I'm hoping someone can clear this up for me. As I understand it, the new TSA locks can be opened by TSA screeners. Now, what about over in Africa, once your luggage is in the hands of South African security personnel? I don't believe they are TSA screeners. Do they have these keys, or will they just cut the locks off for inspection? And the same goes when checking your luggage for your return flight to the U.S.

Mike,

I do not believe they will cut open luggage for trip while in Africa...The only cases I had opened was my rifle cases and tuffpak and I was there to show serial numbers so they matched...RSA paperwork...

Mike

As my dear Grandmother used to say, "Let's face it!". No matter what kind of luggage/case you have, someone can (and will) screw up the whole thing.

We have to face the fact that somewhere, sometime, if you travel enough, a "screener" will want to get into your case to see what's in there. If you have a lock that requires a destructive opening of the case itself, absent a way to "re-secure the case) loss of property is going to happen and your guns/belongings might well get spread all over the luggage bay of an airplane.

Here are the scenarios:

1. The screener is too lazy to (or can't) find you.

2. The screener either hates firearms or is just power happy and likes to break things, or

3. A real threat is perceived and time is of the essence (Say, you're at a interum stop and there is a bomb threat.)

There are some great cases out there that don't allow a simple "cutting off" the lock (or using a TSA key. (The TSA keys being useful only in the U.S... and if the keys are available in other countries, every thief in the third wold will have one to make it easier to steal your weapon.. key's being much smaller than bolt cutters, etc.).

My solution has been to use cases that have exterior locks and (plainly within the case), I place lock(s) (and a note to please replace the damaged ones). I've had my case entered twice while enroute, with no notice in about 50 airline trips since 911, btw. Everytime, someone replaced the cut locks with those within the case, God bless them!

Using a belt and suspenders, one might say, I also strap my case shut. If, (God forbid) the case is inspected multiple times, and if (God willing) the "screeners" are willing, they can replace the straps (if all the locks are by then cut) and the case won't just flop open.

I understand that most every trip, the "screener" at the origin of the trip will be the only person who needs to see the contents of the case and will be courteous enough to allow me (or you) to give him/her a key.. but, sooner or later, one of the above events is going to happen.

I'd love to see Harry get his folks at Tuffpak to figure out an external lock option, or, at least, a TSA compatable key.

I flew to Africa and Canada last year. I used a Tuf Pak for my rifles [no problems]. I had TSA locks on my other piece of checked luggage. My bags were opened by TSA, inspected, with the notification paper inserted in the bag, and the bags resealed. On the Canada flight at DFW the TSA asked me to open the TSA locks for them. They looked through my bags like I was smuggling drugs, explosives, and kiddie porn.
The fella that inspecteted my Tuff Pak just had me open the lid, looked inside, I took nothing out of the case, and asked me about what type of hunt I was going on.
They were all friendly and nice.
The ones inspecting the "bags" were very through, which is good as I do not want to hear any loud BOOMS when flying.
South African, Zimbabwe, Canadian, and US Customs, Gun, Immigration, Visa, etc officials were all friendly and nice. They did except a "tip" in SA.... But the SA gun permit people wisked me right past customs, as they were emptying and spreading non hunters stuff all over the counter.

Harry and his potential customers:

Don't get a false impression of what I mean. TuffPaks are stronger than about anything in the world. Your odds of having an inferior case failing when dropped or run over by equipment, and your $20K double damaged are probably 20 times greater than damage occuring, by a Tuffpak being "busted" open by some butt-head.. I just wish TuffPak had an external locking system and the slight, but very real, potential problem would be totally avoided!

On my next trip to Africa, I will be toting a TuffPak. I'll just drill four small holes in my case, bolt on a couple of metal do-hickeys, slip a retaining strap through them, route it over the top, securing the same, just in case some turd drills out the lock.

I guess I'm just a "cake and eat it guy"???? I also use condoms, use birth control pills and always practice abstainance... I'm a careful dude, huh!

All the African airports have the TSA system and they normally open your luggage, but not your gun case unless the X-Ray shows something suspecious....All of my luggage has been openned both coming and going, but never the Tuff pak....It is locked by you after Red tagging and no one else has a key....So be carefull what you put in that gun case that cannot be easily identified....