Horrible Experience First time flying with a firearm

I just had a flight on American Airlines and it was a horrible experience that left a sour taste in my mouth. I had read all the rules and guidelines and followed them. I bought a Pelican V100 with a couple of abus 83/45 locks with 2" shackles. I made sure my gun was unloaded and ammo separate from the firearm in the factory box .I read that it was easy and most people had a smooth process which helped with my anxiousness and I haven't flown in a loooong time like 10 years. I went to the ticket counter when I first walked in as there was no line at the time (it was at night) but surprised, this whole thing was at the Jacksonville International airport...Okay now on to the problem I put my suitcase locked with a TSA lock on the scale thing to weigh it with my pelican case locked up inside and told the guy I'm traveling with a firearm. He gave me a kind of strange look that registered with me like I said something wrong.. had me sign that form thing which I did and give him my phone number. He then asked my suitcase I did so and then I said it was in the pelican case. He undid the latches and I was a bit confused, I thought to myself what is this dude doing I thought I was supposed to only open it. I just sat there for a second before I said I have the key (as the locks were both still attached).He got the lady next to him and said I need you to be my witness. And he opened it as much as he could which was like about 1/4" and could barely stick his fingers inside the edge where the latches were it was like to the first joint and he said I shouldn't be able to fit my fingers inside... He then got the lady to do it and she could fit fingers slightly past the first joint and said she could feel my firearm but it was the magazine cause it was closer to the latch. He then said it wouldn't get through TSA and wouldn't allow me to take itI was gob smacked I tried putting my fingers to my first joint in my fingers which I can do but it pinches them like crazy, I said you can even get anything out from there you'd have to break the case. They then suggested I could buy some locks from them for $5 each cheap master locks that were tiny... I was like that isn't going to fit the shackles aren't long enough... They then tried using my luggage lock (which was a cable lock) and that gave too much clearance too apparently and they tried wrapping the cable around to tighten it up but that wouldn't fit cause it wasn't long enough to lock.I was fuming on the inside and really pissed off but I kept my cool and was like well shit I guess I'll just have my mom ship it out to me. I thought about it the whole flight and wish I would have escalated the issue and was like get me someone higher up that I can talk to and I'm not moving until you do.. I did have my mom with me though so I didn't wanna cause a scene really and I'm not a combative person at all I hate doing that.I still have my ammo at least! Oh and I asked a TSA agent after that whole ordeal at the ticket counter about it and he told me it's the Airlines I'm inclined to believe him more but WTF.What would have you done in my situation, was I in the wrong? Was those people just assholes looking for a reason to deny me rights?Here's a TL;DR: airline people at ticket counter could fit fingers inside edge of my pelican case and said they can't allow it through , now have to have it shipped out and am in the ghetto without a fkn gun -_- via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/3gwwDCE