I believe it was former NRA Executive Vice President, J. Warren Cassidy who said, “You would get a far better understanding if you approached us as if you were approaching one of the great religions of the world.” The more you get to know the issue, the more you think the metaphor actually fits. One aspect of NRA that takes on an almost religious nature is the Annual Meeting, which is in Phoenix this year. We’re expecting 50,000 faithful to make the pilgrimage, something at every NRA member should do at least once their life.
This year, like last year, we have a bunch of bloggers who will be flying in from far away places. Some of them wish to travel with guns. I’ve done the TSA dance four times with firearms. Once in Reno, once in St. Louis, and twice in Philadelphia, and not once have had an issue.
You’ll want to keep the pistol in a secured, hard sideed container, with ammunition kept in the original manufacturers packaging. Different airlines have different rules, so check the rules for your airline ahead of time. But most will accept ammunition in the same container as the pistol, provided it’s in the manufacturers packaging.
Since you’re likely to be traveling to the NRA Annual Meeting with a pistol rather than a rifle, it makes it easier. Get a small, pistol sized hard gun case, that doesn’t advertise “GUN!” on the outside. In fact, I would highly recommend Cabela’s “Bullet Proof” line of pistol cases. They are expensive, but worth every penny. You should use a non-TSA approved lock. I use a combination lock so there’s no key to lose. Make sure it has at least four wheels, or a dial combination, because three wheeled locks are easy to brute force.
Once you go up and declare a firearm, if you have a ticket agent who knows what they are doing, she’ll give you a card where you will declare to the airline that you do not have a loaded gun by signing the card. The card goes in the pistol case. This is your proof that you declared the firearm, so any subsequent law enforcement that comes upon your gun knows that you declared it legally. Once that’s done, stuff it inside your regular luggage, and take it to the TSA counter (the ticket agent will tell you where, if they are any good) and have them run it through the x-ray machine. They can inspect the chamber and magazine on the x-ray. Carry a copy of this with you, and also the airline policy on travel with guns.
If you follow these guidelines, you shouldn’t have any trouble. Flying with guns is easy, and I’ve never had a ticket agent that didn’t know what to do. According to NRA, we’re good to carry at the convention center in Phoenix, with the exception venues for events which will be serving alcohol, where guns will not be permitted. In fact, it’s illegal to carry firearms onto premises that serve alcohol in Arizona.