Use a gun to protect gear on commercial flights?

http://lifehacker.com/5448014/pack-a...-theft-or-loss

Well, I am not sure if this is the correct forum to place this, but has anyone ever heard of this or tried it?

Never heard of it but it is an interesting way to get around the problem.

Eric Virkler
Faces of Nature Photography
www.ericjvirkler.com

only in America would someone even come up with this idea lol

I dont think I will be trying it anytime soon, especially on international flights

As the word gets around on this you will probably get a search of a lifetime if you do try it.

I have often thought that we need a higher class of lugage treatment for photo gear etc. I would be willing to pay a fair price for assurance that my 500mm lens could be checked and returned to me at the end of the trip secure and unharmed. I have traveled on domestic bow hunting trips checking a real pistol as the article suggests. I was amazed at how easy it was. Size might be an issue. My pistol was in its own case (smaller than a brief case). If you showed up with a full sized suitcase with 50 pounds of photo gear, along with a tiny starter pistol, you might get some grief. The other issue might be how it is handled. Security is one thing but gentle handling is another. Lets lobby for "first class" luggage handling at a price.