Bringing your guns

[kuji]

How do you guys cope with the hassle of bringing your guns to the event when you fly? I've seen the video lecture talking about doing it but it seems like the chance of something going wrong is too high- I don't want mine getting "lost" or anything. On the other hand, I'd like to attend the shoot but I'd feel bad if I bummed off of other people.

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Bringing your guns

cope with the hassle of bringing your guns to the event when you fly?

well, that assumes there is hassle. i've flown dozens of times with many guns (as have lots of other folk... see the "Air Travel Accounts" page here.)

i'm not saying that your point is wholly without merit, but i surely think you're over-estimating the chance of trouble.

seems like the chance of something going wrong is too high

actually, it's really very low. again, i'd offer up that page of traveler accounts to give you some perspective.

I don't want mine getting "lost" or anything.

the commercial air carriers in the USA mishandle or misroute just under 2% of bags in their charge. of those "lost" bags, only about 2% of those ever fail to ultimately reach their owner. so your chance of any major problem is pretty damn low.

if you're particularly worried, you can always invest in a TrackerMax-type device, which will poll your GPS position and text you at regular intervals with details of where the tracker is. We've been experimenting with these for monitoring and intel purposes, but they can easily be used for luggage, too.

I'd like to attend the shoot but I'd feel bad if I bummed off of other people.

that's the right attitude, man... and i do encourage you to bring your steel and have a blast with us.

[kuji]

Re: Bringing your guns

well, that assumes there is hassle. i've flown dozens of times with many guns (as have lots of other folk... see the "Air Travel Accounts" page here.)

i'm not saying that your point is wholly without merit, but i surely think you're over-estimating the chance of trouble.

actually, it's really very low. again, i'd offer up that page of traveler accounts to give you some perspective.

the commercial air carriers in the USA mishandle or misroute just under 2% of bags in their charge. of those "lost" bags, only about 2% of those ever fail to ultimately reach their owner. so your chance of any major problem is pretty damn low.

if you're particularly worried, you can always invest in a TrackerMax-type device, which will poll your GPS position and text you at regular intervals with details of where the tracker is. We've been experimenting with these for monitoring and intel purposes, but they can easily be used for luggage, too.

that's the right attitude, man... and i do encourage you to bring your steel and have a blast with us.

Thanks for your optimistic post. I can't tell in the last part if you are being serious or not though.

I will definitely check out the GPS tracker, as that would make me feel a bit better.

[sintax_error]

Re: Bringing your guns

that's the right attitude, man... and i do encourage you to bring your steel and have a blast with us.

I see what you did there.

if you're particularly worried, you can always invest in a TrackerMax-type device, which will poll your GPS position and text you at regular intervals with details of where the tracker is. We've been experimenting with these for monitoring and intel purposes, but they can easily be used for luggage, too.

How do those devices get along with FAA regulations when it comes to active radio transceiving? More specifically FAA 14 C.F.R § 91.21. I suppose if you can get it cleared by the pilot, you're golden, but does anyone have any experience on the matter?

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Bringing your guns

Thanks for your optimistic post. I can't tell in the last part if you are being serious or not though.

i was serious... my meaning was that i encourage others to take the same outlook that you do: wanting to bring their own firearms if they have ones available as opposed to exclusively trying out the guns that others have offered semi-publicly.

the shoot only works if most people have their own guns and are not just milling around, hoping to see what else is available to shoot.

How do those devices get along with FAA regulations when it comes to active radio transceiving?

well, the regulations do state that it's ok for a device that doesn't cause interference... and a GPS unit only receives data, so that's no issue there at all. as far as transmitting, you can set the interval on the TrackerMax so that it sends out data very rarely, like once every half hour or more if you like. And one brief SMS shot out for a second or so seems hardly capable of any problem.

While it skirts the regulation (and could be said to not comply with it) one could make the argument that the "operators" of the aircraft (i.e. - commercial carriers) have determined that there is no interference, given the fact that on modern aircraft basically all cel phone signaling has been shown to be entirely benign. (This was shown during all of the testing that's been happening with respect to allowing GSM traffic in the cabin via an on-board base-station that would allow people to make calls, etc. from the sky)

[Picch]

Re: Bringing your guns

I'd encourage you to bring your guns, I've flown a few times with my gear and its been fairly smooth (with the exception of my home airport). My personal experiences at McCarran have been nothing but pleasant though, extremely helpful airline agents and no issues with the TSA. Even with the extra tools I pack along side my gear, I haven't even been asked to open the case.

