What are the rules on checking guns at JFK? I’ve looked around online, but I can’t seem to find any reliable information.

I have flown out of JFK multiple times on SAA to Joberg. It is no different than any other airport and my experiences have all been good—friendly and easy.

Show up at your ticket counter and let them know you have firearms. They will have you stand aside and call a Port Authority cop. They come and have you open your case right there and check against your 4457. The airline agent will give you the unloaded signature card ahead of the inspection and you leave it in on closing and locking. The PA cop then takes your case to TSA...you may accompany.

Fairly easy and straight-forward.

I've flown out of JFK several times. It was always my departure airport so things might be different if you're making a connection at JFK and your guns have not been checked through to your destination

When checking in with your airline, SAA in my case, the agent will call the NY port authority police and an officer or two will come to the check in gate. Then they will have you open your gun case right there in the middle of the airport and check to make sure your guns are unloaded. That part always seemed weird to me and is guaranteed to get some strange looks from other travelers. Once that is done the police will walk with you to TSA where you will check in your guns.

A word of caution - if you have ammo in your checked luggage and it's locked TSA will cut your lock. Happened to me every time even when I put a TSA lock on my luggage. Take an extra lock and put it in a zip lock bag inside your luggage bag with a note to TSA to please replace the one they cut with the new lock.

You cannot possess ie have on your person, or in your vehicle or residence, a gun in New York State without the necessary permit. If enforced this leads to all sorts of problems. For example, forget about parking your vehicle and hauling your baggage in the shuttle. You can't even transit from the international terminal to a domestic terminal with a gun on your cart. You have to have a cop escort you and carry the case. Forget about transiting from La Guardia or Newark to JFK. You may find out more about Epstein than you care to know.

I've always had pleasant transits through JFK with firearms. Port Authority has always been courteous and professional with me. I think the demeanor you go into the interaction with has a large influence on its outcome.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
You cannot possess ie have on your person, or in your vehicle or residence, a gun in New York State without the necessary permit. If enforced this leads to all sorts of problems. For example, forget about parking your vehicle and hauling your baggage in the shuttle. You can't even transit from the international terminal to a domestic terminal with a gun on your cart. You have to have a cop escort you and carry the case. Forget about transiting from La Guardia or Newark to JFK. You may find out more about Epstein than you care to know.

Not True Russ. First off, it's only within the confines of New York City that you need a license to own and/or possess a rifle or shotgun....for the entire rest of NY state you only need to undergo a NCIC check like you do in any other state to buy one. You DO NOT need a license or permit of any kind to own and possess a rifle or shotgun anywhere in NYS outside of NYC. Possessing a handgun in NYC is a different story but that doesn't pertain to this conversation so I won't comment on the legality's of it.

As far as walking from your car and into an airport terminal for a flight with a firearm locked in a hard case, it's perfectly fine to do so...there is ALWAYS a cop or security guard at all doors, so you only need to inform them that you are checking in a firearm for a flight and they will call over a Port Authority Officer who will check you in for you promptly.

Let's not give people the wrong idea. I've done this dozens of times and I NEVER had a problem or even an "attitude" of any type from anyone....just have your ducks in order and do everything required before you get there.

If anything, they will be very nice to you and curious about your hunt as well.

I believe if you are from out of state then there is some rule of how long you can stay in NY with a firearm. DO NOT ENTER NYC or its 5 boroughs with any firearm! That even applies to NY residents.

quote:

Originally posted by reddy375:
I believe if you are from out of state then there is some rule of how long you can stay in NY with a firearm. DO NOT ENTER NYC or its 5 boroughs with any firearm! That even applies to NY residents.

Where are you guys getting your info from?

I will say upfront that I am not a lawyer and I have not read the fine print on the gun laws here but I think that you and Russ are overreacting to rumors you might have heard.

Hunters and shooters fly out of NYC every day with firearms. I haven't heard of even ONE instance where a passenger was hassled by law enforcement.

