TSA opened my locked rifle case? How?

[MrNiceGuy]

maybe the pamphlet was put in during the initial check-in?

Actually I think this is most likely what happened.
I was messing around with my phone when the TSA agent was inspecting my pelican case so I didn't see exactly what they were doing before they closed the case.
It's very likely they slipped the pamphlet in before closing the case as standard procedures.

Sorry to get everyone all riled up over nothing.....

[CHS]

I was at the gate about 10 minutes when a S/W employee came up and asked for my key to the case because TSA wanted to look inside. I said no problem & gave him the key. About 15 minutes passed & he returned with my key and thanked me. He also mentioned the case would have to be picked up at the baggage claim desk in Sacramento. I said thanks.

You violated Federal law by giving them the key.

Just FYI.

[Spyder]

You guys do realize that you have to OPEN the case for the ticket agent BEFORE you can board. And when you do, they are required to put the notice in there.

Which means the OP was standing there with the case open at the ticket counter when the ticket agent did their job, placing the paper into the case, and the OP wasn't paying enough attention to his firearm which he is so worried about keeping track of, to notice.

Not an issue at all, no freaking laws were broken and the people were doing their jobs. The OP just was not aware of what was going on around him.

[Dr Pete]

Go to a locksmith & get the best lock $$ can buy.
File a complaint is someone does something against the law.
Or last time I flew we shipped my stuff UPS to the hotel.
Time it so arrives when you do and insure the crap out of it. If it gets lost or stolen I am buying more expensive toys!

[Fjold]

Just run your rifle case with TSA locks.

It's hard to believe that Bill would advocate breaking the law. I'll have to mark this post!

[Gryff]

You guys do realize that you have to OPEN the case for the ticket agent BEFORE you can board. And when you do, they are required to put the notice in there.

Which means the OP was standing there with the case open at the ticket counter when the ticket agent did their job, placing the paper into the case, and the OP wasn't paying enough attention to his firearm which he is so worried about keeping track of, to notice.

Not an issue at all, no freaking laws were broken and the people were doing their jobs. The OP just was not aware of what was going on around him.

The ticketing agent does not put in a TSA-labeled brochure.

[duckman1]

You are correct that the ticketing agent does not place the pamphlet in the case. It is placed by the TSA inspector, each time I have flown I have been inspected immediately after I completed my check in. You are not allowed to touch the firearm after you unlock the case, the TSA inspector determines the gun is unloaded, returns it to the case and asks you to relock the case. You then pick it up at your destination at the special handling counter.

Interesting side note, toughest inspection I encountered was reentering the US in Dallas, TX. I presented documents showing the firearms were mine and had left the country with me. He still rechecked the serial numbers twice, shouldered both rifles. I had the bolts removed and in the case....I think he was just a gun fondler.

[Lost]

While I am sure it would put you on someone's poop list, I'd think about contacting TSA's Inspector General and asking them. They are not supposed to open baggage with firearms outside the presence of the owner unless it is simply not possible to do it any other way. Every time I've flown with arms they've taken the checked bag, and me, directly from the check in counter to a separate screening area where they inspect that bag in my presence before it goes to baggage handling.

I worried the first couple times that my other checked bags getting separated from the one containing a firearm might cause some kind of SNAFU, but it worked out and the TSA folks I've dealt with who did the screening of the bag with the firearm were cool about it, every time. Thats my experience at SFO and at a couple of different East Coast airports.

I flew out of San Jose a few years, going to AZ with my AR and they asked me for my key after I had gone through security (called me over the loud speaker). I asked to be present while they searched my rifle case and they told me I was not allowed to be there. My key was returned about 10 minutes later and I saw a San Jose PD officer with a SWAT jacket load my case into the belly of the plane personally.

I wasn't a fan of not being there while they searched the case, but nothing was different from how I had packed it.

[MrNiceGuy]

The TSA agent putting in the pamphlet after inspection and then closed the case......which I'm guessing is what happened on my RETURN TRIP to SFO.

