Rifle case for flying

[Spoonman]

Looking to hear what rifle cases everyone has for flying? Don’t really want to break the bank on a rifle case but I do know I need to protect my rifle. What do you have? What do you like/dislike about it?

 

[wilydawg]

Pelican and don't look back...

Mine has gone on many, many trips (Africa, Canada, the States) over many years and I have never had a single issue or any damage to the contents. And it has definitely been abused by baggage handlers, as marks on it would attest to.

There are others that are of similar construction, but it seems like Pelican wrote the book and is #1 in this category. If there ever was a "buy once, cry once" purchase, IMO this is it...

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Pelican 1750 double cases are on sale right now... https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2401135787

Thats the buy once cry once case everyone recommends for the price closer to the cheaper options.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Pelican. Get a "double gun" one as the extra room is worth it.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Pelican cases are top of the food chain, no doubt. I love mine but they are heavy and $$$. I have had good luck with iseries cases from SKB as well. Been using one for a truck case for a while and it has flown a few times. Less bulky and heavy and a lot less $. They don’t offer the same level of protection as the Pelicans but they seem to get the job done.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Pelican cases are top of the food chain, no doubt. I love mine but they are heavy and $$$. I have had good luck with iseries cases from SKB as well. Been using one for a truck case for a while and it has flown a few times. Less bulky and heavy and a lot less $. They don’t offer the same level of protection as the Pelicans but they seem to get the job done.

The iseries of similar size look like they're pretty similar weight?

For truck stuff I just have some basic plano cases that work fine for my rifles sitting behind my truck seats. For planes I want sturdy thus the pelican type case. 50lb bag allowance covers case, rifle and margin for optics and puffy layers for padding.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I use a Pelican rifle case. It’s the newer design water tight case which is great for flights where you know it’s doing to sit out in the rain for a while. waiting to get loaded into the plane. Very durable, completely water tight, and easy to to carry.

 

[glass eye]

I have a Cabela's double heavy duty aluminum but I no longer travel with traditional gun cases.
I outfit my own diy hunts and this often times requires lots of gear. Now I travel with an SKB golf case with padlock latches added to both ends.
With this set up I can max it out to 50#

 

[Missahba]

Last time I used a Winchester brand aluminum break down double shotgun case. Removed the stock from my bolt action rifle (2screws). Barreled action on one side. Stock on the other. Binos, knives, gps, misc kit, ammo, sling, etc packed in there. Convenient, low profile, light, secure. Used my daypack as a carry on. Wore my hunting boots and some layers. Very efficient three day hunt out of a drive up cabin.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Pelican 1750. For $125, I see no reason to not use this case.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Pelican 1750. For $125, I see no reason to not use this case.

Yep. And buy the little TSA locks so your locks or zip ties don’t get cut off.

 

[CBECK61]

Pelican is the best. I know what airlines do to luggage and see no reason not to invest in the best. If you buy a cheap one latches will break and I just can't fathom how mad I would be if someone damaged my rifle especially on the way to a hunt. Also lots of airlines want to give you hell on the way through and a flimsy case can give you issues. Don't use a TSA locks they aren't allowed to access your firearm without you being there. I always keep 2 tsa locks with me just in case and print off the airlines policies on firearms prior to showing up. Most airlines don't really know their own policies and will fight you on them.

 

[glass eye]

Firearm cases are NOT supposed to have TSA locks. Nobody should have access to it after initial inspection. I wrote my phone number on my locks.

 

[Desk Jockey]

The iseries of similar size look like they're pretty similar weight?

For truck stuff I just have some basic plano cases that work fine for my rifles sitting behind my truck seats. For planes I want sturdy thus the pelican type case. 50lb bag allowance covers case, rifle and margin for optics and puffy layers for padding.

Fair point. I am comparing a 16# iseries 3i-4909-SR to a 25# pelican 1750 which has more volume but still only holds one gun because of the foam.

As far as price, I got mine for close to $100.

I see that midway deal on a 1750 which is a good deal but with shipping might get a bit spendy. I haven’t seen 1750s with foam for less than that. If someone has a link to that $125 price on a 1750 I would love to check it out.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Yep. And buy the little TSA locks so your locks or zip ties don’t get cut off.

Never use TSA locks.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Never use TSA locks.

Completely disagree. Billy Jack the lead TSA agent doesn’t know his own rules. Cuts your locks and you are SOL and have to buy new ones. I’ve been there, multiple times despite bringing their own rules with me. Once it goes on the conveyor belt behind the scenes, they do whatever the hell they want. Just use TSA locks and get over it.

 

[CBECK61]

Completely disagree. Billy Jack the lead TSA agent doesn’t know his own rules. Cuts your locks and you are SOL and have to buy new ones. I’ve been there, multiple times despite bringing their own rules with me. Once it goes on the conveyor belt behind the scenes, they do whatever the hell they want. Just use TSA locks and get over it.

I'm on the other side of this coin. I want no part of some curious TSA agent messing with my firearms. I have flown with firearms several times and have only had a TSA agent try to get into my case one time. I could tell they tampered this the lock but couldn't get it open. I typically request that they inspect it while I'm there so that it gets a tag saying it was inspected. I keep TSA locks on standby in case I get a stubborn ignorant agent but have never had to put them on.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Fair point. I am comparing a 16# iseries 3i-4909-SR to a 25# pelican 1750 which has more volume but still only holds one gun because of the foam.

As far as price, I got mine for close to $100.

I see that midway deal on a 1750 which is a good deal but with shipping might get a bit spendy. I haven’t seen 1750s with foam for less than that. If someone has a link to that $125 price on a 1750 I would love to check it out.

I grabbed a 1750 for plans to put the gun/optics/gear in it rather than 2 rifles and hit 50#.

I had looked at the midway price a bit back it was something like $10-15 in oversize charges if I recall right. But I actually grabbed mine from cabelas for $200 (using discounted gift cards and 12% cash back) with free shipping over the weekend rather than order the midway one.

Not sure if that $125 is a typo or someone found a really good deal...

 

[N2TRKYS]

Completely disagree. Billy Jack the lead TSA agent doesn’t know his own rules. Cuts your locks and you are SOL and have to buy new ones. I’ve been there, multiple times despite bringing their own rules with me. Once it goes on the conveyor belt behind the scenes, they do whatever the hell they want. Just use TSA locks and get over it.

You must have the worst luck I’ve ever heard of.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

You must have the worst luck I’ve ever heard of.

No I just fly out of Oakland/San Jose/San Francisco and know how it works at those airports.