Reddy, you stated, "DO NOT ENTER NYC or it's 5 boroughs with firearms!"

How do you recommend getting on a plane then?

Seriously now to anyone reading this thread:

DO NOT worry about flying out of NYC with a firearm! Don't do anything stupid and you will be fine. Have your unloaded firearm in a locked case approved for air travel and your ammo in a separate locked box in your checked luggage and you'll be fine!

JFK is located in nyc and you will have to come into nyc to fly from jfk.

I used to have a New York rifle and shotgun license and I have flown out of nyc with firearms.

I would only enter nyc on day of trip with firearms.

I would not go into Manhattan if I had to spend night in nyc. I would stay close to jfk airport.

Ny port authority will check your guns and write down serial number on a notepad. Then ny port authority police will take you to tsa. Some officers will not know how a bolt rifle works.

I just would not do a vacation or trip into the city/manhattan when traveling with guns thru jfk.

If paranoid get a hotel room for the night in Long Island.

But day off travel with rifles into jfk for travel is not a big deal.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
JFK is located in nyc and you will have to come into nyc to fly from jfk.

I used to have a New York rifle and shotgun license and I have flown out of nyc with firearms.

I would only enter nyc on day of trip with firearms.

I would not go into Manhattan if I had to spend night in nyc. I would stay close to jfk airport.

Ny port authority will check your guns and write down serial number on a notepad. Then ny port authority police will take you to tsa. Some officers will not know how a bolt rifle works.

I just would not do a vacation or trip into the city/manhattan when traveling with guns thru jfk.

If paranoid get a hotel room for the night in Long Island.

But day off travel with rifles into jfk for travel is not a big deal.

Mike

+1!

Adding to what Mike said, NO it would not be wise to walk into a hotel in Midtown Manhattan dragging along a black Pelican Case while wearing your safari clothing

JFK is outside of Manhattan anyway, plus if you planned on sleeping the night in NY it would be a HUGE hassle to stay at a hotel in Manhattan because getting to the airport is a huge PIA even though it's only 5 miles away.

Like Mike said, stay in one of the many hotels near the airport and you won't have a single problem....I guarantee you that.

To go along with Labmans tale, my wife & I were flying to Zim on SAA. Three Port Authority guys show up, really friendly, one is a gun guy. So, while the 2 gun case is open, he asks me "Is that a Model 98 Mauser?" I tell its a custom built on a '98 action. He asks if he can take a look, I say "Sure", he picks it up and swings it around, causing everyone around us to duck or hurry away. His buddies just smiled, said thanks for letting him look, and walked us over to TSA, after wishing me luck.

This is helpful. I did some additional reading online, and it appears there is a NYC administrative code provision that provides an exception from the typical permit requirement for non residents that are in transit for 24 hours or less. But I’m not sure if that code provision is still on the books.

In the 1990s I made my first and last transit through NYC. After landing from South Africa the officials would not realeae my gun case to me unless I could produce a permit for legal ownership. It was impossible to convince someone in New York that firearm permits were not required in Alaska. After a few hours an officer called the Troopers in Alaska to confirm what I had been saying. Never went back...
cal

Customs would not let me leave JFK carrying my Firearm with out a Gun Permit for NY State.

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:
Customs would not let me leave JFK carrying my Firearm with out a Gun Permit for NY State.

How did you finally get your gun back??

Obviously that person didn't know what they were talking about.

I never heard of that happening before

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:
Customs would not let me leave JFK carrying my Firearm with out a Gun Permit for NY State.

Why? Custome is a federal agency and doesn't enforce state law.

quote:

Originally posted by WLW:

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:
Customs would not let me leave JFK carrying my Firearm with out a Gun Permit for NY State.

Why? Custome is a federal agency and doesn't enforce state law.

Exactly

Hey Alfredo, pls post your phone number so people can call you when they need you to come bail them out.

