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Yes.Are Pelican cases worth the cost?
I'll second that.Yes.
TSA has the power to declare a stand-alone gun case (i.e., one not enclosed in a suitcase) insufficient. A lot of the Plano cases are sufficiently flexible that they can be opened by a moderate level of force without bypassing a padlock. Now, if you get your stuff to the airport and then are told you can't check your rifles, what are you going to do before the flight leaves?
Pelicans are always accepted, and, for that reason alone, are worth the cost. (They also reduce the risk of damage inflicted on your guns by baggage heavers.)
I can't say I've seen a metal pelican long gun case. I have a pelican case that I used when I went to Alaska, didn't have any issues.That may be true but what I'm speaking of is not your typical plastic gun case. They are heavier, larger, watertight, locking latches, but still are not metal like pelican.
Now that I think about it they have a valve on them for flying too I believe, but not that it means TSA would accept them or not.
hope you're not going anytime soon, this thread could run weeks.I need to be able transport two rifles.....
Yes.
Whatever you use be sure to have a TSA compliant lock for EACH hole that is capable of accepting one. Four holes equals four locks. The TSA is enforcing this. I have flown with rifles and shotguns 3 times in the past 12 months and seen this enforced more lately.
Leave yourself a little extra time I have run into problems with the airlines and TSA not quite knowing how to handle checked firearms recently.
I don’t know if it helps but I put a bunch of fishing stickers on my gun cases. I had a Uber driver ask me what was in the big case and I said a guns and then we both laughed.
Never put a TSA lock on a gun case.For the record you should NOT be using a TSA lock.
Regulations are only the owner should have access. TSA luggage locks are not to be used for firearms.
For the record you should NOT be using a TSA lock.
Regulations are only the owner should have access. TSA luggage locks are not to be used for firearms.
I have done it both ways and have been paged in the airport to open the case with my personal non TSA locks for TSA. The Airline checks only to see the gun is unloaded. The TSA is interested in anything in that case. I guarantee you are going to have a TSA agent who wants you to open the case when they see the AK profile on the X-ray.
Like I said there has been a lot of inconsistencies lately flying with checked firearms.
Check out the one I'm selling. A competitor to the Pelican case.I need to be able transport two rifles, probably an AR and an SKS. I need something robust and lockable obviously.
Any suggestions? Are Pelican cases worth the cost?
I have done it both ways and have been paged in the airport to open the case with my personal non TSA locks for TSA. The Airline checks only to see the gun is unloaded. The TSA is interested in anything in that case. I guarantee you are going to have a TSA agent who wants you to open the case when they see the AK profile on the X-ray.
Like I said there has been a lot of inconsistencies lately flying with checked firearms.
Are Pelican cases worth the cost?
You are allowed to have any lock you want.
Get 4 pad locks that are keyed alike.
Heck, you can download a model of Thingaverse and print working TSA keysThe problem with the TSA locks is those keys are everywhere, not just TSA agents have them. Even if we pretend for a moment that the TSA morons aren't the most likely thieves, any chucklehead with a computer can get TSA keys from wish, ebay, alibaba, or whatever, or any of those other chinesium sites that sell them. If your bag/hard case is a pain in the ass to get into it decreases the odds that someone is going to mess with it in transit. A TSA lock makes it a breeze for anyone to open.
FWIW even some of the airline regulations practically mandate that you don't use TSA locks for firearms because of this reason.
-Mike