Which pelican for ammo?

[Russ16]

Heading to Zim in August. I’m taking my 375 and 450/400. I’d like to take 40-50 rounds for the 375 and 20-30 for the 450/400 right up to the weight limit.

I have a Pelican 1200 but can’t fit it all in there. Also a Pelican 1500 that just seems too big. It would take up most of my checked bag.

What case is everyone using to take ammo when taking tow rifles. I’m trying to find the sweet spot of big enough but not too big.

 

[Killo]

A friend lent me This One
I am taking 20 rounds for 416 Rigby and 60 rounds for the 300 H&H

 

[Russ16]

A friend lent me This One
I am taking 20 rounds for 416 Rigby and 60 rounds for the 300 H&H

Does that have a model number on it I can’t see one in the picture.

 

[pilar]

Heading to Zim in August. I’m taking my 375 and 450/400. I’d like to take 40-50 rounds for the 375 and 20-30 for the 450/400 right up to the weight limit.

I have a Pelican 1200 but can’t fit it all in there. Also a Pelican 1500 that just seems too big. It would take up most of my checked bag.

What case is everyone using to take ammo when taking tow rifles. I’m trying to find the sweet spot of big enough but not too big.

I’m happy with the 1300 and found 4 @ $30 per box on clearance

 

[375Fox]

I like the SKB cases. They are a little lighter than pelican but equally tough. I’d measure your boxes of ammo and compare to internal dimensions they list for each case. Weigh your ammo as well and look at the weight of the box. Case plus ammo should be under 11 lbs.

 

[Hooked Now]

I’m happy with the 1300 and found 4 @ $30 per box on clearance View attachment 770426

I've also used this 1300. I liked it because mine was also orange and it is big enough to be harder to lose. That being said, when we checked in to Atlanta they checked our bags all thr way through to Victoria Falls and I did not have to remove my ammo box. In case that info helps at all. My buddy had a case one size smaller but he was only carrying 40 rounds of .416 RM.

 

[Killo]

Does that have a model number on it I can’t see one in the picture.

No number on these one…

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Heading to Zim in August. I’m taking my 375 and 450/400. I’d like to take 40-50 rounds for the 375 and 20-30 for the 450/400 right up to the weight limit.

I have a Pelican 1200 but can’t fit it all in there. Also a Pelican 1500 that just seems too big. It would take up most of my checked bag.

What case is everyone using to take ammo when taking tow rifles. I’m trying to find the sweet spot of big enough but not too big.

I use the pelican 1200 as well, and it works great for up to 80 rounds—which I don’t bring since I’m the calibers I use it puts me overweight. Last October to Zim I packed it with 40-rounds of 450NE and 20-rounds of 416 Rigby, right at 11lb. In April/May I brought 60-rounds of 450NE, also right at 11lb. (That was with the case, so could have included more. It will hold 4 of the MTM J-20 size plastic cartridge cases, or three of them (some factory boxes but many have extra unused airspace complicating packing) and then a 10-round MTM wallet or two. I have several pieces of foam cut that I use for spacers when I only bring 3-boxes.

Some folks don’t like the J-20 cases since it has bullet down for the 416, 450/400, 450, 470…but I don’t care, the cases are on side in the protective case that I’m just using to transport. One in the field they are in cartridge slide or belt, and then a 10-round wallet or two tossed into my day pack.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

If anyone needs comparison on capacity and what can fit, let me know. Ive used and like the 1200, but a buddy swears by the 1120 and fits well more than id have thought possible.

So I decided heck with it and recently ordered the 1120, 1150, and 1170 to compare with my existing 1200 (which is the largest I’d ever need since I can quickly fit more ammo than weight limits allow.

So im already planning to fiddle around Tetris style to see what I can cram into each.

 

[Mike B.]

Russ, are you using factory ammo boxes in the 1200 or you using something else? This is 40 hornady 450-400 and 40 Norma 375 and it fits wonderfully. I have the normal top foam and the thin layer of bottom foam But it’s also putting my case and bullets at 11.62 lbs. I know delta requires the ammo and case to be under 11lbs according to their regs, even though it should only be 11lbs of ammo only.

So then I did this. I took out 10 rounds of the 450-400 and put in 10 rounds of 375 and it came in at 10.87 on my scale. That’s cutting it super close but I’d think they would give you some leeway if your scale is slightly off?

I’d just put those 10 rounds of 375 into the 450-400 box and you’d fit perfectly fine and that gets you to 30 and 50 rounds like you are wanting.

If you need factory boxes to make this work, I got plenty of 450-400 I can send and if you want the once fired casing that are in the boxes, you’re welcome to those as well. I don’t reload that. I only have one box of 375 with once fired casings but I could easily send you an additional box to get you two of those as well. With this setup, you should be just fine on what you’re wanting to do.

 

[Mike B.]

