What do I do to get my Gun and gear on a plane ?

[plumbs7]

Hi Need some help? Say if I wanted to go and fly to Townsville in May with my rifle and 15 odd kg of gear . How and whom do I have to talk to? As I have absolutely no idea ! Who's the best to fly with ?

Also do u have to lossen ur action in the stock to avoid it breaking the bedding when flying in the cargo bay at 35 000 feet etc?

Thanks Graham.

[AlanF]

http://www.qantas.com.au/dangerousgoods/qantas-ammunition-and-or-firearms-procedures.pdf

You can get more info and apply for approval to carry 5Kg of live ammo by e-mailing dg@qantas.com.au

Not sure about the bedding question, but freight gets very cold in an aircraft.

[plumbs7]

Thanks Allan!

[mike H]

Hi Need some help? Say if I wanted to go and fly to Townsville in May with my rifle and 15 odd kg of gear . How and whom do I have to talk to? As I have absolutely no idea ! Who's the best to fly with ?

Also do u have to lossen ur action in the stock to avoid it breaking the bedding when flying in the cargo bay at 35 000 feet etc?

Thanks Graham.

Qantas,separate the barrelled action from the stock,less leverage to bend something,I also remove the trigger and telescope .Check Qantas online,all you need to know is there.
Mike.

[ecomeat]

Graham,
My rifle bedding is a "glue in", as is commonly done by Phil Jones
I flew mine up to Townsville last year, and also flew it BACK from Tasmania after Jenni H kindly took it over by road for the National Teams, and didn't have any issues.
As mine was pushing 3 years old coming up to Tasmania, I did get ol' Redback to re-do the glue job, as apparently lots of Benchresters have to do an emergency repair with 5 minute araldite after flying at 35,000 feet. The strong rumour is that glue jobs "should be good for at least 3 years", but I wasn't game to risk it.
Plenty of horror stories re traveling firearms with Virgin, but I was amazed at how easy it was with Qantas/Jetstar after filling in the paperwork that Alan has pointed you towards. The Dangerous Goods section at Qantas will send you an approval notice that will last you until the end of the year.
Take a couple of spare copies, so you can leave them a copy at each check in to staple to your paperwork and they will appreciate it.
As part of the process, you have to decalre that your ammunition is safely packed in "suitable containers"..... ie MTM ammo boxes. When I was flying home after NQRA Queens last year, apparently a suitcase belonging to a traveling companion of Tim Berry , on a flight an hour or so before me, had a suitcase fall off a luggage trolley on the Tarmac as it went to the plane, which split open when it hit, and live ammo went ......quote......"all over the Tarmac". The owner was clearly found out to be untruthful re the packaging of said ammo, and according to the Jetstar check in blokes, the airport wanted to hang him !
Have both your gun case AND the suitcase carrying your ammo already locked when you roll up. I was expecting to have to let them see the ammo, and didn't have a lock for that suitcase.....so I had to drag everything with me to buy a little lock from a luggage shop before I could actually check in
Book with Qantas or Jetstar and it won't be a drama.

[ecomeat]

Graham,
The 15 kg of gear : find someone driving up and be VERY! VERY nice to them

[plumbs7]

Thanks heaps . Very helpful. If I can convince the chief RO to combine the trip visiting some relations it may happen. I've made a commitment to shoot Ftr. So no heavy front rest !

I'd love to go to every Queens around the Country , but it's tuff running a business , family etc.
I haven't found anyone that will pay me $200 000 pa plus bullets ,
Guns etc to do it professionally ! Lol! It would be nice hey! It just goes to show that we are defiantly not doing it for the money or the fame !

Again thanks G

[Tim N]

Hi Graham,
I have flown a few times with rifles and as mentioned it is surprisingly easy to do.
One thing to do is pre pay for extra baggage, I normally get 20kg more which is a small charge compared to paying on the day, from memory it was $20 or $40 more for the 20kg or $15/kg if you didn't pre pay.
If someone will take the heavy stuff by road, even better.

[bsouthernau]

It's also a good idea to have a printout of the Qantas baggage policy regarding firearms. Check-in staff are often unaware that the rifle case doesn't necessarily count as an extra item of baggage as long as you're inside the overall weight limit.

Barry

[plumbs7]

Getting of topic ! But I think glue in action would be the most at risk of flying because of the -35 deg c temps ? As this is how u get a glued in action to let go to get the action away from the stock?

[Cameron Mc]

Graham, we flew to the US and back with 2 x glue ins without any problems.
I don't feel the problem is temperature but a sudden change in pressure.
I am sure the luggage is not exposed to -35

My thoughts
Cam

[ShaneG]

Hi Graham
If we can help with anything from our end let us know if you can make it happen?
Even if you wanted to camp on the range we could organise a camp etc? I am sure!
If you can't coordinate with someone driving for extra gear you could send some gear to us?
DG is difficult but not impossible.
Shane

[Cameron Mc]

Shane put Graham next to Marty and Steve, he will never forget the experience.

Cam

[plumbs7]

Thanks for that information Cam ( aka " The Master" lol!) . I'm still very much learning

Shane ur hospitality is making it very temping ! If it does happen the Nats may have to be put aside this year! Would be exciting shooting Ftr as I haven't shot of a bipod in donkys . Will be sticking with 155's . Regards Graham.

[ShaneG]

Hey Cam
Why don't you and Julie come up for a true FNQ "experience"?
What you have not yet experienced is a Marty and Steve BBQ / stew in the dark when they don't know what they have put in same or how long it has been cooking? And you just feed out of the camp oven utensils not necessary! Very primal!
That aside Graham you would not need to share a tent with my world renown Cairns Rifle team mates!
The counselling required afterwards could take years so no matter what amount of respect you have for Cam I would suggest you ask Julie for a true situation report!
One thing I can say is that there will be cold beer and good wine plus the company!

Finally - 155 Hybrids were what I used in the 2013 NRAA Queens for the first F/TR in Australia.
A wind reader with an accurate load will always be competitive!
I still prefer to shoot a fast 155 load over anything else personally just because of the recoil impulse.
Shane