When I last flew with guns, the cases were required to be locked after examination. If they couldn't locate me when they wanted to inspect, they would cut off the locks or jimmy the case if the locks were integral with the case. Solution: put a key in the lock in front of the employee, but don't lock it. Wrap the case with duct tape, over the lock. If they wanted to get in the case, they cut the tape and, viola, the case was unlocked. Honest mistake, right? No one ever cut my tape or damaged a lock in years of traveling under those rules.
