So, on my flight out of Tampa I had to declare my weapon. Guns are like Schrödinger's cat, apparently if a TSA agent observes them, the all danger goes away. Don't get me wrong, I have no problems with having to declare a firearm. By having your weapon and ammunition inspected, more eyes can be placed on a situation where some carelessness could cause harm. Loose cartridges could easily slam into something during the turbulence incurred in air travel that cause the primers to go pop (which results more in a fragmentation grenade than a bullet being launched).
Two funny things happened, checking in my luggage. First off, at the Tampa airport someone has to walk your bag over to the TSA screening area. A gentleman who, and I don't really mean to be disparaging, was the kind of person who seemed lucky to have a job handling suitcases made the comment to his boss "Why do I have to walk his bag? He done already told you he had the gun!" which I found terribly poignant. Even the baggage handler could understand that I was no threat to anyone because I was the one following the law.
Then came the big fun. The TSA screener came up to me and asked me a litany of questions to which he was only looking for a particular answer. He didn't know what he was asking at all, just that there are correct responses. One of the questions is "Is all the ammunition in their original packaging or an otherwise secured case?" to which I replied "The ammunition is stored in the magazines."
Now TSA allows ammo in the mag, they just appreciate it if you'd put tape over the top to keep any rounds from popping out on their own and taking a walk around the cargo area of the plane. I find that a reasonable request, but honestly I rarely do it. However, since the answer was not "Yes", Mr. TSA Scanner Guy was flummoxed.
He then asked me if that was allowed.
The TSA guy is asking the passenger what the rules are. I should have said "No, because if they're in the magazines it would make it possible that I'd be able to retrieve my pistol from the cargo hold", but instead I said "Yes" which was an answer he understood and I was on my merry way.