I travel frequently - my recommendation is NEVER pack anything that has value to someone else. Camera, laptops, cell phone, watches, jewelry, whatever ... They are typically small and will easily fit into a normal carry-on bag.
I only pack things that have little or no value to anyone else. Clean, but used socks, underwear, shirts, pants and toiletry items aren’t going to be stolen. That’s the stuff that gets sent through TSA - and practically NEVER gets touched.
As for a gun, perhaps I’m a cheapskate; but a gun packed in accordandance to airline regulations is automatically insured for around ~$1,250. So, if they want to steal my $500 rifle, they would be doing me a favor because I will claim the full amount in loss. I’ll be glad to sell every weapon I have for ~$1,250 each.
Exactly.
Everything of value that I need to carry - laptop, cameras, iPod, tablet, one night’s change of clothes - goes in a backpack and into the overhead. Once on board, I remove the camera bag and slide it under the seat with the shoulder strap looped around my ankle.
Unless a few baggage handlers are aroused by clean underwear I don’t foresee a problem.
The guns I’d pack would be handguns. That creates a real moral problem for me because, aside from a .22, they’re large caliber defensive handguns. The dollar value isn’t the thing; it’s my concern that one of my guns would be stolen and used by some thug to injure or kill an innocent person.