Two gun case recommendations

[rookhawk]

These threads go the same way every time. Let's distill down the perpetual debate:

-there is no consensus as to what is sufficient force to break a gun. I know from reviewing catastrophic failures due to recoil that it doesn't take much. Others believe it takes more. Some are so ignorant as to believe it is nay impossible.

-some honestly believe packing clothes and gunslips around firearms in a tuffpack is the same as molded closed cell foam as pertains to impact resistance.

-people think a pelican or tuffpack in normal dimensions at present was in those dimensions the entire trip. No belief they can be run over crushing contents only to bounce back.

-people cite past performance (not getting harassed) for using gun luggage as a carry all for all items as justification to continue doing so. It's not permissible to mix firearms and non-firearms but in spite of policies, this fact is ignored. It then comes as a shock when numerous inspections occur.


It's all good. Everyone can do their thing as usual. It's just that no progress happens. While there are numerous ways to mitigate, most are discounted or ignored.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@PHOENIX PHIL

the two gun case weighs 27lbs. Add two rifles without scopes plus the locks and you slide under 50lbs coach limit.

The three gun case weighs 33lbs. Add 2 rifles and a shotgun or three rifles, plus locks, you're under the 70lb biz class limit or you're in the $50 overweight charge for coach limit.

Either way, you're golden.

I unfold a handle on top and put my carry on duffle on it with two bungee cords fastening the duffle down. That allows me to roll my rifles and carry on in one hand and my rolling checked bag with empty gun cases, clothes, trail cams and ammo in the other hand.

I'm an airport survivor!

Rookhawk: You look very organized and professional with your gun and ammo cases, but are you going to a fly-in camp in a C-130? That is some weight to haul around. Maybe put a decal on the side of the gun cases, MOAGC (Mother Of All Gun Cases)

 

[rookhawk]

Rookhawk: You look very organized and professional with your gun and ammo cases, but are you going to a fly-in camp in a C-130? That is some weight to haul around. Maybe put a decal on the side of the gun cases, MOAGC (Mother Of All Gun Cases)

Commercial air into Zim, then in the bakkie for half a day. It's the bakkie part that demands the good cases. Surely 1000lbs of gear is thrown on top of them and they are jostled by every bounce for 400km of dirt "roads" if you can cal them that.

 

[rookhawk]

Fly camp isn't a "fly in camp".

A fly camp is a camp where everyone has "flys", meaning a tented camp with outer covers.

When someone says they are going to a fly camp it means they are doing a traditional safari with no lodges, usually in a remote areaZ no actual aircraft are required.

 

[Shootist43]

rookhawk, what do you put in the yellow an grey fiberglass cases shown in the picture with the two gun cases? BTW those fiberglass cases look to be pretty sturdy as well.

 

[rookhawk]

rookhawk, what do you put in the yellow an grey fiberglass cases shown in the picture with the two gun cases? BTW those fiberglass cases look to be pretty sturdy as well.

Ammo in their original sealed packages, duplicate permits, and the net weight of each cartridge written down and summed in imperial and metric totals to prove there is less than 5kg and 11pounds total.

The ammo is locked with TSA locks and is then stored in my checked bag. Permit sleeves inside and out to demonstrate legality and propriety for search.

Being an over the top packer with everything done to the letter causes me to have better "luck".

 

[AB2506]

Downside in my opinion on the tuffpack is if it gets " lost" you have nothing. Clothes ,gun gone. You can always borrow a gun from the PH. I own a Pelican and other than the weight with two guns in it I always have no fear of damage or the scope losing zero.

Nope, always have clothes in the other bag. May not be hunting clothes, but they will do.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Fly camp isn't a "fly in camp".

A fly camp is a camp where everyone has "flys", meaning a tented camp with outer covers.

When someone says they are going to a fly camp it means they are doing a traditional safari with no lodges, usually in a remote areaZ no actual aircraft are required.

Okay, I stand corrected. I've actually done a safari in Namibia that way, but I referred to the tents as "safari suites" as they were the most comfortable tent I ever camped in.

I'm glad the fly doesn't refer to flies............

 

[Albert GRANT]

These threads go the same way every time. Let's distill down the perpetual debate:

-there is no consensus as to what is sufficient force to break a gun. I know from reviewing catastrophic failures due to recoil that it doesn't take much. Others believe it takes more. Some are so ignorant as to believe it is nay impossible.

-some honestly believe packing clothes and gunslips around firearms in a tuffpack is the same as molded closed cell foam as pertains to impact resistance.

-people think a pelican or tuffpack in normal dimensions at present was in those dimensions the entire trip. No belief they can be run over crushing contents only to bounce back.

-people cite past performance (not getting harassed) for using gun luggage as a carry all for all items as justification to continue doing so. It's not permissible to mix firearms and non-firearms but in spite of policies, this fact is ignored. It then comes as a shock when numerous inspections occur.


It's all good. Everyone can do their thing as usual. It's just that no progress happens. While there are numerous ways to mitigate, most are discounted or ignored.

