Do you put TSA-approved padlocks on rifle case?

[Seamaster]

I fly with handloads fairly regularly with no problems. My handloads are in plain MTM slip top boxes with a rubber band around them, not factory boxes. As long as the cartridges are properly secured nobody cares.

I do put my MTM boxes inside a yellow Pelican 1200 case with TSA locks when I am traveling outside of the USA. This case is placed inside of my checked luggage. Of course I always find a little card inside of my checked luggage when I reach my destination telling me it has been opened and inspected. Always declare your ammo at check-in.

 

[buffybr]

I have heard of people having trouble with handloads, because they're not in a factory box. So, I always pack my handloads into a box from factory ammo. I use regular padlocks.

I only shoot handloads. I pack them in the 20 round MTN type cases that I also have a small strip of soft foam in the top of the case to keep the cartridges from rattling. For one or two trips to Africa I made special labels on my computer with a cartridge loading company that I made up for my reloads.

The only problem that I have ever had flying ammo was my first trip to Mozambique when I took 60 rounds of ammo and Moz customs would only allow 40 rounds to be brought into their country. It took at least 1/2 hour for Moz customs to do the paperwork for them to keep one box of my ammo in their safe while I was there, then it took almost twice that long for them to give it back to me when I went home.

For many of my international flights I put my ammo in a cheap plastic kids lunch box that I drilled a hole in one edge for a TSA lock, and had that box in my checked luggage bag. Never had a problem with that until one African trip when an airlines agent in Africa told me that I might have to have my ammo case as a separate checked item. I didn't, but after that I bought a stronger plastic dry box that has lock holes and I keep a luggage tag on it.

 

[Kiwi]

In my experience best to use TSA locks and factory ammo in factory box.

 

[longrunner]

Its always nice to print a copy of the airlines rules, and highlight the pertinent parts. I've had some try to demand I do stuff that is wrong, having the rules handy shuts then right down.

 

[OntarioHunter]

No. Air Canada doesn't require them and neither do any of the European or African airlines I've flown on.

 

[Boarmaster]

Nope. If they want it open they will need me to open it.

 

[Trial153]

I have never checked a rifle. I have however checked pistols several times when I fly into grizzly county to bowhunt. I always check the handgun in my bow case, and it never has TSA locks on it. However when I am not checking a handgun I use TSA locks on my bow case because then they may access it.