Gun case foam

[686]

I bought some Kaizen foam for my Pelican 1750. Before I start marking and cutting it, please critique my layout orientation. I think I may be trying to squeeze too much in here, but I’m trying to reduce the bags/cases I transport. Will there be enough foam left between the pieces of gear?

 

[rafiki]

main concern i'd have is how tight the rifle scope and the buttstock are to their respective edges. could be fine, but i'd rather have more foam inbetween those spots.

 

[686]

It’s sitting with about an inch of foam above the scope turret and about an inch and 3/8” between the butt and the side. How much is enough?

 

[rafiki]

i'd have to look up the reference but i think the minimum from pelican is 1 inch. personally, i'd like to have more buffer if possible, but you're probably good there.

 

[rafiki]

Always allow at least one inch of foam between your equipment and the wall of the case. https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/cases/im3300-foam?sku=IM3300-FOAM

 

[HairyScandinavian]

That inch may be for airport gorillas pitching the case off the loading ramp. I bet it's fine.

As for the layout, it's just too busy for me and I think some of that stuff I'd put in my pack. If this is for hunting you're gonna pull that bino harness and spotter out to put in your pack anyway once you set out on foot.

 

[Geewhiz]

When I travel with my rifle I take all the foam out of the case and put my rifle in a soft case and then use the remainder of the space for soft luggage and clothes. Just a suggestion.

 

[Theringworm]

When I travel with my rifle I take all the foam out of the case and put my rifle in a soft case and then use the remainder of the space for soft luggage and clothes. Just a suggestion.

That’s a great idea, until it’s not. Had a TSA agent in Alaska open my gun case, remove the rifle and yard sale every single item in it. All that was left was the plastic case. She begin shoving everything back in when I interjected and asked to let me repack it as I had it to insure the rifle is protected, she quickly & rudely told me that I wasn’t allowed to. I explained to her my concern. She did not care. So…… I have left in the foam going forward.

 

[686]

To clarify: this is really for driving to the shooting range and driving to NRL matches. I have the original foam I’d probably use when flying with other rifles. I have a tendency to forget things when I’m going to the range, and so I’m trying to limit the amount of bags and miscellaneous I have to grab. I’m using a small backpack for NRL and as a range bag that the spotter and bino harness won’t fit into, so I was thinking about putting them in this case.

 

[Theringworm]

Foam is cheap. Buy a box (mine came with 4 pieces in one box) and cut each to fit whatever the occasion may be. I have sold most of my gun cases and just have two hard cases now. But I do have a specific foam cutout for each of my rifles. Way easier to store foam pieces in a card board box than multiple plastic cases.