What's the deal with traveling with components?

[BK]

I'm going to be spending some time in SoCal for work, and since I have a slightly gun-crazy cousin in the area, I figure there's a pretty good chance that I'll be trolling the local gun shops. If I should happen to stumble upon some powder or primers while I'm down there, can I bring them back on the airplane? Carry on? Checked?

Anybody have any suggestion on what to see on my off hours?

 

[YoteSmoker]

Definitely not! Even toothpaste and fingernail clippers are considered deadly weapons these days.

Reloaded ammunition can be checked but it must be clearly marked on the container what it is, such as with a load label. There's no way I would even think about taking something that says "Highly Flammable" "Dangerous" "Explosive" and all the the other markings within 5 miles of an airport. Remember Ben Stiller's line in that one movie where he's at the airport saying "BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB BOMB"? Don't be that guy! 1. You're in Cali 2. You're at an airport 3. You don't want to spend more time in Cali than you have to, even as a free man

 

[Richracer1]

I wouldn't attempt to fly with those items. Now I don't know the rules, but you can always get online and checkout your airlines, or any airlines, website and see what they have for restrictions.
I guess if find a really good deal, you could always have the items shipped to you.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

"So tell me son, what you looking to do with that gunpowder and those detonating devices (i.e. primer). You a terrorist? We'll Obama told us to close down GITMO, but we can make an exception for the like of you! Now step over here behind this curtain, so we can make sure you don't have any more of those primer things hidden anywhere else. Don't worry, I will wear a glove."......said the TSA agent.

 

[old #7]

"So tell me son, what you looking to do with that gunpowder and those detonating devices (i.e. primer). You a terrorist? We'll Obama told us to close down GITMO, but we can make an exception for the like of you! Now step over here behind this curtain, so we can make sure you don't have any more of those primer things hidden anywhere else. Don't worry, I will wear a glove."......said the TSA agent.

Thats funny :grin:

I believe that primers and powder are considered hazardous materials. I would imagine if you have to declare them at the post office and they are shipped ground you won't be able to fly them home.
If you find anything, ship it to your self or to me for safe keeping :wink:

 

[BK]

or to me for safe keeping :wink:

In my best Dr. Evil voice: "Safe keeping. Right."

 

[Charlie-NY]

I tried to fly out of the Denver CO. airport with a (declared) pound of gunpowder, along with my rifles and ammo. There was nothing on the "prohibited list" that indicates that you are not allowed to declare powder and fly with it in your baggage.

HOWEVER, when I declared the powder, you would have thought it was a bio-hazard that I had in the can. The nutty counter person told me that I had to remove it from the airport property immediately. Since my rental car was already turned in and I had no way to remove the powder we needed a more rational solution. That's when she called the Police.

The Police couldn't have been more professional and agreed that the powder was not an item indicated on the prohibited list. However, I just wanted to catch my plane without any trouble. The powder wasn't all that important. I offered to donate the can to the Denver Police and the situation was quickly resolved. Rest assured, the cop didn't immediately remove the powder from the airport property.

Lesson learned. (by the way - this all happened prior to 9-11)

 

[JDMAG]

Most of the stuff implemented since 9-11 is pure and utter foolishness. a week after 9-11 I was flying from Memphis to San Antonio, via St Louis. In St Louis, I stopped at a bar PAST security, to have a bowl of clam chowder. This is usually served in a bread bowl, but this time they "couldn't give me a bread bowl because the plastic dinner ware they had to give me, couldn't cut the bread." This was done so I couldn't sneak anything on to the plane since I was already thru security. I lived with this thinking I was much safer now. However on the flight, in first class along with the meal, what did they hand me? A STAINLESS STEEL KNIFE SPOON AND FORK. to eat a sandwich. What was the purpose of denying me silver ware in a restaurant before I got on the plane when they handed me free "weapons" after I sat down on the plane?

 

[Guest]

I'm not sure you can ship primers and other hazmat person to person. For some reason, I'm thinking it's disallowed. Can't place where I saw that, but I think I did. You could always have the shop ship them to you, if it's a great deal. $20 for hazmat, and whatever for the components, plus standard shipping. It usually only works out if you're buying large quantities - 8-10lbs or more. At least, that's what works compared to my local prices.

 

[Mauser]

Life has changed! I won't reveal how old I am but the first time I traveled to Alaska I walked my rifle, (in a soft case) to the plane, handed it to a flight attendant and she put it in a gun cabinet just behind the cockpit. I can't even remember anyone glaring at me. Now a wildlife parking permit hanging on the truck mirror,(required here in Washington) will get your windshield rocked.

 

[russ808]

I had primers shipped from Kansas to Honolulu via Fedex or was it UPS, one of those. It will cost you tho.
Russ

 

[Oldtrader3]

I remember handing my Air Canada stewardess my slung rifle with the bolt still in it (in Quebec City) and having her check the rifle in the clothes closet behind the cockpit, while I carried a dead, gutted, whitetail deer on board.

They can not protect us at airports because a terrorist probably has diplomatic, or courier papers from some third world nation but they (TSA) have made a multi billion bureaucracy out of it Federally, so sham security as we know it is here to stay!

 

[Mooswa]

As far as I know powder and primers are pretty much taboo everywhere now on airlines. You can have regular ammunition in your checked baggage, but no in the carryon of course. It even varies a great deal on how the ammunition has to be dealt with, depending on the airline policy and or the country you are flying to. In the US it should just be the TSA policy you need to follow but you just never know how things are going to go.

Blackpowder guys flying to hunts have to get their outfitter to pickup the appropriate powder and primers locally and have them waiting on arrival. So remember that as for many who live in rural areas some of the things you might need are not always immediately available and may have to be ordered and shipped in.

You can always ship powder and primers via a courier who is licenced for hazardous cargo, but you have to pay a fee over and above the regular shipping rates.