Guys off to Zim on Sunday (SAA JFK - JBERG-BULAWAYO). It is advisable to put on lock on the checked bag that contains the ammo (note ammo case is in of itself locked)? If so, does the lock have to be "TSA" friendly?

Yes it is advisable. TSA locks on the checked bag with ammo. TSA locks on the ammo case itself. Non TSA locks on your gun case.

On an irregular basis, I've had SAA require me to take out my (locked) ammo box from within my rolling duffle and ship it independently of my other luggage and/or gun case. .... better make sure your ammo box is strong enough to withstand the rigors of the cargo hold.

TSA has never required me to have an independently checked ammo case, but Air France and SAA have.

That said, since you're most probably checked through to BUQ, on the inbound trip, I'll bet you have no problems, but the folks in both VFA and BUQ have most every time required three separate pieces of hold baggage.... rifle case, clothes bag and ammo case. That goes for SAA in JNB when you fly up to Zim after a night in Johannesburg (like when you fly Delta 200 and arrive to late for a flight up to the Falls or Bulawayo).

What UEG said and exactly that. No variations.

Mark

Interesting thing happened to me coming back from Tanzania through Amsterdam. When I picked up my bags, the TSA locks had been cut off the ammo box, put in it, right next to the extra pair. box showed up with no locks. Go figure?

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Yes it is advisable. TSA locks on the checked bag with ammo. TSA locks on the ammo case itself. Non TSA locks on your gun case.

This

Thanks Guys. Much appreciated. TSA locks purchased. All set.

Yes good advice as stated above. I used non TSA locks for ammo on my first trip. They were glad to show me how well their bolt cutters work. They do check.

Just returned from South Africa via SAA a few weeks ago. I had a TSA lock on my suitcase, a non-TSA lock on my ammo inside my suitcase and a non-TSA lock on my rifle case. No problems going over. Upon return TSA searched my suitcase between Dulles and my final destination and they cut the lock off my ammo case. They wrapped tape around my ammo case and put the cut lock inside the ammo case which I discovered once I got home.

Yep....I've been told they can do that