There was a guy who ended up doing time, several years, for traveling through NJ with firearms while moving household from one state to another. Same thing can happen in NYC. It has nothing to do with demeanor. It depends on whether you run into an officious anti-gun jackass.

I used to live in NYC, upper west side. Ever heard of stop-and-frisk? They don't like guns in NYC, period.

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
Hey Alfredo, pls post your phone number so people can call you when they need you to come bail them out.

There was a guy who ended up doing time, several years, for traveling through NJ with firearms while moving household from one state to another. Same thing can happen in NYC. It has nothing to do with demeanor. It depends on whether you run into an officious anti-gun jackass.

I used to live in NYC, upper west side. Ever heard of stop-and-frisk? They don't like guns in NYC, period.

No need for the nasty tone Russ, since I was just trying to help out a fellow member with what I have experienced and the reality of the situation here.

What IS your recommendation then for people flying out of JFK with firearms?? You critiqued my response rather harshly, yet you didn't offer a solution.

Don't worry about "Stop and Frisk" anymore since our socialist Mayor DeBlasio ended it....offensive to certain "people." The crime rate is rising quickly as a result thanks to him.

PS: if you lived on the Upper West Side as you said you did, I doubt that you would ever be S&F by the police....that doesn't happen in that neighborhood and to people like you if you know what I am saying here.

Sorry for going off topic gentleman!

quote:

Why? Custome is a federal agency and doesn't enforce state law.

Apparently in New York they do!!! They had Guns and I didn't so it was tough to argue with them? I told them when I arrived from Seattle I picked up my rifle and rode in an Uber to find Locks for my Gun Case that had been Cut off!!!. They told me if a Cop would have seen me with that rifle case I would have been arrested.

quote:

Originally posted by Slider:

quote:

Why? Custome is a federal agency and doesn't enforce state law.

Apparently in New York they do!!! They had Guns and I didn't so it was tough to argue with them? I told them when I arrived from Seattle I picked up my rifle and rode in an Uber to find Locks for my Gun Case that had been Cut off!!!. They told me if a Cop would have seen me with that rifle case I would have been arrested.

Thats terrible and to make it worse that’s not even their jurisdiction.

Glad you made it out ok!

I flew through JFK in September in route to Johannesburg spending the night there. I stayed at the Crown Plaza a short distance from the airport and carried my rifle case on the air train walked down the sidewalk to catch a shuttle to the hotel and had no problems at all. I had my 4457 and my ammo was packed in a locked case in my suitcase. I had no troubles on the way over or my return.

quote:

Originally posted by Tex84:
This is helpful. I did some additional reading online, and it appears there is a NYC administrative code provision that provides an exception from the typical permit requirement for non residents that are in transit for 24 hours or less. But I’m not sure if that code provision is still on the books.

To the best of my knowledge it is. I fly in the night before. Stay at the Sheraton near the JFK. I use a cab to leave the airport. I use the Sheraton shuttle to get back early next morning. Never had any issue and always a straight-forward experience. I always have my ammo in my checked baggage and locked with TSA locks...locks never cut although I do carry spares as I have heard it can happen.

My recommendation, for those who do NOT hold NYC permits, is

1. Check your guns through if transiting. Upon returning, if you have to clear customs in NYC, get a cop to carry your firearm and recheck it when you leave customs. Don't carry it outside the customs hall yourself.

2. If you are driving to the airport, plan a departure from Dulles; if you are making an air connection, connect through Dulles or ATL (or any other hub), avoiding NYS altogether. Both JFK and LGA are armpits anyway, as are the surrounding areas.

3. Do not overnight in NYC when traveling with firearms. The riskiest thing you can do is to leave the airport with firearms.

I once caught a cab to the Port Authority and then took the bus to Newark, with a rifle in a hard case. I had a permit for it of course but some guy asked me "what kind of gi'tar have you got there" so I just said "Yamaha"

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
My recommendation, for those who do NOT hold NYC permits, is

1. Check your guns through if transiting. Upon returning, if you have to clear customs in NYC, get a cop to carry your firearm and recheck it when you leave customs. Don't carry it outside the customs hall yourself.

