they're both lost.

George

Yeah, I don't know how that got started. So you loose the rifles, and can throw the bolt at the buffalo, and vice versa. Sounds right to me!

I also am in the bolt removed but in the same case crowd.

I appreciate the comment about the bright orange "steal me" sign. That is why I personally always use a breakdown case inside of a case cover. It doesn't even look like a guncase, lowering interest in it can only be to my benefit.
Mike

My Starlight 2 gun case has layers of closed-cell foam. When I inlet for my guns, I also inlet for each bolt. And I inlet for the extra magazine and a lenspen. But nobody, anywhere going or coming back from Namibia ever said that I complied with regulations. It's just the way I decided to pack everything for secure transport. Upon reflection, I'm sure that some of the officials who inspected my weapons felt safer that the bolts were separate.

That signed orange "unloaded" certification form is supposed to go INSIDE the guncase.

Rich Elliott

Those of you in the "take the bolt out" crowd help me out. I have always left the bolts in my rifles when transporting. What am I missing?? Does it depend on the case you are using (tuffpak vs. aluminum, etc)? Thanks.

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Originally posted by Rich Elliott:
That signed orange "unloaded" certification form is supposed to go INSIDE the guncase.

Rich Elliott

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Exactly, it is illegal to affix anything to a case transporting firearms that would indicate it contains firearms.

Regards,

Terry

quote:

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Originally posted by Bwanahile:
Those of you in the "take the bolt out" crowd help me out. I have always left the bolts in my rifles when transporting. What am I missing?? Does it depend on the case you are using (tuffpak vs. aluminum, etc)? Thanks.

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Several european airliners requier that.. (I'm told, and have always done that)

However it seems not to apply when traveling with American airlines.
http://www.orgsites.com/az/certified/_pgg7.php3

If the airlines had any common sense or real concern for security, they would allow you to carry the bolt in either your hand luggage or on your person.

That would make your rifle far less attractive to thieves and ensure that your bolt does not some how end up missing...

Regards,

Pete

Pete,

I think the screeners would go crazy trying to take the bolt on in your carry-on. I think this may have been discussed here on the forum and in fact may be against airline regulations.

Bwanahile,

I think your correct in fact I am pretty sure that no major airline allows you to do it, but I have to wonder why?

Like I said, the rifle would be less of a target for thieves and the hunter would have the security of knowing exactly where the bolt was...

Regards,

Pete

I would never remove the botl. You are just asking for probelms. It seems like most folks here freak out about traveling with guns. It is no big deal. True, a lot of that comes from the experience level traveling through foriegn countries and traveling with guns. Customs agents, border guards, airline personel are not the boogy-men they get made out to be.

One of my best friends is a Kiwi,and they are a little spookey about guns anyway, even ardent hunters like my buddy. He wa sin a party of 4 hunters going to Mongolia and one of them had the bolt out of the rifle in another bag. THe airline pulled all of them and their luggage off of ht eplane and wnet through everything. Reason? They found a handgun on the x-rays of one of the bags. It was th ebolt. DOing things like that just causes more problems than it will ever cure. Just be cool and follow the rules. Just go with the flow if some one wants soemthing extra, but do not do extar things on your own. Doing things like that causes confusion and trouble. If you flew as much as I do, you would reduce your chances of losing things in multiple bags.

In the past I left the bolt in my rifle (but with the bolt opened, and pulled back), until I flew back to Norway from Zim in 1998. While passing thru London, our guncase was x-rayed and taken aside. Unknown to us of course. We were then paged and upon arriving at the info desk were met by numerous security personell. who were rather pissed off, as if we were terrorists or something...

They forced me to unlock the case, remove the bolt and lay it next to the rifle, and then lock up the case again. The fact that the rifle had been flown southwards 3 weeks ago via London without them bothering to do this, and passed thru security on both ways, didn't bother them in the least. Nor the obvious fact that it was at no time accessable to anyone but themselves while loading it on the plane during the transfer...

After that I've kept the bolt in the case, but in a portion cut out for it near the barrel. So it's obvious to the guys manning the x-ray machine. Just to avoid hassle.

I would never have it in separate bag, for fear of loosing one or the other, leaving me with a useless rifle, or just a bolt to hunt with.

