Lesson 6 of 6 · 5 min
On the road and after the range
The moments a firearm leaves storage and comes back are where routines slip. The federal airport rules are short; local and state laws are not part of this class.
Unload, clean and place your firearms in their secure storage location immediately after returning from a hunting trip or a day at the range.
When using a gun for hunting or target practice, keep the safety catch in place until you are ready to fire it. Before setting the gun down, always unload it.
Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
Flying: the TSA's rules for airline passengers.
You may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only.
Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter.
Ammunition is prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage.
Laws on owning, carrying and transporting firearms differ by state and city and change over time. This class does not cover them. The TSA itself reminds travelers to comply with the laws of every place they travel through; for your state, ask your state attorney general's office or state police.
What it looks like at home
- After the range or a hunt, firearms are unloaded, cleaned and back in locked storage before anything else.
- In a vehicle, firearms are never left loaded and unlocked (Lesson 3).
- Before flying, read the TSA page and your airline's own rules; before driving across state lines, check each state's rules with that state.
Our summary of the lines above. Check your home against it.
Check yourself
Not a certified class. It does not satisfy any permit, license, carry, purchase or hunter-education requirement, and it is not legal or medical advice.