Kuji, what airport are you flying out of if you don't mind sharing? Maybe some forum members might be able to provide some stories if they've flown through.

[astcell]

Re: Bringing your guns

If you travel with guns then you get to put your own lock on the suitcases, and not even TSA can get in later. Ahhh, privacy. Always travel with guns!

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Bringing your guns

Maybe some forum members might be able to provide some stories if they've flown through.

heh, lots of folk in the hacker world (and plenty of folk from elsewhere, too) have shared their stories... all available online here.

If you travel with guns then you get to put your own lock on the suitcases, and not even TSA can get in later. Ahhh, privacy. Always travel with guns!

heh... where'd you get such a useful and smart plan of action for your travels, man?

[Merciless_Mike]

Re: Bringing your guns

I have flown numerous times with my weapons. On one trip I had nearly $12K worth. Due to my second job, this happens quite often. The only issue I have had was a flight to North Carolina where I was inforned mid flight that my "luggage" was sent to the wrong airport, but that it would be at my airport about an hour after I landed.
It is not normal for them to advise a passenger of this, but I was flying with a Lt Col. USMC on official business on that trip. (His luggage was suffering the same fate as mine).
Ohh, this was Delta Airlines from Los Angeles, CA to Raleigh, NC.

[FirmWarez]

Re: Bringing your guns

I have intentionally flown with guns when traveling with irreplaceable client prototype hardware, TSA gets to look once, and then it's locked. Like astcell said, you get to lock your shizzle. Even more fun when traveling with NFA hardware. Nothing like walking through the Vegas airport with a desert tan Pelican case marked "can o' whoopass" with an Uzi and a Gemtech Mossad in it.

To be honest, a lot of times it's _less_ of a hassle to travel with guns. The TSA folks have always been professional and polite with me, and it seems I've been treated better because when you walk up your Forms 1/4 and 5320.20 and your act together they know you are playing by the rules...

...but then the other side it's kind of like when people say it's too much of hassle to get NFA toys....if you think that's too much of hassle, maybe you don't need 'em.

[xor]

Re: Bringing your guns

No problems on USAir with heavy metal. I drop ship ammo to the hotel, no problems thus far with that either. If you are worried about theft, get stencils, and spray paint your name on your pelican case. No excuses about luggage tags breaking off.

xor

[astcell]

Re: Bringing your guns

A bigger concern is what to do with the guns at your hotel room with strangers poking in with free alcohol just to hang. Sure they are locked up or chained to some immovable object, but there is always the doubt, especially when folks see locks they just have to test their lock pick set....

[hexjunkie]

Re: Bringing your guns

A bigger concern is what to do with the guns at your hotel room with strangers poking in with free alcohol just to hang. Sure they are locked up or chained to some immovable object, but there is always the doubt, especially when folks see locks they just have to test their lock pick set....

I haven't done it, but perhaps hotel vault?

[Thorn]

Re: Bringing your guns

A bigger concern is what to do with the guns at your hotel room with strangers poking in with free alcohol just to hang. Sure they are locked up or chained to some immovable object, but there is always the doubt, especially when folks see locks they just have to test their lock pick set....

Simple. Party in other peoples' rooms.

Actually, though, you bring up a good point, the lack of proper secure storage is the reason I've never brought any guns to DC.

[sintax_error]

Re: Bringing your guns

While nothing in-room is going to be secure enough, there are some steps that anyone can take to prevent theft or tomfoolery with their firearms. Good locks, cases, chains, etc. Removal of firing pins before and after the DC Shoot. The rule of partying elsewhere, and flat out responsibility of not advertizing that you have firearms in your room to the entire con. Surely people will see a good number of us arriving at the hotel, and leaving/coming back from the shoot with cases and ammo cans, but that doesn't mean you need to tell everyone about your uber sweet AR upstairs. My 2¢, YMMV, etc. etc. etc.