Is TSA trustworthy?

[Flipper Dude]

I put TSA locks on ammo case and rifle case. No issues in 11 safaris to 5 different countries.

YMMV. ( But I doubt it )

 

[JimP]

If you look at any Master Lock brand you see some numbers next to the key slot. All you have to do is to match those numbers with your keys.

I'll erase the numbers fthe locks but all that does is slowes them down. A few hours in a lock picking class and a few tools and you can unlock them faster than trying different keys or matching numbers.

 

[Scott CWO]

After all the good feedback I got about my homemade locked ammo box, I am thinking it might be best to save time and hassle to use TSA locks on my ammo box and the checked bag. I am wondering, has anyone had trouble with theft or vandalism by TSA when using their locks.

13 trips to Africa and three more planned. Two trips to Asia. One or two trips to Alaska every year. Just returned from South Africa yesterday.

TSA locks or nothing on checked suitcase with ammo box inside, also with TSA locks. Some guys on here recommending regular padlocks on ammo case are WRONG and will miss a flight someday if TSA cannot open them and they page you to open them without a long layover! Why take the chance of missing a flight??

Regular padlocks on firearm case. TSA will ask you for the key immediately after checking in at the airline counter if they want to look inside the firearm case. Most TSA firearm rooms now have a scanner that can see inside the firearm case so they are not opening up your firearm case as much anymore. I always follow my firearm case to the TSA room in case they need the key. Lately, they have not.

I carry shave kit, paperwork, money, binoculars, batteries, electronics and anything of value in my carryon. Never had a problem with TSA stealing anything from checked suitcase but all I have in my suitcase are clothes and ammo.

 

[MS 9x56]

It is a government agency, what do you think. Expect problems and you won’t be surprised or disappointed.

 

[PARA45]

Just got back from SA, and my checked bag with ammo, had regular locks. No issues. Maybe I’ve been lucky.

 

[Scott CWO]

Just got back from SA, and my checked bag with ammo, had regular locks. No issues. Maybe I’ve been lucky.

As you know, after checking in for your flight, your suitcase with ammo in it is not taken to the TSA firearm room with your firearm case. Your suitcase with ammo is just put on the conveyor and follows the regular path to the baggage room with everyone else’s baggage. TSA agents are also in the baggage room and did want to look at my ammo and paged me because I had regular padlocks that they could not open. This almost caused me to miss my flight. It’s not worth the risk and they advised me to use TSA locks on my ammo going forward. I’m not making this up.

Firearms cases follow a different route. After checking in, they are normally put on a cart and taken by a courier to the TSA firearms room while you wait outside the room with your key in case they want to look inside. TSA then scans and logs in your firearms case into a database that is separate from the regular baggage database. This allows other TSA agents to know that your firearm case has already been screened, scanned and/or opened. It is then taken by the currier to the baggage room to the baggage handlers be loaded on baggage carts going to your plane.

 

[PARA45]

Thank you! I'll remember that next time! Here in Atlanta, you the customer take the rifle case to the TSA counter, after showing the Delta counter that the rifles are unloaded and signing the unloaded declaration form. This year, the lady behind the Delta counter asked me to open my suitcase, and to open the ammo box. She was showing someone new how to process ammo or just flexing her power. Always something.

 

[RedTag]

TSA and other government security positions are typically redundant with more than one person in the same place at the same time, and under constant surveillance, plus their personnel are subject to background checks (though not IQ tests) so I don’t really worry about them stealing or vandalizing anything. I have lived in Alaska for many years and flown back and forth with guns and ammo many times, as well as several transits through Canada with CBP interactions. I try to bring ammo up whenever visiting the lower states, as shipping it up here is a no go. Ammo alone without guns goes in a hard sided container with tsa locks inside a suitcase with more tsa locks. Guns (and ammo with guns) goes in a hard sided container with keyed non tsa padlocks. Experience varies with location. TSA agent in the lower states once asked for the key to inspect my gun case and took the key away to the back room without me present. I think this was technically incorrect as I should have the key in my possession at all times and be physically present when the case is opened, if my understanding is correct. In this instance I didn’t argue and simply waited awkwardly near the ticket counter for a long several minutes before the tsa agent came back with the key and said we’re all good. They were apparently concerned about a little ziplock bag with a few small tools that was rolled up in the corner of the case and looked suspicious on their X-ray. I think sometimes it’s better to be a bit flexible, rather than have an argument. I always carry a printed copy of the regulations, just in case, but have to yet to play that card or need get a supervisor involved. The recommendation of carrying extra locks of various configurations, just in case, is good advice.

