DISCLAIMER: This information is for general advice always. Please contact local (where you're travelling from, and where you're travelling to) authorities to confirm these details as correct - links at the bottom for contact points. These are not global regulations, but do apply to the majority of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and much of Western Europe. - I will be posting this from the TSA's point of view, which, again, doesn't generally differ much from many countries.
This thread is a work in progress and pretty much always will be.
So, you want to visit a different country, maybe play a little paintball?
I know I have, and I've taken my paintball gear with me on numerous occasions.
Most airlines allow you to take a mixture of checked and carry-on luggage, but not everything is safe to take, and certainly not allowed in your hand luggage, and this is what my thread is aimed at helping with.
For reference, I live in the UK, I have lived in North Dakota (USA), and have travelled visa many airports, namely: Dickinson (DIK, ND), Denver (DEN, CO), Washington, (IAD, DC), Chicago (OHR, IL), New York (JFK, NY), Newark (EWR, NJ), Heathrow (LHR, UK), Luton (LTN, UK), Frankfurt (FRA, Germany).
Paintball Markers, or Paintball Guns.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: NO.
Disassemble: NOT NECESSARY - ADVISED FOR MIL-SIM.
Other: Paintball markers are NOT considered firearms under TSA regulations, and you may pack them into soft or hard cases. Obviously hard cases are advisable, or anything with a LOT of padding. (TSA Link.)
Air Sources.
High Pressure Air/Nitro Tanks.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: (Within or travelling from USA) YES. (Within or travelling from Europe) NO.
Disassemble: (Within or travelling from USA) YES. (Within or travelling from Europe) YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE ASKED TO HAVE IT REMOVED.
Other: Most regulators are NOT designed to be removed from the main body of the tank. Please contact a qualified airsmith to remove the regulator before travel, and to replace the regulator once you reach your destination. (TSA Link.)
However, there is ONE regulator designed for end-user (i.e. you, me and that other bloke) removal and replacement, which is the Smart Parts MaxFlo Micro (SP Link.)
Be advised that the SPMFM is a combined regulator and on/off ASA, supplied with a dovetail direct mount and straight mount which acts as a mini drop-forward.
Smart Parts have also designed a new regulator, which is dual-threaded with a quadruple redundancy system which I don't believe is strictly end-user marketed, but should be possible for anyone to remove and replace due to the fact that it does NOT use locktite or any other glue-type substance to keep it threaded in.
Carbon Dioxide Tanks.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: (Within or travelling from USA) YES. (Within or travelling from Europe) NO.
Disassemble: (Within or travelling from USA) YES. (Within or travelling from Europe) YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE ASKED TO HAVE IT REMOVED.
Other: Most regulators are NOT designed to be removed from the main body of the tank. Please contact a qualified airsmith to remove the regulator before travel, and to replace the regulator once you reach your destination. (TSA Link.)
Other Parts.
Barrels, Masks, Clothing.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: YES.
Disassemble: Umm...
Other: N/A
Hoppers/Loaders.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: YES.
Disassemble: YES - THE BATTERIES MUST BE REMOVED.
Other: N/A.
F.A.Q.
Q: Ask away!
A: This thread is open to comments, suggestions and all questions you might have, and the most asked will go here.
Contacts.
TSA (USA).
Phone: 1-866-289-9673. From within the UK, add 00 to the front.
E-Mail: TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov
Webform/E-Mail: https://contact.tsa.dhs.gov/DynaForm.aspx?FormID=60
Website: http://www.tsa.gov/index.shtm
External Travel Requirements.
Travelling INTO the United States of America.
You now are required to fill in an ESTA form to determine eligability to enter the country. These are typically valid for two years and can typically be used multiple times. This is likely to depend on your circumstances. This forum replaces the old I-94W paper forms that you filled in on the plane (and most people forgot to take a pen with them... ), which are the green coloured ones.
Reference Link: USCIS Visa Waiver Program Link.
Acknoledgements
Thanks go to...
