My trouble with firearms

[silverwood]

I've owned an antique revolutionary war vintage derringer for many years, which is black powder and maybe about 22 caliber.( I have never fired this). I recently flew back to SC for a visit. On the return trip I packed up some things that I could use, one of which was a new pair of workboots still in the original box that was sitting in my closet. About 17 months prior to leaving SC I put away various things of value that I had displayed in my room. I took that antique derringer and put it into one of those new boots. Forgetting completely about where I had placed that derringer I packed those boots in the box into my suitcase. Well I had a 5:40 AM flight out of Savannah GA. I arrived at the TSA safety check and put my bag on the scanner line. I am then informed that my bag needs to be searched. They find that old derringer much to my surprise and lo and behold I am under arrest and taken from the airport in handcuffs to be booked at Chatam county jail. As far as the police are concerned that antique gun is a gun and even though I have no black powder or lead balls with the gun it is a weapon nontheless. I will be charged with the same crime as if I had a fully loaded semi-automatic 45 in that boot! So after two hours in a concrete cubicle, mind you I have never been arrested before, I was able to post a cash bond for $2500. I then found an attorney and he will defend me for another $2500 when my court date arrives. So thats my story....:thumpdown:

[Kregener]

Wow.

Do not store firearms like that.

[SilverCity]

The same or similar situation has happened numerous times across the country. Under my state law, an unloaded firearm is not considered a weapon. But in your case, NTSB regulations were violated. Sorry to hear of your plight...

[jnojr]

Tell them you're a football coach or Congressional aide.

[AGgressive Metal]

So far as I know, under Federal law, a gun made before 1898 is not considered a firearm. I'd ask your attorney if he can look into that.

[oz in SC]

I believe that this is not considered a firearm by federal law...you can buy blackpowder firearms with absolutely no background check.You most likely fell victim to a moron at the airport who wouldn't know their butt from a hole in the ground.

[silverwood]

I hope your right. My lawyer is saying that he can get the charges reduced to disorderly conduct. Right now I am facing two misdemeanors, carring a concealed weapon and having an unregistered weapon on airport property. Even if I win the case I still lose as I have to pay the attoney fees and whatever unknown fees that may arise. I am also struggling with a under-employment issue to boot. The only thing I can figure out of this was I am burning off some negitive kharma.

[Shoden]

Ouch. Sorry to hear about your TSA problems. I agree with the others that it shouldn't be considered a firearm according to federal law, and I hope you can get through it without even getting the BS disorderly conduct charge.

Do you know if you're going to get the derringer back, or are they confiscating it? My fear is that they're going to take it and destroy it, which would really suck. My uncle (former Air Force EOD, now does contract work clearing or blowing stuff up) was telling me about a case where someone in Wyoming had found a cache of old rifles dating back from the late 1800s and used one of them in a crime, and the entire cache of antique rifles was confiscated and destroyed.

[Aurumag]

I hope your right. My lawyer is saying that he can get the charges reduced to disorderly conduct. Right now I am facing two misdemeanors, carring a concealed weapon and having an unregistered weapon on airport property. Even if I win the case I still lose as I have to pay the attoney fees and whatever unknown fees that may arise. I am also struggling with a under-employment issue to boot. The only thing I can figure out of this was I am burning off some negitive kharma.

Plead to the lesser charge and you are still a convict.

You made a mistake, but the system will find a way to extract every FRN before releasing you back into society.

I prefer the sane old days of flying: "Whoops I forgot there was a gun in my boot, can I just check it in separately? Thanks, have a great day!"

[silverwood]

Shoden, according to my lawyer I should get the gun back, after all this is not a serious crime I'm being charged with.

[Curtman]

Silverwood, what state was it it? Reason being the sheriff in that county may be able to claim jurisdiction and could possibly be much more reasonable. Particularly if it's election year and the sentiment in the area is as repulsed at the TSA's nonesense as the rest of the country. You may have an angle there. The sheriff could win a lot of points by just taking jurisdiction and refusing to file any charges do to it being what it is, a simple mistake.

[silverwood]

Hey Curt, the Savannah airport is in Chatham County Ga. who has jurisdicton over that area. I hope that I get a fair minded Judge because clearly there was no intent to carry a"weapon" which has firepower potential onto an airplane. This was a coffee table orniment, that I merely forgot that I hid in my boots and upon inspection anyone with half a brain will see this. The arresting police were merely doing their job and not using their own judgement as to what kind of weapon this was. To them this was a "gun" which could possibly shoot a bullet no matter what it undertook to do it and just mindlessly go ahead and arrest me as if I had a 45 caliber fully loaded gun with the ability of creating mass havoc. I pray that my lawyer can get this charge dropped, wish me luck.

[Libertaurum]

I've owned an antique revolutionary war vintage derringer for many years, which is black powder and maybe about 22 caliber.( I have never fired this). I recently flew back to SC for a visit. On the return trip I packed up some things that I could use, one of which was a new pair of workboots still in the original box that was sitting in my closet. About 17 months prior to leaving SC I put away various things of value that I had displayed in my room. I took that antique derringer and put it into one of those new boots. Forgetting completely about where I had placed that derringer I packed those boots in the box into my suitcase. Well I had a 5:40 AM flight out of Savannah GA. I arrived at the TSA safety check and put my bag on the scanner line. I am then informed that my bag needs to be searched. They find that old derringer much to my surprise and lo and behold I am under arrest and taken from the airport in handcuffs to be booked at Chatam county jail. As far as the police are concerned that antique gun is a gun and even though I have no black powder or lead balls with the gun it is a weapon nontheless. I will be charged with the same crime as if I had a fully loaded semi-automatic 45 in that boot! So after two hours in a concrete cubicle, mind you I have never been arrested before, I was able to post a cash bond for $2500. I then found an attorney and he will defend me for another $2500 when my court date arrives. So thats my story....:thumpdown:

Wow, that blows! Sorry to hear it. One of those few occasions when we come nose to nose with the power of the State to eliminate our individual rights; never a pleasant experience.

I hope it all works out and that it won't be a problem in the future. All the best.

[Gold Dog]

If the Judge is anti-gun he will likley be PO'd that you misplaced a firearm. It may be to your advantage to have your lawyer point out that for an accident to happen with your gun some one would have to first make a bullet and then procure some black powder and wadding. It wasn't like a child could of come across it and fired it.

You did not commit a crime, you made a mistake....yes, a serious one but it was guiless.

If they find you guilty start ululating and yelling "Death to the great Satan" and you can get your appeal moved to New York City, great food and shows!

[wallew]

STOP WITH THE 'HID IN MY BOOT' statements.

You should INSTEAD stick with 'I have NO IDEA' how my REVOLUTIONARY WAR COLLECTORS PIECE THAT HASN'T BEEN LOADED OR FIRED IN OVER 200 YEARS GOT INTO MY BOOT.

Offer to willingly to GIVE UP said firearm so they can 'display it' as the TSA doing their job.

THAT might get you out of any court cases. YOU WILL have to pay your attorney. And I would not be surprised that you would have to pay for 'court costs'. Hey, you made a 'mistake'. WE ALL MAKE THEM.

MAN UP. Be willing to 'suffer the consequences' of said mistake. Like giving up your derringer and of course a TON of FRN's. If that's all it costs you, consider it a lesson well learned and DON'T do it again.

And people wonder WHY I DON'T FLY.

This is a perfect example. Though I have considered the 'federal concealed carry permit' that you have to have your senator write you a letter for before even being considered and you better have a damn good reason to travel with a firearm. But why? It's easier to just NOT travel by air. There are a LOT of other methods. Just stop interacting with the Feds or their minions just to travel.