I'm not going to continue to debate over the different types of break and how they can occur, however I will give you this @rookhawk - now that I have researched it, the relatively minor increase in cost (compared to repairs on a custom African rifle) of your case over the others does make it a logical choice to go with. At first glance it looked as though it would cost as much as the rifle for that case, but at $450 compared to $300-$400 for the others it doesn't make sense to not go with it if you can afford the others. It does appear this is one of the cases where paying a little more will actually get you a lot more piece of mind. Never heard of it before you posted, thanks

 

[rookhawk]

I'm not going to continue to debate over the different types of break and how they can occur, however I will give you this @rookhawk - now that I have researched it, the relatively minor increase in cost (compared to repairs on a custom African rifle) of your case over the others does make it a logical choice to go with. At first glance it looked as though it would cost as much as the rifle for that case, but at $450 compared to $300-$400 for the others it doesn't make sense to not go with it if you can afford the others. It does appear this is one of the cases where paying a little more will actually get you a lot more piece of mind. Never heard of it before you posted, thanks

Thanks for entertaining my phobias! I manage risk professionaly so I just can't let it go if I think cheap mitigation can let me sleep at night.

I don't mind differences of opinion up to and including alleging I've lost my mind. The one argument I detest however is "I've never had a problem so I'll keep doing it this way and it always worked out fine", it's one of those absurd points that would get you thrown in jail if you used it for giving professional financial advice! Past performance is no indication of future results!

I used to have a pretty impressive and vast collection of best guns. In years of collecting I saw THOUSANDS of guns with broken wrists that were tarted up to conceal them. I was recently shown a double Rigby that the owner was oblivious to it having a cracked wrist at that moment. (And he has hundreds of guns and this one wasn't being peddled...he was just ignorant) How you transport your guns matters. They are fine works of art and they are often majorly defective by gradual damage long before someone notices a catastrophic failure. Treat them like eggs and they won't disappoint you!

 

[johnnyblues]

@35bore sells them on his website for a nominal charge.

What is the website?

 

[Uncompahgre]

Rookhawk what are the model numbers of the Pelican ammo boxes you are using in the photo with your rifle cases? Do you have any suggestions for a combination bow and rifle case? I'm planning a trip next year to Namibia where I will be hunting with both types of weapons but I only want to take one case.

 

[rookhawk]

Rookhawk what are the model numbers of the Pelican ammo boxes you are using in the photo with your rifle cases? Do you have any suggestions for a combination bow and rifle case? I'm planning a trip next year to Namibia where I will be hunting with both types of weapons but I only want to take one case.

Pelican 1400 is about $70 online. That's the grey one. It will hold enough ammo of ANY caliber up to the max 11 pound airline limit. 60 rounds each of 500NE, 375HH and 7x57, for an example.

For your custom case, pay the piper, have Americase build it for you. I'm envisioning a layered case, bow on bottom, then a tray, then guns. 3 guns on one level, bow on bottom. 8" thick in height or so, width and length of a bow. I bet it will run you $800 or so but it's a forever case.

 

[rookhawk]

Pelican 1400 is about $70 online. That's the grey one. It will hold enough ammo of ANY caliber up to the max 11 pound airline limit. 60 rounds each of 500NE, 375HH and 7x57, for an example.

For your custom case, pay the piper, have Americase build it for you. I'm envisioning a layered case, bow on bottom, then a tray, then guns. 3 guns on one level, bow on bottom. 8" thick in height or so, width and length of a bow. I bet it will run you $800 or so but it's a forever case.

Check max airline dimensions before you build it!

 

[Uncompahgre]

Thanks

 

[ArmyGrunt]

http://www.pelicancasesforless.com/c-401-pelican-gun-cases.aspx

 

[Gemsbok Gangsta]

6 guns ready for a Zim fly camp hunt in 12 days! Indestructible Americases 3 guns per, closed cell foam, bolts removed and Stowed. Scopes detached. 48" guns in 48" cases. 1.5"-2" closed cell foam on all sides. 1/2" of compression required to close the case on the guns.

Peace of mind: priceless

Don't be a victim.

View attachment 179756

These are very nice cases...

 

[Gemsbok Gangsta]

Downside in my opinion on the tuffpack is if it gets " lost" you have nothing. Clothes ,gun gone. You can always borrow a gun from the PH. I own a Pelican and other than the weight with two guns in it I always have no fear of damage or the scope losing zero.

Agreed Johnny that is why 2 sets carry on 1 set tufpak. Can't imagine hunting in my shivvies!!!!

 

[fourfive8]

2 cents- Pelican if you can find a case dimensioned for your needs. Nothing is indestructible but a Pelican is about as tough as is practical to build.

I have seen people really struggle with and stress over messing around with combo packs, odd locks and assortments of odd luggage and gun cases. Some of the TSA and other inspections and screenings are done behind the curtain so I want it as easy as possible for those folks to open, inspect and properly re-close my gun case if they need to! Also, nothing stresses more than having to catch a tight connecting flight and getting behind a returning hunter whose odd luggage-gun case mess causes delays with the inspection process. Needlessly waiting behind the un-packing and re-packing of dirty clothes, boots, equipment and other junk stacked on top of and around rifles in those tube cases is maddening.

 

[Gemsbok Gangsta]

Zipper up slide rifle out ,slide rifle back in done.