Double rifle case - standard or safari style

[Rakman]

I have the key version. But I took it one step further for security if that lock should break while traveling.
I also included a photo of top foam after guns are inside.
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View attachment 498734Hasp is pop riveted on with reinforcing washers on rivets.

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Thanks for sharing. I’ll be sure to do that. Do you feel is more durable than an aluminum case? I can for sure see the advantages of it looking like golf clubs.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Thanks for sharing. I’ll be sure to do that. Do you feel is more durable than an aluminum case? I can for sure see the advantages of it looking like golf clubs.

I wouldn’t say more durable. It works for me tho. I have all my guns insured just incase something happens. I have a policy with Eastern Ins that cover here at home and travel abroad.

 

[CoElkHunter]

ANY case of any construction from any manufacturer can be damaged...

Here is what the Phoenix Airport luggage handlers succeeded doing to a best-quality STEEL welded case...

View attachment 498724

And to the $10k Griffin & Howe ZKK 602 action-based custom rifle with all the metal work goodies and multi star French walnut stock inside it...

View attachment 498725

I have personally come to believe that what reduces the risk of case / rifle(s) damage is NOT the make or construction (within reason), but the bulk and weight. The smaller and lighter a case, the easier to handle, and, I believe, the lower the risk of mishap. Conversely, the bulkier and heavier, the higher the chance of it being mistreated by pissed off luggage handlers...

This is why I believe that the Pelican 1700 is currently the best option, not to mention, as illustrated above by BeeMaa that you can stuff 3 calibers in it while still complying with airlines requirements of less than 62" linear and less than 50 lbs. In my experimentations this is the best option for 2 rifles to Africa (even if not using a Blaser or similar). Not to mention that it fits in a regular car trunk or rear seat, and that I do not dislocate a shoulder handling it.

I started using mine for a double .470 + a magnum length CZ 550, and now use it for double + Blaser R8 with 2 barrels, or just Blaser R8 with 3 barrels and 3 scopes.

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I bought a couple sets of military-grade hard foam and cut it myself to fit my needs. I use alternate sets depending on what I want to take on a given safari.

The Pelican 1750 with half the foam removed and the rifles in soft cases still works (I posted on this a few years back), but with decent soft cases (in this case Boyt) the weight exceeds 50 lbs. and of course the size exceeds 62" linear. It worked for many years but nowadays be ready to pay oversize/overweight fees up to $200 per flight. If you do 3 flights each way: domestic US / international / domestic Africa this will add close to $1,500 to your cost. I personally rather spend that money on trophy fees...

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+1 too on Nevada Mike recommendation to select a case with wheels. The Pelican 1700 (and 1750) has a set. This will change your life the day you transit through New York or Atlanta and have to schlep it from a domestic terminal to the international terminal when the domestic airline does not want to book your rifles to their end destination on a different airline.

In summary, and unless you are concerned about loosing zero when taking a rifle out of its stock (which is still possible if the bedding is approximative - but impossible with metal bedding inserts/receivers e.g. Bell & Carlson stocks or Blaser stocks), I see no reason to still use a full length case. It is heavier, bulkier, potentially more risky, and nowadays most likely more expensive.

For what it is worth, Rakman, in my view (?) the so-called "safari" cases are an invitation to financial surcharges and potential mishandling because they are simply too bulky and too heavy. The "golf clubs" cases share those shortcomings although they tend to be lighter because they are thinner, but just imagine what would result to a thin TuffPac from a blow that can dent a Pelican or bend a steel case... And God help you if you need to take a bush plane with one of these monsters... Even the van driver that picks you up at the airport will struggle with where and how to load it, you better hope that the PH himself shows up with his bakkie...

Wow! Looks like your all steel case was run over by the refueling truck? Someone needs to make an all TITANIUM rifle case. Let's see the bastards try and destroy that! LOL

 

[BeeMaa]

I can for sure see the advantages of it looking like golf clubs.

The advantage is only an advantage outside of the airport. Once your bag has been identified as having a firearm in it, there will be a big red tag so EVERYONE is aware of it. Plus, as discussed by @One Day... , it's unnecessarily long and bulky making it a target for baggage handler abuse.

