Early 80s, I flew from Colorado to NYC with a declared gun in my baggage with no problem except the baggage got sent to Boston by mistake
Airline paid for some necessaries such as underwear and socks and a toothbrush and I got a call that the bag had been found. I was staying with some nieces and the bag was delivered to the front door.
Gun was untouched and intact but my hard-core liberal New York neices were a bit frazzled over the fact that I had a gun in my luggage. Honestly, it was like they were afraid the gun would leap out of the luggage, load itself, aim itself at them, and shoot them all by its lonesome.
I soft-pedaled the gun stuff with them after that, but they still think I'm that crazy uncle from Colorado.
All true, I guess: uncle, crazy, and from Colorado.
Terry, 230RN