Taking dies through airport security

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Astute Observer

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So I'm traveling with only carry on luggage, and transporting a set of 4 reloading dies. Accordingly, I had to bring then through airport security.

Of course to the x-ray machine they look just like pipe bombs.

I got through with no problem, because while lined up to go through the scanner (before the x-ray) I pulled them out of my carry on bag, opened up the case, and put them in a tray for easy visual inspection. The security screeners appreciated that and I got through with no delay.

Just figured I'd mention this anecdote here for other reloaders who may be traveling with dies for whatever reason.
 
Astute Observer said:
So I'm traveling with only carry on luggage, and transporting a set of 4 reloading dies. Accordingly, I had to bring then through airport security.

Of course to the x-ray machine they look just like pipe bombs.

I got through with no problem, because while lined up to go through the scanner (before the x-ray) I pulled them out of my carry on bag, opened up the case, and put them in a tray for easy visual inspection. The security screeners appreciated that and I got through with no delay.

Just figured I'd mention this anecdote here for other reloaders who may be traveling with dies for whatever reason.
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please don't say things like this, they do not look like pipe bombs on x-ray machines. they are hollow, there are no wires, no electronics, no batteries, etc. they look small, hollow metal tubes. it would take a terrible security screener to think it was a pipe bomb. on an xray machine, a can of shaving cream looks more like a bomb due to it having contents (but still missing the wires, electronics, and batteries).
 
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mustang979 said:
please don't say things like this, they do not look like pipe bombs on x-ray machines. they are hollow, there are no wires, no electronics, no batteries, etc. they look like thick, small metal tubes. it would take a terrible security screener to think it was a pipe bomb. on an xray machine, a can of shaving cream looks more like a bomb due to it having contents (but still missing the wires, electronics, and batteries).
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I think you could lighten up a bit. Most of us understood what the person was saying, and obviously no harm was done or intended.
 
yomomma said:
Ah the day I forgot about my multimeter and associated leads...
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..or the time they swabbed my laptop keys and got a positive result. When they asked me if I could explain it, I told them I'd been auditing an explosives storage magazine in Nigeria for the past week. The screeners were freaked out but the cop was cool. :)
 
jethunter said:
...no harm was done or intended.
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Thanks. I didn't say that in the airport.

Anyways, my rationale was that seeing threaded metal cylinders that show no internals on the x-ray could still have looked pretty suspicious. Airport screeners aren't exactly bomb experts, they're given a pretty thin training regimen (I used to date one, she told me all about it) and they're expected to err on the side of caution.
 
Astute Observer said:
Thanks. I didn't say that in the airport.

Anyways, my rationale was that seeing threaded metal cylinders that show no internals on the x-ray could still have looked pretty suspicious. Airport screeners aren't exactly bomb experts, they're given a pretty thin training regimen (I used to date one, she told me all about it) and they're expected to err on the side of caution.
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Yes they are not well trained, I had a TSA person freak out when I put a rifle case through X-ray at the oversize baggage in Calgary, because I had a handgun in it. She screamed at the top of her voice that there was a handgun in there, I said yes there is. She then proceeded to tell me I can't own a handgun, had to phone her supervisor to inform her I was perfectly legal.
 
jethunter said:
..or the time they swabbed my laptop keys and got a positive result. When they asked me if I could explain it, I told them I'd been auditing an explosives storage magazine in Nigeria for the past week. The screeners were freaked out but the cop was cool. :)
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I wear a arm brace and they swab it everytime I go through. Well after 100 rds of .454 the day before it had some residue on it and set off the scanner....I was 5 min from boarding and still made it. They really didn't make a big deal about it,didn't even have to take the brace off for them to check it out. Told them I was a target shooter and filled out a form and was on my way,no big deal.
 
caperaway said:
I wear a arm brace and they swab it everytime I go through. Well after 100 rds of .454 the day before it had some residue on it and set off the scanner....I was 5 min from boarding and still made it. They really didn't make a big deal about it,didn't even have to take the brace off for them to check it out. Told them I was a target shooter and filled out a form and was on my way,no big deal.
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Thats funny because I've been told by the CATSA screeners that gun powder doesn't show up on the swab test. I called BS on it but they insisted. Sometimes on a bad day I go through screening up to 15 times. I even tested them once. I had a bag with a few grains of a variety of different powders in it. 748, h1000, 4350, h380, and a few others. I rubbed it all over my hand as i drove up to the vehicle screening point. I had kernels of powder on my hands as she swabed them. Nothing.
 
I had a cylinder from a revolver left in my laptop bag awhile back. Thought for sure they would pull it out. Went through no problem, just a solid black mass on the screen. My mug full of M&Ms from vegas had a more interesting reaction.
 
yomomma said:
Ah the day I forgot about my multimeter and associated leads...
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A customer left me with an XP mass flow meter at Toronto airport.... they freaked out when they saw it in the box and asked me to open it...
I told them: it's explosion proof, not "explosion ready".. it was in the '90's.... Imagine today...
 
i took a rifle scope thru security, both toronto and vancouver. in BC they didn't even ask about it, in toronto, they simply asked what it was, I replied with telescope. Was on my way.
 
Try getting on a plane in Frankfort Germany with a big ass getto blaster. You will see how few friends you have to stand with when the 6'2" guys with SMG's and dog's single you out for secondary.
 
While I was going through military training a buddy I was traveling with to our next training phase used his issued day bag as carry on. (small army coloured backpack)

The guys in Toronto swabbed it for ballistics. Seeing as how 2 days prior we spent a week in the field with lots of shooting it tripped their sensor. They questioned for 40 minutes as to why he has ballistic residue on his army backpack.... He made flight with about 10 minutes to spare.

I took a 223 bullet key chain through security twice. In Edmonton no one even questioned it. Coming back through Toronto they freaked out and made a big deal about it. I told them its a key chain, there is a screw where the primer should be and I pulled the bullet out of the case to prove it was useless. I also told him it got through Edmonton with no issue. He gave me a pissed off glare and insisted I can't have it. So I gave it to him and moved along.

Some people...
 
jethunter said:
..or the time they swabbed my laptop keys and got a positive result. When they asked me if I could explain it, I told them I'd been auditing an explosives storage magazine in Nigeria for the past week. The screeners were freaked out but the cop was cool. :)
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Bwahahaha. Sometimes you just know it's going to be a long day at security.
 
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