The safest way to transport firearms is to unload the magazine and store firearms without rounds in the chamber in a range bag or rifle cases (excluding conceal carry)
There are different federal and local laws regarding transporting firearms in a vehicle, air travel, and shipping. For the most part, the firearm shouldn't be visible when transported and don't attract unnecessary attention.
Vehicle Transport
For most states in the U.S. storing firearms in a container outside of arms reach in the vehicle is a general rule of thumb.
Most firearm friendly states allow anyone who is eligible for a "conceal carry permit" to carry a firearm in a personal motor vehicle or in a holster.
We recommend getting the Plano or Pelican cases with foam insert to secure items in the case without shifting and bumping around especially for precision rifle scopes when driving on bumpy roads.
- Be situationally aware where you're especially in questionable areas especially when parking overnight
- No gun stickers to signal people you may have something worth breaking in and steal
- Do not make gun case visible
If you carry any motion sensor-activated optics, make sure to take out the battery before transport so they don't drain the battery every time you drive.
We highly recommend optics with at least 20k - 50K hours if you visit the range a lot so you can leave them on without worrying about it.
You can check out these modern red dot sights here
Shipping
Always require signature upon delivery
When shipping a firearm through mail carriers, it's important to comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Do not ship ammunition. Do not attempt to ship a handgun via US Postal Service; only federally licensed dealers may ship a firearm by US Postal Service.
Remove all ammunition, and secure the firearm in a hard case for shipping(Highly recommend Pelican cases with locks).
For the 3 major shipping companies, UPS, USPS, FedEx can accept firearm pacakges for transportation only in the following cases:
- Between licensed importers, manufacturers, dealers, government agencies and licensed collectors
If shipping a serialized firearm part for repair or custom work, please contact who you're doing business with and get specific shipping and ship back instructions.
Air Travel
Choosing a drop proof gun case for air transport is the first step. Yes, airline baggage handlers will throw stuff around.
Get a good case will give you the peace of mind
When transporting firearms through airlines, it's important to comply with TSA regulations.
It's quite simple. Do it wrong, you may delay your travel and get a massive fine up to $3000.
- Follow specific rules based on the airline you're flying with
- Declare each firearm in your checked luggage
- Firearm must be unloaded and stored in locked, hard-sided gun cases or containers
- Lock individual firearm inside the case for extra security
- Checked luggage only
- Key or combination to the gun case lock
- Replica firearms, toys, components of firearms, including firing pins, bolts, clips, and magazines must also be in checked baggage
- No ammunition in carry-on luggage
- Small arms ammunition must be placed in a fiber, cardboard or metal box designed to carry ammunition. This ammunition can be transported in the same hard-sided locked case.
- Check with your airline as to their ammunition limits
The temperature and humidity levels inside airplanes and baggage carousels change quickly at higher altitude. An ideal gun case needs to seal tightly to prevent damage caused by extreme air pressure, temperature, and humidity shifts in air.
Dustproof seals also prevent microparticles from getting into your firearms and ammunition, where they can degrade the metal.
Visit TSA for official info.
As the content creator of badassoptic.com, My background in the firearms industry and shooting sports gives me the experience to recommend tried and true products and keep away subpar ones.
