TexasCHLforum.com

You lock (or zip tie) the main suitcase so stuff doesn't fall out, since latches and zippers do fail. Unless you want to trust the airline baggage handlers to gather everything up for you and put it in a sack. It is very entertaining to see people's shoes, underwear, dop kits, etc, strewn along the conveyer belt. It is less entertaining when you realize it is your stuff.

Westfield wrote: ....Here's my question...Because I have a hand gun in my checked luggage, can I lock the luggage after the TSA agent checks it ?

To answer your actual question: Yes.

More specifically, if the TSA agent opened your luggage, he will re-lock it as well. I used zip ties for my luggage a lot, and I would take the bag to the TSA inspection un-zip-tied, and tell them I wanted it ziptied after they inspected it, and give them a zip tie. They would run it thru the machine; sometimes they would open it for inspection, sometimes not. Either way they would zip tie it after while I watched.

Same with locks on the luggage.