I agree that many seem a little tense about traveling with guns. I guess it just takes one episode to make you that way. I guess I have been very fortunate not to have ever encountered any problems (numerous North Aerican trips a one to Africa). Traveling from Texas may help (at least initially) as it seems there is always someone in line checking a gun. I shall keep my fingers crossed as I have no tolerance for the anti-gun/anti-hunting crowd.

After reading all these post after the one I left earlier, I have to say, I was under the impression and told years ago by agents in the airports, that the bolt couldn't be with the gun but I guess it can be, I do put a lock on the trigger guard but from now on I will leave the bolt with my gun in the case.
Last June SAA loss my bags for 6 days, my gun case was found the 2nd day, so I had my guns, but guess what?


The bolts were still in my lost bags!! I thought about throwing my gun at a waterbuck!!

that's what I really like about this site, learn something new everyday!!!!!!!!

Yeah, if we make them terrorists use trigger locks, we'll be home free.

For what it's worth for those travelling with Qantas to Africa (from NZ or Australia) - they require the bolt and ammo to be in a separate bag and altho they've never opened and examined the rifle I've not had the balls to flout the rules - fortunately have never lost a bag. They ALWAYS seem to put some eye-catching label on the outside of the case (I carry my rifle case covered in a snow-board bag) but so far so good!! Charlie.

quote:

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Originally posted by cducat:
For what it's worth for those travelling with Qantas to Africa (from NZ or Australia) - they require the bolt and ammo to be in a separate bag and altho they've never opened and examined the rifle I've not had the balls to flout the rules - fortunately have never lost a bag. They ALWAYS seem to put some eye-catching label on the outside of the case (I carry my rifle case covered in a snow-board bag) but so far so good!! Charlie.

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Do you have these regulations from Qantas in print anywhere or on the web.

Personally I have checked their web site and flown many times and have NEVER seen or had to separate the bolt in a separate bag. The regulations DO say the bolt has to be removed if possible from the rifle. I always remove it anyway and put it into a heavy sock (for padding if it slides around) and put the bolt and sock in the same gun case. Once the dickheads got all excited because they thought I was trying to hide something.

This thread is the first time I have heard of a bolt needing to be separated. Does anyone actually have this wording on an official document or from an airline website ???

Ammunition must be in a separate bag as all airlines require.

My firearms have also been inspected many times on the way in and out, though on some domestic flights they haven't bothered as the perfectly spiel their requirements "the rifles in the gun case have the bolts removed, and ammunition is stored in original factory boxes or plastic boxes in this other bag".

Sometimes I have had a customs inspected label put on the outside of the bags which is good as then when it is x-rayed no idiot tries to re-inspect it again. ie after the label is put on I have no more access to it. They use this label for more than firearms. Only once have I had a specific label attached referring to firearms.

Qantas within Australia is really good for NOT loosing your firearms. Luggage containing firearms must now be checked in specially and it is hand carried by an authorised security handler (probably Joe Bloggs unionist baggage handler) to the plane. It is unloaded in a similar way and usually you must go to the "lost luggage" window to personally get it showing your receipt to get it. Theoretically meaning it has less chances of disappearing which is EXACTLY what they are trying to avoid.

You must also arrange for firearms to be carried prior to the flight and they send or fax to you a specific permission letter. Meaning any BS with check-in is gone. Easy!

No, bolt removed but in the rifle case. Never had a problem w/ customs or airlines.

Tomjac,

Too bad the good ole days are gone.

In 1964, I flew from Los Angeles, Ca. to Springfield, Mo. with a bolt rifle, on the plane. I physically carried the gun aboard the plane at L.A. and the flight engineer placed it in a compartment behind the crew's cabin. He actually ask me what kind of hunting I was going to do and then asked the caliber I was using. He happened to be a good ole boy from Kanas. The connecting flight from K.C. to Springfield was on a two engine puddle jumper, with hydraulic fluid running down the wing, and I carried the gun on the plane and placed it next to me by my seat. The gun was cased in a standard, zip up type, case.

Sure miss the "good ole days".

Roger QSL

quote:

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If the airlines had any common sense or real concern for security, they would allow you to carry the bolt in either your hand luggage or on your person.

That would make your rifle far less attractive to thieves and ensure that your bolt does not some how end up missing...

Regards,

Pete

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It used to indeed be the case you could carry the bolt with you in the carry on. I have done it. But those days are surely gone now.

