TSA Problems

[TRKYHTR]

I just got home last night from my GA and AL hunt and was going thru my bag that I had checked. It had my vest in the bag and my vest had my Hevi 13 shells in their box. Well during our GA hunt we got absolutely drenched and the hevi 13 boxes got wet. When I opened my bag there was a paper stating that TSA went thru my bags. They confiscated all of my shells. I had a full box and 2 shells in the other box because I killed 3 turkeys. They said the shells were loose in my vest. They were not loose they were still in the boxes but the boxes were falling apart because they got wet. Never had anything like this happen before. Thats about 45.00 worth of ammo they confiscated for no reason. Don't know if there is anything I can do about it. I guess from now on I need to put my ammo boxes in a ziplock so they don't get wet. This is what was left of the boxes that were still in the pocket of my vest.

TRKYHTR

[Old Gobbler]

Ive seen the little slips they put in the gun cases - makes me nervous

[30_06]

Wow that really stinks, hope you can get them back.

[AUDoubleBeard]

I don't think there is anything you can do.  Unfortunately its at TSA's discretion weather they were secure or not. 

As for the little slips....  I use a pelican case with long shank TSA locks and am able to crack the case open like a quarter inch and keep the locks on.  This allows me to insert the slip and not open the case all the way.  Out of the 10 times I have flown with my gun they have never opened the case and messed with things. Best airline to fly with guns and ammo is southwest considering they let you put ammo in your locked gun case.

[RutnNStrutn]

I hate to hear that, but I'd be lying if I said I was surprised. The TSA is out of control, especially when it comes to guns. Obama and his liberal pals have turned the TSA loose to harass hunters and gun owners. When I traveled to Michigan 3 years ago to hunt with Firedoc, the Orlando airport gave me no troubles, the Detroit airport gave me know troubles, but when trying to fly out of Detroit, a TSA agent harassed the heck out of me.
She opened the non-locking tabs of my gun case and forced her fingers in until she could touch my gun. She told me that being able to touch the gun, even though it was broken down in a short case, was illegal and that she was confiscating my gun - which I was checking, NOT carrying on!!!
I told her in no uncertain terms that I didn't care what she said, that it was OK in 2 airports on the way up, so it was OK now. She told me otherwise and said she was taking my gun. I told her, "The hell you are lady!! If you think I'm leaving my gun with you in Detroit, you're nuts!!"   Then I demanded to speak to her supervisor. She replied that she was the supervisor. So I repeated myself, "I want to see YOUR supervisor!!" She said she was in charge. So I asked, "So you are telling me that you are the top person in charge of TSA in Detroit's airport, and there is no higher authority than you? Lady, I am not leaving this airport without my gun. If you don't allow me to check it, I'm calling the police. I WILL find out who is in charge of TSA at this airport, because it isn't you. Then you will no longer have a job!!"
At that point, she just stared at me blankly. After a minute of silence, she said that she'd give me a break just this one time and allow me to check my gun. So I checked my gun and stomped off. What a jerk she was!!
Something needs to be done about the TSA, but it won't happen as long as this administration is in office.

[irishff727]

Back in 2003 I flew out to Texas to visit family and do a lil hunting checked my rifle and figured all was good to go. Get to Texas. Direct flight with no stops on lay overs and I am waiting to collect my rifle. I am told that the case my rifle was magically opened and due to that my rifle was confiscated and kept at my departing airport. When I got back home they told me there was nothin I could do to retrieve my rifle and it was now property of the us gov. Well I called a family friend who was a lawyer and got him involved. Amazingly which even the lawyer was surprised I got my rifle back even though the scope was jacked up from poor handling. Never again will i fly my firearms.  If I can't drive I don't go.

[AUDoubleBeard]

What kind of gun case where y'all using?

[TRKYHTR]

It wasn't in a gun case it was in my suit case.

TRKYHTR

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

Get plastic ammo boxes.

Sorry this happened to you.

[coyotetrpr]

Sounds like another gvt way to steal guns and ammo from the people. I am getting sick of hearing about gvt agencies over stepping their boundaries and acting like all powerful organizations. Sorry to hear about your issue.

[spaightlabs]

You ain't getting your shells back. 

Good reminder for others.

[RutnNStrutn]

Get plastic ammo boxes.

Sorry this happened to you.

You can't do that either. Regulations say they have to be in the original box.

[strut-stopper]

They do not have to be in the original box. Any box that's made specifically for carrying shells or the original box is fine.

[RutnNStrutn]

You may wish to check with the airline you are flying on. The last 2 trips I made, the airport rules stated that the ammo must be in the original box. Not trying to argue with you guys, you can do whatever you want. I was just trying to help a brother out.

[strut-stopper]

Ok I'll probably catch hell for this but I work for tsa so ill shed some light on the subject. First off tsa does not confiscate firearms. From a previous post where an tsa officer said she was gonna confiscate a gun, the officer was full of crap. No where I'm our s.o.p is that protocol. I am from and worked in little rock Arkansas and come duck season we were flooded with guns. I took it upon myself when I had the chance to help fellow hunters out when they came thru and let them know tsa rules on transporting firearms. 1st you must declare to the airline that you are checking a gun in   They will give you a slip that has to go in the gun case  also the gun case must be a lockable hard sided case and the case must have a lock in any hole that was made for a lock. And no matter what the airline tells you put the slip they give you inside the case and lock the case.  Be sure that if the X-ray machines are out front and when you drop it off that you wait till it clears. The only time tsa goes into a case is if the X-ray alarms on the case or if the case is too big to go in the X-ray but you need to wait around to unlock the case if it does alarm  if not the airline should page you back for you to unlock it.   Now for ammo it has to be I the manufactures original package or in a container made for ammo. They can not be lose in a bag or it is considered hazardous material. That is about all there is to it. You can also go to the tsa website for more info.   Hope this helps.