Pelican vault

[fiddler]

Get out that old electric carving knife. Cuts foam like a breeze.

 

[fiddler]

Get out that old electric carving knife. Cuts foam like like a breeze.

 

[dartem]

I use new, snap blade box cutter knife blades, fully extended from the handle to cut the foam inserts.

This works well. When laying out the area to cut, I use straight pins around the item (rifle or whatever) and then with the rifle out of the case, follow the lines and cut...
Regards,
Mike

 

[dartem]

Could also use toothpicks.

 

[Orange Dust]

This works well. When laying out the area to cut, I use straight pins around the item (rifle or whatever) and then with the rifle out of the case, follow the lines and cut...
Regards,
Mike

You can also place the items on the backside of the foam and draw around them with a sharpie. Won't show since its on the bottom.

 

[BHP9]

This and use an electric carving knife as stated many times.

I have 2 Hardigg Storms and a Pelican 1750. The Storms are super tough and the 1750 is very good too.

 

[Thomas Culver]

I took 2 rifles and a suppressor to Africa in the big Pelican Vault and it performed perfectly. The case had a few scuffs, but the rifles were still on target when I took them out and took a couple shots before hunting. Hard to complain about that. I have SKB cases for my bows and prefer the Pelican Vault to the SKB's.

 

[carl1775]

Carl would you recommend going with the storm over the vault series?

Yes, I would recommend the storm vs. any other case. Most of it's preference, but I've had my oldest case since '07. It's been around the World and it's still in fantastic shape. A few scrapes and gouges on the outside, but no broken latches, or hinges and it has never failed to protect the contents.

 

[skipglo]

I burned my Cabelas points on one. I like it so far, seems very stout. Has nice latches and handles on 3 sides plus the wheels.

I also didn't like butchering the foam, it works fine just looks like crap. I'm no artist! I have it cut for 2 scoped rifles, 2 bipods, suppressor and 1 AICS magazine.

My only other complaint is the lid flips all the way over and lays flat. Not sure why this bothers me but I like the way my SKB opens 90 degrees and that's all. Seems to be a very good case all in all

You can always screw some hinges into your case to stop that. I did. Nice when the lid lays flat if you want to look at your gun...but a real pain...when you lift your gun out and it topples over backwards. Hinges cost 8 bucks!

 

[skipglo]

Just a note on cutting your foam.. trace out the gun and components on the back of the foam and then cut your foam using an ELECTRIC FILLETING KNIFE...they are cheap enough to buy and do a really professional looking job!

 

[skipglo]

Not Carl but "Storm" series are the old Hardigg-brand military grade cases after Pelican bought Hardigg. The Storm cases are designed to have the crap beat out of them. (Ever see Air Force load handles throw cases out of a C-130 straight to the runway?) The regular Pelican cases aren't quite as tough but work fine from my experience with both. The Vault cases are supposed to be built to the same specs as the regular Pelican (not Storm) cases but I have no personal experience with the Vault series.

And if you really want good looking and well protecting foam, try MyCaseBuilder.com. You can use the denser PE foam for guns and have a smaller edge margins and dividers than the standard ester-type foam that comes in most cases while having as good or better protection.

Another great spot to buy your foams is from an upholstery supply shop...they will often cut them to size for you to fit the case if you order a couple at a time...I bought six dense foam for 38.00 ea.cut to size....this way 6 different setups and I tag them for each gun

 

[MJT700P]

Well I think I'll get one of the vaults and try it out once. Thanks to everyone for all the info I really appreciate it!

 

[carl1775]

Just realize that it is not "water proof." I highly recommend the best product you can afford. Whatever that might be. For me, that is the Storm IM3300. It's better to have a feature and not use it, rather than need it and not have it.

 

[MJT700P]

Good point! Water proof is actually part of my reason for getting a new case and I thought the vault would be water proof. I see now it's only advertised as weather resistant so that is not going to work for me as it will see rain and snow in use.