I will traveling to Oklahoma for a deer hunt this Nov. I have a Tuffpak Case and I am flying on Delta on one of the those little Comair Jets. Has anyone had any issues flying on these small commerical planes? Thanks

no

No but I have had other issues.

This month, after pulling 2 guns out of the Tuffpak, I was forced to remove everything else from the bag so they could insure there were no more guns or ammo.

It was a monumental pain in the ass.

I don't like Tuffpaks. They are not at all handy to pack or get anything needed out of.
I use a two sided aluminum rifle case so each rifle has it's own compartment. I also use a Craftsman tool box that has wheels and a extending handle to pack my gear in. It locks and is pretty darn tough. You can wheel it around the airport. It works GREAT!

Did you use the Tuffsak that goes inside the Tuffpak?
It makes life easy when you need to get something in or out of the case in a hurry.
It is a large nylon duffle with a double full lenght side zipper, draw string top, luggage handles and a carry strap. Works for most of us.

My 1st trip to Africa I had one of the large Tuff-Paks. It would not fit in the Bush Plane. Also a Real pain in the Airports along with my other luggage. I got rid of it. The smaller ones that require you to take you rifle apart work fine. Also you tend to overload the larger ones and are overweight with the Airlines 50 lb limit. Got nailed in Dar by KLM on that. Smaller is Better with the Airlines!

I've used both Tuffpaks and heavy-duty aluminum cases. The Tuffpak requires thoughtful packing, since your rifle is cushioned only by the clothes you put around them, and the soft case if you're taking one. You have to ask yourself if you're sure that your socks and boots, etc., will provide adequate protection for your expensive rifles. I prefer the foam in the aluminum cases for protection, since that's it's sole purpose.

But if you use a Tuffpak, here's a tip that makes it easier to use. When your rifle is inspected at the airport you must pull it out of the Tuffpak. This can be a challenge if you've packed clothing tightly around it. To ease this process, make sure you have removed the bolt and scope from the rifle first, then put the rifle in a snug-fitting cardboard or hard plastic sleeve (you can make one or use a Fedex triangular tube). The rifle slides in and out of the cardboard with ease, yet it's still held protectively within the layers of clothing while in transit. I wish that Tuffpak made an accessory like this, similar to the Tuffsak, which itself is a useful accessory that every Tuffpak owner should have.

One last bit of information. My brother used a Tuffpak on an African hunt, and he had packed it very, very carefully. Still, the stock on his rifle was broken while being handled by Delta. It hadn't even made it to Africa yet. Makes you wonder about the protective value of hunt clothing versus open-cell foam. My vote goes to the foam in aluminum cases.

I have used Tuffpaks on 10 safaris, three Alaska hunts, a Canadian hunt and numerous hunts in the USA.

The only problems I have had with them are:

I once had to drag the sucker quite a ways through gravel at an Alaskan airport to get from the main terminal to the bush plane area. The gravel got in the wheel well and stopped the wheels from rotating.

Like Larrys01, my bush plane operator on a caribou hunt went nuts when he seen it even though I had written him beforehand to confirm that it would be ok. I guess he did not really know what it was when I first asked but he made an embarrasing scene in front of other hunters on this trip that we had a bit of discussion about in private.

I lost the "vending machine' key one time and had to drill it out and rig a padlock and cable in order to get it through customs and security.

They are a pain to get through security because of the difficulty pulling out the rifle. Taking the scope off and bolt out helps. I might give kaizers idea a go on my next trip.

Beyond all that the positive thing is I have never had anything broken in them and they make a fairly good safe for billfold, travelers checks etc while in camp.

When traveling in the States they are fantastic to throw into the covered bed of a pickup and head out West.

I have also used mine to ship a rifle for repairs and that worked fine.