May 24, 2022Air Travel with Firearms — Smart advice by Stan PateSavageArms offers a series Shooting Tips in their Savage Blog. This article is by Stan Pate, Team Savage Shooter. This article will help you ship your firearm safely and how to re-establish the zero when it is reassembled after transport. It is important to follow multiple regulations, then you can trust your expensive guns with airline baggage handlers. After you arrive, you will need to put your rifles together again and verify the zeros. Stan Pate, Team Savage shooter, offers useful travel advice in this article. Pate has competed with match rifles around the world. Here are his tips to make your trip easier for you and your firearms. Easy Air Travel with Firearms
TSA is not as careful as you are with your rifles. Proper storage is crucial before your firearm is loaded onto a conveyer belt and taken to the plane. Stan Pate spends a lot of time traveling the skies each year and has developed a system to keep his rifle safe. Pate warns that you should never take your firearm with you on the road. A fully assembled firearm is heavier than one that has been disassembled and stored. A firearm that is heavier can cause more movement in the case, which can lead to damage. This was something I had to learn years ago. My rifle actually broke in half while I was traveling to an international competition. You should record your torque settings and use them during reassembly. Your return to zero should not be a problem. Pate says, “Be sure to review the current TSA rules before you travel to ensure that you are aware of any changes to how your rifles are packed.”
You can relax and forget about worrying about whether your rounds will hit the mark in competition if you can get your zero back as quickly as possible. Pate has developed a system that allows you to quickly reassemble your rifle and get back to zero. Although his torque settings may differ from yours, it is still possible to use the process. Pate says, “The barreled action goes back on the stock and then I tighten each of the three receiver screws finger tight.” “Then, I tighten down the front two receiver screws to 35-inch pounds. This rifle’s rear receiver screws are 15-inch in weight. [Note: The correct torque settings will depend on the type of action and stock. Most actions have two screws and not three. Scope attachment is next. I follow the manufacturer settings when tightening it. Now, zero your rifle. Similar Posts
