If you're planning to fly with a handgun, you'd better know the rules before you even think about heading to the airport. This isn't one of those "ask forgiveness later" situations. The TSA doesn't mess around when it comes to firearms. There's a right way to do it, and a whole lot of wrong ways that can land you in trouble fast.

First off, the basics: your firearm must be unloaded and packed in a hard-sided, locked container inside your checked luggage. Never and I mean never try to carry it on. That's an automatic disaster waiting to happen.

When you check in at the counter, you have to declare the firearm to the airline agent. You'll usually fill out a declaration tag confirming it's unloaded, and that tag goes inside your case. Only you keep the key or combination, not TSA, not the airline. If they need to inspect it, they'll call you over.

Ammunition has its own set of rules, too. It has to be securely boxed in the original manufacturer packaging or something similar, and it can go in the same locked case as the firearm if it's properly stored. And remember, the TSA doesn't require TSA-approved locks on your gun case. In fact, that's a common mistake. The whole point is that no one else can access that firearm except you.

Now, here's where things can get tricky. USA Carry recently shared a story that every gun owner should read. One traveler flew with Spirit Airlines two days in a row, same airport, same firearm, and had two completely different experiences.

Day one, the staff insisted he open his locked gun case and show them what was inside [Watch]. They claimed it was "new policy." He pushed back, politely, because TSA rules don't require that. Still, the airline staff stood their ground.

The next day, different agents handled it by the book: quick declaration, inspection tag, all good [Watch].

What that shows is that not every airline employee knows or correctly follows the TSA's firearm policies. Sometimes they make up their own version on the fly, which can throw you off if you're not confident in the actual rules.

Here's my advice: print out the official TSA guidelines from their website. Keep a copy in your range bag or luggage. Stay calm, be respectful, and know your rights, but don't expect every check-in agent to know theirs. The system isn't perfect, but if you show up prepared and know the rules better than they do, you'll save yourself a lot of time, stress, and possibly a very expensive mistake.

Got an idea for a future article? Shoot it my way and you might see it in the next issue.

Until next time, stay locked and loaded.
- Randy, Locked N Loaded