[WaltGraham]

Something humorous usually happens to me everytime I fly with my j-frame. The last time it involved an older lady verbally spanking a couple of younger guys for hassling me and this time the lady came to the rescue again.

I flew to Dallas out of Dulles with zero probs, but on the return trip managed to leave my officially approved TSA luggage lock at the hotel. I was pretty sure that it wouldn't be a prob since my understanding was that only the actual container securing the firearm had to be locked, but I didn't have my copy of the regs with me.

After I got my boarding pass, I followed the nice A A lady to the TSA kiosk. The TSA guy who ran my bag did his deal and asked me for the luggage lock. I explained that I didn't need one and told him (politely) that if he'd put a zip tie on my luggage (I saw that he had some), I'd be appreciative. At that point he explained that if I didn't have a means to lock the bag, it wouldn't be allowed on the a/c. I further explained (again, politely) that that was not the case, at which point he got cranky. It was then that Carmen (the nice A A lady) stepped up and told the TSA guy to "Go read the book, he does not need to lock the bag, only the box with the gun."

Carmen, by her inflection, was from Jamaica or thereabouts, and I never saw a large person of color back up so fast in my life.

He mumbled something, secured my bag and put it on the conveyor. Carmen said "thank you" to him and personally escorted me through screening.

If I have an option, I'll be flying American from now on.

Memo to self:

Carry the regs next time as well as a backup lock.

 

[Charlie Petty]

I hope you consider yourself very lucky. TSA people don't like to be proven wrong... :ehsmile:

 

[WaltGraham]

I hope you consider yourself very lucky. TSA people don't like to be proven wrong... :ehsmile:

Yep, but I'd rather be lucky than good, and sometimes you can't foresee every contingency.

I've re-thunk my trip prep, however...

 

[Ed Fowler]

Here is a TSA story for you: Chief of police from Sheridan "forgot" and put his handgun in his carry on. Got caught in X-Ray he said he forgot it and they let him off, but held the handgun for his return (as I remember the article) but they did not charge him -- as we all know he is one of the "brotherhood".

 

[Joe Forte]

Our congressman Maurice Hinchey got caught at Washington Int. with a handgun in his carry-on. He gave the same lame excuse, "I forgot it was there." That's what I call responsible gun ownership. Not knowing that you have a loaded gun in your carry-on. If I did that I'd be locked up so fast my head wouldn't have time to spin.

 

[J.D. Langendorph]

Yeah, carry a copy of the regs! I had BATF knock on my door, asking "about the firearm I had recently purchased." And my reply to that inquiry was, "Which one?"

Without getting into specifics, there was a records error that needed to be corrected. But what came up in the discussion was the BATF asking, "You wouldn't happen to have a copy of the state statutes, would you?" (This was back before WiFi and Google.)

I ran upstairs and brought him my copies of the state statutes, right out of the books in the courthouse law library. Case dismissed! BATF actually assisted me in getting the state police (NICS) to correct the record.