Hard Rifle Case (at price point) input please

[JimD]

Hello all.

I'm looking for a few (2? 3?) hard rifle cases.

Here are some of my parameters:

- for a scoped rifle, and... I think a single rifle, not a double rifle case.

- main use will be back and forth in car to various places

- AND... I will, from time to time want to put a rifle in this case, and then the case in the cardboard box it came to me in, to ship to a gunsmith.

- will NEVER be checked to fly on an airplane trip

- I want GOOD FOAM - backstory: I have had someone ship me a rifle before in what I think maybe was a $24 Plano case, and the case was in a perfectly sized cardboard box, and that seemed to be FINE to go through the U.S.P.S. or FedEx or whatever, BUT the FOAM was SO weak and flimsy that the rifle slid around, squished the foam over, etc. So... whatever the CASE (outer shell) is, y'all can talk with me about, but I DO ALSO want to make sure the case has, inside, good strong FOAM.

- then, unfortunately, there is the question of money. Man! do I admire the SKB Roto Military Case for $469. But I can't do anything NEAR that! I am always looking for "champagne on a beer budget." So... I'm looking for a GOOD√ case, maybe... under a $100 dollars? Sure would be great. Or... if there's a big jump in quality for just over a $100, that's fine. But something in that range.

Any help very much appreciated.

JamesD

.

 

[Deviant]

Hello all.

I'm looking for a few (2? 3?) hard rifle cases.

Here are some of my parameters:

- for a scoped rifle, and... I think a single rifle, not a double rifle case.

- main use will be back and forth in car to various places

- AND... I will, from time to time want to put a rifle in this case, and then the case in the cardboard box it came to me in, to ship to a gunsmith.

- will NEVER be checked to fly on an airplane trip

- I want GOOD FOAM - backstory: I have had someone ship me a rifle before in what I think maybe was a $24 Plano case, and the case was in a perfectly sized cardboard box, and that seemed to be FINE to go through the U.S.P.S. or FedEx or whatever, BUT the FOAM was SO weak and flimsy that the rifle slid around, squished the foam over, etc. So... whatever the CASE (outer shell) is, y'all can talk with me about, but I DO ALSO want to make sure the case has, inside, good strong FOAM.

- then, unfortunately, there is the question of money. Man! do I admire the SKB Roto Military Case for $469. But I can't do anything NEAR that! I am always looking for "champagne on a beer budget." So... I'm looking for a GOOD√ case, maybe... under a $100 dollars? Sure would be great. Or... if there's a big jump in quality for just over a $100, that's fine. But something in that range.

Any help very much appreciated.

JamesD

.

I have 3 pelican cases that are great but they are 200 plus even with the 10% off coupon at Optics Planet.

 

[bigngreen]

I use the better Plano cases, I've had as good a luck with them as the Pelican at half the price, never have had a gun move in them and I've shipped a lot of heavy rifles in them.

 

[okie man]

I need a good case that will fit a gun that's 48 inches!

 

[longactionHNTR]

I've used the pelican cases for years and have no complaints. I trace my rifles out on the foam then cut it with an electric fillet knife. Also you can buy new foam inserts for the same case, so you can cut out foam for different rifles. I have 1 pelican rifle case with 4 foam inserts. This is what I do because I'm also on a beer budget.

 

[catamountsierra]

You can also buy foam at a sewing store (joanns), cut it to fit the hard case, and then cut out a perfect fit for the rifle. I've upgraded both of my cheap hard cases that way.

 

[tn243]

https://www.planomolding.com/airglide-rifle-case
Best bang for your buck every time. I haul around candy painted benchrest guns in these cases, never a scratch.

 

[JimD]

I've used the pelican cases for years and have no complaints. I trace my rifles out on the foam then cut it with an electric fillet knife. Also you can buy new foam inserts for the same case, so you can cut out foam for different rifles. I have 1 pelican rifle case with 4 foam inserts. This is what I do because I'm also on a beer budget.

.
To "longaction" and others as well:

Where do you get new foam from? Do Plano or Pelican or whoever sell foam?
Is JoAnn's foam as good a quality foam as Pelican foam? ???

and...

please explain about cutting out shape of rifle?
does each side of the case have two (2) layers of foam?
and you cut out the shape of the rifle out of the top layer, and then the rifle rests on the lower layer?

Never done this, just trying to picture.

Thanks

O.P.

.

 

[Timnterra]

There are a couple Chinese pelican knock offs that will probably do more than you need at a reasonable price.

https://m.harborfreight.com/9800-weatherproof-protective-rifle-case-long-64520.html

https://www.rticcoolers.com/shop/ha...un-Rifle-Waterproof-Carrying-Case-Desert-Sand

 

[catamountsierra]

The foam I bought is a fairly high density foam, similar to what they use for camp mattresses and seat cushions. In order to get a good fit for the rifle, I marked out the outline that I wanted on one side. Within the rifle's marked silhouette I used a knife to cut a grid pattern about 1" deep. It is then just like the pelican cases where you pluck out the pieces of the foam to get custom shapes. What I plucked out didn't reach a full inch in depth, more like 3/4. You can then put the rifle in, close the case, flip it over and open it. The rifle should be sitting in the same spot on the other side, so mark it's silhouette and do the other side. The same technique can be used to make space for ammo boxes, rangefinders, etc.

 

[JimD]

https://www.planomolding.com/airglide-rifle-case
Best bang for your buck every time. I haul around candy painted benchrest guns in these cases, never a scratch.

tn243,

Hmmm... the AirGlide...I'm gonna have to study on that.

At first glance, looks nice that nothing ever presses on (touches!) the scope.

But... seems like it would take up a lot of room? And... I don't know, it's just... different. And we sort of have to figure out stuff that's "different"

Thanks though √

 

[tn243]

tn243,

Hmmm... the AirGlide...I'm gonna have to study on that.

At first glance, looks nice that nothing ever presses on (touches!) the scope.

But... seems like it would take up a lot of room? And... I don't know, it's just... different. And we sort of have to figure out stuff that's "different"

Thanks though √

They do take up a little more space but the way the gun actually straps into the case completely immobilizes it. Foam blocks at the rear of stock and under the forearm are the only contact points. They are very popular with the benchrest crowd I shoot with.

 

[JimD]

The foam I bought is a fairly high density foam, similar to what they use for camp mattresses and seat cushions. In order to get a good fit for the rifle, I marked out the outline that I wanted on one side. Within the rifle's marked silhouette I used a knife to cut a grid pattern about 1" deep. It is then just like the pelican cases where you pluck out the pieces of the foam to get custom shapes. What I plucked out didn't reach a full inch in depth, more like 3/4. You can then put the rifle in, close the case, flip it over and open it. The rifle should be sitting in the same spot on the other side, so mark it's silhouette and do the other side. The same technique can be used to make space for ammo boxes, rangefinders, etc.

OK.
I get the "do one side and then flip it over", cool, sure, they're obliged to match up.
And sure! you can carve out little spaces for a rangefinder or whatever. Excellent.

Only thing I don't get is... how you "pluck out" the shape you cut. :-|???
If it's just one piece of foam, and you just cut the outline, it seems more like you'd be gouging or clawing it out. :-|???
.

 

[catamountsierra]

Within that outline you cut a grid. Every inch lengthwise make a straight (or at least straight-ish) from one edge of the outline to the opposite edge. Then repeat making cuts at 90 degrees to the first set. When you are done, the inside of the outline will be a bunch of separate squares that you can grab and pull out. I got the idea from a pelican case I saw that had a similar grid across the whole piece of foam.