Just got a Pelican 1750 case for an upcoming trip that I'm taking two scoped rifles on. The case comes with eggshell foam on one side and two layers of hard-to-compress foam on the other. It won't close on the rifles as delivered. It does not have "pick-and-pluck" foam. The stiff foam layer is 1 5/8" thick. I'm thinking of going with a 3/4 or 1" layer of softer foam or maybe 1" of eggshell.

How to you guys roll with this case?

Kneel on it with the latches in front of you if you are by yourself. With a hunting buddy, have him stand on it!

Cut the middle layer of foam to accommodate your rifles. Orient your rifles on the layer of foam, outline them with a silver sharpie, and cut with a havalon or exacto knife. Cut slightly smaller than the outline to start, check the fit and adjust as necessary. There’s a multitude of videos showing this on YouTube.

Well yeah - this makes sense, but I won't traveling with the same rifles every time and maybe not even scoped rifles. Then you've got cutouts for ammo boxes, etc. Guess I've had travel cases in the past where you just "smoosh' everything between the foam and nothing moves around.

Hot wire foam cutter from Hobby Lobby.

I have one foam set for a single rifle and another for two rifles.

I glue the middle foam layer to the bottom layer for extra support. Not sure if that is necessary, but it doesn't hurt.

The rifles practically snap down into the foam.

Slight differences in barrel diameter or length, scopes or mounts or stock length can be carved out as necessary but the foam adapts to a lot.

Oh, and the ammo has to go in a separate piece of luggage. TSA or airline regulations.

I take one layer of the thick foam out and take it to a foam shop and have them split the thickness. Either in half, or 1/3, 2/3. That usually is perfect for slight compression without difficulty closing it

I don't know about international flights, but that is definitely not true of domestic flights. Been packing ammo and knives with my rifles for over a decade. They do have to be in original manufacture type packaging or plastic reloader type boxes.

As far as cutting the foam to fit your firearms, there a are multiple videos on YouTube that detail the process.

Why not remove the thinnest foam layer, place your rifle(s), layer with bath towel until you can shut it reasonably?

I’ve cut/plucked my center foam for certain guns on some of mine. However, when I use them for different rifles/shotguns, I remove that fitted, middle layer, and put the guns in soft cases and/or pack a jacket or such in with it (as needed) to ensure no movement, and fly that way. Never had an issue. I’ve actually looked for some ‘fatter’ hard cases, just so I could soft case the guns inside and have more room for clothes/other gear. Saves on baggage room and I’m not aware of anything that says it has to be ‘just’ guns/ammo.

This is what I've done. It can be used for different rifles if the basic outline is similar.

On my lone trip to AK, I used a Pelican 1750 for my rifle and handgun but instead of using the center foam, I packed clothes for the trip as padding for the firearms (and fishing rod) to use space more effectively. Worked great!


Frog---OUT!

you can buy solid foam from Cobra foam and the use an electric fillet knife to cut the outline of each item it works great. I have foam cut for 2 rifles that I take to Africa and separate for here

I just followed Pelican's directions with the electric knife and good-to-go.

Remove all the foam, place rifles in padded gun case(s) and put the case in the pelican. Fill the remaining voids with optics and various clothing items.

This ^^^^^. I cut foam and when in Africa needed soft cases in the land Cruiser. PH had some. Would ditch foam and put rifles in the good soft cases and clothes etc around them.

I got 'er done gents. The silver Sharped suggestion helped immensely.

Got the s/s Tikka T-3X '06 (165 NAB handholds) and 300 WSM Montana (150 TTSX handholds) loaded up and headed to Wyoming for elk today.

Here's a fairly decent replacement foam option for anyone looking.

1st one I ordered, they sent a piece a few inches shorter than advertised. I would have been happy with a fair discount, they offered something like 10% back or to send me a new one and keep the 1st one they sent. Kind of a no brainer. Took the extra one for future uses and kept the short one and used it anyways.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V65KC3W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I never cut the foam. That always seemed stupid to me. Just take the middle piece of foam out of the case. Put your rifle or shotgun in a soft case. Now, it will fit in the hard case perfectly and you have a soft case for protection after ditching the hard case at location.