Best Hard rifle case

[BeeMaa]

With the money I have wrapped into cases. I doubt I would sell them and buy the Condition 1.

Just don’t like how heavy they are. Without the scopes. Rifles are not fragile items.

Baggage handlers have their own way of testing the fragility of nearly everything.

 

[Hyde Hunter]

my last 2 trips were on Delta and United with Pelican 1750 cases and there was nothing said about being over size as on both airlines it is classified as sporting equipment, even on Airlink

 

[DHH45]

Check out Tuffpak. Looks like a case for golf clubs, and you can stash loads of gear in the case. I like it better than Pelican case, plus it’s a lot lighter.

Totally agree. I've made three trips to Africa with mine and many trips to Canada.

 

[Lone Star Bluegrass]

Totally agree. I've made three trips to Africa with mine and many trips to Canada.

I’ve never had my 1750 ruled to be oversized.

 

[BeeMaa]

I’ve never had my 1750 ruled to be oversized.

Have it happen once and I doubt you will forget it.

I prefer to stay within the guidelines to avoid unnecessary baggage charges. The Pelican 1700 was designed specifically to stay under the 62” linear limit.

If you are over the line to begin with, any argument you have is useless. I suppose as long as you accept this as a possibility, you will be fine.

 

[frankdes]

I use a NANUK 995.

Frank

 

[USN]

i recently purchased an RTIC gun case, tough to beat for value. Will use for my next trip over in May, so have not flown with it yet but appears outstanding.

 

[fourfive8]

I cringe when looking at some of the multi-rifle cases showing rifles laying inside. Cases are targets of the "gorilla test" common among baggage handlers. With some multi-gun cases, I see very little keeping the rifles separated. Newton's laws of motion can make quick work of one rifle scarring another. Also, no one working at airports is fooled into thinking a Tufpak has golf clubs .

IMO, I use the toughest, least vulnerable, most compact, easiest to carry and as importantly easiest for inspectors to open and inspect case I know of - an older Pelican 1700 with a single rifle, taken down. The barreled action and stock are separate and held securely in their own cutouts in the foam of the case. The lid has extra foam that presses down on and holds the barreled action in place. Case weighs 16 lb empty and total of 27 lb with 11 lb rifle. There are only two lock holes and case has wheels. I do not know if current comparable Pelican of that size has that config.?

 

[Philip Glass]

Check out Tuffpak. Looks like a case for golf clubs, and you can stash loads of gear in the case. I like it better than Pelican case, plus it’s a lot lighter.

But now you can't put any clothing in the gun case when traveling to or through RSA. This negates the value of the Tuffpack as it has traditionally been used. Other locations it may be fine.

 

[Philip Glass]

Has anyone used, handled or bought a Condition 1 hard rifle case. They appear to be well made. And lighter then the heavy SKB and Pelicans.

I think my pelican weighs 25 pounds and the equivalent Condition 1 is 19 pounds.

I am a Pelican nut but I will sure check these out!

 

[Philip Glass]

Has anyone used, handled or bought a Condition 1 hard rifle case. They appear to be well made. And lighter then the heavy SKB and Pelicans.

I think my pelican weighs 25 pounds and the equivalent Condition 1 is 19 pounds.

It is a bit smaller I see and that could be a problem for some rifles in a soft case as is recommended for a safari. The smaller cases certainly don't look as tough as Pelican. I can see from a glance this is the new tacti-cool kind of equipment that Is made to go to the range and not to Africa! Seriously someone would have the be the Guinea pig and try it. I'll stick with my Pelican that has been around the world.

 

[Philip Glass]

my last 2 trips were on Delta and United with Pelican 1750 cases and there was nothing said about being over size as on both airlines it is classified as sporting equipment, even on Airlink

I've never seen it but if you draw the short straw in the airport who knows what they will say! We always descend into these discussion on total lxwxd and whether it meets the letter of the law on airlines. I don't worry about it and have never had a case measured.

