When you’re flying domestically within the U.S, a gun — even a starter pistol — can be a useful travel hack. You have to specially register any baggage containing a projectile weapon, which means the TSA will go to extra efforts to ensure your bags show up in the right airport and on time.
But it pays to be very careful when using a travel hack like this. Packing a weapon can guarantee that the TSA will handle your bags with care, but it can also guarantee a kind of reception you do not want.
Many states have very specific laws about gun ownership and if you don’t have the proper permit, you can wind up in some trouble. While a starter pistol may not be an issue, anything larger could result in confiscation or some legal issues.
Taking a weapon overseas is even more of an issue. Depending on your destination, any kind of weapon may be strictly controlled. Even packing a knife can get you into trouble — I’ve actually run into trouble on my pocket knife when I moved between states. The legal limits on length, serration and other factors differ between both states and countries.
Be sure to carefully research not only your destination when you’re considering taking anything that can be construed as a weapon with you when you travel, but the layovers in between. Getting in trouble over a weapons issue in a country you were only planning to see from the airport does not sound appealing.
