Gun case

Hi everyone !
My wife , daughter and I are going on a hunt in Namibia in june next year.
We are taking 3 rifles , was wondering what the recomended hard case for our rifles would be ?
I have a friend that went to South Africa last year with a tuff-pac with no
problems. I have a aluminun case Ive flown to Alaska and Canada, but 2 guns in it puts me well over 50 pounds in weight, and with the fees for overweight didnt know what to do. Maybe there is no way around the fees ?
I also understand that getting guns into Namibia is a lot less hassel than SA
true ?
Thanks for the help !!!

Hi,
I used a Tuff-Pac last year in Namibia and it worked like a charm; no issues. Getting into Namibia with my rifle was easier than LEAVING California. Windhoek is piece of cake and they are actually very friendly (again, not so much coming in/out of SFO). Good luck and good shooting!

I'd vote for the Tuff-Pack too. We talked to several hunters in airports both ways and all were happy with their Tuff-Packs. We used Do-All cases and they held up to abuse just as well as the T-P's, but are heavier.

Since I have enough $$ invested in the Do-Alls, I'll keep using them, but if I had to do it over, I'd go with the Tuff-Pack.

Wildcat, You are right, getting guns into Namibia is pretty straight forward...

Click here to find an article on AH where Permits & Importation of Firearms & Ammunition into Namibia is discussed.

Thanks for the imput ! The tuff pac is kinda pricey for a chunk of plastic but if it works
I think it would be money well spent.

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Thanks for the imput ! The tuff pac is kinda pricey for a chunk of plastic but if it works
I think it would be money well spent.

The great thing about the Tuff Pak is that you can throw cloths and other things in the gun case...to save on weight of your other suitcases. I thought the same thing a lot of money. But after see enough of them and how they take the abuse...I'm convinced it's money well spent.

I bought a Pelican case for my rifle and couldn't be happier with it. I used it on a 2 connection domestic flight in the U.S. and the case arrived looking like it had just been taken out of its packaging.

I am also happy with my Pelican............it has been a lot of miles and still looks new. Does not matter what the trained gorillas at the airlines do with it, everything inside arrives intact and has not even moved a smidgeon. And they float............had mine do a 360 and into a lake in the far north when the boat pilot hauling gear hit a reef and took the bottom off his outboard. We jerked him off the reef and gathered up all of the soggy gear and my Pelican. My rifle and binos were inside dry as a bone.

What about the SKB gun cases? I will be going to RSA next May and had planned on using it to carry 2 rifles.

+1 on the Pelican case. I had one for many years carrying a work rifle, and it took a SEVERE impact in a crash. There was about 1/2 meter of crush into the trunk which impacted directly on the handle of the case. The armorer pulled the action from the stock, checked it all out, then re-torqued the action screws. NO damage to the rifle. This was from getting slammed sideways at high speed before going over an embankment into some trees backward and impacting the trunk (bonnet) next to the case handle ... after the offending vehicle landed on the roof of my car. Sturdy+++. The downside is the weight. With the silly weight restrictions by most airlines, you don't get much leeway on the case & rifle.

When I set up my rig to travel last year, I went with the Hardig Storm Case in the now discontinued Desert Tan. It is as well built as the Pelican overall, slightly less robust, but it has SIX latches plus a top handle and wheels that are VERY nice. As others have stated, pull out one layer of foam and pack fluffy clothing, socks, etc to fill the void. Just don't pack away anything non-replaceable, as the rifle case will be the FIRST thing lost....

Originally Posted by speedbump

Just don't pack away anything non-replaceable, as the rifle case will be the FIRST thing lost....

I hear that. My rifle took its first trip around the United States without me before being delivered back to my front door. How they always manage to lose the most sensitive, usually largest item on the plane remains a mystery to me.

x5 on the pelican. traded in an skb and paid some extra and couldnt be happier. out of the 6 total cases that went from usa to rsa and back, the pelican held up wonderfully as others had broken locks, cracked shell, although someone did have a tuff pack that held up well also. I cut out a spot for my camera, video camera, binos and had confidence it was all safely locked and waterproof.

Second the Hardig Storm Case.
I have one and it is very robust and "user friendly" with all the latches, handles and wheels.

The backseat with all those strong/heavy cases is the weight.
We Europeans are handicapped by the 20 kilo limit for checked in luggage, including the gun case on most air lines.
That goes for tourist / economy class.

With a rifle/case weighing in at 12 kilos, that leaves you with only 8 kilos left for clothes, boots and stuff.
Binos,cameras and stuff like medicine etc, goes in the carry on.

One learns to travel light

The Tuff-Pak is the boss for me.

I carry take down rifles and shotguns when I travel and NEVER had any problems with it.

More often than not, it comes off the belt with the regular luggage because it looks more like a golf club bag, business display, etc carrier than a gun case.

The Pelican is also a terrific case. I have a 1560 that I use as a suitcase for international travel. It's bright orange so easy to spot in baggage claim.

Can't go wrong with either. Don't scrimp on the case for your guns or it'll end up being a problem at some point.

Good luck.