Rehberg Contacts Transportation Security Administration Regarding Large Caliber Firearms Travel



WASHINGTON, DC – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today contacted Kip Hawley, Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), requesting a change to current guidelines which prevent gun owners from transporting large caliber ammunition, used for big game hunting, on an airplane. Rehberg urged adoption of the less-restrictive guidelines used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“Traveling to an exotic location to hunt cape buffalo or brown bear is often the trip of a lifetime for many American hunters,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Imagine the shock many big game hunters experience when they reach the airport check-in counter and are told they can’t bring the ammo they need for their dream trip. The differing guidelines between the FAA and TSA are confusing and unnecessary, and it’s time TSA adopts rules that take into account the Second Amendment rights of every gun owner.”

Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines allow a passenger to check baggage containing a limited amount of small arms ammunition, up to 19.1 mm for rifle and pistol cartridges and any size shotgun shells. This rule allows for hunters and shooters to transport a wide variety of ammunition, including large caliber ammunition utilized in the taking of large, dangerous game animals.

Unfortunately, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a more restrictive position that bans ammunition larger than .50 caliber for rifles and pistols and 8 gauge shotgun shells. This rule effectively limits the transport of many large caliber cartridges.

Today, Rehberg sent a letter urging TSA officials to adopt FAA guidelines in order to simplify the process for travelers and protect the rights of sportsmen across the country.

“TSA’s current regulation unnecessarily limits the legitimate use of large caliber firearms by preventing citizens from transporting the ammunition on airplanes,” said Rehberg in the letter. “I respectfully request that TSA adopt the prudent FAA guidelines regarding the transport of small arms ammunition.”

Letter Included Below:

Mr. Kip Hawley

Administrator, Transportation Security Administration
601 South 12th Street
Arlington, VA 22202-4220



Dear Mr. Hawley:



I write today to call your attention to a discrepancy in the federal regulations governing the transportation of ammunition on airline flights. These regulations negatively impact gun owners, sportsmen, and firearms manufacturers in my home state of Montana.



Each year, thousands of American sportsmen purchase large caliber rifles for big game hunting and recreational shooting. Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines allow for a passenger to carry a limited amount of large caliber ammunition in checked baggage.



These guidelines state that ammunition up to 19.1 mm for rifle and pistol cartridges, and any size shotgun shells may be checked for personal use. However, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines ban ammunition larger than .50 caliber for rifles and pistols, and eight-gauge for shotgun shells. This arbitrary TSA regulation effectively limits the transport of many large caliber cartridges utilized in the hunting of large, dangerous game animals.



Banned ammunitions include (but are not limited to) the .577 and .600 Nitro Express, .585 Nyati, and the 700 AHR, currently manufactured by American Hunting Rifles of Corvallis, Montana. Ammunition larger than .50 caliber has been in use for more than a century, including the banned Nitro Express cartridges which were developed in 1880 and 1903.



TSA’s current regulation unnecessarily limits the legitimate use of large caliber firearms by preventing citizens from transporting the ammunition on airplanes. I respectfully request that TSA adopt the prudent FAA guidelines regarding the transport of small arms ammunition. Montana’s sportsmen and firearms manufacturers thank you for your attention to this matter.



Sincerely,





Denny Rehberg

Member of Congress

I dunno...

I had the 550 Magnum cartridge listed on my 4457 with the customs office here in Boise. No sweat!
They never looked anywhere, coming or going.

Rich
Buffalo Killer

The good Congressman’s efforts are certainly appreciated, but his letter was misdirected.

The TSA has not made a unilateral decision to prohibit certain calibers of firearms and ammunition from being temporarily exported abroad.

Our Congress, Senate and President have already done that. It’s all spelled out quite clearly in CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Title 22, Part 123.17 and Part 121.1.

I hope everyone will read this, and please stop asking their Congressmen to contact the TSA and complaining to the TSA about the TSA's enforcement of a law that our Congressmen created.

If Congressman Rehberg is concerned with changing this, then he should start with his colleagues in the House and change the law. That will enable the TSA to enforce a new law that allows traveling sportsmen to temporarily export firearms and ammunition over “caliber .50.”

The Federal law that dictates what you can and can not carry is

CFR TITLE 22, International Traffic In Arms Regulations
PART 123-LICENSES FOR THE EXPORT OF DEFENSE ARTICLES

§ 123.17 -- Exports of firearms and ammunition.
(c) District Directors of Customs shall permit U.S. persons to export temporarily from the United States without a license not more than three nonautomatic firearms in Category I(a) of § 121.1 of this subchapter and not more than 1,000 cartridges therefor, provided that:
(1) A declaration by the U.S. person and an inspection by a customs officer is made;
(2) The firearms and accompanying ammunition must be with the U.S. person's baggage or effects, whether accompanied or unaccompanied (but not mailed); and
(3) They must be for that person's exclusive use and not for reexport or other transfer of ownership. The foregoing exemption is not applicable to a crew-member of a vessel or aircraft unless the crew-member declares the firearms to a Customs officer upon each departure from the United States, and declares that it is his or her intention to return the article(s) on each return to the United States. It is also not applicable to the personnel referred to in § 123.18.

§ 121.1 -- General. The United States munitions list.
Category I-Firearms
*(a) Nonautomatic, semi-automatic and fully automatic firearms to caliber .50 inclusive, and all components and parts for such firearms. (See § 121.9 and §§ 123.16-123.19 of this subchapter.)
So TSA is only following the Law as written by our law makers. They are the ones that will have to change this, not the TSA… They, again, are only enforcing the law.

Please don't take the pointed nature of my comments above the wrong way. That is not the intention of this post.

I just want to make sure everyone understands that the TSA is not to blame, and that the TSA CAN NOT change this... Our lawmakers must change it. If we're going to make a push, then let's make sure we're pushing in the right direction.

Congressman Rehbergs letter is not misdirected in this case. The issue that is being delt with here is traveling with over 50 cal ammo on DOMESTIC flights. TSA is in some airports confiscating over 50 cal ammo. Dept. of transportation regulations clearly allow ammo to 19.1 mm to be checked on domestic flights. The law is already in place; it just needs to be enforced correctly. International travel is another issue altogether. Contacting your Congressman/Senator is the only way this will be resolved.

new_guy,

Thanks for your very relevant post. I am in process of selecting my first DR and had settled on a .500NE; I started re-thinking my choice 3 days ago as a direct result of this .50+ issue.

Due to the pending occupation of the White House, I honestly believe it would be foolish to select any caliber/ammunition in excess of .5 caliber. Wish it wasn't so, but there it is.

quote:

Originally posted by Bitterroot:
Congressman Rehbergs letter is not misdirected in this case. The issue that is being delt with here is traveling with over 50 cal ammo on DOMESTIC flights.

Sorry, I read “Traveling to an exotic location to hunt cape buffalo..." Now I see brown bear are included too.

If that's the case, then it sounds as if he's dumped domestic and international flights into the same argument: one falling into one category of regulations and the second into a completely separate one.

new guy, the confusion comes from the Congressmans press release wich mentions Cape Buffalo. His letter to TSA is correctly worded and his office is aware of the differences. We have been working with them on this for some time. I encourage everyone to contact their representatives; sometimes it really does help. We are blessed here in Montana to have three reps. who are solidly on the side of gunowners and hunters. Our two Senators are Democrats. We only have one house member, Congressman Rehberg-R.