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i will be traveling to colorado this weekend on continental out of iah. i have read about how to pack, but i am still unsure about one thing. i will be locking my hard sided gun case inside my suitcase that will have a tsa lock on it. is it ok if the lock on the gun case has a tsa lock also, or does it need to be a "regular" lock? - thanks for any help

XMXER51 wrote:i will be traveling to colorado this weekend on continental out of iah. i have read about how to pack, but i am still unsure about one thing. i will be locking my hard sided gun case inside my suitcase that will have a tsa lock on it. is it ok if the lock on the gun case has a tsa lock also, or does it need to be a "regular" lock? - thanks for any help

TSA locks on the gun case are fine.

Chas.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:

XMXER51 wrote:i will be traveling to colorado this weekend on continental out of iah. i have read about how to pack, but i am still unsure about one thing. i will be locking my hard sided gun case inside my suitcase that will have a tsa lock on it. is it ok if the lock on the gun case has a tsa lock also, or does it need to be a "regular" lock? - thanks for any help

TSA locks on the gun case are fine.

Chas.

The gun case itself should have a non-TSA lock. Only the passenger should have access to the gun case contents.

If it has a TSA lock, then TSA (and many others who aren't supposed to have TSA keys, but do) can open the case.

+1 with KBCraig.

TSA locks on luggage and combination locks on my gun cases. I have flown several times while transporting firearms and the ONLY time the gun case is to be opened is in front of the TSA inspector. It is then locked and tagged until you retrieve your luggage at your destination. There should NEVER EVER EVER be a reason that your gun case is checked after it has been inspected in front of you. If you suspect this has happened, I would personally inform your local TSA office.

I agree with KBKraig also and would also suggest that your outside luggage is also locked with your own lock, not a TSA lock. Every time I've flown with a firearm, after you declare it at the airline check-in, get the firearm form, and lock everything up(must be at the main check-in counter, not downstairs), the airline check-in people will have you walk it over to TSA for screening. You will tell them you have an unloaded firearm in the luggage and they will usually have you wait until it passes x-ray screening, then tell you that you are free to go. If they want to open your luggage to see inside, they will ask you to do so.
I recommend locking the slide back on semi-autos since it is easier for them to verify via x-ray that the firearm is unloaded.
Tom

KBCraig wrote:The gun case itself should have a non-TSA lock. Only the passenger should have access to the gun case contents.

If it has a TSA lock, then TSA (and many others who aren't supposed to have TSA keys, but do) can open the case.

TSA regs call for the lock on the hard sided case to be pretty much unique. A TSA lock on the suitcase is not a bad idea, TSA might have reason to open it (if the gun is obscuring something else in the suitcase under it) and it's easier on them and you. There are very few suitcase locks, including some pretty sophisticated ones, that are not easy to defeat, so from personal experience as both a TSA screener and a traveler I would recommend a really tough lock or lock on your gun case and a deterrant type on the suitcase.

razoraggie wrote:+1 with KBCraig.

TSA locks on luggage and combination locks on my gun cases. I have flown several times while transporting firearms and the ONLY time the gun case is to be opened is in front of the TSA inspector. It is then locked and tagged until you retrieve your luggage at your destination. There should NEVER EVER EVER be a reason that your gun case is checked after it has been inspected in front of you. If you suspect this has happened, I would personally inform your local TSA office.

When I flew out of El Paso witha firearm in my checked baggage, the counter person took my bag back to the TSA Inspectors and would not allow me to accompany my bag. I had to unlock everything, hand over my bag unlocked (with gun case unlocked and ammo in the suitcase), and wait until I landed in Houston to find out if the counter person or someone else lifted my CCW from my suitcase before the locks were locked. From Houston to El Paso was just as you described, but the return trip made me very nervous. It's not that I don't trust anybody; okay, yes it is.

barres wrote: When I flew out of El Paso witha firearm in my checked baggage, the counter person took my bag back to the TSA Inspectors and would not allow me to accompany my bag. I had to unlock everything, hand over my bag unlocked (with gun case unlocked and ammo in the suitcase), and wait until I landed in Houston to find out if the counter person or someone else lifted my CCW from my suitcase before the locks were locked. From Houston to El Paso was just as you described, but the return trip made me very nervous. It's not that I don't trust anybody; okay, yes it is.

The counter person and TSA both violated TSA's own rules and practices and you should file formal complaints.