It's a lock which accepts a master key TSA agents posess. These locks are so that the TSA can inspect your gun without having to delay you or the whole flight by having you report somewhere to open it for them, or cutting the lock. You can find TSA locks in gun case and luggage sections.

I leave it to Google to fill you in on the details. Happy travels

 

TSA locks use a specific master key that all TSA screening sections have. They're a minor inconvenience for thieves and easily defeated.

 

Thanks for the insight guys! I appreciate the explanation. [emoji846]

 

Be careful about TSA locks and guns - I've flown with guns on several occasions and I've been told by the TSA folks that you cannot use TSA-approved locks to secure firearms. The FAA regulation specifically states that you and only you can have access to the firearm; TSA locks can be opened by anyone with a TSA master key.

 

this - you MUST NOT use TSA locks on firearms

 

I've always allowed the ticketing agent inspect, then locked with non-TSA locks. They shouldn't have any reason to get into it once inspected.

 

I've never had the ticket agent want to look inside the box

TSA dude will usually look at the lock to make sure it's not a TSA lock and sometimes wipe a q-tip on it and stick the q-tip in a gizmo

I did see a person miss a flight because they had a TSA lock it

 

I would ship the firearm from me to me. No way I'm letting baggage monkeys touch that.

 

Don't fly - drive an RV instead.

 

While I agree with the spirit of this post it's impractical for most of us, as we're usually traveling for business purposes and RVing (or any other form of non-commercial air travel) is simply not an option.

 

AS had been mentioned, TSA locks are for the suitcase, NOT the gun hard case inside the suitcase.

I travel with my pistols at least 2 weeks a month to my job in another state. I carry 2 glocks(23C & 35) 2 boxes of ammo plus mags.

These are in a small Pelican case. That case is locked with 2 high end Master Locks with medium long shanks.

I Then take a high end Master cable lock, unzip the suitcase liner and run the cable lock under/behind the stowable metal drag handles, then before I close the Master Locks on the Pelican case, I run the cable through those and then lock the cable.

Then lock the lock on the case. That way the box is locked and its all cabled locked to the suitcase. Not fool proof but a MAJOR deterrent to anyone trying to get the weapons short of taking the whole large suitcase.

After I delcare at the ticket counter(and no they dont ask to see the weapon, but will ask if the ammo is in the original mfg box. You cant NOT have any magizines loaded!!!!!)

I fill out paperwork, then head to the TSA special bagage inpsection station with the ticket agent(once TSA is done with the bag, the ticket agent must control it from that point until its loaded in the TSA baggage CTX machine for Xray). Sometime they will just open the suitcase and wipe the weapon case for residue, once clear, they will lock using your TSA luggage lock.

At this point I also put a small ziptie through the zippers where the TSA lock is placed. This way once the bag arrives at the destination baggage carrousel, i can instantly tell if the suitcase has been opened.

Sometimes at the TSA special baggage check they have taken 35 minutes opening/inspecting everything in that bag.

I usually carry my IFAK, Suture kit, extended medical kit, large dropped legged combat knife, mess kit, MSR Wisperlight Stove/bottle(no fuel) water filter/pump, fire making kit and misc survival stuff.

They have opened and emptied each of these thing above. I stopped them from taking apart the North American Rescue TORK (IFAK)kit. They started to take out and open the chest decompression needle and I exploded. I said for $300 you can open anything in that kit, cuz once you break the sterile seal, you own it. They got the message.

 

After I delcare at the ticket counter(and no they dont ask to see the weapon, but will ask if the ammo is in the original mfg box. You cant NOT have any magizines loaded!!!!!)

So...you need to load your magazines

 

I just flew United Airlines with my pistol in a pelican case with two TSA locks.

 

This is a little off the topic of my original posting but might be meaningful to those of you who do travel a lot and have one of these new finagled, high technology "smart phones". I just bought my first App (i.e., first non-free app.... I'm such a tightwad...). And while the information is available on the net, this app brings it all together in one location & makes it very easy to access and use. It's called "CCW app" and cost $1.99 - the one I decided to flip for is by 'Workman Consulting LLC'. These guys keep current with all the various state laws (both CC & OC) and provide links to the statutes. Overall just a nicely done little app for a traveling gun owner!

 

i just flew for first time with a pistol & ammo in luggage. i used tsa locks on both pistol case and suitcase. i carried an extra non tsa lock just in case. no problem, was an easy process. just be careful of state rules where you board and deplane.

 

I happen to fly quite often with loaded magazines. And sometimes in the same locked container as the firearm. I just did this over Christmas with Southwest Airlines on a round trip to Orlando, FL.

From TSA's website: Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm. Read the requirements governing the transport of ammunition in checked baggage as defined by 49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8).

Here it is saying that my LOADED MAGAZINES may be included within a card-sided case containing my unloaded firearm. I have NEVER had a challenge to this.

Of course I print out a current copy of the TSA requirements concerning firearms and ammo along with the policy of the airline carrier I am flying with. I put these two policies back to back in a transparent document protector with all the applicable info highlighted. I have NEVER had a problem with Southwest, US Airlines (before they merged with American), American Airlines, Delta, or United. I don't believe I've flown with firearms with other carriers. Must TSA agents and Airline ticket agent don't know the rules very well so when you show them in black and white straight off the website, you will always win.

Good luck.