If your not leaving the country it should not be a hassle. Take your firearm to the check in, in a hard lockable case.
They will have you open it to check that it is not loaded and then they will tag it as unloaded. Lock it up and give it to them and your all set.
I put my name, address and phone on my case in case it is lost.
I use an aluminum double rifle case so that it does not draw any unwanted attention and it can't be crushed.
I did lose my rifle or so I thought at the Missoula airport for an hour. I checked it in at Denver and when I arrived at the Missoula baggage claim, I watched all the luggage go round and round for an hour. My rifle never came out. I got ahold of security and there it sat on the cart on the runway outside of the plane.