When I traveled, I went a step further and used personal locks on the ENTIRE bag. I used a travel bag with a built in hard compartment on the bottom, and kept the trusty 92FS in there using the original box . Not one TSA lock was used, and I didn't get delayed or run into any problems.Originally Posted by TheTrevor
The Minority Marksman.
"When you meet a swordsman, draw your sword: Do not recite poetry to one who is not a poet."
-a Ch'an Buddhist axiom.
Just a couple of things to add:
1) Check the airline policy because some airlines require ammunition to be packed in a separate bag. I have a two-sided aluminum locked case that will work for Title 18 when travelling on the roads, but may not work with the airlines. I always pack my ammo with my regular luggage. They also have weight restrictions on ammo, although I have never had them pull the ammo out and weigh it. But if you have over 10 boxes they will probably notice.
2) You firearms bag should not look like anything other than a regular piece of luggage. I use a large sports bag and either use a GunVault MV500 with the gun and mags inside (no ammo), or I use the two-sided aluminum case with guns and mags and everything I can put in except ammo.
3) Everything else can go into checked baggage. or in the sports bag with the gun case...except ammo.
4) One thing to note: If you use snapcaps or dummy rounds for practicing, the Smurfs may consider it ammunition and require it be properly stowed in an ammo box, not in a baggie laying in your luggage...learned that one.
I have just developed the habit of putting ammo in my regular luggage.
Loaded mags are not usually allowed under the airline policies. While not a problem for TSA usually, the airline policy requires all ammo be in ammo boxes.
Also, a while back someone posted about a gadget that allows you to track the location of your gun case with your cell phone: http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.p...highlight=rfid
Cody
That a well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state;
Loaded magazines MAY be allowed as storage devices for ammunition in checked baggage on some airlines IF said magazines are securely ensconced in magazine pouches or other "secure" containers. I've carried mine thus on Delta many times.
I agree with having a non-TSA-locked hard-side gun case inside the outer case, and I refuse to use any outer bag other than a hard-sided, key-plus-combination-lock (non-TSA-lock), non-zipper case for the piece of checked luggage in which my sidearm travels.
These are getting difficult to find nowadays, unfortunately.
"Therefore, since the world has still... Much good, but much less good than ill,
And while the sun and moon endure, Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure,
I'd face it as a wise man would, And train for ill and not for good." -- A.E. Housman
I have traveled with loaded magazines on multiple airlines without incident. The key is to have the loaded mags properly secured, as in my Pelican travel case shown above. (Also: NOT in the gun...) I am scrupulously careful not to have any loose rounds rattling around, as that is one of the things the Powers That Be really don't like. My +1 top-off round goes into a small 20rd ammo box with spare JHP rounds.
I have traveled with very significant quantities of ammo in my checked luggage, sometimes well in excess of what the airline's rules have stated. I have had no issues with putting a case of ammo into the same bag as my gun boxes. Package the ammo securely in a strong container (ie heavy cardboard shipping box) before packing it in the outer bag. Well dressed gear is like a well dressed traveler: much less likely to draw negative attention.
On a recent trip the behind the scenes Smurfs at ATL opened both boxes containing 500 rounds each, but did not break the tape seal on any of the 50-round boxes contained therein. Weird, eh?
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Latest post: The Rogers Shooting School Experience (15 Jul 2014)
TSA at SEA will send you to buy a real lock if all you have on your gun case is a TSA lock.
Recovering Gun Store Commando. My Blog: The Clue Meter
“It doesn’t matter what the problem is, the solution is always for us to give the government more money and power, while we eat less meat.”
Glenn Reynolds
Interesting, I always use the TSA locks - it often saves me 15-20 minutes of waiting at a sally port.
That's for a pelican case inside my luggage, for rifle cases I'm pretty sure it need to be a non-TSA lock.
I really don't see the downside, if someone's going to steal it all they have to do is take the case and get it open later, and if TSA wants to screw me over - they can, regardless of what lock is on the case
Near as I can tell, it used to be that TSA-approved locks were not TSA-approved for locking firearm cases. That's changed and TSA-approved locks are now approved. I disapprove of TSA's approval of my locks, so I continue to use non-TSA-approved locks on my firearm cases.
The answer, it seems to me, is wrath. The mind cannot foresee its own advance. --FA Hayek Specialization is for insects.
My trip from DCA - MEM and back went without a hitch. Check in was quick, efficient and painless.
That’s good to know. I will be flying out of DCA to SFO and back in July. Anybody have problems from SFO? It’s been close to 20 years last time I flew out of there.
That right there. If some ******** wants to steal my gat, I want him to at least need to cut the locks.
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