 

[fourfive8]

I’ve found US CBP agents to be generally straight up and professional. TSA agents on the other hand, along with some airline agents, sometimes seem to be less so. Most TSA agents seem OK but many probably get bored and simultaneously stressed which leads to some odd interactions. Some of their erratic behavior I’m certain is a symptom of a system which, by design, is intended to be random and unpredictable. One of the ways to keep the bad guys guessing. However at other times it seems they occasionally can become independently irrational or seemingly make wrong decisions or not follow policy or legal constraints. Aside from normal aggravation, the only time I (including my family) have been wrongly abused as a traveler, was by Canadian border agents, not USA agents.

I have learned to travel, pack and study policies with the intent of making US CBP, US TSA, foreign agents and airline agents lives as easy as possible. I do my best to simplify their job of inspecting and handling my bags, carry-ons or cases with firearms. That seems to have worked so far for both domestic and international travel over a lot of years and through a lot of evolution of air travel.

 

[fourfive8]

Just finished a non-hunting international trip using Qatar Airways. The use of private contractors for much of their airport and airline operation was eye opening. I’ll let future Qatar fliers come to their own conclusions about that. The 787 I was on broke down on the last leg. That caused an unplanned overnight hotel and loss of 2 days at beginning of my trip. My checked bag went missing for four days which cost me more time and money to recover. Oh well, got to see my girls and family and made it back home ok. One consolation was that the smug, high dollar business/1st class Qatar Air ticket holders got to experience the same travel headaches as I did.

 

[Philip Glass]

After all the good feedback I got about my homemade locked ammo box, I am thinking it might be best to save time and hassle to use TSA locks on my ammo box and the checked bag. I am wondering, has anyone had trouble with theft or vandalism by TSA when using their locks.

I only use TSA locks. I've been a lot and advised many and there has never been a circumstance where I had a concern with the locks. Yet I have had many, many circumstances where TSA locks saved me a lot of hassle. If you go down the rabbit hole of worrying about the security of your guns while traveling you will really cause yourself a lot of unnecessary stress. Many of us travel with $20-$40K or more worth of guns and scopes. I hunt with reputable outfitters, use a travel agent, and plan for any issues that may arise. What I don't do is worry about my guns. You can't.
And let the lock debate begin. Go!

 

[RedTag]

I’ve found US CBP agents to be generally straight up and professional. TSA agents on the other hand, along with some airline agents, sometimes seem to be less so. Most TSA agents seem OK but many probably get bored and simultaneously stressed which leads to some odd interactions. Some of their erratic behavior I’m certain is a symptom of a system which, by design, is intended to be random and unpredictable. One of the ways to keep the bad guys guessing. However at other times it seems they occasionally can become independently irrational or seemingly make wrong decisions or not follow policy or legal constraints. Aside from normal aggravation, the only time I (including my family) have been wrongly abused as a traveler, was by Canadian border agents, not USA agents.

I have learned to travel, pack and study policies with the intent of making US CBP, US TSA, foreign agents and airline agents lives as easy as possible. I do my best to simplify their job of inspecting and handling my bags, carry-ons or cases with firearms. That seems to have worked so far for both domestic and international travel over a lot of years and through a lot of evolution of air travel.

