What do people recommend for transport of a suppressor for travel that involves flying distances?

Checked baggage ? (technically its a "firearm", right? per the paperwork anyway) so I assume it needs to conform to the rules for that. Not wild about risking it being stolen this way though. Doubt I could carry it on flight legally right even though its just a tube.

Mailing it? Also some risk of theft I suppose. If recommending, what carrier?

Other?

It's a firearm according to the NFA - if you're flying, you have to declare it and lock it in your checked bag just like a handgun.

ETA:  I thought that you can also mail it to yourself via registered mail, as it's not a handgun, but apparently I was wrong.

This.

USPS isn't supposed to accept it, since it's "concealable" per their regs.
You could ship it UPS but they won't honor insurance unless an FFL with one of their special firearms agreements generates the shipping label.

I lock my locked hard case to my internal structure of my suitcase.

If it has a pull type handle, as most do these days, you can access the inner structure. Take one of those cable locks you get with every new pistol and lock the case to that so it can't be removed from your baggage.

Makes it easy.  

If you want to commit a felony, sure.

And if your flight is diverted to commie state and you are given your bags, do not even think of re-checking them. Get a rental car and get to safe harbor, then re-book.

I have flown with suppressors on many occasions and thankfully have never had an issue.

You will need to treat the suppressor like any other firearm, which means you can't bring it as a carry on item.  

When I have checked suppressors in the past its always with a host gun as well.  So the suppressor, the host gun, etc. is all locked in a TSA approved case.  You will need to declare it and fill out the card with your information and certify that it is unloaded, and then depending upon the airport  you may or may not need to take it to a special TSA screening station to complete the check in process.  Some airports its super easy to check firearms and other airports (looking at you Denver) its a huge time consuming pain in the ass so plan on at least an extra 30 minutes before your flight unless you know the firearm check in procedures at that airport.

A couple of other suggestions for when flying with firearms.

- Make sure the locked case has your name, address, and phone number permanently affixed to the outside of the case so if it ever gets lost its obvious whose case it is.  (i have a laminated card glued and taped to the exterior of the case)
- Since you are not supposed to use (not that you would want to) use TSA locks.  In the event that TSA decides they need into your case for some reason they will cut the locks.  I always put spare locks inside the case with a note to TSA that if you cut the locks to please use these spare provided locks to re-secure the case.
- I also always add a tracker of some sort to the case so if it gets lost I have the ability to at least track where the case is.  
- If it is a small enough handgun style case that goes inside your larger suitcase you can cable lock the small case to the frame of the larger suitcase.
- If it is a bigger rifle case, make sure that its under the baggage dimension limits for the airline. (unless you want to pay a hefty over-sized baggage fee)

I personally wouldn't try and ship guns to myself. Not only are there no carrier options for anything considered "concealable" for non-FFLs anymore, but my personal track record with UPS and Fedex over the past couple years makes the airlines (and I can't believe I am saying this) but makes the airlines look "competent".  I have shipped ammo to myself on multiple occasions in the past (as you can only bring so much ammo on a plane) using Fedex or UPS and then set up the shipment for pickup at depot.  This was more prevalent during covid where buying ammo at the destination location wasn't really possible.  Nowadays I will usually just buy ammo when I arrive.

At the end of the day, don't fly with anything that isn't replaceable or you are not willing to lose as there is always risk you can't mitigate fully.  

Also as Renegade pointed out if your flight is diverted to a ban State do not try and re-check a suppressor or banned configuration firearm.  Either as he suggested,  covertly get your bags, rent a car, and drive to the final destination or an airport in free State.  The other option is just to leave your bags on the carousel with the goal that the airline eventually picks it up and returns your bag to your home or to your final destination based off the destination tag.

Thankfully I have never been mis-routed to a ban State with a firearm but there was a guy on this forum recently happened to where he was routed to a ban State with a firearm in a banned configuration and the airlines wanted him to take his bag.   He argued with the baggage agents and eventually got them to forward his bag to his destination.


Good luck with your trip.

Sorry for the mistake - fixed it.

Here's why.......USPS, for the purposes of mailing, defines any concealable firearm as a "handgun". Its not the same definition ATF uses.
This means frames, receivers, AR lowers, silencers and any other firearm not defined by USPS as a rifle or shotgun is only mailable by licensed dealers and manufacturers.

But the Hearing Protection Act will pass any day now.

Hard to steal during flight because the box it’s in has to be locked by you in front of the tsa agent and you take the key. Would be very obvious if someone cut the lock or luggage to gain access

How so?

-A silencer is a firearm
-A silencer is  capable of being concealed on the person, therefore classified as a "Handgun" by USPS.
-Any firearm classified as a handgun by USPS requires a Form 1508 "Statement of a Shipper of Firearms":


I don't see silencer buyers listed there.

Not true. Its says "Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person (for example, short-barreled shotguns and short-barreled rifles) are defined as handguns. The following definitions apply:"
It doesn't say ALL firearms capable of being concealed are handguns. Then it lists definitions, silencers aren't in those definitions. It says "Other firearms capable of being concealed on the person" but that's vague

Because that's for handguns

Again, for the 87th time, USPS clearly defines "Handgun" differently than ATF. Read the USPS definitions above.

Where do you think I got what I posted?

Certainly not from 431

431.1 Firearm
The following definitions apply:

Firearm means any device, including a starter gun, which will, or is designed to, or may readily be converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or any destructive device; but the term shall not include antique firearms (except antique firearms meeting the description of a handgun or of a firearm capable of being concealed on a person).
Firearm frame or receiver is the part of a firearm which provides housing for the hammer, bolt or breechblock, and firing mechanism, and which is usually threaded at its forward portion to receive the barrel. Frames and receivers usually (but not always) include the firearm serial number and are usually considered to be the regulated component of a firearm.

431.2 Handguns
Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person (for example, short-barreled shotguns and short-barreled rifles) are defined as handguns. The following definitions apply:
a. Handgun (including pistols and revolvers) means any firearm which has a short stock, and is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand and subject to 431.1, or a combination of parts from which a handgun can be assembled.
b. Other firearms capable of being concealed on the person include, but are not limited to, short-barreled shotguns and short-barreled rifles.
c. Short-barreled shotgun means a shotgun that has one or more barrels less than 18 inches long. The term short-barreled rifle means a rifle that has one or more barrels that are less than 16 inches long. These definitions include any weapon made from a shotgun or rifle, whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise, if such a weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches. A short-barreled shotgun or rifle of greater dimension may be regarded as nonmailable when it has characteristics to allow concealment on the person.

The parts I put in quotation marks are from 421.2, verbatim

421 has nothing to do with firearms.

USPS firearms regulations begin with 431.1 Definitions.
You claimed  "it lists definitions, silencers aren't in those definitions..."  clearly that isn't true.

Fat fingers, meant 431.2