Issues at DIA with "Assault Weapons" and/or magazines >10/15 rounds?

[.455_Hunter]

Given the new reality of the end of pre-emption, does anybody have recent experiences flying out of DIA with military platform rifles/pistols or magazines with capacity >10/15 rounds. Were you hassled or contacted by LE? Any update on policy for travelers passing through that you are of aware of?

[colorider]

Traveled recently w 2 ar-15 platform rifles and a plethora of loaded pmags. No issue whatsoever.

[JohnnyEgo]

No issues whatsoever. On the plane right now. Be nice, follow the baggage screeners instructions at their pace, be nice. They didn't bat an eye at the magazines beyond asking if they were unloaded.

[DDT951]

Myself.

If we was going to a state that was friendly to normal capacity magazines, I would not take my grandfathered mags with me.

What if they are found when you land? What if you get diverted?

To me it is simple math. I can buy new mags in a mag friendly state.

At $15-20 each, 10 of them run $150 to $200.

A lawyer is $300-$400 an hour.

I would rather buy 10 mags and give them away than pay a half of lawyers time.

[APEXgunparts]

On a related note, I saw this experience posted on another firearms forum.
Traveler calls the airline and receives instruction regarding travel with a long gun, which he fully complies with.
Arrives at the municipal airport and checks the long gun in at the counter where it is inspected, tagged etc.
He had noted a phone call being made during the process, and as he is about to step away from the counter with his boarding pass a Sheriff's Deputy stops him and asks if he just checked a rifle in with the airline.
The answer is yes (obviously) and the traveler realizes the Deputy had been observing him and was probably who the phone call had been made to.
The Deputy explains that the Municipal airport is a "gun free" zone, and that it is against the law to bring a firearm onto the property.
TSA has no issue, the airlines have no issue, but the city/county that operates the airport had a local law about it.
I don't remember if the traveler was arrested or fined, but did have to appear in court.

The lesson here is to call the airport operations or security at both ends of your flight and ensure that it is OK to have your firearm on the airport property.
I know I would not have thought about it had I not read that post.

I also know a gent who was flying home from California and TSA stopped him at security for having an M1 carbine trigger group in his carry on bag.
He almost got away with just surrendering the part, but a supervisor wrote him a summons and he had to fly back to CA. retain counsel and appear in court.
A fine would have been preferred!

Richard

[KevDen2005]

On a related note, I saw this experience posted on another firearms forum.
Traveler calls the airline and receives instruction regarding travel with a long gun, which he fully complies with.
Arrives at the municipal airport and checks the long gun in at the counter where it is inspected, tagged etc.
He had noted a phone call being made during the process, and as he is about to step away from the counter with his boarding pass a Sheriff's Deputy stops him and asks if he just checked a rifle in with the airline.
The answer is yes (obviously) and the traveler realizes the Deputy had been observing him and was probably who the phone call had been made to.
The Deputy explains that the Municipal airport is a "gun free" zone, and that it is against the law to bring a firearm onto the property.
TSA has no issue, the airlines have no issue, but the city/county that operates the airport had a local law about it.
I don't remember if the traveler was arrested or fined, but did have to appear in court.

The lesson here is to call the airport operations or security at both ends of your flight and ensure that it is OK to have your firearm on the airport property.
I know I would not have thought about it had I not read that post.

I also know a gent who was flying home from California and TSA stopped him at security for having an M1 carbine trigger group in his carry on bag.
He almost got away with just surrendering the part, but a supervisor wrote him a summons and he had to fly back to CA. retain counsel and appear in court.
A fine would have been preferred!

Richard

That's ridiculous. We have the same ordinance. Ours is really only applicable to carrying the firearm on your person with no intent to check it. Clearly checking it requires certain types of containers and locks.
We had to address it with a private security detail that was obviously open carrying firearms. They weren't cited just informed of the city ordinance and they quickly 'went to their car' to leave it secure there...as we didn't see the firearms again.

[JohnnyEgo]

Someone should have informed the deputy of the terms of FOPA 86. Or there is more to the story. In general, if it is legal in the departure state, legal in the arrival state, and you follow the provisions of the law regarding transport, you should not have a problem. Problems usually come from not actually following the provisions, such as what constitutes transition through a more restrictive intermediary state.

[Doc45]

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve flown with firearms since 9/11 when everything got tighter. I always print out the airline I’m flying and TSA guidelines to have in hand. No issues ever.