2. If you are driving to the airport, plan a departure from Dulles; if you are making an air connection, connect through Dulles or ATL (or any other hub), avoiding NYS altogether. Both JFK and LGA are armpits anyway, as are the surrounding areas.

3. Do not overnight in NYC when traveling with firearms. The riskiest thing you can do is to leave the airport with firearms.

I once caught a cab to the Port Authority and then took the bus to Newark, with a rifle in a hard case. I had a permit for it of course but some guy asked me "what kind of gi'tar have you got there" so I just said "Yamaha"

I have traveled enough with guns thru nyc to consider this irrelevant info.

Follow the advice given earlier by people who have recently travelled thru nyc.

Adding legs to trips to go via dulles or Atlanta only increases risk of guns/luggage being delayed.

If you travel to jfk or are transiting thru jfk overnight. Keep all travel outside of manhattan.

There are not random checkpoints outside jfk checking for anything. Tunnels into manhattan are subject to security checks.

It’s perfectly legal to have your hunting rifle - assuming it is bolt - within nyc for your transit. Last time Emirates lost my gun and I had to wait for my rifle on the next flight. I spent the night outside JFK - took my gun outside after clearing customs and to my hotel in the shuttle bus. Next day I checked it in for a domestic flight to Orlando. The check in for the firearms was massively crowded with Nypd and other police guys as they were in nyc for a fallen officer funeral. No one asked anything.

I drove into jfk and flew down 20 plus rifles from ct to Florida over numerous flights with zero issues.

Just stick to transit not a side trip to nyc with guns. And I lived at 360 Central Park West on the upper west side.

Mike

https://www.nraila.org/article...state-transportation

https://www.attorneydidio911.c...-new-york-city.shtml

There are 16,600 rifle and shotgun permit holders for nyc.

For hunting rifles - bolt, double, single shots. There will be no issues.

A non-resident without a permit may possess an unregistered long gun for up to 24 hours in New York City if in transit to a destination outside the city, provided that the firearm is at all times unloaded and in a locked case or locked automobile trunk and the person is “lawfully in possession of said rifle or shotgun according to the laws of his or her place of residence.”

Mike

Thank You for the above post's Mike.

I would hate to see people dissuaded by misinformation.

Tex84,
Relax, have your ducks-in-a-row (just as you should for any airport situation), and pass thru JFK without worry.

I assume being from Texas...you will get into JFK in the afternoon before your flight to RSA and take the late morning SAA flight to Joberg. Just stay in a near hotel. And make sure you use an airport authorized cab to the airport...hotel shuttle back.

When you get back to the airport the next morning (get there at least 3 hrs prior) simply go to the check-in counter, present your info, and tell them you are checking rifles. The rest will be handled for you and you will simply follow Port Authority instructions. It will all work out fine.

When you get into JFK from your initial flight...simply go to baggage claim and get you duffel then go over to special baggage port and wait until you see your gun case appear. Usually there will be an airline agent there to check your ID...sometimes not and you just get it and go.

Please report back your experience when back home and have a merry trip.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Tex84,
Relax, have your ducks-in-a-row (just as you should for any airport situation), and pass thru JFK without worry.

I assume being from Texas...you will get into JFK in the afternoon before your flight to RSA and take the late morning SAA flight to Joberg. Just stay in a near hotel. And make sure you use an airport authorized cab to the airport...hotel shuttle back.

When you get back to the airport the next morning (get there at least 3 hrs prior) simply go to the check-in counter, present your info, and tell them you are checking rifles. The rest will be handled for you and you will simply follow Port Authority instructions. It will all work out fine.

When you get into JFK from your initial flight...simply go to baggage claim and get you duffel then go over to special baggage port and wait until you see your gun case appear. Usually there will be an airline agent there to check your ID...sometimes not and you just get it and go.

Please report back your experience when back home and have a merry trip.

+1!