What type of luggage

Hyde Hunter

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another question for you experienced hunters, since your ammo has to be in a locked case and put in your checked luggage would you recommend a hard sided that uses a TSA key to unlock or one of the zippered soft side pieces thank you very much, Jim
 
I always use hardsided suitcase without zippers, regardless of whether ammo case inside. TSA locks are required on all suitcases and ammo box. But if you use hardsided suitcase with no zippers, which has TSA locks built in, you minimize ability for any theft.
 
A hard sided case is just as easy to get into as a soft side one, all it takes is a screwdriver. If a person want's in your suitcase they are going to get into it.

TSA locks are only pertinent here in the US.

I've been using a soft sided suitcase now for 25 years and haven't lost anything due to thief. I do zip tie the zippers together just to keep them from opening by accident. For my trips to Africa I just use a cheap plastic ammo can to hold my ammo which I'll place a TSA lock onto.
 
A hard sided case is just as easy to get into as a soft side one, all it takes is a screwdriver. If a person want's in your suitcase they are going to get into it.

TSA locks are only pertinent here in the US.

I've been using a soft sided suitcase now for 25 years and haven't lost anything due to thief. I do zip tie the zippers together just to keep them from opening by accident. For my trips to Africa I just use a cheap plastic ammo can to hold my ammo which I'll place a TSA lock onto.
Are your zip ties always cut off by the time you get to Africa ? I like you have never had anything stolen but my zips are always gone. I assume TSA ?
 
Just one trip to Africa and everything was intact.

If you think it might be TSA then place a small TSA lock through the zippers where the ties were located.

But remember the old saying, "locks only keep honest people out"

I have traveled mostly around the US and have never had a problem.
 
Hi,
Just got back after a month in Tanzania and RSA. I have used the same luggage for nine trips to Africa. A soft big bag/zippered with rollers. A two gun hard plastic gun case/ Cabelas or other brands with rollers. A day pack for Binoculars and chargers etc. The ammunition is in a Cabelas two pistol hard plastic lockable. You throw regular brinks/ master locks into carrier- don’t lock it. If you can get a four pack or more that works on gun case and ammo carrier perfect- one key all locks is best.!!! I also zip tie main compartment bag with black on black zip ties so nobody notices it. 4 twists just so I know if anybody touched it! Only problem I ever had was when I locked ammo container inZimbabwe. It had a locks built within container and I locked it- they pried it open to see what was in side- ruined lock.
 
Just one trip to Africa and everything was intact.

If you think it might be TSA then place a small TSA lock through the zippers where the ties were located.

But remember the old saying, "locks only keep honest people out"

I have traveled mostly around the US and have never had a problem.
I use the zips just for keeping the bag from coming open. Well maybe they are taking them off at my local airport. Who knows but they are always gone when I get to Africa.
 
Hard sided with a hard lipped edge and locks. Any luggage can be broken into, zippers take a few seconds with a ball point pen. As for TSA locks, not a thing anymore. I found that out years ago. And I have asked TSA multiple times just to make sure. Put regular pad locks on anything you can to make your luggage less appealing than the next piece is my attitude.
 
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Hard sided with a hard lipped edge and locks. Any luggage can be broken into, zippers take a few seconds with a ball point pen. As for TSA locks, not a thing anymore. I found that out years ago. And I have asked TSA multiple times just to make sure. Put regular pad locks on anything you can to make your luggage less apealling than the next piece is my attitude.
What do you mean TSA locks aren’t a thing anymore? At Pittsburgh last month they told me they had the keys to open them when I left my bag with them. I just use to use regular locks or zip ties but TSA liked cutting my zippers too and not just the lock so I have used TSA locks for years now without issue.
 
What do you mean TSA locks aren’t a thing anymore? At Pittsburgh last month they told me they had the keys to open them when I left my bag with them. I just use to use regular locks or zip ties but TSA liked cutting my zippers too and not just the lock so I have used TSA locks for years now without issue.
I asked before my 2016 trip to Namibia. No issues in Anchorage or Seattle when they left and came back in 16, Anchorage both ways in 18 and Anchorage going, LA coming back this year. In all cases they checked it in front of me and either took the locks or let me lock it myself with my locks depending on their supposed protocol. Whatever floats their boats.
The only issue I had was a mix up in LA this year with my rifle case. They checked them, locked them with my locks and then someone from Delta put them on the wrong belt later and they had to recheck them later unknown to me. So they cut them and put crappy TSA locks back on. It didn't show in Anchorage when I did and when I picked them up the next day the locks were different. I had the TSA office here open them with a few witnesses. If anything was missing I wanted witnesses. All was good.
 
