Anybody know if regulations allow commercial flight with relaoding components in baggage? I cant find any specifc information on this.

I imagine bullets should be seen as harmless, but powder and primers are probably a no-no without special hard to get permits.

I am planning a trip to the US from my Latvian home this March. As reloading components are few and far between here I would like to use the opportunity for some major shopping.

Pete

I have flown multiple times with brass and bullets - i.e. inert components. I have also flown with primers in the past, but these days I strictly stay away from checking luggage containing primers and propellant.

If you are flying from the States, expect TSA to open your bag when they check it. The lead will show up prominently on their x-ray. I have made a habit of hanging around until they were finished checking the bag - just in case any questions should come up.

Strictly speaking, you need an export license to take any components out of the US. In reality, I have never been checked in this respect when leaving the country. Naturally, you'll have to sort out the import side in Latvia as well...

- mike

Wouldn't it be easier to pick them up in Finland and bring them back to Latvia?

If you are coming here to hunt, you can buy what you need here..

getting them back to Latvia.. different story... heck even UPS gets pissy just delivering that stuff locally here in the States...

I travel frequently to Finland on business as well, but I havent had time to find more than one shop, which didnt cater to reloaders anyway. Also Europeans tend not to sell to those without their country specific licenses for things like powder or factory loads.
Any Finns online that can help me with relevant information as to where to buy and how to export conponents - including primers and powder?

Pete

In the US there are at least two sets of rules, Federal and Airline. In addition, there may be state rules like the Police State of NJ that may kick in if your plane simply lands there, even if only for you to board a connecting flight. I'd guess that primers and powder are not something you'd want to bring along. Perhaps if you really needed to bring that stuff along you could ship it with a freight carrier, but I'm not sure.

If you are looking to get brass & bullets, I would just buy them here & ship them to yourself as "brass/copper machine parts". Powder & primers you are pretty much out of luck.

OK, thanks for the advice. Ill give the powder and primers a miss (working on a Finnish solution), but still would like to bring the bullets back with me given the great prices and choice in USA and possible postal customs problems at the Latvian end.
Anybody flown with bullets in their checked baggage, or would that be too big a risk?

quote:

Originally posted by Latman:
Anybody flown with bullets in their checked baggage, or would that be too big a risk?

See my reply above.
- mike

I travel domestically only in the U.S. with that being said I was in Houston last year and there was a fantastic deal on some Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets (1/3 price). I picked up four boxes with the intent of mailing them to myself. To make a long story short....I forgot to mail them and had them in my carry on baggage. TSA (Transportation Safety Authority) freaked out and sent me to a holding room! Idiots did not know what reloading components were! Finally a Texas Ranger showed up and laughed! He told them they were harmless, but that they would be confiscated anyway. I got to fly, but I was treated with automatic extra screening for the next three flights and got a nast letter from TSA. My wife did not think it was funny when she went with me on one of the flights and we were bumped to the front of a long screening line and "patted down". Bottom line is they do not know difference between bullets and ammunition!! I am still pissed that I lost out on that great deal!

You should be fine, there is nothing that prohibits bullets or brass in checked luggage, but some idiot (yes some are) TSA person may still open your bags when he sees stuff on the xray that looks like ammo. Ammo is fine & it has pwoders & primers, but has to be declared. You may get into a weight problem if you take too much home w/ you.

From the searches that I have done, it would appear that you would be fine flying with already loaded ammo, bullets and brass, (in checked bags) but trying to get the primers and powder would not be allowed.

Here is an example on an alaskan web site.

"Ammunition must be declared to the airline at check in and securely packed in a wood, metal or cardboard box, or other packaging specifically designed for the purpose. Some airlines allow the ammunition to be in the same case as the firearm, as long as it is properly packed. Black powder and percussion caps used with black-powder type firearms are not permitted."

Here is the link. http://www.wc.adfg.state.ak.us/index.cfm?adfg=wildlife_...s_id=238&issue_id=42

I picked up some components on a trip to
Oregon last year (bullets only) and put them in my checked baggage. At the Portland airport, checked baggage is screened in front of the check-in counters, so I could watch as it went through the machine. As my bag went through, the operator got all excited and asked the other TSA guys "Is that ammo?" The supervisor then said it was ok and let it through without opening my bag.

I spoke to the supervisor a few moments later and he said brass and bullets or other inert items were fine, and that ammo in it's factory boxes was ok too. This was for checked baggage only, and I don't know how international rules may be different.

Bottom line is that some TSA people know the rules and some do not, and you take the risk of problems if you get the uneducated ones.

5 kilos or approximately 11 pounds of ammunition in proper containers is allowed in checked baggage. I do not think there would be a limit on the weight of brass and bullets only (except for the overweight $$ charges.) Do not try it with carry on.