# The guy in front of me at airport security this morning had an AK47 in his carry on. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 20, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895 "2011-09-20T01:49:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/21 "2011-09-20T09:43:08Z")
Oh, so now it’s _I’m sick of this motherfucking paperwork to get on this motherfucking plane!_ ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/22 "2011-09-20T09:50:25Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > ‘I don’t need attention on me like this, and now look what’s happening.’ Damn, that reminds me of another poster, and another thread. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/23 "2011-09-20T11:04:08Z")
Airplane security aside, if he had it in a bag, without it being clearly marked as a firearm, then he’s carrying concealed, which is a criminal offence in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/24 "2011-09-20T11:05:39Z")
is it at all possible that the gentleman had the proper paperwork to have the item checked, but being an infrequent flier didn’t realize that happened before the gate? (meaning, he was clueless as to actual procedures). From the ‘sounds’ of it - I don’t think he was trying to smuggle a weapon on board - and if he was - he’s like the worst smuggler ever. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/25 "2011-09-20T12:16:48Z")
> [@simster](#): > > is it at all possible that the gentleman had the proper paperwork to have the item checked, but being an infrequent flier didn’t realize that happened before the gate? (meaning, he was clueless as to actual procedures). > > From the ‘sounds’ of it - I don’t think he was trying to smuggle a weapon on board - and if he was - he’s like the worst smuggler ever. I’m leaning towards this, or maybe it was a replica, as mentioned. Although his anger at having attention drawn to him was odd. I was starting to wonder if it wasn’t an AK47 (my only confirmation of this is that’s what one of the security guys called it), but seeing the links, it doesn’t matter what it was. It was clearly a semi-automatic or automatic of some sort (it definitely wasn’t a hand gun). ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/26 "2011-09-20T12:18:09Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > One or the other, obviously. (That is, either lying or insane. Or possibly both.) I’ve been looking at various Calgary news sources to see if they have the story, but I’ve seen nothing yet. I’ve been looking too, but I won’t be surprised if it’s not there. My husband has told me plenty of stories from the job that sound news worthy to me, but I never see anything. Guess they can’t be everywhere at once, though I thought the airport would have used this as a good news story. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/27 "2011-09-20T12:28:02Z")
A friend of mine was once going to fly somewhere together with someone she had never met before. At the security check the travel companion kept making the metal detector go BEEP! and eventually the security officer asked her if she was really sure that she didn’t have any coins or something in her pocket. “Of course not”, she replied, “that’s my dagger”. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/28 "2011-09-20T12:58:36Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > A friend of mine was once going to fly somewhere together with someone she had never met before. At the security check the travel companion kept making the metal detector go BEEP! and eventually the security officer asked her if she was really sure that she didn’t have any coins or something in her pocket. “Of course not”, she replied, “that’s my dagger”. Jokes like that really go over well these days. I hope they detained her for a while. I spent a summer mid-nineties working a security checkpoint as MSP. Amazing how often some idiot thought it would be funny to say that he had a bomb on him. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/29 "2011-09-20T12:59:52Z")
It may not have actually been an AK47. Airport security uses the same firearms identification charts as [journalists](http://kingshamus.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/official.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/30 "2011-09-20T13:15:15Z")
I don’t actually understand people who do stuff like this and then get irritated. myself, I would be super helpful and nice, because they have the ability to make sure you never get onto that plane. And I’d damn well be sure that I followed all of the rules! ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/31 "2011-09-20T13:16:06Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Jokes like that really go over well these days. I hope they detained her for a while. It was no joke and, might I add, this happened long before 9/11. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/32 "2011-09-20T13:35:52Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > It may not have actually been an AK47. Airport security uses the same firearms identification charts as [journalists](http://kingshamus.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/official.jpg). Thanks for that. Now I can go to work with a stupid grin on my face all day long. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/33 "2011-09-20T13:45:04Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > But with the right “paperwork,” somebody can carry an AK-motherfucking-57 onto a plane? Is that the one with the banana clip? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/34 "2011-09-20T13:49:17Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Is that the one with the banana clip? No, that’s the one with the potato clip. It’s made entirely of ceramic like the Glock 7. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/35 "2011-09-20T13:49:22Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > It was no joke and, might I add, this happened long before 9/11. Well then she is a bigger idiot for trying to bring a freakin’ dagger through airport security. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/36 "2011-09-20T13:50:24Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > … I thought the airport would have used this as a good news story. Or CATSA would use it as good PR: “Look, we’re actually useful for something other than irritating you!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/37 "2011-09-20T14:02:03Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Is that the one with the banana clip? It’s got bayonet lug nuts and the shoulder thing that goes up. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/38 "2011-09-20T14:08:24Z")
I don’t want to derail the thread, but it is sort of related… Ok so obviously no one is going to be carrying on a fully assembled AK-47, regardless of what kind of paperwork they have. But I’ve heard/read about guns that can be dissassembled into many different parts, some (or most?) of them aren’t even metal. Say you had 4 different people who wanted to get a gun through security. Would it be possible for them to break the gun up into all the little pieces between their different carry-on luggage, and get it through? Or would at least one of the pieces be so recognizeable as a piece of a gun that it would never make it through. Also, could someone sneak a few bullets up through their rear end and lie and say they have a metal plate inside them that is causing the problem? My dad always fails metal detectors because of some big screws he has in his lower back. I am NOT planning anything of course, just wondering if it would be possible. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/39 "2011-09-20T14:11:29Z")
The slide is going to be the giveaway. Even if the rest of the gun is polymer, the slide will be made of metal. The polymers show up on a scan. They just don’t ping the metal detector. So the frame would be easily seen as well. Ditto the magazine. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895/40 "2011-09-20T14:15:43Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The slide is going to be the giveaway. Even if the rest of the gun is polymer, the slide will be made of metal. The polymers show up on a scan. They just don’t ping the metal detector. So the frame would be easily seen as well. Ditto the magazine. Could you hide these things inside your body (if you know what I mean), like the ammo? And then lie and say it’s a metal bolt/plate in your lower back? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-guy-in-front-of-me-at-airport-security-this-morning-had-an-ak47-in-his-carry-on/596895.md?page=3)