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Hard sided Pelican 1560 and 1510 for luggage with (usually pink) colored zipties on a couple of the places where the locks are supposed to go. Zipties let me know if someone went inside the bag, not prevent it. Inside one of those will be a Pelican 1200 with our ammo and non-TSA approved locks. Rifles in locked Pelican 1700 cases with non-TSA approved locks.

And we each take a carry-on of some kind, usually a backpack that's about 18-20 liters of volume. Gets used as a daypack while hunting.

Pro tip - pack light going there so you have room to bring stuff back. Plus I'm always lazy coming back from a trip and throw everything in without folding, so it takes up a little more space.
 
Keep in mind some airlines require duffel bags to have one hard side. Also some charter planes require or prefer soft duffle luggage. I like wheels on my duffle and gun cases. Keep cameras and binos in your carry on. During fifty years traveling the world annually have occasionally had locks, latches or zippers broken off. If someone wants in and given the opportunity they can do so. Lost a camera, two knives and a tuxedo. The thieveries were scattered over many years. I have never had a rifle stolen or confiscated. Keep a small roll of Duct tape in duffle and in carry on. If a luggage latch gets broken off, strap it down with Duct tape. Oh, stencil name and address on gun case, luggage tags do not last long on gun cases.
 
I should mention quality. Don't go cheap. I have an SKB double bow case, a Pelican rilfe case, and Samsonite suitcase. I don't stencil my name and address because my address has changed more than my luggage. But I do put it on an envelope and tape that to the side, plus two tags on every handle. One of them always survives.
One thing I learned from military deployments where everyone has the exact same bag, add something that makes them stick out a little to find them faster. Pelican and SKB are the choices for US hunters bows and firearms, so I have a couple white strips painted on my cases. I've seen a row of cases in Jo-Burg and mine were easy to find. My suitcase has a pink suitcase belt that criss-crosses around it. It looks kind of funny, but guess who finds his case in a heartbeat as soon as it hits the carousel. And as a plus it helps assure it won't pop open.
 
Either any cheap bag or Pelican Air suitcase for me. I’ve done both and like my Pelican. It locks securely.
 
another question for you experienced hunters, since your ammo has to be in a locked case and put in your checked luggage would you recommend a hard sided that uses a TSA key to unlock or one of the zippered soft side pieces thank you very much, Jim


I travel quite a bit and I've made it a bit of an art form, although I'm still a journeyman in this topic.

For safari, here's what I do OUTBOUND to Africa:

Bag #1: A gigantic Rothco Duffle. The contents of that duffle is a pelican case with TSA locks holding 11 pounds of ammo. It also may contain another gigantic rothco army duffle ($25 on amazon) new in the package. Once inspection is done, I wrap that baby up tight and tiny. Nothing else in it.

Bag #2: A rolling safari rifle case. I have a 3 gun case and usually have portable shooting sticks and two rifles in it. I like the Americase which is no longer made.

Carry on Bag #1: I use a pretty large gym duffle. I found one made in America by Gokey/Orvis. Green Canvas. Leather bottom. Straps and handles. I use this because its soft sided and I can argue with a gate nazi if its oversized (it is, by a lot) and take stuff out of it until it squishes into carry-on status. I can just wear everything if they want to be petty. Never had an issue. Contents are my second pair of boots, 3 pairs of underwear. 3 shirts. 2 shorts. 3 pair socks. All of these items are padding my flashlights, my binos, my toiletries, my phone charger, camera, and my QD rifle scopes.

For safari INBOUND:

All the same, except that army duffle is now filled to max size. The second one may be deployed as an overbag limit item. That's if I'm trying to bring half of Africa home with me. I've brought spears, war shields, furniture, more courteney boots, ice buckets, ammo pouches, belts. Lots of safari clothes.

The duffles are junk and they break in one trip. They cost $25. They are huge. You get them plastic wrapped at the airport after inspection. You can haul tons of stuff in them. I learned this trick from @Tokoloshe Safaris who has been known to pack chainsaws and generators in them. lol.
 

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