First Time Flying on Plane with Firearm ???

[FLIPCO]

Next month I will be flying from Denver to Phoenix, AZ and I want to check in my rifle as baggage at DIA....I'll be flying on Frontier Airlines RT air....This is my first time / experience to check in firearm baggage on a plane and would like to know from anyone's experience on what the proper procedure I should take and what I will expect at the airport.

I have a hard case that can be pad locked multiple times. I will not be transporting any ammo. The only thing that will be in the hard case is my AR and a couple of mags. Everything will be unloaded. I will also be running a cable lock through the mag well and ejection port area while all is locked in the hard case.

I am told to never hand over any pad lock key to anyone, including TSA.....That the key will always remain on my person and that I am the only one to unlock the pad locks myself.

Some of my questions are:

1) when at the baggage check in counter, do I tell them I am checking in a firearm?....I mean it is a hard case but guitars and keyboards also get transported in a hard case too.

2) If I have to mention I am checking in a firearm, do I have to open up the hard case to show them for inspection and verify that it is indeed unloaded?.....Or do I not open the hard case at all cause it's none of their business what type of firearm it is ???

3) If all goes smooth,....when I arrive at Phoenix airport, Does my rifle hard case end up at baggage claim where it shoots down the baggage carousel or does it get sent to a special room to claim it ??.....same on return flight back at DIA ??

Thanks for any helpful info.

This is the case I will check in with