Brand of Lock for Gun Case

Art Lambart II

AH elite
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,291
Reaction score
2,408
Location
Kansas City
Media
28
Hunting reports
Africa
1
USA/Canada
1
Member of
NRA Life Member, SCI, QDMA
Hunted
MI, TX, MO, South Africa Limpopo & Northwest Provinces
We spend hundreds of dollars on a rifle case, load it with at least $2,000 of firearms and optics and then secure it with a $15 Master lock. I'm not talking about using a TSA lock on my gun case but an actual padlock. YouTube is full of videos showing guys picking master locks in seconds, some even advertise and sell the tool to open them with. Am I paranoid or is something wrong with this picture? What brand of lock do you to secure your rifle case with and where did you buy it?
 
I use a TSA lock on a plane because the TSA will cut your lock if their key doesn't open it.

What i do to help the SOB's out as much as possible is put 4 or five of them on every case and bag that I have. If they want to check all my stuff/ steal something im not going to make it easy. :D
 
Last edited:
I have been told to never use a TSA lock on your gun case. They inspect it when you check in and don't need to inspect it again.

Other than that a $2 lock is just as good as a $2000 lock. If they want in they are going to get into it. It doesn't matter if there is one lock on it or 10 it is only a matter of seconds before I can get into a case if I don't care what I do to the case.
 
I've had many locks cut off my case in the past, even though it was inspected upon check in, at some airports put through the X-ray machine where I could actually watch it go through, and when I got home the locks were still cut off. Just go with the TSA lock, so at least it wont be cut
 
A thief can take the whole case!
Not to worried about lock pickers. I see locks as a minor deterrent, not actual security.
 
I use a TSA lock on a plane because the TSA will cut your lock if their key doesn't open it.
use a TSA lock on a plane because the TSA will cut your lock if their key doesn't open it.

It is actually against the rules/law here in the states to use a TSA lock on a gun case. Not saying you're going to get thrown in jail for using one, or that any of the fine TSA folks even know the rules, but it is the case.

I have been told to never use a TSA lock on your gun case. They inspect it when you check in and don't need to inspect it again.

This is correct. By rule, again here in the states with TSA, the gun case should never be opened without the owner present, ever.
 
My SKB came with 2 TSA latch locks, I ordered and installed 2 More plus I added 2 more TSA padlocks,I figured I'd slow them down a little but if they want it there going to take it anyway the case was never touched outside of the inspection at Tambo and the return to MSP, but my suitcase which had a TSA zipper lock that can be opened with a TSA key was pryed open F---king up the suitcase, nothing was stolen they just were to Damn lazy to use a key
 
On my zippered soft sided luggage I just leave it unlocked. You can pop the zipper in a second to get inside not to mention a box cutter can be in it even quicker, so why worry about a lock on it?
 
My understanding is NO TSA locks on the gun case, and that they are not to be opened without the owner present, as previously said..... but DO put them on the ammo box!
 
My understanding is NO TSA locks on the gun case, and that they are not to be opened without the owner present, as previously said..... but DO put them on the ammo box!

Correct sir!
 
A thief can take the whole case!
Not to worried about lock pickers. I see locks as a minor deterrent, not actual security.
I agree if a thief wants my guns he will take the whole case but if he looks at a gun case he can open in less that 10 seconds and one he has to work at to open he will probably take the easy open case and leave the other case behind.
 
The locks are there to comply with the Law... nothing else. Same with ammo boxes..
 
I have recent experience with this on a domestic flight from Phoenix back to Missouri. I used Master locks as I am aware that the laws specify that the owner of the firearm have the only key. Anyway, after we cleared security but before we boarded I was paged back to the ticket counter. By the time I got back there I was informed that my case would not "clear" x-ray, so they cut the locks to verify the contents as they did not have time to wait for me. I asked the TSA agent if they would at least duct tape my case shut since there was no security against it popping open in flight. Amazingly, they did. If you travel with guns, you take your chances.
 
That sounds strange. When I flew out of Denver I went to the Delta counter and declared my firearm. Then I was escorted to the TSA inspection room where they asked for me to open my rifle case. I did and they checked things out. They even checked the sides of the foam rubber inserts. We then closed the case and relocked it and placed it back on the cart and then back to the ticket counter where they sent it on it's way with the rest of my luggage.
 
Have had no problem leaving Kansas City! Go to a Delta open case and declare guns are not loaded! Delta puts a red card in there and I relock the case. The locks are not TSA locks!
 
I have recent experience with this on a domestic flight from Phoenix back to Missouri. I used Master locks as I am aware that the laws specify that the owner of the firearm have the only key. Anyway, after we cleared security but before we boarded I was paged back to the ticket counter. By the time I got back there I was informed that my case would not "clear" x-ray, so they cut the locks to verify the contents as they did not have time to wait for me. I asked the TSA agent if they would at least duct tape my case shut since there was no security against it popping open in flight. Amazingly, they did. If you travel with guns, you take your chances.

Twits. Someone wanted to try out his new bolt cutters that day.
 
Have had no problem leaving Kansas City! Go to a Delta open case and declare guns are not loaded! Delta puts a red card in there and I relock the case. The locks are not TSA locks!

My same experience flying Delta to RSA. Only difference is I have used a Pelican traveling to Africa but used a lighter aluminum case traveling to AZ to get under Allegiant's lower weight restriction.
 
That sounds strange. When I flew out of Denver I went to the Delta counter and declared my firearm. Then I was escorted to the TSA inspection room where they asked for me to open my rifle case. I did and they checked things out. They even checked the sides of the foam rubber inserts. We then closed the case and relocked it and placed it back on the cart and then back to the ticket counter where they sent it on it's way with the rest of my luggage.

I had ammo locked in my checked suitcase locked with a TSA lock to the inside frame of the suitcase. I had the key to the locks around my neck to travel. I had a copy of all my forms with me and another copy in the case.

When I got back to the states I would not have got it through customs if I didn't have the forms with me.

I used two locks on my gun case but got a set of four all keyed the same and had the other two in my carry on just in case.

All went great!!!
 
I am surprised that you got through ANY scanners with live ammo in your checked suitcase????
Which country did you hunt?
 
I went from Denver through Atlanta to SA on Delta.
That is what you had to do to get it there. The ammo couldn't be in the case with your rifle.
It was in a small case and was lock and locked in the checked suitcase?
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,617
Messages
1,131,246
Members
92,673
Latest member
ChristyLak
 

 

 

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Impact shots from the last hunt

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
 
Top