The reason it caught me by surprise is because on my initial trip OUT of SFO, this procedure was NOT followed by the TSA agent.
The SFO TSA agent firmly indicated he was NOT going to open my gun case at all, he merely wiped around it with a paper pad (which I guess is testing for explosives), asked me if the ticketing agent had put in the bright red "unloaded firearm" card into the case (which I said yes they did), then he put a sticker on my case and handed it to the airline baggage carrier that was with me and sent me on my way.
I reiterate, at NO time did the TSA pamphlet (either by ticketing agent nor the TSA agent) make its way into my case on my trip OUT of SFO.
When I opened the case at my destination, no TSA pamphlet was present in the case.

This is why I was surprised I got a TSA pamphlet in the case when I returned home and opened the case.

Either way, it's no big deal, I was just curious why it happened and now I know (or at least I'm guessing I know).

But somewhere someone didn't do their job since the same pamphlet should have also been in my case on my way OUT of SFO (if I understand correctly this to be the standard protocol).

[Sh00tFurst]

Saw some locks the other day at OSH that had "TSA indicators" built right into them.

Not that this info helps you in any way. But maybe someone interested will find this info helpful.

[MrNiceGuy]

BTW.....regarding TSA locks.....this is a cut n paste from United's website.....see BOLD.....just throwing it out there.......

Firearms
Federal regulations require that firearms in checked baggage or in their own shipping cases be unloaded and declared. Firearms are not allowed in carry-on bags. Firearms in checked baggage must be packed in a locked hard-sided bag or gun case. TSA locks are not approved for securing firearms. A maximum of 11 lbs. of small arms ammunition is allowed in checked luggage in the original manufacturer's box or securely packed in a fiber, wood or metal box to prevent movement of cartridges.

[Hella Copter]

Wow...

The TSA just violated federal law.

Personally, I would call the TSA and the FAA and file a major complaint.

The TSA is not supposed to violate federal law.

That's like saying the government isn't supposed to violate the constitution. It sucks but it'll probably be allowed.

You definitely should report this though.

[joelogic]

You sure they didnt throw it in there when they inspected the bag at check in. I am pretty sure they put that in my case when I had to open it for them. Maybe you just did not notice.

[skale240]

I was at the gate about 10 minutes when a S/W employee came up and asked for my key to the case because TSA wanted to look inside. I said no problem & gave him the key. About 15 minutes passed & he returned with my key and thanked me. He also mentioned the case would have to be picked up at the baggage claim desk in Sacramento. I said thanks.

You violated Federal law by giving them the key.

Just FYI.

This is what happened to me on my last experience flying out of San Diego. I was paged by S/W and they asked for my key. Initially instead of cooperating and handing the key over I explained to them TSA's policy. She then went to the back and tried to get them to come out and inspect in my presence but she said they refused. I asked to see a TSA supervisor but after her second trip to the back she stated that they were too busy and that again they wanted the key. I started to make a stink about it because I thought it was completely absurd and pressed that there were expensive firearms in that case. I asked to see a Southwest manager and he tried to get them out but with no success. I was then left with a choice for them to break my locks resulting with the guns not flying with me, wait for "them" to have time to come out but potentially miss my flight or give them what they wanted. Heck I was gonna wait but it was busy and the security check point was super long. So much time was wasted at that point. My final solution was to ask the Southwest manager to be present when they opened my case and he was kind enough to do so. I was so pissed because I almost missed my flight.

[MrNiceGuy]

Basically I "probably" didn't notice TSA toss one in the case on my way BACK to SFO.
But they "definitely" DID NOT toss one in the case on my way OUT of SFO.
Thus led to me asking why there was a pamphlet in the case, on my way BACK to SFO.
If the proper procedures were followed on BOTH trips, then I should have had a pamphlet in my case on my trip OUT of SFO also, which was NOT the case.