Removing Scope for transport

[Borderer]

My rifles got a bit of a battering on the plane last year which had lead me to think would I be better removing my scope and putting it in hand luggage for transport (if it is in QD mounts)?

Does anyone do this?

 

[375Fox]

What rifle case were you using? I’ve done a lot of traveling for hunting and I’ve never had any damage to my rifle or scope. I use a boyt case for last 10 years or so.

 

[RR 314]

I have Alaska Arms QDs and take one scope off. After seeing some issues I am convinced there are some greenies purposefully stomping on cases.

 

[Borderer]

Peli case copy. There was very little damage to the rifles, just a minor scratch on a moderator which was my fault for not packing it properly and the safety was jammed on, although I was told that it common if Mauser 98s are dropped and a light tap sorted that out (side safety not flag) but the case was a bit scuffed and I just wondered if it might have been more sensible for me to remove the scope.

 

[Borderer]

I have Alaska Arms QDs and take one scope off. After seeing some issues I am convinced there are some greenies purposefully stomping on cases.

I think it was just incompetence in my case. We saw several cases dropping out of the cargo door when they unloaded the plane.

 

[JimP]

I have traveled quite a bit with my hunting rifle and have had zero damage to the rifle or scope.

This last year I watched my rifle case get bounced around and dropped no less than several times and the scope still held it's zero.

My case isn't a expensive on, it is a Harbor Freight Apache case that is modeled after a Pelican

 

[TKessel]

I have QD bases and rings on both my safari rifles. I take an extra identical scope with rings to use incase of damage to the existing scope on the rifle. I’ve never had any issues, but feel it’s worth doing just in case.

 

[cdub]

I take my 2 scopes in my carry on with Warne QD rings and 2 rifles in a Pelican 1750 case. Works well for me, never had a problem this way.

 

[Shakka]

Peli case copy. There was very little damage to the rifles, just a minor scratch on a moderator which was my fault for not packing it properly and the safety was jammed on, although I was told that it common if Mauser 98s are dropped and a light tap sorted that out (side safety not flag) but the case was a bit scuffed and I just wondered if it might have been more sensible for me to remove the scope.

There you go, a "Pelican Case copy."

I flew with the same Pelican 1750 case about 20X and I NEVER had a problem with my rifles...and they never lost zero either
The case is beat-up but structurally sound.

Spend the money and get a real case

 

[Pheroze]

On the issue of removing the scope: the first time I did not, and it was no problem. I decided to take it off the second time I went. Security in Johannesburg took exception, and the agent took it over to her superior. They mistook it for something else because she returned it saying that they mistakenly thought it was off of a rifle, and that's not allowed. Yikes. So it stayed on the gun for the return trip.

There is a thread somewhere about South Africa not allowing it anymore. I don't know the rules, but if you get someone who doesn't know the difference between a scope and a telescope, and you should be fine.

By the way, I use a tuffpak and like it very much.

 

[Borderer]

Thanks for the replies. I had no issues in spite of my case being dropped, so the Conetrol mounts I have seem to have held up well. Probably best leaving things as they are.

I did fly several times with a spare scope in hand luggage which was not picked up. Probably will not repeat that now!