Not to derail, but I don't understand packing a soft gun case to Africa. The lodges are bound to have loners I would think. Haven't looked at my lodge's suggested packing list since they updated the website, but I don't recall seeing soft gun case on the old list. Seemed to be plenty of them in the their armory. Surely the lodges at least have enough soft cases to take care of their rentals and a few extras in case one gets damaged or lost in the field?
Of course, some guys have showpiece soft gun cases they wish to share (visually!) with other hunters. That's fine. Admittedly, a showpiece rifle might look out of place stowed in an old canvas or leather soft gun case. And who knows what kind of crappy gun cases the lodge uses for loners (turns out my lodge's loners were MUCH better quality than the ones I had at home). I'm not terribly concerned about gun case quality because my guns are tools, not showpieces.
Incidentally, my first PH told me knife would be removed from the lodge's list when it was updated (I didn't bring a knife anyway). Listing it caused too many problems with fatheads who insisted on dressing their own game. "Why would you tell me to bring a knife if I can't use it." Would be nothing on the new list about NOT bringing one but listing it as suggested implied the wrong things.
Wow. A double derailment. Very atypical for me, eh?