I should add, I think that thin layer of bottom foam came with the case when ordered with foam because it’s perfectly cut and I don’t recall putting that in. Although I see no reason to have to use that bottom foam as it holds well with just the top foam in place.

 

[Justin D.]

Go to Harbor Freight and buy one of their Apache cases. I've got two of their gun cases and have traveled all over with them with ZERO issues. I bought their smallest cases for my Africa trip. They fit my .375 ammo with no issues.

 

[Russ16]

Russ, are you using factory ammo boxes in the 1200 or you using something else? This is 40 hornady 450-400 and 40 Norma 375 and it fits wonderfully. I have the normal top foam and the thin layer of bottom foam But it’s also putting my case and bullets at 11.62 lbs. I know delta requires the ammo and case to be under 11lbs according to their regs, even though it should only be 11lbs of ammo only.

View attachment 770495

View attachment 770501

So then I did this. I took out 10 rounds of the 450-400 and put in 10 rounds of 375 and it came in at 10.87 on my scale. That’s cutting it super close but I’d think they would give you some leeway if your scale is slightly off?

I’d just put those 10 rounds of 375 into the 450-400 box and you’d fit perfectly fine and that gets you to 30 and 50 rounds like you are wanting.

If you need factory boxes to make this work, I got plenty of 450-400 I can send and if you want the once fired casing that are in the boxes, you’re welcome to those as well. I don’t reload that. I only have one box of 375 with once fired casings but I could easily send you an additional box to get you two of those as well. With this setup, you should be just fine on what you’re wanting to do.

I’ve been trying a larger MTM case. I’ve gotten a smaller one that fits better.

My blue factory 375 boxes (I handload mostly) are Fedrek from 25 years ago and they don’t fit in the case at all.

I think it gave it worked out with the smaller MTM boxes. I just have to accept the 450/400 going bullet down which kills my ocd.

Thanks all for the feedback.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

I’ve been trying a larger MTM case. I’ve gotten a smaller one that fits better.

My blue factory 375 boxes (I handload mostly) are Fedrek from 25 years ago and they don’t fit in the case at all.

I think it gave it worked out with the smaller MTM boxes. I just have to accept the 450/400 going bullet down which kills my ocd.

Thanks all for the feedback.

They won’t be bullet down, they’ll be bullet sideways. And the way I store ammo in the various caliber bins, the Nitro cases are all stored bullet up, but they are set on the larger lid that slides over the lower tray. Accordingly, still technically bullet up, just lid down. Stack more stable that way as well since the lid is the larger footprint slightly.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

So here is how I stack my Pelican 1200, which will hold a full 4 of the J-20 or J-20-LLD cases. This would in theory allow 80 rounds of any cartridge up through 500NE (which goes in the J-20-LLD). So you could mix and match however you pleased.

Now if I bring my 505 Gibbs, the 1200 only hold two of the 20-round cases.

So you can fit 40 rounds of 505 Gibbs, 40 rounds of whatever up to 500NE and 20 of 505 Gibbs, or 80 rounds of whatever up to 500NE. (I don’t own a 500J so cannot say if it would fit into the J-20-LLD or have to go into the same case as I use for the 505 Gibbs.

Note the J-20 cases are smaller than factory boxes, so I just use a little foam to offset my OCD (I know the top and bottom foam helps hold them in place, but the little spacers just make my brain happier)

 

[Wildwillalaska]

So here is a photo of 40 rounds of 450NE and 20 rounds of 505 Gibbs, and how I just packed for my April/May elephant hunt with 60-rounds of 450NE. (The white box is 450/400 just for example)

If you don’t need so much ammo…the 1120 is the ticket.

 

[Russ16]

Thanks for all this. I was always terrible at Tetris. Thsi guve me some good ideas on how to make it fit.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Just by way of FYI, here is a Pelican 1120 which will easily hold 40 rounds of 450NE or 20 rounds of 505 Gibbs. If packing 500NE in the J-20-LLD it will still accommodate 40, but it’s a tight squeeze where I’d likely take the bottom foam out.

@MacJenkins is able to squeeze I think 50 rounds into his 1120 I think with some combination of using Dillon Precision’s version of the J-20, maybe ammo wallets and then this awesome little proprietary (patent pending) design carrier his son printed. I have a photo back in our texts…but I’ll wait for him to show and explain. It’s like some Tetris Jedi mind shit…so I don’t want to steal any thunder.

 

[forshoes]

Go to Harbor Freight and buy one of their Apache cases. I've got two of their gun cases and have traveled all over with them with ZERO issues. I bought their smallest cases for my Africa trip. They fit my .375 ammo with no issues.

^^ This. Then use it for a Garmin Chronograph.

 

[coreydb]

Maybe I'm just a cheap charlie, or just the clueless guy walking the trail about to be attacked in an old Far Side comic, but I use a MTM cartridge holder that accommodates a TSA lock. I just put it in my check-in luggage and be done with it. When I'm required to have them separate, it still satisfies security protocols. Minimal space taken up.