BEST HARD RIFLE CASE FOR FLYING

[pdog06]

If you break the trip up into a couple days it is much better than driving straight Thru. That is what we do now. You’re much less tired when you get out there, and we try to lay over where we know there are gun shops, cabelas, etc to do a little shopping.
We’ve talked about flying but determined it’s just too much stuff to take along and didn’t really wanna leave stuff out there.
For cases, I use a 4 gun aluminum safari case. It’s a beast and very sturdy. Has 4 or 5 latches and 2 places to place locks. Has wheels on one end and handles on both ends. Mine cost me over $500, but I will never have to buy another one.
Since you’re prarie doggin and taking multiple guns, something like that might be better for flying than having to worry about multiple cases.

 

[Downeast]

I always go to the TSA site and print out the recent rules on traveling with firearms. More than once I have had to pull them out and show them to a TSA supervisor and ask them to explain them to me. Most of the time they haven't a clue as to their own rules.

Do the same with your airline. Print them out the day before departure so they will be date stamped. They all have their own little quirks. Follow the rules and generally you will not have a problem. And be sure to wash your hands too. Occasionally TSA will check for powder residue on your luggage and your hands. Why I don't know? They know you have firearms that may or may not have been cleaned and that you handled them. Duh...

I have a aluminum case for my rifles and plastic Pelican style cases for my shotguns.

 

[Pres100]

not as popular any more, but tough for flying

Americase AT-2 Gun Safari case

Americase AT-2 Gun Safari case

www.gunsafes.com

Homepage

Since 1974, We've Been Manufacturing The Original Kalispel Case Line Gun Cases Here In Cusick, WA. Handcrafted, Secure Storage For Your Firearms and Bows.

kalispelcaseline.net

 

[BlueWater]

What is a decent hard rifle case TSA approved for flying?

Pelican has a variety. The "Vault" series. The "Storm" series. And the "Air" series.

Long Cases for Guns & Rifles | Pelican

Pelican long gun cases are watertight and waterproof to ensure safe travel for your equipment. Protect your gear with help from Pelican. Made in the USA!

www.pelican.com

1770 Protector Long Case | Pelican

Shop 1770 Protector Long Case protection for rifles. Available with no foam, foam. USA made hard cases with waterproof protection. Interior: 54.6&quot x 15.6&quot x 8.6&quot.

www.pelican.com

Good stuff. I've got one of the Pelican Vault V770 cases for a single rifle. Doesn't come with wheels on one end for ease of dragging along in an airport. But otherwise it's great. Goes too and from the range easily. Handles rough treatment. This model is weather resistant, but Pelican has other models that are waterproof (IM Storm, and some of the 1700 series [ie, model 1770]). Add a couple of TSA-tolerated locks, and you're good to go for airline travel.

 

[hogpatrol]

I remove the bolt and put a large chamber flag with the words NOT LOADED on it in the receiver.
Bolt goes in an old sock along with cleaning equipment and whatever else I can put in to reach the maximum weight allowed, usually fifty pounds. Nine trips to the dark continent, multiple in country flights there and U.S. flights with an SKB two gun case and it's still good to go. PD hunts in the U.S., ammo goes UPS ahead of time. Not advisable to have any gun parts, empty ammo boxes, spent rounds, etc. in carry on bags. Same goes for TSA locks, everyone and their brother has keys and can open them in seconds. Use regular locks and put extras inside in case they are cut off.
Edit: The large ones like the Americase and some others will be subject to oversize baggage charges which can run in to hundreds of dollars on a round trip. The big one in pdog06's post cost my buddy $200 each way in oversize fees on a flight to South Africa.

 

[K9TXS]

Don't forget an Apple Air Tag.

When I buy or sell a firearm, it has an air tag hidden in the case. If I buy a firearm, I send an air tag with payment and instructions for the air tag. Selling, I send a self addressed envelope with included paper work on the sale. The buyer drops it in the envelope and it comes back to me to reuse.

I also hide air tags in my checked luggage. On one trip, I was in Germany, but one of my pieces of luggage was in London. I was able to watch where it was as it was coming to me.

Air Tags, don't leave home without it.

 

[hogpatrol]

Don't forget an Apple Air Tag.

