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seabiscuit
03-16-2011, 06:00 PM
Just got my Glock 26 (130 rounds through it so far) and was a little nervous about locking it by wrapping the included cable lock around the handle of the standard Glock case.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_GLizNw0JYt4/TYFAoSti13I/AAAAAAAANAY/mi5dT2SfdIA/s288/pistol%20case.jpg

So I bought a Pelican 1200 case off Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Pelican-1200-Case-Foam-Orange/dp/B0000DYV7G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1300316091&sr=8-2) for $37. The case comes with what they Pick N Pluck Foam, basically 1 cm square pieces of foam that extend through the height of the case (plus convoluted lid and 1" thick bottom piece).

In about twenty minutes, I plucked out the foam to fit my G26 with +2 mag extension installed, a 20-rd box of ammo, and a spare mag with the speed loader on it.

My goal was just to have a case that TSA would be OK with so that I can bring this thing home on leave and carry it there. I'd consider it a success, although it might be nice to have a little more room for more ammo and mags. My holster hasn't arrived yet, but it won't take up much space and should slide right in over the pistol.

Thoughts? Suggestions for improvement?

Rverdi
03-16-2011, 06:46 PM
I'm not a fan of using pelicans for air travel, particularly smaller ones with just a pistol in them. A pelican with two padlocks on it is an attention grabber, anyone looking at it is going to assume there's something valuable in it.
A generic hard plastic gun case like the ones most pistols are delivered in with a TSA compliant lock on it, inside a suitcase that also has a TSA lock on it will get you thru in a little more low key fashion.
You also have to consider that most airlines charge for each checked bag, so you're adding one in addition to your luggage and adding another fee.

seabiscuit
03-16-2011, 06:51 PM
Not worried about the bag fee since I'm military. Didn't know you could put a pistol in a case in another bag, though - that'd be a nice option.

ToddG
03-16-2011, 08:55 PM
FWIW, I use a deeper Pelican for my pistols when I fly. I put the Pelican (with two solid padlocks) inside a suitcase which in turn is locked with a TSA-approved lock. TSA can see the box, see the firearms declaration, and xray the box to see the gun isn't loaded. If they want to touch the guns, they need to find me to get the key.

Over the past three years of traveling this way regularly, I've only had TSA want to look inside the box once.

John Ralston
03-16-2011, 09:31 PM
What do you use for your main bag - soft side or hard side?

ToddG
03-16-2011, 09:33 PM
Large wheeled soft-sided duffle.

Kyle Reese
03-16-2011, 09:43 PM
This info is good to know. I might be flying to Montana next week, and plan to bring my PT M&P.

seabiscuit
03-16-2011, 11:45 PM
Over the past three years of traveling this way regularly, I've only had TSA want to look inside the box once.

Dang. Brought my .22 rifle out here and had to fork over the key so they could open it in front of me and check it before they'd accept it. And the TSA dude clearly had no idea how to handle a firearm.

If you lock it and put it in another suitcase, do you have to lock the suitcase? I had to go pick up my rifle from the desk, didn't come out on the conveyor, for good reason. Is it the same if you put your pistol case in another duffel?

jslaker
03-16-2011, 11:49 PM
This is actually a topic of interest for me. I'm considering moving cross country by way of airplane, taking everything carryon. I'd need a box I could put 2 or 3 handguns in without the TSA bitching, but I'm trying not to spend a fortune on what's intended to be a one-way trip.

Alternatively, I've read that you can ship firearms to yourself via common carrier across state lines without going through a FFL, so that may be the option I choose if it's more economical since I'll be crashing with a friend for the first couple of weeks on this adventure.

ToddG
03-16-2011, 11:50 PM
Dang. Brought my .22 rifle out here and had to fork over the key so they could open it in front of me and check it before they'd accept it. And the TSA dude clearly had no idea how to handle a firearm.

Was it an airport where they hand check all bags? In those cases, they always open the case. But I'm always standing right there anyway, so it's a non issue.

If the bag goes on a conveyor for x-ray in the basement, I've almost never had any issues keeping the actual hard-sided case locked with two non-TSA padlocks.


If you lock it and put it in another suitcase, do you have to lock the suitcase? I had to go pick up my rifle from the desk, didn't come out on the conveyor, for good reason. Is it the same if you put your pistol case in another duffel?

Technically, no. Only the hard-sided, airline approved case is required to be locked. I lock the outer bag as a general precaution and, as I said above, I use TSA locks for that because they always open that bag... they need to see that the guns were properly declared and a written declaration tag is present.

BTW, the last four flights I took I had no handguns but brought my SIRT pistol. No one ever blinked even though I told the ticket clerk all four times that I had something that "looks like a gun but isn't a gun" in my bag.

seabiscuit
03-16-2011, 11:55 PM
Was it an airport where they hand check all bags? In those cases, they always open the case. But I'm always standing right there anyway, so it's a non issue.

If the bag goes on a conveyor for x-ray in the basement, I've almost never had any issues keeping the actual hard-sided case locked with two non-TSA padlocks.


They do X-ray all bags before they take them on the conveyor.

Good news about non-TSA padlocks. I think this case in a locked duffel will be my SOP for travel with the pistol.

Rverdi
03-18-2011, 03:14 PM
Without question, in your checked baggage is easier and certainly cheaper. I mainly use the TSA locks on the gun case because Newark (my home airport) seems to want to look at the guns fairly frequently. One other thing that I do is cable tie my knife to the trigger guard of one of my pistols. Knives are never stolen :) but just in case.
This is how I left NC this morning, same setup as always.
http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab307/rverdi/photo-9.jpg

jslaker
03-18-2011, 03:28 PM
The TSA is okay with a regular SIG blue box? I had kind of assumed they'd be too flimsy from what I read of the regulations.

Rverdi
03-18-2011, 03:42 PM
That case has been everywhere, never a problem. They are just looking for a hard, lockable, case. Other than that, there's really no standard.
If I didn't take two guns, I have the original box from my 642 which barely fits a 229 and would take up much less space in my luggage. I just can't leave town without two though.

KentF
03-18-2011, 04:17 PM
The few times I've flown, my preferred carrier is Southwest, so check bag cost wasn't an issue, but I tend to agree that a lone Pelican case could be a "steal me" flag. One thing I use to use was an old hard side make-up case I found in a second hand store. It was lockable and came with the key. Not the best lock, but I was allowed to put the firearms tag inside and never had a problem. Best of all, it didn't scream "gun" or anything else that might be high dollar. This was pre-9/11 however. I now put my gun inside the case it came with, locked inside my locked checked luggage. Using TSA locks.

John Ralston
03-18-2011, 06:03 PM
Do you guys cable lock the case to the main luggage? Just thinking it would make it much harder for someone to remove the case in the event they cut into your soft side.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

Rverdi
03-18-2011, 06:30 PM
John,
I don't, never have. Someone would have to know its in there and if they do and want it that bad, they'll likely get thru the cable too.