[.455_Hunter]

Thanks for the replies so far. I have flown with firearms for years, but not since the local gun control laws got fortified by the pre-emption elimination. Denver has an assault weapons ban, a magazine ban, and the airport is city property. Unless I am legally missing something, it would not be out of the realm of possibility that they will begin engaging people who present "illegal" weapons or accessories while traveling. KUSA should put Kyle Clark on it now, and show how non-enforcement of the law is putting the public's safety at risk from traveling gun nuts.

[KevDen2005]

I regularly fly and check a firearm. It does piss the counter agents off because they always throw a fit on why I don't use the kiosk. Then I have to loudly announce across the line of people that I need to check a firearm. Then they get all huffy and puffy.

But I have never had an issue traveling with any law enforcement agency needing to investigate firearms possession at the airport. I agree that there has to be more to the story and someone didn't know what the law was

[.455_Hunter]

I regularly fly and check a firearm. It does piss the counter agents off because they always throw a fit on why I don't use the kiosk. Then I have to loudly announce across the line of people that I need to check a firearm. Then they get all huffy and puffy.

I have also experienced this many times. Last summer we flew to New Orleans- Mom, Dad, a teen boy and tween girl. Lots of bags, with my 317 snub and NAA Mini along for the ride. It took multiple attempts to communicate "I need to check firearms..." before they realized that we weren't just going to shuffle back to kiosks like good little lemmings.

[copfish]

It?s rare when I don?t check a firearm in my bags. Never had a problem in COS or PUB. Just remember to check the airline?s regulations and check all your carry on bags for loose ammo or parts. As for magazines, never had anyone question that, usually it?s a pair of 12 round SIG 365 mags and a 25 round box of ammo. Ammo separate from the gun which is carried in a combination lock box in a hard side roller bag. My dedicated carry-on bag never has any gun stuff in it.

[Oscar77]

Same as others.......... no issues anywhere around the US.
The Ticket agents just want the signed card in the case. They could care less about magazines.

But then I also don't rock the boat and have firearm parts in my carry on bags.
That's asking to be messed with.

[KevDen2005]

TSA is extremely consistent at being inconsistent. I have heard stories that differ from airport to airport. You won't go wrong with ammo in a box separate from the mag.

[ChadAmberg]

Last time I flew and checked the gun in my bags, I was talking to the guy at the counter about what kind it is and what he likes, and apparently they also have the ability to upgrade your seats, so I got first class on that flight!

[colorider]

Last flight With my rifles was hilarious. Ticket counter lady was awesome. She wanted me and my buddy to open our cases wide open and take our time putting the card in the cases because there was a mega sassy super woke person next to us at the counter. Liz bitch had the beanie hat on, blue bangs dripping out the front, old fashioned glasses, and pretty much the full on exact example of a person you would see on tv protesting anything. This lady was arguing with the ticket agent in front of her about her baby stroller or something. My buddy and I open our cases wide and reveal the goodness inside. Total of 4 ar platform rifles, 2 pistols and a shitload of mags and ammo. Top it off with the fact my SBR had the can attached. This damn douche lady looks down at them and let’s out a loud panic screech and grabs her damn stroller and kid and turns away absolutely freaked out! Our ticket agent gal busts up laughing! Guy next in line says “ damn, hope you are on my flight”. Good times

[Oscar77]

TSA is extremely consistent at being inconsistent. I have heard stories that differ from airport to airport. You won't go wrong with ammo in a box separate from the mag.

You aren't usually dealing with TSA, it's the airline ticket agent that you work with.

The only time I deal with TSA (sortta) is at DIA.
Once you declare your firearm, the Agent has you escorted to a room where TSA is "working", they get the keys to the case from you, xray and inspect it and once done return the keys to you and your bag goes on its way.
All the other airports (maybe 7 or so), the Agent asks you to wait 5-10 minutes there around the counter incase they need the keys (never been asked).

The ammo thing is an Airline request, along with the usual: Unloaded etc.

The only time a Ticket Agent was rude, seemed more about the slowing of the line to deal with the "card" and not so much that I had a rifle.

PS: Even when I've flown into California, nobody has asked/cared about what magazines I had.
Again, in all the times I've flown, its the ticket agent that you are dealing with, just get the card filled out, put in the case and locked....... done.

Be cool and respectful, save the 2A rants for someone else.
The Agent just wants the bags on the plane.