Airport "Puffer" Machines

[bear105]

Hey all...I'm new to this forum and wondering what everybody thinks of the "puffer" machines or explosive residue detection machines? Is this a concern for someone who shoots on occasion? Should I be concerned about wearing teh same clothes/shoes to the range and to the airport?

Also, has anyone been stopped because they set off one of these machines? If so, what was your experience?

 

[K31]

I would think that simply walking in grass that had recently been fertilized would put more detectible compounds on your clothing than a day at the range.

I don't know what the concern would be though if you in fact aren't carrying anything. The worse they could do is give your luggage another going over, xray your shoes again and possibly a body search.

I'd be more concerned about accidently leaving a round in my pocket.

 

[novus collectus]

Hey all...I'm new to this forum and wondering what everybody thinks of the "puffer" machines or explosive residue detection machines? Is this a concern for someone who shoots on occasion? Should I be concerned about wearing teh same clothes/shoes to the range and to the airport?

Also, has anyone been stopped because they set off one of these machines? If so, what was your experience?

I wondered that too. I even thought about playing a practical joke on a friend and rubbing some powder on the outside of their luggage, but I thought better of it.
Shooting milsurp ammo and sometimes taking them apart, I was also worried about double base powder residue like cordite in some .303 Enfield setting it off because it contains nitroglycerine. I also worried about some milsurp ammo's primers containing a mixture with high explosives I think.
But since they did not have them in Dulles airport last year when I flew to Europe and they took them out of New Carrolton Amtrack station where they were testing them a few years ago, I have never gone through a puffer.

By the way, welcome to the board

 

[Spot77]

In January, I used my Browning range bag as my carry-on bag on a flight to Nashville.

Nobody ever said a word, despite the fact that i's had 300 rounds of ammo in the bag two days before.

And the bag had been sitting on the floor when I was at the range.....had to be some kind of residue on it.