Muzzleloader Confiscated at Mass. Airport

[Dark Skies]

How does anyone know all the rules, there are almost 40,00 at last count! Maybe the guy believes in,
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and figures he's covered. Some of us still believe we are innocent until proven otherwise and didn't figure on legislators, sworn to the constitution, enacting unconstitutional laws making felons of people who have committed no wrong's and are living their life the way their fathers, grandfathers, and on down the line did. Most people I know don't get up in the morning and call state and federal authorities with their itinerary for the day and asking if its legally acceptable.
Robby

'appen as maybe, but I don't think the constitution covers being careless and irresponsible with firearms on airlines. When you're on someone else's property it's their rules or the highway.

 

[alcessapiens]

I get it well hopefully he can get it back ?

I’d expect so, it didn’t say he was charged with anything so the state police will hold it and he can probably just go sign for it. I wonder if it had been centerfire would he have been charged?

 

[lou puleff]

I’d expect so, it didn’t say he was charged with anything so the state police will hold it and he can probably just go sign for it. I wonder if it had been centerfire would he have been charged?

Probably !

 

[Juice Jaws]

Technically not a firearm !

Get real,

 

[Dark Angel]

The loss of your Rifle because of the lack of common sense. Mass. N.Y. N.J....where freedom rolls in the Sumac....

Mass. is one of those 'Deep Blue' states that I soke of in a reply on this forum. They did or still do despise all guns and gun owners. Passed through there years ago. Blew out a tire and limped into a rest area. It was raining 'hard' so I decided to wait for the rain to stop to change my tire. Was only there a few minutes when the Mass. State Police came through. They wanted to know what I was doing. Pointed to my tire. ;Why haven't you changed it they asked?' It was then, there in the rain, they made me unload my car so they could check for contraband. Whatever that was. They found my BP revolver, unloaded, and went bat manure crazy. Arrest and jail were mentioned several times, though I hadn't done anything but have a 'gun' in my car. Since the revolver was unloaded, they made me lock it in my trunk, instead of taking it, or arresting me. I still think that they only reason they harassed me was because I had Kentucky tags on my car. Been almost 40 years and haven't been to Mass, since, though I've been through that area several times.

 

[springfield art]

I was headed to Iowa years ago for an in-line ML hunt. TSA checked my bag and found a box of bullets, not ammo just bullets and had a fit. Said they needed to be declared. I said they are no different than a box of rocks so get me a supervisor. The supervisor had a little more sense.

Way back before 911, a friend flew to England for business and to give a talk involving Civil War bullets; he had some original lead musket balls, no cartridge or powder and did manage to get thru. But now, I bet even if you had foam or plastic fake minie balls, they'd' have a cow'.

 

[TrophyGuy]

The 71 yr old gentleman goes on my list of carryon luggage size rule abusers. Airlines tolerate rule breakers like this but the rest of the passengers suffer when abusers wrestle their oversize carryon in and out, holding up the whole airplane or forcing passengers to gate check small carryon when no overhead bin space is available. TSA (not the state police) is supposed to confiscate and destroy all disallowed carryon items. They cannot accept them as gifts. It would have been a hard lesson learned for this gentleman to have his prized ML cut up as his reward for pushing the envelope and bad judgement.

 

[7of7]

It said it was in checked baggage, not carry on.
Even checked baggage goes through screening the same as carry on..
And he may have been thinking it was okay for a muzzle loader since they aren’t considered a firearm.. and do not require the NICS check when purchasing. (Trying to give home the benefit of doubt)
And since the stat police didn’t charge him, it was probably something along that line..
I’m sure if he would’ve had some powder in that bag as well, there would have been problems. You can’t take explosives on commercial planes..
I wonder what the conversation with the state patrol was….

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Really stupid thing to do, no excuse for it. Might be more to the story.....

 

[dracer]

I flown from many different airports with revolvers' and pistol always decleared them with out a problem

 

[alcessapiens]

I flown from many different airports with revolvers' and pistol always decleared them with out a problem

That’s called “doing it right “.

 

[swathdiver]

Technically not a firearm !

You're absolutely right, under Federal Law and the laws of many states it is an antique firearm and antique firearms are not firearms. As they tell us, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

But they have guns and badges and will use them and there's not enough of us who are willing to stand up to the soft tyranny and educate them.

 

[BackDraft]

Technically not a firearm !

That’s per ATF. Remember that each agency apparently has their own definition. The WH, for instance, defines a rock as “Fully semi-automatic, 100 magazine-clipped, assault rifle”.

 

[sturmkatze]

One of the many reasons I no longer fly anywhere.

It’s been that way for well over 50 years. Duh.

 

[alcessapiens]

That’s per ATF. Remember that each agency apparently has their own definition. The WH, for instance, defines a rock as “Fully semi-automatic, 100 magazine-clipped, assault rifle”.

You forgot “Machine gun of doom”

 

[bronko220002]

Oh yay. TSA has saved us all from scary muzzleloaders. Way to go boys!

Now, now...back in the 1700s that was an assault rifle!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[alcessapiens]

Making old fellas jump through hoops ,,cvant even buy a hunting license without internet ********..and registering/filling out forms ..being examined /scanned reading a 2000 pge list of rules and then no,one to help you understand..GEEES DONT GET OLD..THEY HATE YOU

Well, you aren’t riding a horse, listening to Amos and Andy on a tube radio, ordering from a mail order catalog. Why? Because the world has moved on. They don’t hate you it’s just the 21st century. You can accommodate to change or complain, only one of those things will do you any good.

 

[alcessapiens]

It ain't that hard. i'm 84.

BTW: The NRA has been warning folks for years, don't get caught at JFK, Newark or Laguardia airports with a firearm. i had read about a guy whose flight was diverted to Newark; he claimed his bag that contained the gun. Passenger was caught with a gun in his luggage while boarding the next day. Cost him over $20,000 for a firearms lawyer.

About 15 years ago my flight to a jobsite in Maine got diverted. My model 27 S&W was in the baggage, and i did not claim same.

Is that the same NRA that bans guns from it’s headquarters? They have their rules in their place same as airlines.

 

[TrophyGuy]

It said it was in checked baggage, not carry on.
Even checked baggage goes through screening the same as carry on..
And he may have been thinking it was okay for a muzzle loader since they aren’t considered a firearm.. and do not require the NICS check when purchasing. (Trying to give home the benefit of doubt)
And since the stat police didn’t charge him, it was probably something along that line..
I’m sure if he would’ve had some powder in that bag as well, there would have been problems. You can’t take explosives on commercial planes..
I wonder what the conversation with the state patrol was….

My oversight. OP says checked.

 

[Rum River]

Just short of 20 years ago was checking my declared revolver to leave Mpls./St. Paul for Alaska. The ammunition was in the cartridge belt loops and they weren’t going to allow it because “that’s loose ammunition”. After a 45 minute conversation/argument between the guy, his supervisor and me they decided “oh, I guess it’s okay”. I had told them to point out in the rule book (which they had) anything to support their argument.