Biggest reason for doing that was to discourage thieves. No more. It is pretty much a same case thing now.

What I was trying to say is that inexperience traveling with guns and traveling out of the country in general seems to make some people freak out. It is no big deal. You just have to be flexible and be able to roll with whatever comes your way. People who must have everything run right on schedule with no complications should consider taking anxiety pills before boarding the plane. Things will get lost and things will go to hell, but that is just part of it. It always has been and always will be. But we should also not ask for trouble by seperating gun and bolt and ammo. One case-either all or none when we get to our destination

Hi NitroX - I've only ever had the info about separate bags for the bolts from Qantas on the phone but the check-in staff at Auckland and Jhb seemed to think that was a requirement too. Interestingly I've never been requested to get advance permission and have never had a problem checking in on the day. In future I might keep the bolt with the rifle, tho, after hearing that you've had no trouble in this regard.Charlie.

cducat

FYI

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firearms and ammunition (exceptions exist for firearms and ammunition for hunting or sporting purposes. These must be packed in accordance with all applicable national and international laws and regulations. Qantas' approval must be obtained for the carriage of these items, which approval may be withheld at its sole discretion. Applications must be submitted at least 2 working days prior to the anticipated department date)

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They appear to have hidden their own requirements on how to carry. These are sent to you when your application is approved.

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Ammunition (cartridges for weapons) securely boxed (in Division 1.4S, UN 0012 or UN 0014 only), in quantities less than 5 kg (11lb) gross weight per person for that person's own use, excluding ammunition with explosive or incendiary projectiles. Allowances for more than one passenger must not be combined into one or more packages.

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Plus must be checked baggage and permission sought.

I dunno about some of the things I "hear" about flying with firearms. Now you would think that of all places, except possibly NY and MA, California would be flakiest about flying with firearms. I've done it well over a half dozen times and at no time have I had the slightest problems. I ask for a firearms tag. The agent doesn't even look up, just hands it to me. I fill it out, pop it into the box, relock the box (except now they want it left until the TSA guys, who seem to be as big a bunch of gun nuts as we are, have seen it and then they lock it) mention that the ammo is in another bag and away we fly. I take the bolt out of the action because it fits in the case better but it stays in the case. No airline out of LAX has ever had the slightest qualms with this operation. Now I did have a newbie in Phoenix wonder what I was doing but I was obviously bigger and older than she was and in my best "kindly school teacher" manner explained that it was legal and that I knew what I was doing and that she should just get on with it, thank-you dear. Again, no problem.

quote:

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Several european airliners requier that.. (I'm told, and have always done that)

However it seems not to apply when traveling with American airlines.
http://www.orgsites.com/az/certified/_pgg7.php3

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That`s what I thought as well.. I have removed the bolt, rapped it in and placed it in the "normal" luggage..

Last time I had my gun on a plane, I wrapped the bolt and put it in my hand luggage. The airport security didn't like it, but couldn't stop me as some airlines allow you to have 2 pcs of luggage + your hand luggage. Then if you are going to put weapon, bolt and ammo in different luggage. You need some in your hand luggage. And I'm sure no airlines allow anybody to put guns or ammo in handluggage.

Ammo is definately a no-no. They will confiscate it. Been there, oops. I was using my daypack as a carry on and forgot I left some cartridges in it after the hunt. On the way back guess what. Bye Bye Ammo.

They take it and you don't get it back. Lesson learned.

I forgot to mention that I once was stopped by airport security because the x-ray machine showed an empty (used) .300wby cartridge that was in the bottom of my carry-on backpack. I didn't even know it was there, as it had fallen in by mistake at some point, most likely when at the shooting range one day. They started to make a fuss about it, but after cutting them off, and telling them to feel free to keep the brass, they calmed down. The funny thing is that I was not permited to bring the empty cartridge onto the plane. As if the useless brass shell could be used as a weapon...

One can obviously never be too carefull about what they will allow onboard.

The foam in my gun case is cut out for the bolt and it stays in the rifle.

Never had a problem with Delta, Northwest, KLM, or SAA. I did fly from SA to Atlanta with my Leatherman in my carry on. Upon reboarding in Atlanta TSA caught my "weapon". Since I was comming in from an international flight, It was put in a "white baggage envelope", to be picked up at my destination.

It was NOT at my destination and I figured I had lost it. It arrived in the mail a few weeks later.