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I just retired from AA and I fly with a checked firearm every couple of weeks. Yes there are rules but nobody seems to know them. Tsa has agreed that "tsa locks" are ok for firearms and you are not " giving them the key or combo for it." That's what I use and it's best. They rarely need to open a bag anymore. Also, tsa could care less if magazines are loaded. That is an airline rule that most have, but not all. The be legacy carriers, AA, delta, United, etc all require magazines to be unloaded and ammo packed in original manufacturers packaging OR packaging designed to hold ammo, I.e. The plastic storage boxes you can buy. The tagging of firearms is something new and that is so it doesn't go around in baggage claim. I'm kinda ok with that except not every airport follows that rule. IF it is tagged and you see them tag it, then it will most likely go to the baggage office at your destination. What I have noticed is that many smaller airports don't tag it special, and in those cases they go to regular baggage claim. It's a good idea to actually see if it gets tagged that way or not. They also flag your reservation that you are traveling with a firearm. That was a surprise to me too. When you check in you are required to "declare" you are traveling with a firearm. You will sign a document declaring it is unloaded and then that is placed inside the hard case with your gun. So it's a good idea to have the gun case out, or easily accessible with you check in. As always, airlines and tsa make up new rules every day, but that's the way it's been the last couple weeks.