I too had an extremely unpleasant experience with Canada border agents on one occasion, crossing from Hyder AK to Stewart BC, several years ago. Canada has for the most part been very gracious towards me over the years, especially with regard to my transiting their broad land with my guns, but this time was different. I have taken exactly two trips through Canada WITHOUT guns in the last 20 years (out of many trips) and this was one of those two. Perhaps it was the absence of guns that drew their suspicions but we found ourselves detained for hours and our vehicle searched very thoroughly. They were very determined to find a reason to deny us entry to Canada, which seemed all the more unfair because we had already crossed the border a few days earlier without any problem. One of the two agents on duty really had a chip on his shoulder and he actually seemed pretty annoyed that I stayed calm and courteous throughout the ordeal. You can bet I was angry but I didn’t let it show and eventually they got tired of haranguing us and allowed us to go on our way.

 

[Bandera]

Anybody can get a TSA pass key. So anybody can get into the luggage.
It was also pointed out to me that a person with a set of picks could pick the Master Lock in my gun case in about 5 seconds.

I think that TSA is generally trust worthy.. There are shit birds working for TSA, but mostly people who have to deal with other shit birds that are traveling.

 

[fourfive8]

I too had an extremely unpleasant experience with Canada border agents on one occasion, crossing from Hyder AK to Stewart BC, several years ago. Canada has for the most part been very gracious towards me over the years, especially with regard to my transiting their broad land with my guns, but this time was different. I have taken exactly two trips through Canada WITHOUT guns in the last 20 years (out of many trips) and this was one of those two. Perhaps it was the absence of guns that drew their suspicions but we found ourselves detained for hours and our vehicle searched very thoroughly. They were very determined to find a reason to deny us entry to Canada, which seemed all the more unfair because we had already crossed the border a few days earlier without any problem. One of the two agents on duty really had a chip on his shoulder and he actually seemed pretty annoyed that I stayed calm and courteous throughout the ordeal. You can bet I was angry but I didn’t let it show and eventually they got tired of haranguing us and allowed us to go on our way.

Yes, what’s up with that? I have no idea why that attitude from the Canadian agents. Seems to be endemic. My experience was pre-Covid in 2017 and certainly well before their current hissie fit over tariffs. Wasn’t even an entry-exit issue. It was a simple transit in Vancouver Intl airport with connecting flight for port of entry into US in Seattle. No guns involved. Convinced me I never lost anything in Canada, have no reason to go there so won’t ever go there again.., including simple airport transit in Vancouver. The closest I’ll come is about 35k feet altitude flying to and from AK. A round trip flight I’ve taken at least 28 times since to he mid-70s,

 

[TarletonJake]

I would never use a TSA lock on anything, ever. Just returned from RSA a bit over a week ago, and we used master locks on everything.

Just spend the $50 on a small pelican case and throw two locks on it. Simple.

 

[fourfive8]

I’ve never used a TSA lock on anything. Have used small, cheap padlocks for everything requiring a lock. Never been an issue. I carry a couple of spare locks and keys in case they get cut or broken. Never had one jimmied or cut. I still don’t get the obsession about locks,

I Just returned from long, non-hunting international trip with one checked roller duffle. I use simple clip to secure zipper on roller duffle… with no locks. After all, what are they going to steal?? … a few dirty or used clothes, used boots, a shaving kit and a few bags of candy! All a lock would do would be to increase odds of damaging my bag if agents want to inspect it. A thief would simply take the whole bag, lock or not. Really the same applies to gun case… they would just take the whole case, no matter the type of lock. My valuable items, cash and docs stay with me 100 % of time in sling bag and in carry on.

On a semi-related side note. I just completed a long international trip on Qatar/American. Upon return to port of entry at DFW arriving from Doha, I used the CBP-MPC app. Simple and it worked well. But… the bag claim and transfer system at DFW leaves a lot to be desired. Obviously a critical weak link for checked bag loss /delay potential, security issues or downright theft. IMO, both the transfer system and employees working it at DFW need to be changed and completely overhauled. In other words it is a cluster flop. Additionally, DFW airport in general needs a major overhaul. It is showing its age. If I were a proud Texican, I would be embarrassed by that airport.