Rifle case for Africa

[Hogpatrol]

Yep, it can happen. Usually adding $100-150 per flight because it's considered "freight" due to being over the 62" linear limit. Most of the time you can get away with it, but have a plan (meaning budget) if you have a ticketing agent with a tape measure.

IIRC, On Air France, he got dinged $200 each way and then a around a hundred each way for the roundtrip to Blomfontein. I warned him but he was in love with his Americase which incidentally got all bent to hell in the process.

 

[Nevada Mike]

How about these?

Safari Case

Since 1974, We've Been Manufacturing The Original Kalispel Case Line Gun Cases Here In Cusick, WA. Handcrafted, Secure Storage For Your Firearms and Bows.

kalispelcaseline.net

Seems to be very good quality, but you will NEED a wheeled case for air travel. Otherwise it is a hassle checking in, making connections, or exiting the AP.

I travel with gun case, one medium duffel, and a smaller canvas and leather duffel as my carry-on. Any more than three pieces (two are checked baggage) is a hassle. Less is more.

 

[Scott CWO]

View attachment 525059

Americase, repainted bright orange so no one can miss it and drive over it/mishandle it on the airport.

Put musical band stickers on it and they won’t know it’s a rifle case!

 

[Scott CWO]

I’ve got a DeeZee aluminum case with wheels that’s been all over the globe. Same company that makes locking tool boxes for pickup beds. I just emailed them to see if they can still make them.

 

[RETD16]

Seems to be very good quality, but you will NEED a wheeled case for air travel. Otherwise it is a hassle checking in, making connections, or exiting the AP.

I travel with gun case, one medium duffel, and a smaller canvas and leather duffel as my carry-on. Any more than three pieces (two are checked baggage) is a hassle. Less is more.

According to the description, it has two wheels for easy use.

 

[JimP]

This way that I see it with African baggage handlers is that they see so many rifle cases come through the airports is that you can't hide what you have from them, they know just what is inside no matter what you do or how you try and disguise it. When on my first trip over and I found that someone had bent a tab on my aluminum case I believed that it was done here in the US.

My last trip there were hunters who had $40 cases and some that had $400 ones, guess what? They all came through just fine. The bigger problems come from when a case is beat upon multiple times. You don't see the first crack, then the next trip that crack either goes all the way through or cracks a little bit more until it breaks off. This will happen with any and all cases, that is unless you make one out of 1/4 inch plate steel.

 

[BeeMaa]

Put musical band stickers on it and they won’t know it’s a rifle case!

Right up to the point that they put this tag on your rifle case...

 

[VertigoBE]

Right up to the point that they put this tag on your rifle case...
View attachment 525371

I agree, but that gets on just before the bag gets checked in anyway. I’d see the stickers rather as camouflage for the time spent running around in airports with your case, and once at destination.

 

[JimP]

All of my unloaded firearm cards have gone inside my rifle case, never on the outside.

 

[BeeMaa]

I agree, but that gets on just before the bag gets checked in anyway. I’d see the stickers rather as camouflage for the time spent running around in airports with your case, and once at destination.

I can understand wanting to be under the radar coming and going from an airport. I just don't believe anyone on the planet would see me and think..."oh yeah, I bet he's got a killer Gibson Les Paul Gold Top". Or any guitar or musical instrument for that matter.

 

[Scott CWO]

Right up to the point that they put this tag on your rifle case...
View attachment 525371

Some do and some don’t.

 

[RR 314]

I used to have a huge aluminum 3 rifle case from Cabelas, but now use the 1750. Make several trips a year. Headed to SA Sunday and will be rolling with the 1750!

 

[Rare Breed]

Here's what I fly with. Bought it at Cabelas about 20 years ago, I don't see them in their online catalog anymore. I use this case whenever I travel with my rifle.

A TSA agent told me a couple weeks ago as I was checking my rifle in this case that some of the cheaper plastic cases he has seen can be broken into with two screwdrivers and they prefer something more solid. He didn't say metal or plastic, just not a cheap case.

This has the rod that goes through 4 loops and folds down to place an ordinary padlock. Only one lock required, I keep a spare inside that uses the same key. I used non-TSA locks and they worked fine.

On another note, I carried ammunition in a small plastic ammo box manufactured by Plano. I did use a TSA combination lock on this box, with a spare lock inside. When I checked my bag with this container inside I disclosed it had ammunition in a locked container. The only question was if the ammunition was in the original factory box. I said "yes" and they tossed the bag on the conveyer to load on the plane.

View attachment 524971

I am using my Americase I bought from a member. I put wheels on it. It is a 3 rifle case. I am taking 2 rifles and using the third slot for my new Blazer sticks and rifle cleaning kit. It is all medal and has a combination lock

 

[Rare Breed]

I do.

Do you pack the rifles in the soft cases within the hard case? Or pack in the checked luggage??? Reason I ask, on my last safari I didn’t have a soft case in the field and my rifle took a beating in the vehicle’s rack.

I pack my rifles in soft cases within my hard case so on the truck they don’t get beat up

 

[Rare Breed]

Yep, it can happen. Usually adding $100-150 per flight because it's considered "freight" due to being over the 62" linear limit. Most of the time you can get away with it, but have a plan (meaning budget) if you have a ticketing agent with a tape measure.

With the kind of rifles I’m taking being dinged for extra baggage will not bother me at all

 

[wvfred]

I've used a Cabelas aluminum case for 3 trips to Africa and 1 to Alaska although it worked great I will probably get one with wheels for the next trip.

 

[gcbailey]

I used a Pelican 1750. No issues at all.

 

[John458Lott]

For 2 rifles and making the 50lbs weight limit hard to beat a Tuffpak!

 

[Mekaniks]

For 2 rifles and making the 50lbs weight limit hard to beat a Tuffpak!

Yes for sure. Mine is 18 lbs empty.

With 2 rifles in soft cases, my coat, gun cleaning kit, it still easily comes in under 50#

 

[HookMeUpII]

Question on the locks: I see some people using padlocks. Is this a non-USA thing or is it universal. I forked out the money for 4x TSA approved shackle locks. I would really have rather used padlocks? I just went with the TSA locks to avoid issues.