“The day finally came for me to fly to Seattle where I would meet Randy for the drive to Salmon, Idaho. As always, I fretted over sending my rifle into the belly of a plane and through the hands of people who could not begin to imagine the importance of what that hard plastic case enclosed – not just a metal and wood tool, but a connection to a heritage begun the day my Dad first hunted in his home state of Iowa. Within 30 seconds of picking up my rifle case, it was lying open and I was experiencing a release of tension as I gazed at the intact stock.” (My Dad’s Elk)
The article describing my hunt for a trophy elk in Idaho reflects only one of the times I have entrusted custom-built rifles and shotguns to the protective shell of my SKB Double Rifle Case. Some of the other instances in which the SKB case provided security from damage to my personal and review firearms included trips after elk in Colorado, Pronghorn in Wyoming, Black Bear in Idaho, predators in South Carolina and feral hogs in south Georgia.
Most recently, it protected my synthetic-stocked Remington Model 700 and my custom-built .35 Whelen Improved rifle (pictured above) all the way to South Africa. And back again.
An anecdote related to my South African safari highlights how well this case protects my rifles. Upon returning back into the warm embrace of the government employees at the Atlanta airport, I watched a beefy agent intentionally drop my SKB case from chest height onto the concrete floor.
One might think that the agent was a vegan, and thus had a right to be angry at hunters. However, judging by her physique I would surmise that she had been feeding on poor, helpless, grain-fed farm animals her entire life. But, I digress….
The rifles and their scopes were unscathed by the Terminator-like caress of Atlanta’s finest.
Though I love my SKB case, and don’t ever intend to replace it, the newest version of this case is the iSeries 5014 Double Rifle/Bow Case. The internal dimensions of the new model are: 50″ L x 13.5″ W x 6″ D. This is slightly larger than the model I own. Two rifles easily fit within my SKB case, and so they should fit even more comfortably in this new model.
If you want protection from whatever challenges traveling – including pesky officials – throws at your firearms, this is the case you want.
The case is available from sellers listed on Amazon for around $240. It’s well-worth that cost given the value — both from a monetary and sentimental standpoint — of what it will be protecting.
I own one like yours and even with all of the Pelican Cases with specialty closed foam cutouts, I still prize by SKB.
SKB Golf bag cases are just as good for your sticks.
I agree with this TTDS item.
SKB and Explorer cases are the best cases in their price range, even better than almost all cases costing 50% more.
Worth noting, I own 5 SKB cases and 8 Explorer cases.
Nice case, but a Romanian PSL is 53″ long… won’t work for me… and the price. either… Make it 55″ and $159 and i’m a buyer…
SKB does make a good case, I have 15 or 16 of them. But most of mine are only 19 inches wide.
The only problem with these cases is the weight. Some bush airlines limit you to 10 kg or 22 pounds including the rifle. This case is 22.5 empty!
One of my friends didnβt think they were serious on trip to Alaska and ended up giving away and throwing in the bin, new jeans, spare hunting clothes, ammunition etc at the airport.
I have a few contacts in Alaska to borrow lightweight guncases from. I fly in with the SKB and Explorer heavy cases, then transfer firearms to light cases for the light aircraft flights.
James
Will have to get their names if I make back to Alaska from Australia again lol.
Next big trip is Africa or Europe. Iβm pushing for Africa plus .375 and 30-06 as luggage.
No worries mate, let me know.
One of the contacts is my younger son, another is an ER room doctor with his own plane. Both hunt, and have many friends/contacts who do the same up in Alaska.
π²πͺπ‘ ππ πΊ πππΎπΊπ πΌπΊππΎ, πππΎπ ππΊππΎ πΊπ π ππππ½π. π¬π πΎπππΎπππΎππΌπΎ is with acoustic guitar cases and I have yet to have one squished. They are well worth the money if you value what you plan to carry in them for any type of transportation.
I have my Schecter Hellraiser (Stray style body, active electronics) in an SKB Pro Rectangular case. I find the SKB gun cases are built slightly better (thicker material, better & more latches, heavier hinges….).
I wish SKB made a hardcase for my ’80s vintage composite Steinberger, the original case is garbage.
Looks like a good case. My limited experience with air travel and guns, I found that soft cases inside a hard case worked well for me for the reasons stated above. FWIW… I just bought a Pelican VAULT case for a front rest and it SUCKS. Too flimsy. I made a $100 mistake instead of a $200 investment. Pelican Storm for my M24 doesnt suck. Good case. Cheers!
I considered the Pelican Vault, until I went into a Bass Pro and actually handled it, JUNK. My last Explorer purchase was the Mod# 11413, it was just the right size to take my latest MSR purchase, some big iron, a POF P308 SPR Gen4 EDGE (18.5″ barrel AR-10 in 7.62×51). There are few cases out there that are a size to allow around 1″ clearance all around with the Luth MBA-1 stock extended and a Leupold Mk5 HD on a low rise ADM QD mount. Mod#11413 fit the gun perfectly, and built like a tank, 21 lbs empty.
I got hooked on their cases after a wildfire insert went south on me a couple years ago. I was contracted to fly a UAV over a forest fire fire line to track progress, fuel loads, manpower locates etc. With FLIR. We did an nose-in, single skid insertion on a ridge line with about 100 lbs of UAV gear in an SKB case. When it was time to get out of Dodge, the heli pilot couldnβt get back in to do the pick up, and we ended up hiking out. Three miles down a mountain still actively burning, the case was kicked and slid down as much as it was carried. When we got down, there wasnβt even any dust inside…everything was pristine. I now have this very same double rifle case & would never buy any other manufacturers stuff. Bombproof
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