Does TSA keep your gun?

There are vast amounts of weapons seized in airports each year. These confiscated weapons, such as loaded firearms, unlicensed guns, and dangerous weapons, are usually destroyed, kept as prosecution's evidence, auctioned on eBay, or sold at a state surplus warehouse store.



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There are vast amounts of weapons seized in airports each year. These confiscated weapons, such as loaded firearms, unlicensed guns, and dangerous weapons, are usually destroyed, kept as prosecution's evidence, auctioned on eBay, or sold at a state surplus warehouse store.

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As of June 30, 2023, TSA stopped about eight firearms per million passengers. During the first half of calendar year 2022, TSA prevented 8.5 firearms per million passengers. During the second quarter of 2023, TSOs stopped 1,744 firearms at airport checkpoints of which more than 92% of those firearms were loaded.

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According to TSA, agents find one firearm for roughly every 116,394 passengers screened at security checkpoints.

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Which airports seized the most guns in 2022?
  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) - 448.
  • Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) - 385.
  • Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) - 298.
  • Nashville International Airport (BNA) - 213.
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) - 196.


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So what are the odds that a TSA employee will steal something from your bag? In the last decade, fewer than 500 out of the TSA's 150,000 employees have been arrested on suspicion of theft, Melendez said. That's about 0.3 % -- a pretty small number, though I suppose some might argue that it should be closer to zero.

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Lost and found items retained by TSA for a minimum of thirty (30) days, and if not claimed, are either destroyed, turned over to a state agency for surplus property, or sold by TSA as excess property. The state may dispose of the items through sales, destruction, donations or charities.

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Lock your gun case before you and the counter agent take it to be checked by TSA. Stay in the immediate area. If TSA needs the case opened for some reason or has questions, you must be present. At most airports you can stand in an area that provides you with a visual of the space where TSA checks special baggage.

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As a result, prohibited items may result in both a TSA civil enforcement action and a criminal enforcement action. Before leaving home, remember to check your baggage to ensure you are not carrying any prohibited items to avoid a possible arrest and/or civil penalties.

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In the United States, there is no limit to the number of firearms that a passenger can transport in checked baggage on a commercial flight. However, each firearm must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container that is specifically designed for transporting firearms.

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This is fundamental: your traveling gun case has to be securely locked with a key or code. From the point of view of the TSA, there are no specifically TSA approved cases - only cases that meet their requirements of security.

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As of December 16, TSA has stopped 6,301 firearms, 88% of which were loaded. This number surpasses the previous record of 5,972 firearms detected in 2021. TSA prevented more than 6,500 firearms in carry-on bags from entering the secure area of airports in 2022, a nearly 10% increase over 2021's record level.

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