Thread: Comercial flights with Black Powder ?

Got into a huge drama with a cop at Auckland Airport when I was returning to Oz with my PH Muzzle Loader. He kept saying to me over and over, voice getting loader, so that people in the vicinity could hear, "break the weapon so that I can confirm it is not loaded". I tried to explain to him it was a muzzle loader and that wasn't how they worked. He wouldn't have a bit of it. To make things worse there was an Oz there at the same time waiting for his Ruger #1 to be checked. He chimed in with "ya can't break it mate, it's a muzzle loader" which only made the situation worse. The cop continued to back himself into a corner until saved by a colleague who was gun savvy.

You maybe could demonstrate by measuring off the ramrod on the outside and then putting it down the bore showing them that it goes right to the plug, but I doubt they would understand then.
Or you could put your mouth over the muzzle and blow out thru the nipple. That act should get you carted away pronto.

I travelled backwards and forwards several times between Oz with firearms and that was the only time I was hassled.
The time I finally returned I had 3 rifles and a shotgun with me. Man I got super quick passage thru my own lane with no interest at all shown in my other baggage.

On the subject of ammo etc on a plane, doesn't the flight captain have an overriding say whether it gets carried. One of our airline pilots on the forum may be able to answer that.