My old friend John Farnam travels constantly with firearms, as I do and some of you do. He turned me on to a new case developed just for that purpose by Miles “Rocky” Scoville.
If you’ve flown commercial aircraft with firearms lately, you know that the airlines are now demanding a case which locks so securely they can’t get a fingertip in through any opening. Rocky found, as John and I did, that most cases that’ll withstand that test are heavy and bulky. Those of us who have to travel with guns – and ammo – know the importance of saving weight, given the 50-pound suitcase weight limit and 11-pound ammo limit
Travel Armor Case, LTD is the brand for Rocky’s case. Designed with strong but ultra-light space-age plastic, it comes with a combination cable lock. My significant other, the Evil Princess, has already adopted our test sample for her suitcase. (I can fit my Glock 17 and Glock 43 in the larger one. E.P.) They come in various sizes, including a magazine case that turns out to be the right dimensions for a micro-size .380 pistol all by itself. I’ll be running the larger two-gun case as I board my next plane flight to Return to American Normalcy. Information can be found at www.travelarmorcase.com. Rocky is giving all you readers a discount, too: at check out – use the discount code TAC613
That looks like a great Idea. The case I have been using takes about half of the inside of my suitcase. At the SHOT show it means I always wear wrinkled shirts.
Thank you for your comments! Having traveled for over 20 years with a sidearm, I’ve tried to come up with the smallest and lightest case. Email me if I can be of further help.
I ran into this for the first time flying from Albq to Phoenix and return. The TSA agent on my return threw my TSA approved lock in the suitcase and didn’t lock it.
I don’t recommend TSA locks, they are not required. All cases are X-rayed, if there is a problem, they will call you on the loud speaker. TSA rules and regulations can be found on my website.
Nice case’s. I’m just glad the wife and I don’t fly. Medical procedures thus requiring devices be worn would make for a lively and interesting pat down. Personally I would pay to that fiasco 🙂
Cases are not just for firearms, any small personal items and valuables can be stored or transported in the cases. The size of the cases makes it great for the car, boat or at home.
Those look nice – one thing I noticed, their website says the cable locks are NOT included in the price of the cases. No biggie for me, I’ve got tons of gun cable locks in a box…
It’s been a few months, obviously, since I flew with a gun, but I haven’t had the problem of TSA or airlines making sure a finger can’t get into the case when I flew last year. I have been putting the gun(s) in a soft case and then putting that soft case inside a larger Pelican roller bag on which I put two locks near the latches. The Pelican case doesn’t open much, but someone might be able to get a finger in it. Hope that still works!
The red cable locks that come with most every new pistol will fit the Single/Compact Case. I like combination locks so I don’t have to worry about losing a key. The design of the latches, when locked, prevents anyone from tampering. My goal is to simplify traveling with firearms and no hassles with TSA.
Just ordered up one for the Shield!
I like the fact that they have combo locks. No key to lose.
Out of curiosity, I checked the TSA website on flying with firearms and ammunition, and things have changed a little from last year in at least one aspect – they used to specifically tell you to NOT use TSA approved locks on the firearm case (I assume since they were deemed too flimsy and not secure enough given all the keys floating around for them). That has changed and the TSA now says, “You may use any brand or type of lock to secure your firearm case, including TSA-recognized locks.” I will continue to use non-TSA locks with hardened shanks since they will be more difficulty to cut off.
The other thing that seems to have changed is that previously you were the only person that was supposed to be able to open your case – In most cases, when TSA wanted to inspect the inside of the case, I was escorted back to the screening area and asked to open the case myself, the lock it back up again. Now the TSA says. “Only the passenger should retain the key or combination to the lock unless TSA personnel request the key to open the firearm container to ensure compliance with TSA regulations.” My default position is still going to be that I should be the one retaining the key and opening and relocking the case. But I realize I may not always be successful in that request. But I will note the name (and badge number if they have them) of the TSA person who I give the key to. I do not want to retrieve my bag and find it was not re-locked, as Paul describes above.
Nothing wrong with having a good-quality lock, but given how portable handgun cases are I doubt it would make a big difference.
I’m guessing if they want to steal my firearm they’ll take the whole thing someplace else, where they can get it open one way or another.
HEY, NOT ALLOWED!!!
You are NOT allowed to THINK!!
You chust haff to follow de ROOOOLS we make or change at will.
This is exactly right. I’ve had a pistol stolen out of my luggage before. They simple just took the case. The airline reimbursed me for everything.
You are correct. TSA rules say to lock the case and keep the key on your person. I normally wait a few minutes in the check-in area I’m case there is a problem, they will call you if there is.
From their FAQ: Ammunition cannot be placed inside any case with a firearm in it. It has to be packed separately.
That has not been my experience. I traveled last January with a 20-round box of ammo in my locked gun case, inside my suitcase. (Although that seems like forever, given how long March, April and May have been.)
Mas?
That’s one area where training and policy don’t seem uniform. I’ve had some insist the ammo be separate, and others not. I put the ammo separate to save hassle, myself.
Good looking case. I’m working on a realization that airport security is a mythical formality rather than a functioning assurance of safety. ..and where did you find a return flight to “Normalcy”? I’d like to book a trip .
Last time I flew with firarms I wanted to take three.. my BHP EDC, a compast K 40, and a full sized Smith revolver. I selected a larger factory case from something or other, managed to squeeze all three, carefullyw wrapped in soft cloth and smaces stuffed full to nothing cound rattle or shift, then put all the empty mags and factory boxed ammo into a sedoind case of about the same size. Stacked the two together, and took three wraps of Grade 7 Transport chain (the one I use for my high end road bikes… saw blades bounce off the steel) and a large Master padlock with hardened shackle. The padlock closed the chain. At TSA inspection, the guy seemed OK until he watched me assemble the whole mess in front of him.. picked up the sandwiched cases, pried one corner open and stuck his boney finger inside, and dais “this won’t work”. Whaaaaaaa??? It seemed he would not let me take them on the plane in checked baggage. I was NOT going to leave them behind. Quickly thinking outside the box, I took one wrap round the narrow waist where the two handles were, then crossed at a 90 degree angle, pulling it all as tightly as I could and squeezing the lock shut. He picked up THAT mess and tried hard to squeeze his money finger inside, but was thwarted. He looked at me and said “well done” and let me dump the mess back into the suitcase.
What I wanted to ask him but knew it would likely trigger him and create MORE trouble, was “so what if some guy can stuff his finger inside the pried open corner? He can’t to a thing with the gun, and will have to fish the correct ammo out of the other box and load it before he can do anything byt walk away with the mess to sort it out later, which he can di even if he can’t get his finger in there. “.
I zipped it and fumed along my way to the loading gate. I survived.
Typical gummit folly, most ly show very little real security. The safest place for that BHP is on my right hip, anyway. And the other two in the overhead bin, with MY eyes on that bin,
Ah gummit. “keeping us SAAAAAAaaaaafffe”. They forget that “the security of a free state” rests upon OUR shoulders, not theirs.
Time to address the riots, Mas!
In time, Mike, in time. The situation is changing daily and not for the better, and the blog only comes out a couple of times a week. In the meantime, stay safe and DON’T GO TO WATCH. If you have a trip scheduled, leave extra early and budget time to take “the scenic route” around the cities where it’s happening.
Upon review, Mike, you may have been right. See today’s (6/1/20) blog post.
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