O’Hare overnight layover - checking firearms

[flyrodr]

I’m taking the family to Glacier National Park in July. Flight options are not great at the moment. We booked our return flight through O’Hare with a 14hr overnight layover.
Also, I won’t have any trouble in Glacier, will I?


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Since the problem is on the return flight only (correct?), one option would be to just ship your pistol back to your local FFL before leaving MT. Just verify with the FFL that he's amenable to that arrangement.

The NPS isn't particularly gun friendly. If I remember the genesis of the legislation allowing carrying firearms in national parks, the Park Service "countered" with a regulation saying while carrying was legal, it was generally not legal to discharge firearms in parks. Also, the "not in facilities" apparently, in some parks, extends to park buses, ferries, etc.

And state laws still apply. And if you're thinking about continuing into Canada from Glacier, read through the requirements there: https://www.thoughtco.com/laws-for-t...canada-3321846

Beautiful drive, as @RJ noted.

[4gallonbucket]

Since the problem is on the return flight only (correct?), one option would be to just ship your pistol back to your local FFL before leaving MT. Just verify with the FFL that he's amenable to that arrangement.

The NPS isn't particularly gun friendly. If I remember the genesis of the legislation allowing carrying firearms in national parks, the Park Service "countered" with a regulation saying while carrying was legal, it was generally not legal to discharge firearms in parks. Also, the "not in facilities" apparently, in some parks, extends to park buses, ferries, etc.

And state laws still apply. And if you're thinking about continuing into Canada from Glacier, read through the requirements there: https://www.thoughtco.com/laws-for-t...canada-3321846

Beautiful drive, as @RJ noted.

04-26-2021, 10:55 AMOlongJohnson
Check into it, but I believe you can legally ship them to yourself at the destination. Nobody but you can open the package, but that should be the case anyway.
04-26-2021, 10:13 AM

Yes that's right - we have a quick connection in Denver between Charleston and Kalispell on the way out there. No problem here.

Shipping everything home sounds like a good plan -- I also thought about bringing the G48 and just shipping the Shield 15-rd mag back to my house to avoid any trouble in Chicago. I don't think I'll have an issue if I only have a 10-rd magazine with me.

Any discharge of firearms will be for protection of life and limb only. We'll also have bear spray on the trails and would only fire as last resort. I should be able to pick and choose when we'll end up inside of "facilities".

[Irelander]

Several years ago we vacationed in Glacier. I carried a Glock 29 in a Safe Packer "holster". Worked very well and had a wonderful time. Didn't see a bear, although I would have liked to see one from a long distance.

I did not have a layover in an NPE. Hope all goes well. I have flown with guns many times and never had anyone check magazine capacities. Maybe because I was never in a restricted capacity area. Most TSA checkers just want to verify a gun is in the box and slip the magic card in there. I think once someone asked me to verify it was unloaded.

[ST911]

I find NPS (and BLM, and USFS, and...) LE personnel to be pretty agreeable with armed citizens on their lands, provided that you don't come to their attention negatively. Interps/admin/support/contractors may vary. Don't come to anyone's attention. Concealed means concealed.

I've not had problems in Chicago, but when in doubt leave your bag with the airline.

Glacier NP and the Kalispell area is awesome. Have fun.

[GJM]

https://www.underwoodammo.com/9mm-lu...enetrator.html

[Horseman]

I was in Glacier with the family last summer. We saw several people open-carrying on the hike up to Avalanche Lake. They passed by a NPS LE Ranger on foot patrol at one point on the trail and I didn't hear/see any enforcement action.

Dumbly drawing attention like that has been covered in excruciating detail here, so I won't. Every public area in Glacier seemed to be wide open for concealed carry, except for scare-signage on the buildings, most of which were closed, anyway, due to Teh cOvIDzz.

Oh yeah, and don't bring it in the Amtrak depot or on the train, according to their signage at the Glacier stop.

[Stephanie B]

I’m taking the family to Glacier National Park in July. Flight options are not great at the moment. We booked our return flight through O’Hare with a 14hr overnight layover. We are booking a room in the Hilton on-site. I assume I’ll get my checked bag with firearm when we land in Chicago and need to check it again in the morning. I’ve flown with firearms many times in friendly areas without any issues, but never had to deal with checking one in a place like Chicago. Are there any precautions I need to take?

Yeah. Don't do it. There is a word for people who check in handguns in states where a permit is required to have one. That word is "defendant".

My recollection is that O'Hare is actually a part of the city of Chicago. They did that by running the city's boundaries down the right-of-way of the CTA tracks. I believe that Chicago has pretty nasty laws on handgun possession.

If they want to bust your chops, you may ultimately prevail, but at what cost to you.

[HeavyDuty]

O’Hare is Chicago, an island out in suburban Cook County.

IANAL but I am almost certain the FOID statute specifically excludes residents of other states. So long as you aren’t running afoul of mag capacity ordinances, it’s worth researching further.

I would wander over to the Illinois Carry forum and ask the question there. Several members and mods are very knowledgeable about the lay of the land.

[TheNewbie]

I’m taking the family to Glacier National Park in July. Flight options are not great at the moment. We booked our return flight through O’Hare with a 14hr overnight layover. We are booking a room in the Hilton on-site. I assume I’ll get my checked bag with firearm when we land in Chicago and need to check it again in the morning. I’ve flown with firearms many times in friendly areas without any issues, but never had to deal with checking one in a place like Chicago. Are there any precautions I need to take?

I’ll have my Glock 19, so 15 round magazines.

We’re flying on American Airlines, if that makes a difference.

Also, I won’t have any trouble in Glacier, will I?


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I would not worry about a Glock 48 not having enough rounds with only 10. I’ve hiked a lot in remote areas with the threat of black bears and mountain lions. Even encountered a mountain lion at night on the trail. I was carrying a P-07, but would have been ok with a Glock 48 equivalent of the P-07 if they made one.


If I were comfortable carrying a Glock 48 in general, I would feel comfortable carrying it hiking. I don’t think five rounds of 9mm is going to be a difference maker in the unlikely event of a bear attack. Problems with corrupt laws in places like Chicago seem to be more common than bear attacks.


Just my opinion, others here have more experience in what your asking then I do.

[BigDaddy]

Let me talk to the guys that work at the airport for their take on this. I doubt you will have a problem but will check to make sure.