I have a "funny" story from a trip home from Namibia several years ago. Outbound via Newark-Heathrow-Joburg-Windhoek was no problem with gun in one locked "golf" case (stuffed with the majority of my related hunting gear) and ammo in a separate standard luggage. I had a good week-long hunt bagging gold metal Kudu, Zebra, and Gemsbok. I then traveled the country for a month as a standard tourist before heading back home. On return flights my mistake was I left all my loaded 30-06 ammo with my PH, but kept a single fired brass shell in my gear as a souvenir. It happened to be in the same locked case as my rifle. MISTAKE! Upon plane transfer in London, I had taken my seat on the flight, the stew came on PA saying there was a departure delay, and a HUGE security agent in full armor came aboard, was led to my seat, and asked (actually, ordered) me to come off the plane with him. I was led to the tarmac near a baggage cart, I was shown my golf case, and a second security agent opened his hand to display the fired cartridge they had removed from it (via TSA key). They asked me if I had any other ammunition or components anywhere. I didn't. Then he told me the cartridge case (luckily not the rifle or entire locking case) was being seized. They led me back to the gangway and let me reboard. Luckily the whole thing only delayed the flight about 20 minutes, and while the agents were professional and even a little humorous, the most flak I got was from the gate agent who complained I didn't inform her I was traveling with a firearm in checked luggage. Of course, there was no requirement (at least in 2005) to do so, as I hadn't touched the case since Windhoek.
