In Part 3 of our article on “Traveling with a Firearm”. we’d like you to consider your options when arriving at your destination hotel or any public abode.   How will you keep your weapon(s) safe when they are not on your person?
Many hotels can provide a safe that may hold a weapon, however, these safes are never 100% secure.  One of the most obvious security faux pas is neglect setting a strong passcode.  Never set an easy-to-guess pin code (such as 1234 or 0000). 
 
Hotel staff members often have methods to access a room/safe without requiring a key code. Take note of your surroundings …does your porter pay too much attention to your firearms  case, or does the staff linger around while you are using the safe?  Your primary concern will be keeping your weapon secure when it is not on your person. 
 
But there may certainly be times when you may not be able to keep your weapon with you.  You should plan ahead for those times and take every precaution to prevent unauthorized persons from being able to access your firearm.  
 
One method: Use handcuffs to secure the firearms case to the plumbing under the sink, or use cable ties around the locks, securing it to another strong point in the room. Take a look at the box your firearm came in; some manufacturers include pre-drilled holes into their cases for the specific purpose of allowing padlocks to be used to better secure the case.
 
The downside: Handcuffs or cable ties may be a “tell-tale sign” that you are trying to protect something valuable and someone with malicious intentions may pick up on that, however taking no action to protect your weapon is unacceptable and may also be unlawful in some instances.

The best option to keep your weapon safe, inaccessible and with your peace of mind,  would be to acquire a small safe that you can travel with and secure it to a strong point.  This safe should have a code known only to you. 
 
Finally, if you want to be the most secure, remove a small part of the firearm that would render it unusable.  For an autoloader this would be the slide stop, on a revolver it would be the yoke screw.  Small parts like this should be kept in a separate location or suitcase. A toiletry bag can be a good place to keep these small parts. .
 
As we draw an end to this series, it does not mean an end to the ways we can advise you and your family on firearm safety and ways to make your travel less hectic.  If you choose to travel with your firearm and want to be as informed as possible, we’d be please….no actually we’d be thrilled to have a conversation with you.  And if you’ve had any interesting experiences traveling with your legal firearm or other legal weapons we invite you to share your story.
 
Until next time, be aware of your surroundings, We addressed situational awareness earlier on, and using the methods we shared with you will help you defend yourself in distant destinations just as in your local environment.  Be safe, travel smart, learn what’s legal. and  connect with SDTG 

Ref: TSA firearm guidelines:  https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition.

As we continue with our article, we cannot express this advice strongly  enough: If you plan to travel, and choose to do so with a weapon, always, ALWAYS check the laws of your destination, and the laws of various places that may become a pit stop along the way.
 
Air travel is the most common method of long distance transportation and the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) sets the guidelines for what you can travel with and how to pack what you’re allowed to travel with.  Specifically regarding firearms, here are the rules set by the TSA:
(This information may change at any time. Always go directly to the source for the most recent guidelines: https://www.tsa.gov/)

• When traveling, comply with the laws concerning possession of firearms as they vary by local, state and international governments.
• If you are traveling internationally with a firearm in checked baggage, please check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for information and requirements prior to travel.
• Declare each firearm each time you present it for transport as checked baggage. Ask your airline about limitations or fees that may apply.
• Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only. As defined by 49 CFR 1540.5 a loaded firearm has a live round of ammunition, or any component thereof, in the chamber or cylinder or in a magazine inserted in the firearm. Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations. You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks.
  
• Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins, are prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
• Replica firearms, including firearm replicas that are toys, may be transported in checked baggage only.
  
• Rifle scopes are permitted in carry-on and checked baggage.

With ammunition there is a separate set of guidelines:

• Ammunition is prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
• Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm. Read the requirements governing the transport of ammunition in checked baggage as defined by 49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8).
• Small arms ammunition, including ammunition not exceeding .75 caliber and shotgun shells of any gauge, may be carried in the same hard-sided case as the firearm.

Look at the very first rule: when traveling, comply with the laws concerning possession of firearms as they vary by local, state and international governments.  Abide by these rules, and follow local and state laws and you will be okay.  Check these rules relatively frequently, as sometimes laws may change.

We at SDTG follow the laws and trends related to firearms in the US. We do not provide legal advice or specifics, however we can provide you with a starting point for your research.  Follow this link to set up a Q and A session today!  

 Ref: TSA Firearm Guidelines:  https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition

Recently we touched on the importance of checking the laws regulating firearms and weapons BEFORE you travel if it is your intent to arm yourself. 
 
Rules can vary by state, but they can also vary by county, districts and so on.  During our next few posts we’ll try to lay a foundation for best practices.
 
The current climate of the United States has altered in a manner that has made traveling with a weapon less and less of a consistent process. 
 
Your destination, how you plan to travel, and what weapon you plan to traveling with are all factors in determining the legality of bringing the weapon with you, on your vacation, as well as providing possible extenuating factors, if you need to defend yourself. 
 
There have been multiple instances of people being detained at their destination, or even along the way, on the journey, for possession of a weapon that was legal in their resident location.
So at what point can a weapon go from legal to illegal during your travels?  As stated it can be complicated and each step of the way should be researched beforehand.
 
Such was the instance of a man who was detained in New Jersey with an unloaded firearm he had legally checked into his baggage while at Salt Lake City.  His circumstance was unfortunate, he had legally checked his firearm with his baggage, but was stranded in New Jersey. He chose to go to a hotel to wait for the correct flight.  When he voluntarily disclosed to the TSA officer (Transportation Security Administration) that he was checking-in a firearm, the man was detained for “possession of a firearm in New Jersey without a New Jersey license.” 
 
The man was held for 10 days before posting bail. The police dropped the charges a few months later. The man attempted to sue the police for detaining him, by citing  a law that allows licensed gun owners to take their weapons through any state as long as the weapons are unloaded and not readily accessible.  Regardless of that law or the outcome of the suit, it’s plain that the man did not avoid his detention nor the inconvenience that comes with an arrest.

A woman was detained in New Jersey as well,  for traveling with a firearm that was legal and registered in Pennsylvania, her place of residence, but was not legal in New Jersey, where during her travel she was pulled over for a traffic infraction.  Again, she voluntarily disclosed to the officer that she was carrying a firearm in the vehicle, and this led to her arrest.  She was held for 40 days in Atlantic County before posting bail.
 
These examples are not put forth to discourage people from traveling to New Jersey, (even though NJ arguably has the strictest gun control laws in the country). We share this information as evidence that all precautions should be taken, (with carrying weapons)  whenever and where ever your travels may take you.
 
Just because various weapons might be legal in your resident location, does not mean they are legal at your destination, or even along points to your destination, or in the different modes of transportation you may be taking.
 
Travel/vacation season will soon be upon us and some people travel as a matter of lifestyle! If you’d like to discuss some to the ways you can intelligently research the travel guidelines related to firearms and other weapons, connect with us.  We at SDTG follow the laws and trends related to firearms in the US. We do not provide legal advice, however we can provide you with a starting point for your research.  Follow this link to set up a Q and A session today!  

 Ref: TSA Firearm Guidelines:  https://www.tsa.gov/travel/transporting-firearms-and-ammunition