When I buy or sell a firearm, it has an air tag hidden in the case. If I buy a firearm, I send an air tag with payment and instructions for the air tag. Selling, I send a self addressed envelope with included paper work on the sale. The buyer drops it in the envelope and it comes back to me to reuse.

I also hide air tags in my checked luggage. On one trip, I was in Germany, but one of my pieces of luggage was in London. I was able to watch where it was as it was coming to me.

Air Tags, don't leave home without it.

AFAIK, these are for use only with Apple phones. I use Tiles but they're only good for a couple hundred feet. At least I could see if my bags were on the aircraft or on the baggage carousel.

 

[K9TXS]

AFAIK, these are for use only with Apple phones. I use Tiles but they're only good for a couple hundred feet. At least I could see if my bags were on the aircraft or on the baggage carousel.

True, but there are other air tags out there that work with the off brand phones as well. Google is your friend.

 

[hogpatrol]

True, but there are other air tags out there that work with the off brand phones as well. Google is your friend.

Help me out here. All I could find were bluetooth units on google and they're limited to range and location.

 

[markT]

 

[markT]

^^^ Are Plano Gun Guard. Not sure is they are still made but they worked for me.

 

[hogpatrol]

The case I use. The price has gone up somewhat since I purchased mine.

Amazon.com

 

[K9TXS]

Help me out here. All I could find were bluetooth units on google and they're limited to range and location.

You're right. I couldn't find a true tracking tag for the off brand phones.

This is all I could find;
Is there a Samsung version of AirTags?

The bottom line is while the Apple AirTag is a better device tracker, if you're on a Samsung Galaxy phone, you're stuck with the SmartTag+ and vice versa. So what phone you have will determine which tracker you should buy.

 

[LuvDog]

You're right. I couldn't find a true tracking tag for the off brand phones.

This is all I could find;
Is there a Samsung version of AirTags?

The bottom line is while the Apple AirTag is a better device tracker, if you're on a Samsung Galaxy phone, you're stuck with the SmartTag+ and vice versa. So what phone you have will determine which tracker you should buy.

The Samsung smart tag plus is an excellent tracker if you have a samsung phone. i got my wife one for her luggage and I had an air tag in mine. Hers reported more accurately than mine every where we went. She has a Samsung phone. Not even the latest Gen and I have an iPhone 13

 

[jpjulian]

I've used an SKB double gun case with good results with one small exception. It got stuck in the X-Ray machine in Milwaukee. The TSA folks were not happy because they had to disassemble the machine to get the case out. Totally agree about not using TSA locks.

 

[DocCoffee]

For Africa
Pelican Storm
Take the foam out. Put rifle in soft case you will need in country
Pack clothes etc around the soft case until nothing can shift, makes the rifle your 2nd suitcase
toughest, keyed alike padlock you can find in each hole. Spare set inside.
Copy of your 4457, Outfitters letter etc also a good idea in the case

 

[RegionRat]

Put rifle in soft case you will need in country

+1

 

[effendude]

Just back from my 5th trip to Africa. I've used a TuffPack case for the last several trips to Africa as well as other locations. Room for two rifles stored in soft cases inside, muzzle up, with room for a tri-pod and some extra padding as well (puffy coats, sleeping bag, etc. All while making the 50# limit. I've used aluminum cases, plus Pelicans on previous trips. One issue with the Cabela's aluminum cases is they are a little thin, with NF NXS scopes, there really isn't much padding left uncompressed. One of the bonuses in my opinion is it doesn't scream GUN CASE!! at airports, it looks more like a golf bag.

Tuffpak 1050 Gun Case, Key Lock Version

Nalpak.com has been San Diego County’s #1 Pelican™ distributor since 1982. With thousands of cases in stock we have you covered. Nalpak also provides custom case services as well. Contact us today, 619.258.1200.

nalpak.com

Good Luck,
Scott

 

[hotshot828]

I have used 2 different cases. One was an aluminum case made by impact case company. The other one was like the pelican but was bought in harbor freight. No issues with either one. I do remove the bolt. I pack the binos, range finder and ammo in the factory box.

 

[centershot]

Americase is in business, but they do not make gun cases anymore.