(TSA) Let me start with.. I was ignorant of the law.. and its not a defense

Legal & Second Amendment
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I travel for a living, in and out of airports every week. Rarely do I ever check a bag (unless its an extended trip). This week I was blessed with the opportunity to visit my parents in SoCal for their 49th wedding anniversary. Being SoCal, my fathers gun rights were slowly being eroded and he had an old 30 rnd AR mag that he offered to me to take back to AZ. So I put it in my roller bag and ran off to the airport.

I wasn’t overly concerned as in the past with the TSA, anything on the no fly list was just confiscated (knives) or they would offer to let you check your bag. Wow how the times have changed.

When my bag went thru the xray, the TSA agent called her supervisor. Supervisor called the sheriff. I told the TSA supervisor, if the mag was an issue, they could just toss it. They refused to respond and waited for the sheriff deputies.

At this point I was getting a little nervous. The lead Deputy informed me that he could arrest me as a misdemeanor for transporting a “gun part” thru the TSA. Especially during these times. He asked me where I got it. I told him everything. He responded, “So you were trying to do the right thing and you brought it to the airport?” He asked if I have a CCW (I do for AZ), he asked for my ID, contact info, and my place of work. Also asked for my fathers details.

So after detaining me for about 30 minutes, he released me with a warning. He gave me a file number. But he said legally this was over and he needed to confiscate the mag. I was happy to oblige. Now comes the unknown.

He informed me the TSA might fine or suspend me from the PRE program. Or possibly put me on a watch list. But since it was my first offense, it might also be a warning…

Once I was repacked and away from the TSA gates, I called the USCCA and asked them if they had any advice. Since it wasn’t a self defense scenario and I was not under arrest, they could not be of assistance.

So I thought I would reach out to the community. Have any of you had a similar encounter? Did the TSA escalate, fine, and suspend/cancel your PRE/Global Entry status? Any advice?

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Well it’s very good you got stopped in California. If you were in NYC or anywhere in NY, or NJ you are automatically arrested, go to jail and get bonded out after court. Usually about a $20,000 fine imposed from the US Attorneys office. I am told, I have a buddy who lives in NYC and they go out of their way to make sure they make an example of the person. You’re arrested and put in the tank until someone posts bond for you. Liberal gun grabbers there love this because it’s a very good income stream. He said the revenue is several hundred thousand dollars each day.

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The TSA are as helpful as politicians. In todays anti-2A climate would it have been better to mail it to an FFL instead? Just curious how you might have handled the situation differently?

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First of welcome, next as an FYI it’s all California not just SoCal to worry about.

If this was at LAX consider yourself very lucky, the TSA there is like the gestapo. They have such a grand view of life, if you give them any static on questioning them or accusing of rights violations. They’ll keep you detained for hours. They get off on the sense of power, they’ve been trying to get approval to be armed for years. Frankly I don’t think most could keep a job elsewhere.

LA county Sheriffs are better than LAPD, it’s all about your attitude. A magazine is a gun part, most don’t realize there are serious import laws on magazines, magazines releases etc if found to be exported internationally.

If they brushed it off as low key then go with it and cross that bridge if something comes up.

Not sure how Burbank Airport is I’ll ask my wife I think their TSA is a better experience and see or John Wayne airport in Orange County is. But loading, unloading, luggage, and traffic is great at Burbank.

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