I have a few comments from my recent flight on United to the RM3G match. I flew with an ICC 49" x 16" x 4.5" .08" thick alluminum with wheels case and a large suitcase for the rest of my stuff. I only took rifle ammo on the way there and no ammo back with me.
Flying out of San Jose I was asked how may guns I had in the case. After replying 3 she then asked if it was designed to hold 3. I of course answered yes. After consulting with her co-worker she decided it was OK. No attention was paid to the weight of the bags.
On the return flight from Denver, he didn't ask about the gun count but he did have me put the suitcase on the scale by itself. After removing a goretex jacket and another fleece jacket I came in half a pound under the 50lb limit.
The two airports had much different way of handling the gun case. When I arrived in Denver an employee brought out the case and checked that I was the owner before turning it over. In San Jose they just dump it into the oversized bin. Fortunately I knew where it was coming out, so I was there to pick it up immediately.
Louis