Originally Posted by
mtofell
I just checked a pistol and ammo for the first time recently and it was actually super-easy. Just a quick form to fill and sign. The agent said is goes straight to TSA and they'd call me within 10 minutes if there were any problems. Items were in locked in metal combo boxes that only I had the #s to so no one from TSA looked inside. I never head anything and there was just the standard "we've been in your bag" note so they at least opened my bag.
It's a bit different in Europe.
Back on my standby days, in the rare occasions when I checked luggage at an outstation, more often than not my bag would be decorated with a lovely - and very large - yellow tag that said DO NOT LOAD and then something smaller like 'until approval is given' or something else. I used to call it my 'reverse snob tag'.