Headed to South Africa in August . Flying Delta from ATL to Jo'Burg. Can I carry a spare rifle scope in my carry on luggage ?

Technically yes, but why take the chance. Some TSA agents will say it's part of a rifle and not permit you to take it in your carry on luggage. Just put it in the case with your rifle. This question has been posted several times before and some people have had problems others didn't. It all depends upon the TSA agent.

I travel with my dog to N. Dakota every year to hunt pheasants. For years I took my electronic dog collar with me in my carry on luggage. Never had a problem then one year the TSA agent wouldn't permit me to take it with me. He claimed it was a "shocking device" and not permitted. I had to hurry back to the ticket counter and put the collar in my checked bag. Fortunately, my bag was still at the counter.

Good advise

Swaincreek,

Labman gave you some excellent advise. Do not put your scope in your carry-on for the reasons he gave you. It's not worth taking the chance of loosing your scope.

Mark

And just to expand, it isn't only TSA on this side that can cause you grief. I have been present when JNB security made a hunter remove his scope from his carry-on. Fortunately his mad dash back to the rifle clearance office was in time for him to place the scope into his checked luggage.

Don't take the chance; you could lose a scope.

Agreed.

Back in the late 70's when flying across the ditch to Oz to hunt buffalo, long before 911 and all the bullshit that brought, my hunting mate took the Kahles scope off his Brno and put it in his carry on bag (we only had soft bags for our guns, didn't need to be in a hard case or locked up as check in baggage). They took the scope off him when we went through the security check which back then was a physical search of carry on bags, and gave it to the pilot who returned it as we were disembarking.

When politely pointing out to security that the scope was no different than binoculars or a camera their irrational answer was that another passenger could have other parts of a firearm and assemble it once on board. Really!!! after going through a security search and then why would one need a scope inside an aircraft?

Nowadays having anything to do with a firearm, even an owners manual, is not something I would ever dream of having in my carry on bag. Why risk giving an uninformed idiot cause to exert whatever authority his pea brain thinks he has on you in the departure or arrival hall.

When leaving through LAX a few years ago I had the claw mount scope in my carry-on. TSA agents called me aside after the scan, made me take it out and then proceeded to put it in some sophisticated machine. I asked what they were doing and was told they were checking for gunpowder residue. "Wouldn't it be normal for a rifle scope to show gunpowder residue?", I asked. No answer from the TSA agent and they let me go, with the scope in my carry-on. So, you never know, they may just want to try out a gadget or exersize their prerogative to make your day miserable.

I've often wondered why my tuffpak and other equipment never tests positive when they do the swab test and the only reason I can think of is that they are actually testing for black powder rather than the propellant used in centre fire rifle ammo.

Thanks guys, much appreciate the feedback.