Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska gun case for travel

Maybe someone here could suggest a couple gun cases: One to get the rifle and another to get a scoped revolver to Alaska.

I use a Pecican 1750. I have taken it all over AK and to several lower 48 states. There is plenty of room in there for 2 scoped rifles, ammo, range finder, etc.

2X On Pelican 1750 for Longuns, Pelican also makes suitable size cases for pistols. If they are tough enough for US Special Forces, they are tough enough for me. Not the fanciest case out there, but surely one of the Toughest!

+1 for pelican.

Thanks, boys. Lord willin' I will get one on the way.

I got one from ebay for $180 shipped! Thanks again for the advise.

I own a couple of Cabelas "Bulletproof" gun cases; a single gun case and a double gun case. I've flown many times and had no problems. I looked at Cabelas on-line catalog and don't see them there. Maybe they stopped making them.

So you better go with the Pelican 1750. Get a 2-gun case and put your handgun and fragile optics, electronics, etc., inside. You don't want to carry a case for the rifle and another for the handgun because you will have to pay extra baggage fee.

KC

KC,

Thanks for the suggestion. I hate paying extra for something when taking someone's advice can save the money.

Is it O.K. to put the ammo in the case with the guns?

You have to ask your airline. Rules are constantly changing and vary from airline to airline and country to country and month to month. Literally.

I would simply assume no on the ammo and you should be safe.

I've never tried ammo and gun in same case.

Give these guys a call:
http://www.icc-case.com/firearm-cases/

They make a super tough case, and were the guys that made the Cabelas bulletproof cases. As them specifically about their return/demo cases. I got a black 5214 w/wheels for half price, delivered, and it looks like new. I'd personally pick an aluminum case over a hard plastic one.

Every time I've flown, I have placed the ammo in the case with the rifles. The airlines require that ammo be in "manufacture's original packaging". So if I'm reloading, I put the bullets into an old manufacturers box.

KC

Here's the link to Alaska Airlines firearms policy. It includes ammo policy.
http://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/policies/baggage-firearms.aspx

I have a twelve year old skb case and a new pelican. Both very good . No issues ever with any guns i hauled in them. I lock my ammo in the case with gun. Never had any issue with that either. I always have my ammo in factory boxes. My understanding is plastic cartridge boxes are ok as well.

Ammo in the case is fine with AK Airlines - don't know about anyone else. And yes, plastic ammo boxes like MTM are fine- don't have to be factory boxes. Loose ammo is not. I've got a bunch of various rounds - some of them personably usable- that I've acquired as "left-overs" from TSA at the airport where I'm an airline ramper. Not real sure about butt-stock or the belt-type nylon containers.

I've not seen TSA open gun cases the last few times I've flown with one here in Alaska - mostly they just swab them and make sure the declaration is inside, and that one cannot insert a hand inside the case.

I've been using a tuffpak case for a couple years now. They're a bit of a pain to load, but I like putting a bunch of my hunting clothes in the case as stuffing to reduce the number of bags required to haul. The other nice thing about the tuffpak is that they look more like a golf club case than a gun case so it doesn't scream out high value target at the airport.

On last year's trip to AK I had two long-guns, my Redhawk, and the ammo for all three in the one tuffpak case(each firearm was in it's own softcase inside the tuffpak). Alaska Airlines and TSA had no problems with this setup, in fact they were quite complimentary of it.

+1 for the Tuffpak, holds much more than just a rifle. I'm able to place my rifle in the soft case in it then pack it with other gear to reach 50lbs. I also use sports cases like this lockable golf case, these don't get the attention rifle cases do.

I put ammo in the case with my rifle every year when going to deer camp in Michigan. No problems from Delta or Alaska airlines.

Another vote for the Pelican 1750. Holds 2 rifles or rifle + pistol + optics + etc. Have put ammo in the case with rifle every year, no issues on Delta, Southwest, etc.

Thanks, my step son was just asking about this....

What about oversize charges?

From AK Airlines rules

Each checked piece of sporting equipment listed below is subject to our standard checked baggage service charge, overweight (51-100 pounds) fee or oversize (62" - 115" linear inches: length + height + width) fee. Refer to our Checked Baggage page for checked piece, overweight and oversize charges.

2014 Rules
Excess/Oversize/Overweight Summary

Overweight baggage will be charged if any of your bags weighs more than the allowed 23kg (50 lbs). This fee is $50 each way. This is a flat rate for overweight bags, up to a maximum of 100lbs. Alaska Airlines doesn't accept bags heavier than 100lbs.

Oversize baggage will be charged depending on by how much they exceed the maximum allowed dimensions of 62 linear inches. Total dimensions between 63-80 in will cost $50, and larger bags of 81-115in will be $75.

Your bag's size is calculated in linear dimensions, with the TOTAL of LENGTH + WIDTH + HEIGHT not allowed to exceed the specified amount.

Does the Tuffpack and others meet the 62" rule. If not the tariff is expensive. I hate repacking at airport and was a concern with the Tuffpack. I travel quite a bit and oversize charges would get steep. I don,t have any problems with AK
Airlines but when I travel outside there Hub, and use a affilate like Delta I get hit with baggage fees. So need to meet the 62" rule to avoid surprises.