 

[Philip Glass]

Have it happen once and I doubt you will forget it.

I prefer to stay within the guidelines to avoid unnecessary baggage charges. The Pelican 1700 was designed specifically to stay under the 62” linear limit.

If you are over the line to begin with, any argument you have is useless. I suppose as long as you accept this as a possibility, you will be fine.

But maybe you just don't know how to argue?
Seriously: what airline, route, etc. Lack of detail just causes fear for the new folks.

 

[Justbryan]

But now you can't put any clothing in the gun case when traveling to or through RSA. This negates the value of the Tuffpack as it has traditionally been used. Other locations it may be fine.

I never put my clothes in my Tuffpack anyway. 2 guns in heavy soft sided gun case which you will need pin Africa, tripod with padded case, shooting sticks in case, and it is a good fit. I love my tough case. I sold my pelican cases and only use the Tuffpack now! Plus, I bought the locking system and have used it in hotel rooms and vehicles to secure my locked case to the room or vehicle.

Find something that works for you, both Tuffpack and Pelican work well.

 

[Beretta391]

We put our coats and vests in bottom of tuffpak. Also bass pro sweatshirts for ph and trackers and skinners. Then 2 heavy padded gun cases. Never had a problem in 7 trips thru joburg.

 

[godwincp]

Do you put your rifles in their soft case and then in your pelican?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Do you put your rifles in their soft case and then in your pelican?

I don't. What kind of safari operator doesn't have soft gun cases on hand for clients? Maybe one that has a couple dozen clients in camp at the same time ... but that kind of hunting is not for me anyway. My lodge owner has top quality soft gun cases for me to use when I'm hunting. Just something extra to bring along that's unnecessary.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I cringe when looking at some of the multi-rifle cases showing rifles laying inside. Cases are targets of the "gorilla test" common among baggage handlers. With some multi-gun cases, I see very little keeping the rifles separated. Newton's laws of motion can make quick work of one rifle scarring another. Also, no one working at airports is fooled into thinking a Tufpak has golf clubs .

IMO, I use the toughest, least vulnerable, most compact, easiest to carry and as importantly easiest for inspectors to open and inspect case I know of - an older Pelican 1700 with a single rifle, taken down. The barreled action and stock are separate and held securely in their own cutouts in the foam of the case. The lid has extra foam that presses down on and holds the barreled action in place. Case weighs 16 lb empty and total of 27 lb with 11 lb rifle. There are only two lock holes and case has wheels. I do not know if current comparable Pelican of that size has that config.?

View attachment 565374

For my lat trip I packed two rifles in a single gun Pelican Vault. They fit fine with QD scopes detached and put in carryon. But the guns did move around in the case and barrels from each marked the toe of opposite gun's stock.

Not a disaster as the Springfield was overdue for refinish and the newly built 404 wasn't completely finished (metal still in the white). Next trip I will either cut out foam bed or strategically place blocks of foam with velcro to ensure the guns stay separate during hard handling.

I think the disassembly idea is great. It's the route I would go if only taking one gun. Requires sighting it in again but we always check zero anyway before hunting.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Incidentally, I thought about removing the bolts and putting them in carryon with scopes so the case closed better. Don't do that! I almost missed my plane to Stutgart out of Toronto because security discovered the bipod in my carryon. "That's a gun part and those are not allowed in carryon." They were fine with me taking the scopes on board but not the tripod because that wasn't on their list of gun parts that aren't gun parts. I eventually got it sorted after involving three levels of supervisors. Rifle bolts definitely would not be making the trip! I suppose the reasoning is a group of terrorists could each carryon a different piece of gun and then assemble it in flight. Kinda far fetched ... but so is flying passenger jets into skyscrapers.

 

[Ravensview]

fourfive, Do you take a torque wrench for reassembly or have you found that your zero is maintained on reassembly? I like the setup that you are using and am still in the planning and saving for an African Safari, and your method of transport looks like a great idea.