Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Gun Case recommendation needed. Travel Case

Bowhunr,

They will cut your locks off if they are not TSA locks. They will open and inspect your case when you are not with it....all they leave is the inspection tag.

I've seen them do it. Better bring plenty of spares!

Manny

I have used a couple of cases in the 15 years I've been hunting Africa.

I have a double metal case custom made here in Oz that has separate locking points etc. It's big and heavy......but strong.

The other is a single rifle by Americase 0.080 with a custom fitted cover. It's made 2 trips and no problems but it has integral locking hasps, which I don't like. The cover does an amazing job at uppping the protection and making it more discreet looking. The other point I like about it is the velcro tie downs, the rifle does NOT move.

After reading the thread however I think I'd buy a Pelican or Storm.......................

Pelican. Best I've ever used. No contest.

Manny, tell me the details of your personal observation of TSA cutting the "non-TSA" locks off of a gun case.

Never had my Master lock cut off.

I've had a Kalispel case for years, and swear by the protection it gives my guns. Two rifles does get you near the 2o kilo limit in a hurry. Used a three gun case one thime, but they are big, very heavy, and many countries seem funny about allowing three guns in.

http://www.kalispelcaseline.com/cases/Aluminum-Rifle-Cases.asp

I have the pelican and think it is a great case - only complaint is that the latches can open fairly easily - the case would be perfect if it came with lockable latches

Well Manny,

I respectfully have to disagree with you. I have traveled to Africa several times, Russia, Canada and all over the U.S. I have never had the lock cut off of my TuffPak.

I simply declare my rifles at check in and a TSA agent comes out and does a hand inspection, returns my key and places a seal over the lock. It has been that way in every country and state I have flown out of. It is clearly stated in the TSA regulations. You can read the TSA regulations here.

It has also been covered before on this forum. And on this forum.

Mike

JJHack and Bowhunr,

I am aware of what the regs say, as I researched them thoroughly before my trip. (This was in 2008, see my addition below.) I do not declare to be an expert in travel to Africa as I have only done it once. But I can report on what I saw with my own eyes on my own gun case.

My trip was in April and May of 2008. My Pelican case was secured and locked as I mentioned above. At one transfer point, (Atlanta) the case was inspected in my presence and locked. There was no "unloaded" tag in the case when I locked it.

At the next inspection point in Africa, (Johannesburg, RSA) the locks had been removed, and now there was an "unloaded" tag in the case. Did it happen in the USA with TSA or in Africa with somebody else, employees of the airline or? I don't know, all I know is that it happened.

As you guys know, there is usually a line of guys going hunting waiting to get their cases from the oversize luggage area after landing. I was not the only one complaining of having their locks removed, but in those cases I can not verify their experiences.

So, although I know what the TSA says they can and cannot or will or will not do, I also know that when traveling in or to Africa, sometimes things do not always go like they are supposed to, at least in my admittedly limited experience. Bowhunr, I am not doubting your experiences, I can only relate what happened to me. My bad luck I guess.

By the way, I have relatives in Omaha and Papillion and travel there a couple of times a year. Nice area.

Added: Bowhunr, I checked the forum you cited in your post, and found this:

"Interestingly, I looked at an old copy, and the website referenced above in Nov-2007 was not specific [enough] to me to be convinced (nor the case manu's either, who came out with "TSA Approved" cases with TSA locks). Now, the same webpage specifically states: "TSA locks are not approved for securing firearms." UEG was correct on his interpretation, and it is good to see the website explicitly state this."

That may explain the confusion...my trip was in 2008, and it seems like the regs. have changed since then? It doesn't explain why they would transport my case with no locks on it though.

Manny

I remember this was a hot topic a few years ago when SKB and TuffPak came out with their TSA locks. I just stayed with my non TSA TuffPak lock and carry a copy of the TSA and airline regulations with me (like any of those clowns could read or understand them).

I guess the bottom line is, if they wanna get in, their gonna get in one way or another. The bad thing is in the case of a TuffPak they would probably saw it in half.

P.M. me next time you're in town and I'll buy you a beer and we can swap Africa stories.

Mike

Mike,

I'd be glad to do it.

Manny

I have had my gun case opened in transit during a late April 2009 flight to Zimbabwe.

I locked my case in view of TSA after TSA inspection at Dulles International Airport. When I opened it in Zimbabwe it had no locks on it and the guns had been removed from their foam cutouts and then replaced. My double rifle had one of its drop points gouged and my bolt had a few new nicks on it as well, so whoever handled them in-route wasn't careful at all. But the guns were where they were supposed to be in the case, thanks to the foam cutouts.

I carry spare locks, so replacing them for the trip home wasn't a problem

JPK

What ever you use, check the dimensions before you buy to make sure you are not over the maximum (length + width + depth) dimenstion allowed by your airline. I was going to take a 4 gun case that I already had to Africa last year and checked the dimensions and sure enough it was over what Delta allowed. If I had taken this one I could have been charged extra, so I bought a two gun case and took it instead.
Also, +1 on the seperate locks and taking extras. Don't go with the built in locks.

Manny you said "non TSA locks, That was my interest.

