Does anyone have any Air Travel Experience with the Crosman 2009 Sporter Air Rifle in regards to TSA Regulations? My team has received an invitation to the NJROTC Regional in Anniston Alabama. This would require me to fly from Lubbock, TX. I am trying to get shifted to the Albuquerque match so I can drive but have to start planning. I would assume the Air Rifle has to be degassed but any problems getting through TSA. Any gouge would be appreciated.
Mark
Lubbock High School NJROTC
AIR TRAVEL WITH CROSMAN 2009
Moderators: pilkguns, Marcus, m1963
Don't guess.
Go to the TSA website, print several hard copies of their rules for travel with an air gun.
Go to your air carriers website. Print several copies of their rules (carriers have some latitude in amending / adding to TSA rules).
Pack a copy of the rules in the gun case. If your case is opened along the way it shows you know and have followed the requirements.
Keep a copy of the rules with you. If you run into anybody that does not know the rules show them your copy and politely request that they follow them. If they don't then politely request a supervisor to become involved. Keep moving up the food-chain until you get someone to enforce the policy as written.
Who might not know the rules ... TSA agents and your carrier's gate agents! It's amazing to me how little they know, or what they think they know the rules to be. This is an area ripe with half-understanding.
Some general things that will be required of TSA and all carriers is that the pressure be zero, the guns be in a hard lockable case and the contact info be attached to the outside of the case in the event TSA wishes to open the case for inspection once it's in their hands (as opposed to when you first take the case to them for initial receipt).
Just print copies of the rules and follow them and you will be fine. Expect to educate people along the way however. Be prepared to go up several levels of authority. If the carrier supervisor won't follow their stated rules (it happens, not often but it does) then request a TSA supervisor to intervene. You will eventually win out.
This doesn't happen often, but it's not unheard of so give yourself plenty of time to get through the process. The carrier will not hold your flight because you are stuck in a baggage handling dispute, even if it is their fault.
Go to the TSA website, print several hard copies of their rules for travel with an air gun.
Go to your air carriers website. Print several copies of their rules (carriers have some latitude in amending / adding to TSA rules).
Pack a copy of the rules in the gun case. If your case is opened along the way it shows you know and have followed the requirements.
Keep a copy of the rules with you. If you run into anybody that does not know the rules show them your copy and politely request that they follow them. If they don't then politely request a supervisor to become involved. Keep moving up the food-chain until you get someone to enforce the policy as written.
Who might not know the rules ... TSA agents and your carrier's gate agents! It's amazing to me how little they know, or what they think they know the rules to be. This is an area ripe with half-understanding.
Some general things that will be required of TSA and all carriers is that the pressure be zero, the guns be in a hard lockable case and the contact info be attached to the outside of the case in the event TSA wishes to open the case for inspection once it's in their hands (as opposed to when you first take the case to them for initial receipt).
Just print copies of the rules and follow them and you will be fine. Expect to educate people along the way however. Be prepared to go up several levels of authority. If the carrier supervisor won't follow their stated rules (it happens, not often but it does) then request a TSA supervisor to intervene. You will eventually win out.
This doesn't happen often, but it's not unheard of so give yourself plenty of time to get through the process. The carrier will not hold your flight because you are stuck in a baggage handling dispute, even if it is their fault.
Of course you'll only miss your flight.DLS wrote:..
Keep a copy of the rules with you. If you run into anybody that does not know the rules show them your copy and politely request that they follow them. If they don't then politely request a supervisor to become involved. Keep moving up the food-chain until you get someone to enforce the policy as written.
.....
You will eventually win out.
TECHNICALLY, you cannot fly a gas cylinder unless it can be opened and inspected.
On these small airgun cylinders, it is only Colorado Springs that gets their pantys in a wad. This was because a few years ago a shooter emptied his cylinder in the CSPR airport after insisting it was empty and causing a ruckus there.
USA Shooting has been working this issue with TSA, PMSHA, etc and 90 other (exaggeration here) govt agencies since the Beijing Olympics and all the govt knows how to work the issue is to pass the ball in the circle.
When you go out of CSPR, it's best to ship those cylinders home via UPS.
Any other place, make sure they are empty and declare as an unloaded firearm.
(Mark ... call Jim K or Mark H in ABQ and they'll fill you in as to how they fly)[/list]
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bpscCheney
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 8:11 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
TSA Link:
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information ... ammunition
Note at the end it recommends you contact your carrier as well, they do have differing rules.
The requirement to have empty air cylinders falls under the rules section that prohibits carrying of any type of compressed gasses, so you won't find that element listed in the link above.
