Recommendations for Rifle Cases?

Madcat · Post by **Madcat** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:24 am

Hi all!

I'm getting a new P700 Alu and considering which rifle case to get. In my country, most shooters use generic cases (those with the two layers of egg-cart type of foam inside). If I could, I would get something better, because I don't really like the idea of my rifle sliding about in between the two layers of foam even after the case is closed (it doesn't help to protect the sights).

I've seen the Pelican ones where you have this third layer that you cut out a space for your rifle and put it inside. It's like the cases that comes with Steyr air pistols. Are there other brands with similar cases? The Pelican looks technically impressive but most features are quite honestly overkill, and local dealers here don't sell it cheap. (I found great deals on Amazon for Pelican and Storm but not sure if I can get it shipped into Singapore).

Suggestions? Thank you in advance!

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 12:20 pm

I use the egg type foam case and the rifle doesn't move around at all, but it's not the type I would use if I was traveling internationally by air, a Peli/storm would be the one for that.

Madcat · Post by **Madcat** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:07 pm

Colin wrote:I use the egg type foam case and the rifle doesn't move around at all, but it's not the type I would use if I was traveling internationally by air, a Peli/storm would be the one for that.

Maybe it's just my team's cases getting old, because we certainly notice the items shifting about inside when we carry our cases up and down the stairs (our armoury and shooting gallery are on different floors). True enough, it's not a real issue when our weapons are only used locally, but I foresee my rifle and I travelling internationally together, and I've heard quite a few horror stories about shooters going for international matches with their weapons in bad post-flight condition.

I just found a Pelican 1750 case going for 209 USD at Amazon (probably half of what the local dealer will quote me), but I can imagine it being quite a thing to haul around when it's about 2 to 3 times the weight of the P700 itself. (I guess it's the life of a rifle shooter to haul equipment around!) Still looking for good deals for the Storm IM3300, and found that Plano has a similar-looking premium line too.

sandy22 · Post by **sandy22** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:47 pm

Take the sights off when you travel.

Sparks · Post by **Sparks** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 6:35 am

If you're going to go international, you want Peli, Storm or SBS (I think it's SBS is the name, we don't see them much in Europe but the Canadian shooters we've met over here swear by them).
They only look like they're overkill, baggage handlers tend to be classified as Acts Of God over here in terms of destructive potential :D
If you're not going to be taking your firearm through an airport though, you probably don't need one, the generic cases are fine for day-to-day travel by car.

Doc226 · Post by **Doc226** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 7:16 am

Don't skimp on the case. You probably spent couple of thousand dollars on the rifle, protect it the best you can.

I have a pelican case similar to this one.

http://www.casesbypelican.com/1700F.htm

You can very easily cut out he foam using a foam cutter after placing the rifle and tracing the outline out.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... &x=14&y=22

Good luck

ARshooter · Post by **ARshooter** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:10 pm

I got a Pelican case that came with my used Anschutz. It's a beast. I wonder if it's not overkill for most uses. Too heavy to take to the range. I would imagine flying with it is also a real pain as it would cost a lot in extra charges. Can't even sell it because shipping probably cost as much as the case is worth.

Sparks · Post by **Sparks** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:36 pm

ARshooter wrote:I got a Pelican case that came with my used Anschutz. It's a beast. I wonder if it's not overkill for most uses. Too heavy to take to the range. I would imagine flying with it is also a real pain as it would cost a lot in extra charges.

Yup, but never as much as the charge for this:

ARshooter · Post by **ARshooter** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 6:59 pm

point well taken.
Been there before, while trying to clean the rilfe in a hurry.
Hope you got it fixed.

Sparks · Post by **Sparks** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:04 pm

Couldn't be repaired easily, the stock was sintered aluminium, not milled or cast - it could be repaired, but you're looking at some pretty advanced welding to get a reliable weld. Replaced the aluminium stock instead, came to about €500 (~$730) in total.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:48 pm

was it in the soft case at the time Sparks, looks like a soft one in the picture

Sparks · Post by **Sparks** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 5:25 pm

Colin wrote:was it in the soft case at the time Sparks, looks like a soft one in the picture

Yup. Bought the Peli shortly afterwards. However, I've seen one pass through baggage handlers in Dublin airport break lesser hard cases and even grind my Peli down quite a ways.

WesternGrizzly · Post by **WesternGrizzly** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:09 pm

I use a Storm case for my rifles. Its the one I take to the range and on planes. Its awesome.
matt

jhmartin · Post by **jhmartin** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:19 pm

Use Storm i3200 cases for normal day to day travel to ranges and to matches where we are driving.

Use a Storm i3100 for air travel. You can get an air rifle and a smallbore in an i3100 if you take the stocks off the actions. The nice thing about an i3100 is that overall dimensions keep it under the "excess size" airline dimensions and is treated as a regular bag. When we put an 2002 air rifle and a 1913 sb rifle in the case it weighs in at 42 to 48 lbs ... under the 50 lb "heavy baggage " limit.

Madcat · Post by **Madcat** » Mon May 02, 2011 3:55 pm

Thanks to everyone for your replies and advice! In the end I ordered the Pelican 1750 from Amazon and it arrived earlier today.

I agree that apart from international travel the case is really overkill for usual training, but I guess it is worth it when I have already spent $3,000 on the rifle itself (and $300 more every year on license fees, storage fees, blah blah blah). Besides, I got it online for 1/4 the price which I can find locally and that alone is awesome. :P

Now I am just going through the layers and layers of red tape so that my new rifle can reach me too. :)