Also, I'll bet that most people who see me with a Pelican 1700 (not the 1750) would be blissfully unaware that there's a firearm in there. The 1750 screams firearm IMO.

EDIT - Which brings me to another point...stickers on the case. I'm not a fan of having anything on the outside of my case at all. Not even a sports team logo. No reason to draw attention to my case more than any other piece of luggage on the line.

 

[One Day...]

Thanks for sharing. I’ll be sure to do that. Do you feel is more durable than an aluminum case? I can for sure see the advantages of it looking like golf clubs.

That is until, as Mark says, they put a big red "Firearm" tag on it...

As to durability, things are really simple: thickness and tensile strength (i.e. "quality") of material.

Steel cases were stronger than aluminum cases, but disappeared because they were genuinely too heavy. And even them could not resist being speared by a forklift (see my previous post on page 1).

Not all aluminum cases are created equal: some have appropriate thickness (and are heavier), other do not, Here is a tip, if the aluminum is too thin to be welded, beware...

The durability of polymer cases of good manufacture and good resin (I am not including the $50 Plano and such cases in this category) is in direct proportion to the thickness of the resin, which explains why Pelican are the best, because they are the thickest (and therefore heaviest - their weakness...).

There is no free lunch: even with equal quality resin, a polymer case using material half as thick will be roughly half as durable. Hence the idea to try to reduce the opportunity for mistreatment, which is the path I take with a smaller / lighter Pelican 1700.

It is true that golf club cases (or professional movie cameras tripod cases) were less "visible" than rifle cases, but since nowadays they are identified as containing rifles, and therefore handled separately from the regular luggage, this advantage is gone. They are lighter (hence likely less durable) than a quality "safari" 2-rifle case (God forbid a pig "safari" 3-rifle case) so using one for 3 full length rifles does make sense, but I would trust my rifles to a Pelican or "safari" aluminum case any day and twice on Sunday over a TuffPac; both Pelican or Americase AT2 or AT3 are likely to be a whole lot more durable if the dreaded fecal matter hits the proverbial propeller...

 

[Philip Glass]

I’m looking at the Kalispel double gun cases and was curious as to what the advantage of the safari style case is vs the traditional double rifle case…yes I’m aware the 2nd. photo shown is a single case…it is being used to illustrate what I mean by traditional style case.

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These are neat and I have the safari 3 gun case. In my experience the Pelican 2 gun case cant be beat. I can put two rifles in there plus a gear bag with a few items. You are normally allowed 50lbsX2 on the airlines so you want to use that carefully. Using the aluminum cases or other cases with precut foam leave you no roon for extra packing.

 

[Rickmt]

I used the Pelican vault series V700 which is 37” X 15”. It does not have wheels but airports I use have the carts and I don’t find my Blaser and 2 barrels that heavy for a short walk. I replaced the center piece of foam with the heavier foam (Amazon) of the same thickness. One small drawback to this case is it requires 4 locks . I cut the foam with a very sharp thin bladed knife, after overlaying the gun pieces and tracing them out with a sharpie.ATTACH=full]499016[/ATTACH]

 

[Jfet]

These are neat and I have the safari 3 gun case. In my experience the Pelican 2 gun case cant be beat. I can put two rifles in there plus a gear bag with a few items. You are normally allowed 50lbsX2 on the airlines so you want to use that carefully. Using the aluminum cases or other cases with precut foam leave you no roon for extra packing.

But there is that COOL factor that’s hard to beat.

 

[40newton]

I had a safari double case made them added removable wheels mounted on a plate that could be slipped off one bottom end. Then have a handle on the opposite end and one on top so it can be pulled or carried

 

[BeeMaa]

@Rakman - If you are interested in a Pelican 1750, I'll sell you the one I have. Send a PM if you are interested and I'll get some pictures for you.

It's not like I'm going to use it anymore. Someone might as well get some use out of it.

EDIT - If anyone is interested in it...send a PM. I'll be posting it in the Classifieds sometime soon.

 

[BeeMaa]

@Rakman - If you are interested in a Pelican 1750, I'll sell you the one I have. Send a PM if you are interested and I'll get some pictures for you.

It's not like I'm going to use it anymore. Someone might as well get some use out of it.

EDIT - If anyone is interested in it...send a PM. I'll be posting it in the Classifieds sometime soon.

