84 Guns Recently Found By the TSA in Carry-On Bags

A look at the handguns seized by TSA the week of May 21 through 27.

tsa airport guns edged weapons — TSA also seized these edged weapons.

tsa airport guns swords canes — Cane swords seized by TSA the week of May 21 through 27.

Never let it be said that the TSA isn’t busy. Every week, the agency—which falls under the Department of Homeland Security—puts up a blog post running down the list of firearms found in carry-on bags. In its most recent roundup, the TSA says it found 84 guns in carry-ons for the week of May 21 through 27.

TSA Seizes Guns

Of the 84 firearms discovered, 70 were loaded and 31 had a round chambered. Breaking it down even further, Glock and Ruger tied for the most number of handguns seized, with 13 each. Smith & Wesson came in second place with nine models taken by TSA agents. Coming in at number three is Taurus, with six handguns removed from carry-ons. There were also various Colt, Sig Sauer, Heckler & Koch, Kimber, Springfield, Bersa, Kel-Tec, Beretta, and North American Arms guns taken.

In terms of calibers, 9mm clearly leads the way here, with 25 guns chambered in the round. The second most common caliber of seized guns is .380 ACP; 20 guns were chambered in that cartridge. Meanwhile, they found nine .22 guns; seven guns were chambered in .40 S&W; six guns were chambered in .45 ACP; and five guns were in .38. There were also guns in .357, .25 ACP, and .32 ACP.

The 84 guns found from May 21 through 21 pales in comparison to the week before, when a whopping 101 guns were discovered in carry-on luggage at various airports throughout the country. In that week, 9mm and .380 ACP were the most common cartridges, while Smith & Wesson was the most common manufacturer at 19; Glock came in a close second at 17.

See the entire list below.

Transporting Firearms & Ammunition

Not that we need to remind regular readers of this site, but here are the TSA’s rules for transporting firearms and ammunition:

You may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted. Be aware that the container the firearm was in when purchased may not adequately secure the firearm when it is transported in checked baggage.