Moving firearms to new home: fly with or mail them?

[QuangTri]

A hypothetical that some of you all may have dealt with:

Have a new home in Arizona, currently my toy collection is with me here in Hawaii, so there is no driving with them to the new house.

Question I am pondering is dealing with airlines and the check-in routine for flights (nonstop) to Phoenix, or mailing them to myself. Not a large collection, several long guns, shotgun, and a few pistols.

The long guns could be disassembled to just deal with the registered parts possibly making things easier to mail or case and transport. Mail the uppers and stocks later.

It is the long guns I am most wondering about. I know pistols would be easiest to just case and declare for a flight versus dealing with UPS/FEDEX. Looking for the most stress free and reliable way to get them to the new house.

[RufusXG]

I think I would send the long guns and fly the handguns, but airlines and airports vary on the hassle. Also the rules on shipping to yourself may be subject to interpretation.

Long guns could also go usps.

[mtptwo]

I drove mine. Stayed the night at the wife's parents, then continued the next day.

[XJThrottle]

I drove mine. Stayed the night at the wife's parents, then continued the next day.

You didn't read the second sentence in his post.

[knockonit]

I drove mine. Stayed the night at the wife's parents, then continued the next day.

You didn't read the second sentence in his post.

lol, maybe he'll do a james bond scene and do a submarine travel

[effjaybay]

I drove mine. Stayed the night at the wife's parents, then continued the next day.

You didn't read the second sentence in his post.

[Doc]

Perfect opportunity to rent a boat and have an “accident”

[Flash]

I drove mine. Stayed the night at the wife's parents, then continued the next day.

You didn't read the second sentence in his post.

lol, maybe he'll do a james bond scene and do a submarine travel

He can do it if he gets enough speed up before he hits the water...kind of like how you skip stones over a lake.

[Rock Hardson]

Bring a cooler full of White Claws

[XJThrottle]

Leaving the islands, it will be dat green bottle bradah..

[QuangTri]

That submarine would still have to surface and drive across the People's Republic of California. That is a state I avoid even landing in, thank God for nonstop. May still have a TRO floating around that ruined state.

[bryanearl]

You should definitely ship them with full insurance. It will likely be a bit spendy, but well-worth it for the security of knowing you are covered in case anything happens. When I drove from Alaska I shipped everything to a FFL in Washington where I could pick them up for the remainder of the drive.

[QuietM4]

Exactly how many long guns, shotguns, etc? You can take the stocks off the long guns and just fly with the barreled actions...that will save you a lot of space in the cases. Are you shipping vehicles? How are you moving your other belongings?

Declaring firearms when you check into your flight is a very simple process...Hi, I have some firearms to declare...that's all you need to tell them. They will verify the firearms are unloaded and in a secure case, slap a red tag on it, and you're done. Shipping them will be incredibly expensive, and much more time consuming.

If you are doing something like a shipping pod to move your other belongings, just pack the firearms in the center of the pod so no one can get to them without a huge amount of work.

[QuangTri]

Exactly how many long guns, shotguns, etc? You can take the stocks off the long guns and just fly with the barreled actions...

Planned on doing it in steps so I am not without a long gun here. The first is sort of a test to see how the process goes, fly or ship. Already sent ammo over on a couple flights, no big deal other than a counter agent not knowing what to do. Made the mistake of burying it deep under clothing and the agent wanting some form filled out and put next to it. Reading Southwest baggage stuff, says they allow ammo in the same case as the firearm.

Pelican case is cut out for the big AR, scope, five magazines at this time. Depending on the next move, have more foam I could cut for the shotgun small AR same time.

There is a question if I could be at out house in time for USPS delivery, so wife says just check it and if we have to drive around a few days with it in the trunk, no big deal. After all, it is Arizona, not California or Hawaii.

[Abbey]

There is a question if I could be at out house in time for USPS delivery, so wife says just check it and if we have to drive around a few days with it in the trunk, no big deal.

What do you mean, "no big deal"? Trunk? Why not keep them in a more accessible location like the rest of us? Also, don't forget to break the bad habit of unloading and keeping your ammo separate from your cased & locked empty firearm for any transportation.

After all, it is Arizona, not California or Hawaii.

Exactly