My Pelican 1750 has been sold.

 

[Philip Glass]

But there is that COOL factor that’s hard to beat.

For sure! I always dreamed of getting a 3 gun safari case. I would see them in magazines many years ago. I never needed one and maybe still dont but they are cool. I use mine from time to time to take rifles to my shooting range.

 

[steve white]

ANY case of any construction from any manufacturer can be damaged...

Here is what the Phoenix Airport luggage handlers succeeded doing to a best-quality STEEL welded case...

View attachment 498724

And to the $10k Griffin & Howe ZKK 602 action-based custom rifle with all the metal work goodies and multi star French walnut stock inside it...

View attachment 498725

I have personally come to believe that what reduces the risk of case / rifle(s) damage is NOT the make or construction (within reason), but the bulk and weight. The smaller and lighter a case, the easier to handle, and, I believe, the lower the risk of mishap. Conversely, the bulkier and heavier, the higher the chance of it being mistreated by pissed off luggage handlers...

This is why I believe that the Pelican 1700 is currently the best option, not to mention, as illustrated above by BeeMaa that you can stuff 3 calibers in it while still complying with airlines requirements of less than 62" linear and less than 50 lbs. In my experimentations this is the best option for 2 rifles to Africa (even if not using a Blaser or similar). Not to mention that it fits in a regular car trunk or rear seat, and that I do not dislocate a shoulder handling it.

I started using mine for a double .470 + a magnum length CZ 550, and now use it for double + Blaser R8 with 2 barrels, or just Blaser R8 with 3 barrels and 3 scopes.

View attachment 498727

View attachment 498731

View attachment 498728

I bought a couple sets of military-grade hard foam and cut it myself to fit my needs. I use alternate sets depending on what I want to take on a given safari.

The Pelican 1750 with half the foam removed and the rifles in soft cases still works (I posted on this a few years back), but with decent soft cases (in this case Boyt) the weight exceeds 50 lbs. and of course the size exceeds 62" linear. It worked for many years but nowadays be ready to pay oversize/overweight fees up to $200 per flight. If you do 3 flights each way: domestic US / international / domestic Africa this will add close to $1,500 to your cost. I personally rather spend that money on trophy fees...

View attachment 498726

+1 too on Nevada Mike recommendation to select a case with wheels. The Pelican 1700 (and 1750) has a set. This will change your life the day you transit through New York or Atlanta and have to schlep it from a domestic terminal to the international terminal when the domestic airline does not want to book your rifles to their end destination on a different airline.

In summary, and unless you are concerned about loosing zero when taking a rifle out of its stock (which is still possible if the bedding is approximative - but impossible with metal bedding inserts/receivers e.g. Bell & Carlson stocks or Blaser stocks), I see no reason to still use a full length case. It is heavier, bulkier, potentially more risky, and nowadays most likely more expensive.

For what it is worth, Rakman, in my view (?) the so-called "safari" cases are an invitation to financial surcharges and potential mishandling because they are simply too bulky and too heavy. The "golf clubs" cases share those shortcomings although they tend to be lighter because they are thinner, but just imagine what would result to a thin TuffPac from a blow that can dent a Pelican or bend a steel case... And God help you if you need to take a bush plane with one of these monsters... Even the van driver that picks you up at the airport will struggle with where and how to load it, you better hope that the PH himself shows up with his bakkie...

You'll never convince me that damage to the steel case wasn't deliberate...

 

[steve white]

I bought the three gun aluminum at a convention years ago because they were out of the 2 gun version. I always wished I had waited fot the two gun, but it is a great place for binos etc. as extra storage. Hope it's not banned now.

 

[Nhoro]

+1 for the pelican case. I fly with camera equipment packed in a pelican. They are water proof within reason and humidity proof as well. You need to have cut out foam or rifles have a tendency to slide around. And put some silica gel little bags inside to remove moisture. Airflights have temperature and pressure changes and condensation can be a problem.

In the airport, it is pretty obvious who has firearms if you know what you are looking for. So conventional looking cases only help screen you from dozy travellers. Crooks and customs know the drill.Mostly, hunters give themselves away with Kuiu camo and hornady stickers on their bags and caps. So watching what you wear is more important than your case anyway.