Syd (NSPL) - Correcting me on European travel requirements for compressed air cylinders.
onasilverbike - Informing me of the new ESTA forms.
This thread is a work in progress and pretty much always will be.
So, you want to visit a different country, maybe play a little paintball?
I know I have, and I've taken my paintball gear with me on numerous occasions.
Most airlines allow you to take a mixture of checked and carry-on luggage, but not everything is safe to take, and certainly not allowed in your hand luggage, and this is what my thread is aimed at helping with.
For reference, I live in the UK, I have lived in North Dakota (USA), and have travelled visa many airports, namely: Dickinson (DIK, ND), Denver (DEN, CO), Washington, (IAD, DC), Chicago (OHR, IL), New York (JFK, NY), Newark (EWR, NJ), Heathrow (LHR, UK), Luton (LTN, UK), Frankfurt (FRA, Germany).
Paintball Markers, or Paintball Guns.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: NO.
Disassemble: NOT NECESSARY - ADVISED FOR MIL-SIM.
Other: Paintball markers are NOT considered firearms under TSA regulations, and you may pack them into soft or hard cases. Obviously hard cases are advisable, or anything with a LOT of padding. (TSA Link.)
Air Sources.
High Pressure Air/Nitro Tanks.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: (Within or travelling from USA) YES. (Within or travelling from Europe) NO.
Disassemble: (Within or travelling from USA) YES. (Within or travelling from Europe) YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE ASKED TO HAVE IT REMOVED.
Other: Most regulators are NOT designed to be removed from the main body of the tank. Please contact a qualified airsmith to remove the regulator before travel, and to replace the regulator once you reach your destination. (TSA Link.)
However, there is ONE regulator designed for end-user (i.e. you, me and that other bloke) removal and replacement, which is the Smart Parts MaxFlo Micro (SP Link.)
Be advised that the SPMFM is a combined regulator and on/off ASA, supplied with a dovetail direct mount and straight mount which acts as a mini drop-forward.
Smart Parts have also designed a new regulator, which is dual-threaded with a quadruple redundancy system which I don't believe is strictly end-user marketed, but should be possible for anyone to remove and replace due to the fact that it does NOT use locktite or any other glue-type substance to keep it threaded in.
Carbon Dioxide Tanks.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: (Within or travelling from USA) YES. (Within or travelling from Europe) NO.
Disassemble: (Within or travelling from USA) YES. (Within or travelling from Europe) YOU ARE LIKELY TO BE ASKED TO HAVE IT REMOVED.
Other: Most regulators are NOT designed to be removed from the main body of the tank. Please contact a qualified airsmith to remove the regulator before travel, and to replace the regulator once you reach your destination. (TSA Link.)
Other Parts.
Barrels, Masks, Clothing.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: YES.
Disassemble: Umm...
Other: N/A
Hoppers/Loaders.
Checked Luggage: YES.
Carry-on: YES.
Disassemble: YES - THE BATTERIES MUST BE REMOVED.
Other: N/A.
F.A.Q.
Q: Ask away!
A: This thread is open to comments, suggestions and all questions you might have, and the most asked will go here.
Contacts.
TSA (USA).
Phone: 1-866-289-9673. From within the UK, add 00 to the front.
E-Mail: TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov
Webform/E-Mail: https://contact.tsa.dhs.gov/DynaForm.aspx?FormID=60
Website: http://www.tsa.gov/index.shtm
External Travel Requirements.
Travelling INTO the United States of America.
You now are required to fill in an ESTA form to determine eligability to enter the country. These are typically valid for two years and can typically be used multiple times. This is likely to depend on your circumstances. This forum replaces the old I-94W paper forms that you filled in on the plane (and most people forgot to take a pen with them... ), which are the green coloured ones.
Reference Link: USCIS Visa Waiver Program Link.
Acknoledgements
Thanks go to...
Syd (NSPL) - Correcting me on European travel requirements for compressed air cylinders.
onasilverbike - Informing me of the new ESTA forms.
