[1911jerry]

I mailed out my 600 rounds of ammo this morning, so now I have to think about the other stuff to pack up. Maybe an experienced air traveler could fill me in on the following:

1. Do you take your regular range bag? I have a Shooters Connection big bag, do I pack it in a siut case, use it as a carry on or what? Maybe just the inner bag?

2. Do you just buy a cooler out there and leave it out there?

3. Do you pack your holster, or discretly carry on in a paper sack, or back pack?

4. After I win HOA, what do I do with the trophy, pack it or carry on? JUST KIDDING FOLKS !!!!!


Any help would be appricated.

Jerry Snyder
Living the high life in "C" class open.......

This post has been edited by 1911jerry: 24 August 2009 - 09:46 AM

[danscrapbags]

When I fly to matches, I use my range bag as my carry on, I like to use those collapsable soft sided coolers, just make sure that there is nothing in the range bag that the TSA isn't going to like. Good Luck P.S. Anything gun related I pack into my check in bags.

[gose]

I usually take my range bag as carry on. Never had any issues even when packing holsters, mag pouches, shotshell caddies in it.
Keep your mags, tools and other "suspect" items in your checked luggage though.

[bbbean]

gose, on Aug 24 2009, 12:05 PM, said:

I usually take my range bag as carry on. Never had any issues even when packing holsters, mag pouches, shotshell caddies in it.
Keep your mags, tools and other "suspect" items in your checked luggage though.

The "sniffers" didn't give you a hard time for gunpowder residue?

[BlakeM]

bbbean, on Aug 24 2009, 01:27 PM, said:

gose, on Aug 24 2009, 12:05 PM, said:

I usually take my range bag as carry on. Never had any issues even when packing holsters, mag pouches, shotshell caddies in it.
Keep your mags, tools and other "suspect" items in your checked luggage though.

The "sniffers" didn't give you a hard time for gunpowder residue?

They gave me a hard time when my bag didn't pass the gunpowder residue test, but i explained why and they let me go right on through, after dissembling the ENTIRE bag and discarding the ammo I left inside..

[bbbean]

BlakeM, on Aug 24 2009, 12:34 PM, said:

bbbean, on Aug 24 2009, 01:27 PM, said:

gose, on Aug 24 2009, 12:05 PM, said:

I usually take my range bag as carry on. Never had any issues even when packing holsters, mag pouches, shotshell caddies in it.
Keep your mags, tools and other "suspect" items in your checked luggage though.

The "sniffers" didn't give you a hard time for gunpowder residue?

They gave me a hard time when my bag didn't pass the gunpowder residue test, but i explained why and they let me go right on through, after dissembling the ENTIRE bag and discarding the ammo I left inside..

oops.

[uscbigdawg]

1911jerry, on Aug 24 2009, 09:45 AM, said:

1. Do you take your regular range bag? I have a Shooters Connection big bag, do I pack it in a siut case, use it as a carry on or what? Maybe just the inner bag?

Use the regular, full size Shooters Connection bag. Go with what you know and I check mine (pic added below)

2. Do you just buy a cooler out there and leave it out there?

Go to Wal-Mart, buy a styrofoam cooler and 1-2 cases of water and a bag of ice. Get back to the hotel, fill up the cooler with water and ice and leave it in the trunk of the car over night. By morning, replace with more ice. When the match is over, find a trash can for the cooler and donate the water to the club or the hotel cleaning crew.

3. Do you pack your holster, or discretly carry on in a paper sack, or back pack?

It's inside the same checked bag as my range bag (see pic added)

4. After I win HOA, what do I do with the trophy, pack it or carry on? JUST KIDDING FOLKS !!!!!

You have your clothing bag for any "trophies" or trinkits from the match.

Usual load out for the match is that inside the SC bag will be my pistol and if they're not looking closely 300 rounds of ammo, belts, tools, mags, etc.



Inside the "big" bag is the SC bag, spikes and anything else that I may need for the match. Good place to throw a towel (hint).



Here it is all closed up. Well under weight and size limits and has wheels and a pull handle. $40 at Target. I generally throw a nothing pad lock on the zipper tabs and then a brightly colored zip-tie as well. I emphasize the brightly colored ones as white and black are pretty common.

ZERO hassles or issues flying to matches for the last 12 years.

Rich

(Since it'll come up, if they "find" (I'm not hiding it, I'm just not declaring it) my ammo, I take it out of here and then throw it in with my clothes. No big whoop.)

[P.Pres]

And I thought this thread was about which carry gun for the hot weather !!

Sorry, I'm situated so that I drive to all the matches, not much help ..

This post has been edited by P.Pres: 24 August 2009 - 02:15 PM

[zero_down]

Never flown to any matches but in case I do thanks for all the tips guys. One more question though, it was mentioned above that the ammo is mailed prior, do you mail it to the range where you're shooting or the hotel where you're staying? Another thing, if you order any ammo through internet is always comes ground and never airmail so bigdawg, how do you take it with you in your check in bag?

[uscbigdawg]

You're allowed to fly with 11#'s of ammunition = 300 rounds of 38 Super (just in case you're curious).

On the shipping, the match staff will have arrangements, but shipping it to the hotel is almost always an option as well.

Rich

[kevin c]

uscbigdawg, on Aug 24 2009, 02:46 PM, said:

You're allowed to fly with 11#'s of ammunition = 300 rounds of 38 Super (just in case you're curious).

Some airlines (individual policy) allow less. Some even weigh the ammo.

Both happened to me. More than a little PITA...

[RobMoore]

I'm seeing a trend at this match in the form of Camelback backpacks for range bags. In fact, I think the backpacks, camelback or not, outnumber the typical big boxy range bags. Its definitely easier to carry from stage to stage. I thought I was being inventive buying one before coming out, only to find so many others had the same idea.

I also used mine as a carry-on, but as someone who sidesteps the screening process, I stowed all my ammo in my carry-on rather than deal with shipping or checked bag limitations. 450 rounds, a laptop w/ cords, a DVD case, and water is friggin heavy.

[bbbean]

RobMoore, on Sep 14 2009, 09:12 PM, said:

I'm seeing a trend at this match in the form of Camelback backpacks for range bags. In fact, I think the backpacks, camelback or not, outnumber the typical big boxy range bags. Its definitely easier to carry from stage to stage. I thought I was being inventive buying one before coming out, only to find so many others had the same idea.

I also used mine as a carry-on, but as someone who sidesteps the screening process, I stowed all my ammo in my carry-on rather than deal with shipping or checked bag limitations. 450 rounds, a laptop w/ cords, a DVD case, and water is friggin heavy.

You stowed ammo in your CARRY ON?

[mhop]

he has a job that allows that

[zero_down]

just read the reply to my post, thanks for the info guys.