I've had my locks cut several times which is why I insist that people use cases with separate and not integral locks. I have a note in my case attached to another opened lock that says please use this lock if you had the need to cut the other one off. I've had the cut lock pieces in my gun case twice. Once in Houston and once in Atlanta.

The key here is that once the case is opened and the locks removed it becomes illegal to transport by plane. The rules very clearly state that the case must be locked to get on the flight. You should have been able to easily see what country cut the locks off as the note was either an American version, or a South African Document. I doubt it was done in RSA. But if it was done in the USA and the case was then unlocked........... well then by law they could not allow it to continue on without a lock.

The TSA locks are "okay" but they are not as secure as a cheap master lock. I've not found a TSA lock that looks as if it could take a good beating and stay intact. They all seemed rather cheaply made to me. A heavy gun case sliding down a chute would appear to be able to rip a poorly made "symbolic" TSA lock right off the case.

JJHack,

I do think it happened in the states as the form appeared to look like others I have seen from the USA, but for sure I can say it happened between Atlanta and RSA. I totally agree with you that by their own rules the now unlocked case should not have been loaded on the plane....but it was...

I agree the TSA locks seem flimsy at best, but as Bowhunr has pointed out to me (thanks Mike) my advice was outdated and new TSA regs. do not advise to use TSA approved locks on gun cases.

Most all of us agree to take extra locks as "stuff" will happen to the ones on our case. That, in my mind, rules out cases with integral locks unless you can add additional locks?

On my return home, again in Atlanta, several hunters and myself were watching baggage handlers toss and drop gun cases onto a loading area. Guys were getting upset watching their cases get dropped, and several started mumbling under their breath. Mine had not come out yet.

I am not a rich man. I had saved for my Africa trip for years (and started saving again as soon as I got back, looking at 2013 for a return trip.) But I had a $5000 dollar Shiloh Sharps with a MVA vintage scope in that gun case. I wasn't about to watch them toss my case!

I walked over to where the handlers were on the platform, as close as I could get, and asked for the one handlers name. He asked "Why?" I told him that I would need his name to report him for intentionally abusing our luggage. He stopped tossing the cases after that.

I mention this only because if they are going to treat our gun cases like that, right in front of a bunch of hunters that returned from Africa to the States, just think what happens when we are not watching. Buy the best gun case you can afford, and take extra locks.

Manny

JJHack wrote: "You should have been able to easily see what country cut the locks off as the note was either an American version, or a South African Document."

When I opened my case in Zimbabwe after flying from Dulles through Jo'burg, there was no note.

JPK

The last two times I have traveled to Africa '08 and '09 out of SFO, TSA personnel have requested that I remove the padlocks and put TSA locks on the gun cases when they were checked. I asked about the regulation, but both times the TSA personnel basically said that although that's what the regs say, there is a lot of confusion and it often results in the locks being cut off (I usually had spares in the case for this purpose with a note to TSA). Thankfully so far the guns have always arrived and there has not been any indication that the cases were further opened following initial TSA inspection. So I usually carry two sets of padlocks, plus extra TSA locks. Just my experience.

JPK,

Did your baggage stay overnight at the J'burg airport? I ws told to import my guns into RSA for the night due to the likelihood of theft at the airport.

Here's what I've done. I use the relatively flimsey TSA locks but I use a Cabela's extra heavy alunimum case with a zippered-on sleeve that fits over it, protecting the locks somewhat. This sleeve has a handle on one end and two wheels on the other.

It's hard to read the 3-digit combo on the TSA locks in bad light. I've used padlocks domestically.

The complete Cabela's case with two rifles weighs less than 50 pounds.

Incidentally, the three dimensions of any rifle case always exceed the airline's maximum dinension, butr an exception is allowed for sporting equipment.

No, on that trip, same as all others, I flew from Dulles to Jo'burg, then on to Harare on the first flight out. I don't recall the year that SAA changed the schedule, or which legs were changed, but previously there was only a relatively short layover in Jo'burg while waiting for the Harare flight. More recently, there is something like a five or six, amybe even seven hour lay over.

(The secret to making the trip without spending a night in Jo'burg and so blowing the entire next day traveling, while still maintaining sanity, is reserving a room in the transit hotel within the international section of the airport. Since the hotel is within the international section, you do not need to clear customs. Deplane from the flight over with your carry-on, go to the hotel, check in and pay the ~$75 cost - the best ~$75 you will EVER spend!, arrange a wake up call, enjoy a needed shower, brush your teeth, grab three or four hours of sleep, wake up and grab another shower. Put on the clean shirt and undershorts you have in your carry-on. Feel restored and vigourous, head to the bar and enjoy your first Castle of the trip before boarding the flight to Harare!)

JPK

I've never had locks cut off, but on my return to Australia from Namibia last year, my duffle didn't make it to Sydney on my arrival. Gun case made it safe and sound.

QANTAS airways delivered my duffle the next day, but all the unused ammo and spare mag were missing! Customs could not locate it and said it must of been stolen in Joburg!! The lost baggage guys from QANTAS laughed and said Customs were being typical public servants.......they traced the bag to Perth where it had been opened and the ammo/mag and been seized without notification by the Perth branch of customs who had not told their compatriots in Sydney!!!

It took me another 3 days and threats of legal action to retrieve my goods from Customs