Apple Air Tags
 

Does anybody have any experience with Apple Air Tags? I am thinking about including one on each gun that I ship along with a post paid envelope to ship it back to me once the gun reaches its destination, or to include it with the gun if it is being returned after repairs. It appears, on paper, to be a reasonable way to know where your gun is during the shipping process.

They are absolutely awesome, for both luggage and guns cases.

I have used them on my keychains for two or three years and have noticed one thing that may, or may not, be a concern for you using them when shipping a gun. That is, they "chirp", from time to time. I mean, they emit an audible chirp that I can hear easily while driving my truck with an air tag in the truck with me. Whether or not a crook could hear it inside a package I don't know. But, I have wondered if it were heard by a ne'r-do-well, inside a package, it might trigger the person to greater suspect that a gun is inside. I believe it's already common knowledge amongst thieves that the air tags make this sound.

Apple Air Tags
 

That's a heck of an idea. I've never heard of them (I don't get out much).
I see where they're only about $7.50 each for a four pack on Amazon. Cheap way to track your stuff.

Evidently it can be turned off and still track.

The speaker can be removed without altering the tracking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bozWzHQdVs

Do you need an Apple phone to use them?

Yes, you need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod.

Your Cricket phone won't work. :rotf:

I do it all the time. They are not perfect but worth it.

J

Thanks, Dr Bob. that was very helpful!

With an Android platform I have used "Tile Trackers" for 2 years or so and have been quite pleased. Never used them for shipping a gun but I get it. It is comforting to know that when you are headed to baggage collections that your gun is nearby and made the trip, same for departure, comforting to know it or they got loaded.

I'm traveling to AK to hunt sea ducks next week and I put one in my gun case so I can track it if needed. We will see how it works.

I may be miss reading it, but I think the devices used to hold the air tags are around $7, but the actual device is around $27 ?

That is about what I paid on Amazon last week...

Has anyone used them to tag their dogs?

I just ordered a set for the purpose of tagging my dogs and shipping guns. The problem with the dog tags are that the tags have to be close to an i-device to be detected. If the dog got lost in an urban or sub-urban area it could probably be detected. Thats my current concern. If its out in the field, miles from nowhere, it would not be detected until you were close with your i-device.

Recently friend shot in the King's Cup at Somontes in Madrid, Spain, he has utilized the air-tags for years. His flight got cancelled out of Paris and he became separated from his firearms. Because of the air-tags he was able constantly track the guns and united with them 24 hours later in Dallas. He travels to Europe at least twice a year for Pigeon and Helice shots so these are expensive custom built firearms and swears by the air-tags.

Maybe good for tracking your teenager(s)? Or a girlfriend of wife? A guy in our neighborhood traced his new Caddy to a neighbor's garage using On-star.

Two marriages ended by On-star.

Good info but, could you tell us how far away the tags can be detected by a device and, is this true of Apple's tags as well as the Android based Tile Trackers?

Given that these devices work on Bluetooth, they have to be fairly close for detection. That can be up to 100 yards if in line of sight. Obstacles of any sort reduce the range. Because there are hundreds of million detection devices out there they work well in an urban environment like airports. The usefulness out in the field is very limited unless your field is crowded with iPhone carrying hunters.

If the tracker is in a gun case, isn't it reasonable to assume that it will normally be within 100 yards or so of a Bluetooth device?

The thing is it works with any iPhone in the vicinity as long as the phones bluetooth is turned on.So many unknowing iphone users help with the tracking.when the signal is picked up the app uses the info(location) and transmits it to the end user tracking the luggage.Crooks could defeat if they found or knew the tag was there but the unwitting iPhone users are the true advantage.
I think this is correct???

My experiment with the Apple Airtag went well. I sent a gun from Fort Myers, FL to Durham, NC. I could see where it was in real time the whole journey, including what route the USPS truck took north and where it stopped. I shipped it in a small padded envelope with my return address and it was just dumped in the mail and I could follow it home since the gun will be picked up at a show in the future.
If nothing else it will tell you very quickly if the package is off track. I would assume a better rate of recovery if it is known to be off track right away rather than waiting 3 weeks to report it missing. Shipping guns will never be ideal, but this might help a bit.

Do you ever shoot at Gulf Coast Clays? Nice track