Here's the link for compressed gas cylinders and the text pasted below:
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information ... -cylinders
Compressed gas cylinders are allowed in checked baggage or as a carry-on ONLY if the regulator valve is completely disconnected from the cylinder and the cylinder is no longer sealed (i.e. the cylinder has an open end). The cylinder must have an opening to allow for a visual inspection inside.
Our Security Officers will NOT remove the seal or regulator valve from the cylinder at the checkpoint. If the cylinder is sealed (i.e. the regulator valve is still attached), the cylinder is prohibited and not permitted through the security checkpoint, regardless of the reading on the pressure gauge indicator. Our Security Officers must visibly ensure that the cylinder is completely empty and that there are no prohibited items inside.
Please note: Many of the seals/regulators used in paintball are not designed to be removed from their cylinder by the end user. The seal/regulator should only be removed and reinstalled by a factory trained technician.
Passengers considering air travel with a compressed air or CO2 system would be advised to contact its manufacturer for guidance in locating a qualified technician, or to consider shipping the system to their destination via a parcel service.
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information ... ammunition
Note at the end it recommends you contact your carrier as well, they do have differing rules.
The requirement to have empty air cylinders falls under the rules section that prohibits carrying of any type of compressed gasses, so you won't find that element listed in the link above.
Here's the link for compressed gas cylinders and the text pasted below:
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information ... -cylinders
Compressed gas cylinders are allowed in checked baggage or as a carry-on ONLY if the regulator valve is completely disconnected from the cylinder and the cylinder is no longer sealed (i.e. the cylinder has an open end). The cylinder must have an opening to allow for a visual inspection inside.
Our Security Officers will NOT remove the seal or regulator valve from the cylinder at the checkpoint. If the cylinder is sealed (i.e. the regulator valve is still attached), the cylinder is prohibited and not permitted through the security checkpoint, regardless of the reading on the pressure gauge indicator. Our Security Officers must visibly ensure that the cylinder is completely empty and that there are no prohibited items inside.
Please note: Many of the seals/regulators used in paintball are not designed to be removed from their cylinder by the end user. The seal/regulator should only be removed and reinstalled by a factory trained technician.
Passengers considering air travel with a compressed air or CO2 system would be advised to contact its manufacturer for guidance in locating a qualified technician, or to consider shipping the system to their destination via a parcel service.
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oldsailor64
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:15 pm
Use care when degassing
A little off topic, but use care when degassing. Crossman recommends not degassing if at all possible. It is best for the seals to always have some pressure behind them.
I had experience where a metal burr was stuck in the degassing port threading (from manufacturing process) and once I inserted the degassing tool, I could not get it out without damage, and had to send the rifle in for warranty repair.
Crossman recommends blowing the degassing port out with a tank compressor or inserting the tube from a dust-off can prior to degassing to remove any debris that may be lodged in there. Something they didn't talk about in the manual. My advice is to also place some tape over the degassing tool port to prevent debris from entering.
The other note I would add is that once degassed, make sure the rifle is up to room temperature before trying to refill or you will be fighting with valve bypass issues that can be frustrating.
I had experience where a metal burr was stuck in the degassing port threading (from manufacturing process) and once I inserted the degassing tool, I could not get it out without damage, and had to send the rifle in for warranty repair.
Crossman recommends blowing the degassing port out with a tank compressor or inserting the tube from a dust-off can prior to degassing to remove any debris that may be lodged in there. Something they didn't talk about in the manual. My advice is to also place some tape over the degassing tool port to prevent debris from entering.
The other note I would add is that once degassed, make sure the rifle is up to room temperature before trying to refill or you will be fighting with valve bypass issues that can be frustrating.
Damon Landschoot
Cibola County, New Mexico
4H Shooting Sports Instructor
Cibola County, New Mexico
4H Shooting Sports Instructor
In my limited travels with air guns, I've found that if the cylinder is on the gun, TSA doesn't call it a compressed gas cylinder. Spare cylinders, yes. Never got a real hassle anywhere except Newark (of course). Atlanta, Philly, C-Springs, I went to their station, the TSA guy asked if it was unloaded, swabbed the edges of the case for explosive residue and sent me on my way. No problem. In Newark, the airline rep had to carry the case to a secret room and the TSA guy played with the guns for twenty minutes. I don't know what he was doing, but everything was in a deffierent spot in the case. At least everything was still there.
PS they're ALL "unloaded firearms". TSA doesn't care that it's an air or CO2 powered gun.
PS they're ALL "unloaded firearms". TSA doesn't care that it's an air or CO2 powered gun.
Norm
in beautiful, gun friendly New Jersey
in beautiful, gun friendly New Jersey