I got a silly work-related toy - a NERF dart shooter that has a chamber that shoots six NERF darts without reloading. Here’s a similar looking one.
Since I’m only in the office for a few days, I only have a carry on bag with me. Should I tell TSA that it’s in there before I put my bag through? Or should I just not worry about it until they scan? I hesitate to say “I have a toy gun” and have it misconstrued, but I also don’t want to nonchalantly put my bag in there w/o saying anything and have them freak out.
TSA’s website helpfully says toy guns in carry on luggage is OK if it doesn’t look like a realistic replica. Of course, I’m not sure how “realistic” they’ll think it looks.
Has anyone tried to carry on a toy NERF gun like this?
Just from looking at the pic I think you risk having the toy confiscated. These TSA people are probably going to err on the side of caution and something like that looks like it could easily be modified into something dangerous. If you really want to take it w/ you you might be smart in shipping it via UPS, or Fedex, rather than take the risk of losing it.
I don’t know if this is helpful or not, but here’s a story for ya.
I packed a paintball marker in my checked luggage.A friend was meeting me at the airport to give me a ride. He wasn’t at the gate when I got there (this was pre 9/11, you didn’t have to have a plane ticket to get through security and it was normal for friends to meet at the gate), so I continued to baggage claim to get my luggage.
I still couldn’t find my friend, so I went back up to the security checkpoint with my suitcase. I asked the security guard if I could go back to the gate to check for my friend, she said I would have to put muy suitcase through the xray machine.
As soon as it went through, she freaked out and called more security. Two more guys showed up imediately and opened my suitcase. And remember, this was pre 9/11, so I’m guessing it would be much worse today.
Now I can see how a paintball marker could be dangerous on a plane. Those paintballs do hurt. But, if you put anything through the X-ray machine that is remotely gun looking, they will see it and likely freak out a bit.
I guess cornflakes has the answer, but my guess would be that if you did declare it, they’d say “uh, OK, whatever” :rolleyes: and treat you like you’re an idiot for declaring it. But if you didn’t declare it, and they found it, they’d make a huge stink about you not declaring it.
From my flying experiences, the Big City TSA dudes interpret the rules as they see fit. Specifically, the rules on removing electronic items from carry on baggage. Not all items must be removed, but this dude in Philly wanted everything out in the open. It was a pain, but go argue with him, right? Even if I could cite the TSA website verbatim, I knew the rules at that moment were whatever HE said the rules were.
A few years back when i went to bail a few people i was there with brought some BB Guns, now they look realistic. But they just taped them to the side of a hair dry and they got away with it. No one picked up that they had anything.
Yeah, that’s what I was going to suggest - they’d probably regard it in the same light as verbal jokes about bombs so put it in a box and mail it to yourself. Don’t take chances, it’s not worth it.
