Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to traveling with your pistol or revolver and ammunition (as checked baggage) to IPSC competitions within Australia. I have based this on my domestic travel with Virgin Blue, but most of the principles hold true for other domestic carriers.
Many great competitions occur out of your own state, or distantly in your own state, and air travel is required, or preferable, to get to them. Price wars in domestic air travel have brought it within grasp of many people. If you travel to remote competitions, you get exposed to the different ways people construct IPSC stages, to increase the diversity of our competitions, and it’s a great way to meet other IPSC people.
First and foremost, you must have a suitable case for storing your pistol or revolver. I use a light-gauge steel ‘tool’ container, which cost about $20 for two from Bunnings. It has a clasp that can be secured with a small padlock.
As far as I remember, nothing on the container should indicate that a firearm or ammunition is stored within. So having S&W badges, etc on the outside technically shouldn’t be allowed (sorry Chris, Ryan and Mark). Inside the case, the gun should be suitably padded, disassembled and, obviously, unloaded. They will ask you if you have the ‘bolt removed’ (go figure) – they mean “is it disassembled enough to be considered temporarily inoperable”. I confirm yes, because I have removed the slide lock (which travels harmlessly in my checked range bag. For non-firearms people that may not know, a slide lock is a pivotal (figuratively and literally) piece of a pistol who’s lack renders the pistol inoperable – however the slide lock itself is about as dangerous as a stiff paperclip. Because I often travel to NSW, I also have a trigger lock fitted. My magazines travel locked in my range bag (empty, obviously) – guess that’s OK, but don’t quote me.
The lightness of the steel container used for ammo is important, as you are limited by ATA specifications to no more than 5 kg gross of ammunition – and seeing as they weigh it in the container, you don’t want the case to be too heavy to start with. By the way, 5 kg is not much (about 300 rounds), so if you are flying to a Nationals, or other large competition, you may need to ship ammo, or get someone driving to take some of your ammo.
For ammo storage, I use a similar, slightly smaller ‘tool box’ with a small padlock also. Again, use no labels to indicate its contents. Inside the box, use plastic CaseGuard boxes containing the ammunition. I glue styroform into the lids of my CaseGuards to make them rattle proof – I also use styroform to keep the CaseGuards firm in the steel box. The ATA regulations require something along the lines that the ammunition be stored in ‘original packaging or equivalent’ – CaseGuards are certainly good enough. Don’t try to transport loosely stored ammo poured into the box!
Now, bear in mind that airport check-in staff are not necessarily familiar with the procedures, and it does help them out if you know the procedure yourself. The supervisors know the procedure, and generally any inexperienced staff will call them over. First of all, announce that you “need to check a sporting firearm and ammunition” - this exact statement is obviously much more appropriate than announcing “I have a gun”, which can be taken in another, less favorable context. Show the check-in staff the two different, locked containers and indicate which contains the firearm and which contains the ammunition. It adds to their confidence and comfort if you state that “the pistol is disassembled and the ammunition is under 5 kg and packed to ATA specifications”.
Refrain from making any ‘gun’ jokes – they are required to take such things very seriously. Bear in mind that you are legally required to make sure that no one ‘becomes scared’ of your firearm – otherwise you may compromise your status as a licensable person. Be responsible and don’t risk any ill repute to your chosen sport.
Now, bear in mind that even staff that may know their own internal procedures, they may not be familiar with the firearms laws. For example, make sure you act appropriately if perhaps you experience the following:
* Being asked show that a firearm is disassembled, whilst standing at the crowded counter.
* Staff stating on check-in that “that should be okay to take as walk on luggage, as it’s locked”.
* Check-in staff writing ‘pistol’ and ‘ammo’ in big Nikko letters on the Restricted Baggage labels.
* Staff shouting to a supervisor several counters away “I’ve got a gun over here!”.
Needless to say, it is up to YOU to know your legal requirements and act appropriately. If I was asked to show the gun in public, I would insist that I would have to do that out of public view. If you were incorrectly told to take the gun and ammo as walk-on luggage, assume shear inexperience, as any gun owner would know that is NOT POSSIBLE - insist it be check in with Restricted Baggage labels.
OK, so what happens next is they put “Restricted Baggage” labels on the two cases, and you sign one half of each tag. They then give you the stubs – which are usually stapled to your boarding documents. You will need to sign (in front of staff) the stubs when picking up your cases at the other end. Check-in staff will call baggage staff out to come and take the two cases away.
When going though security one time that I had been handling the firearm to (privately) show staff it was disassembled, Murphy’s Law would have it that I was randomly chosen to be checked for ‘explosive residues’. I stated that I had just checked-in a sporting firearm, in case anything suspicious showed up on their checks.
On arrival at your destination, you will need to collect your Restricted Items from either the lost or oversized baggage counter, or sometimes from a door with a buzzer on it near the carousels. It’s usually last to come off, so get your luggage and range bag off the carousel first. WATCH OUT for your restricted items coming around on the carousel – that can happen, usually quickly followed by a concerned-looking baggage handler waiting for a signature.
Sign the restricted baggage stubs for the baggage handler and off you go. The above is for Virgin Blue – for Qantas, you need to contact them in writing ahead of time to get an approval letter (see below).
Pro-Forma letter to Qantas re transport of firearms and ammunition.
Carriage of firearms and ammunition on Qantas flights 23/3/2001
Qantas 5.2 Prohibited Items
Jetstar
“The Federal Aviation Administration has standards that gun cases must meet in order to be allowed onto airplanes. Basically, the case has to be hard sided and it has to be lockable.”
Article by Sean Joyce.
