Traveling with Soft Cases

etsonaut

etsonaut

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Forgive me if this is the dumbest question today. We are traveling in 3 weeks for our first trip to Africa. 3 hunters. 5 rifles. I have two Pelican 1750’s and one a Pelican Storm 3410. So far, so good. I watched the exceptionally informative video by @Philip Glass on packing and one thing has me stumped. I believe he placed his rifles in soft cases and then inside the Pelican with the foam removed. This makes me nervous. I really want my rifles inside the full foamed protection of the cases. Silly? How do you handle traveling with the soft cases? I am pondering one extra checked bag with all 5 soft cases inside and nothing else. Experienced advice is appreciated.
 
I cut out rifle shapes in foam and place my rifles in the case like they are designed. I take out the bolts and use electrical tape to the barrel so they cannot slide anywhere. I have 2 $5 soft cases I bought 10 years ago at cabela’s. I fold them and pack them in my checked bag. I wish I had known how great they were so I could have bought 20 of them then.
 
What Fox said: Fold them pack one in each checked bag.
 
Remove just 1 or 2 layers of the foam and a padded soft case should hold very very solid inside the Pelican with your rifle. With some space around it for sticks etc. Very solid this way.

Exactly like the video, I don't believe he removes ALL the foam.

AJ
 
I never bring soft cases. My safari operator has lots of em. Just extra baggage. Like my ex wife. I suggest contacting your PH or operator to see if they have enough soft cases on hand to cover your crew.
 
Last edited:
375Fox said:
I cut out rifle shapes in foam and place my rifles in the case like they are designed. I take out the bolts and use electrical tape to the barrel so they cannot slide anywhere. I have 2 $5 soft cases I bought 10 years ago at cabela’s. I fold them and pack them in my checked bag. I wish I had known how great they were so I could have bought 20 of them then.
Click to expand...
IMG_0364.jpeg
 
Stay with the hard case and buy foam. I also have a Tuffpak case to transport my golf clubs. They're great, but you already have a Pelican.
 
I cut the shapes of the rifles out into the foam, then I used a thin soft case and layed it over top my rifle inside the hard case. Worked awesome.
 
etsonaut said:
Forgive me if this is the dumbest question today. We are traveling in 3 weeks for our first trip to Africa. 3 hunters. 5 rifles. I have two Pelican 1750’s and one a Pelican Storm 3410. So far, so good. I watched the exceptionally informative video by @Philip Glass on packing and one thing has me stumped. I believe he placed his rifles in soft cases and then inside the Pelican with the foam removed. This makes me nervous. I really want my rifles inside the full foamed protection of the cases. Silly? How do you handle traveling with the soft cases? I am pondering one extra checked bag with all 5 soft cases inside and nothing else. Experienced advice is appreciated.
Click to expand...
My pelican has 3 layers of foam, 1 on the top, 2 on the bottom. Remove one of the bottom one, and a nice, thick, soft case is a good wedge between the 2 remaining. I made cutouts for my 2 rifles on my first trip, never again. Soft cases sandwiched in between from here on out.
 
sgt_zim said:
My pelican has 3 layers of foam, 1 on the top, 2 on the bottom. Remove one of the bottom one, and a nice, thick, soft case is a good wedge between the 2 remaining. I made cutouts for my 2 rifles on my first trip, never again. Soft cases sandwiched in between from here on out.
Click to expand...
I tried that but can’t get two cases with rifles after removing one layer of foam. Maybe I need smaller cases but what I currently have does not work with two.
 
I unzipped my soft cases rolled and taped them. I always leave them, I don’t think there’s a good way. They seem to take up space no matter what
 
I don’t use a soft case at all. I would suggest a case style scabbard. Same size, offers more protection and is the bomb on the back of the truck. The straps allow you to mount the scabbard any number of ways on the truck. I use a pelican with uncut foam top and bottom but not full thickness. This allows me to put the rifle in the scabbard and then in the pelican.
 
I carry a Murray leather slip for my rifles.
Rifle is packed in the hard case with foam cut to fit.
The leather slip lies right on top of the rifle in the case or gets rolled up in the checked luggage.
 
etsonaut said:
Forgive me if this is the dumbest question today. We are traveling in 3 weeks for our first trip to Africa. 3 hunters. 5 rifles. I have two Pelican 1750’s and one a Pelican Storm 3410. So far, so good. I watched the exceptionally informative video by @Philip Glass on packing and one thing has me stumped. I believe he placed his rifles in soft cases and then inside the Pelican with the foam removed. This makes me nervous. I really want my rifles inside the full foamed protection of the cases. Silly? How do you handle traveling with the soft cases? I am pondering one extra checked bag with all 5 soft cases inside and nothing else. Experienced advice is appreciated.
Click to expand...
Well I flew to Zim with my .470 with RMR mounted and a .300win with Leupold 4-14 and zero foam inside the Pelican.

Both rifles arrived in perfect shape and shooting exactly how they were sighted in; however I believe in high quality soft cases that are very thick and for the .470 I put it inside a silicone gun slip lightly sprayed with Balistol then the case.

Removing the bolt from the .300 and placed it in a sock inside my small gun kit along with a pack of shoot & see targets, Balistol wipes, zeiss lens wipes, bore snake, Torx & other screw driver bits to match guns and a role of electrical tape for covering the muzzles…. All inside the Pelican along with my pocket knife & multi tool.
 
etsonaut said:
Forgive me if this is the dumbest question today. We are traveling in 3 weeks for our first trip to Africa. 3 hunters. 5 rifles. I have two Pelican 1750’s and one a Pelican Storm 3410. So far, so good. I watched the exceptionally informative video by @Philip Glass on packing and one thing has me stumped. I believe he placed his rifles in soft cases and then inside the Pelican with the foam removed. This makes me nervous. I really want my rifles inside the full foamed protection of the cases. Silly? How do you handle traveling with the soft cases? I am pondering one extra checked bag with all 5 soft cases inside and nothing else. Experienced advice is appreciated.
Click to expand...
After many international trips (20 someodd) I’ve had no damage to rifles or scopes when packed as described in the video. It is certainly the most practical way to do it. Don't over think it! Have a great trip
 
I manage to lay mine along the outside edges of my Pelican Air luggage. I’ve always had room.
 
I travel with a larger 4 Rifle Case, or Double Bow Case. These have 4-5 layers of foam. It also allows me to travel with a single gun case and 3 Rifles if I choose and have done before, or 2 rifles and my bow which is common as well.

Foam layer on the bottom, remove layer 2 (there’s still and external layer of foam providing 2” of padding around the ends. I pack my bow or a rifle or two (in soft case) here, put a layer of foam over it and another rifle on soft case on top of that with my ammo belt, bino harness, spare scope, jacket, and maybe a few other things. There’s a layer of foam in the lid as well. It’s closed and locked.
 
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