TX to NV and back again, armed.

December 16, 2008 5:42 PM

Posting anon because I don't like to advertise I have a gun. I wish to fly from Texas to Nevada with my pistol. I have reviewed Southwest's firearm policy, but I am still curious if I will be able to travel back to Texas with the gun.

The reason I have this concern is because I did not have to register my gun in Texas, and I do not have any type of concealed carry license (or any other type of gun permit). All I have are the recieps proving I purchased this gun.

The issue I am worried about is getting stopped at the Nevada bag check having someone tell me I don't have a permit for my gun and thus cannot travel with it.

Advice?

posted by anonymous to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

My husband inherited his guns from his deceased father-I think all he had to do was check them in approved cases. In his case he was transporting from Colorado to North Carolina.

Maybe you could call a gun shop and ask them just to make sure?
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 5:57 PM on December 16, 2008

You will be fine.

You need to declare the firearm and certify that it is not loaded and that it is locked.

There is no checking of permits in any way whatsoever. In fact, after reading the policy, you will almost certainly know more about rules and process for checking your gun-laden bag than your kiosk attendant will.

I have done this many times and this has never come up (they don't have the knowledge, capability, or bandwidth to be able to check on things like this).

All is well.
posted by milqman at 6:24 PM on December 16, 2008

All the information you need.

It just needs to go in a lockable hard-sided container (my dad used an el-cheapo aluminum "atache" style case with a cable lock wrapped around and through the handle). At check-in you declare you're traveling with a firearm and after you get your boarding pass they'll take you to a special TSA screening for the x-ray. At some point you have to show that it's empty.

If you're traveling with ammunition that should be in a separate (and lockable) container from the gun.
posted by 6550 at 6:26 PM on December 16, 2008

Relevant: Overview of Nevada gun law. I'm not sure how current this is, but it includes a followup link to the NV legislature where you can review recent gun bills.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 6:34 PM on December 16, 2008

I was going to warn you that you had to register your firearms within 24 hours of arrival in Las Vegas (Clark County) but it looks like they changed that law:
http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/7436776.html
http://www.lvmpd.com/Permits/firearms_registration.html

I flew from Seattle to Las Vegas with my guns -- the process was that I had to have them unloaded in a locked box in my checked lugged, declare them at check-in, and take my checked luggage to a special area to be accepted. It took maybe 10 extra minutes.
posted by Jacqueline at 6:40 PM on December 16, 2008

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm
posted by matty at 6:40 PM on December 16, 2008

Note: You *do* need a concealed carry permit to carry your pistol in Nevada, and it's a long, time-consuming, complicated process to get a Nevada concealed carry permit. So, if you're bringing your pistol to carry it for self-protection, you should reconsider, unless your idea of gambling is risking a felony gun conviction for carrying without a permit. Also, most casinos have signs on the doors expressly forbidding people carrying firearms, so you risk trespassing too.
posted by Jacqueline at 6:43 PM on December 16, 2008

(IANAL and think most gun laws are lame -- just wanted to provide some FYI on the legal risks.)
posted by Jacqueline at 6:44 PM on December 16, 2008

You can also check http://www.handgunlaw.us/ (packing.org is defunct), which lists carry laws state-by-state. As long as you keep the gun unloaded & declare during check-in, you should be fine. You will need hard-shell luggage that locks, so that it can be locked (& tagged) after inspection at airport check-in.
posted by Pressed Rat at 7:24 PM on December 16, 2008

States cannot enforce other state's laws regarding gun ownership / permits / carrying. Whether you have a gun registered in Texas, a concealed carry permit in Texas, or nothing at all in Texas, when you fly state-to-state, whatever state you are flying to cannot ask for any of your documentation regarding the firearm, except for applicable documentation in your destination state, if any such exists. If you are not a resident of your destination state, then none will exist, and you can't be asked for anything.

That said, apply accordingly to Texas upon your return. I'm not entirely familiar with TX state law, but I wouldn't attempt to fly back into my home state with a firearm that wasn't properly registered.
posted by allkindsoftime at 3:26 AM on December 17, 2008

I'm not entirely familiar with TX state law,

Heh. Registration for guns in Texas? You're kidding, right?
posted by GPF at 6:58 AM on December 17, 2008

Sorry for the snark. My bad. There is no gun registration in Texas.
posted by GPF at 6:58 AM on December 17, 2008