I would like to take my bow on my next trip to S. Africa, However, because a bow in a bow case is consisdered "Luggage" and not a firearm, I was told it CAN"T be locked, I don't like the idea of not being able to lock my bow in its case, the airlines aren't sure and TSA says must be unlocked, what have you all been thru taking a bow, and the experience?

We just returned from RSA with two locked bow cases. I had a TSA lock on one and my own locks on another one. My locks made the entire trip the TSA did not. They cut my locks on the trip over, I put spares on and had no problem on the return trip. We stayed with the cases until after they were inspected and asked to lock them and had no problems. By the way our cases were considered "weapons" not "firearms".
Jeff

I have had a problem getting them to lock my case after inspection. Since that I will often put a handgun in the case just so they will allow it to be locked. You have to be careful with where you are traveling and make sure that having a handgun there is legal.

This is based on my limited experience of travelling with bows (2 trips to Africa and one to Canada). Usually, they want to inspect the bows and make sure there are no firearms, but then let you lock the case. On my last trip to Africa, they didn't inspect but I was allowed to lock the cases.

SKB makes some great cases for just bows. They also make combo (no pun intended) for bow and rifle 2SKB-411A http://www.skbcases.com/sports/product/archery/archery.html

Robert

Why can't you lock luggage? I lock everything.

I guess its hit or miss on who's working for TSA, they wouldn't let us lock the luggage, I guess because luggage is subject to search anytime, They did ask however if I had ammo, in my luggage bags, but I always pack them with the firearm. Even when I traveled commercial to deploy with the military, we couldn't lock our luggage, just the firearms cases. I do however put locks on them to see if i can get away with it...but I always end up carrying them in my carry on because I had to take them off.

My bow case was inspected and I put TSA locks on it on my last trip to AfricA, They arrived mwith them intact and made the return trip as well...Cross my fingers, I will try it again in August