doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Soft sided gun case - better protection.

I mostly hunt grouse and woodcock. Usually make several stops during the day and hunt various small covers and thus like to have my gun assembled (unloaded of course) and in a full length case. Looking for a little more protection for guns than the typical soft case. Something to protect from a barrel dent or stock damage should a dog jump on the case, someone drops a box of shells, etc. Thinking of going with a leather case such as Galco or Hulme makes. However, have noticed some other interesting cases on the web, kind of a cross over between a hard case and a soft case.

Anyone have any experience (good or bad) with any of the following or similar cases:

Kolpin Shotector
Bulldog Hybrid Magnum hard sided
Browning Eclipse
Plano Hybrid case

Any input appreciated.

Thanks.

tim

I use only unlined plastic, leather or canvas cases because a damp or wet gun in a case is bad enough, a fleece or flannel case also becomes damp or wet, and now you've two items to dry-out. A friend once forgot a gun in a sheepskin-lined case. He had to cut it out. I have had no damage to guns in unlined supple cases over 50 years. Didn't use them until they were required by law to transport in a vehicle.

I have two of the inexpensive polymer, foam lined cases and use them just as you describe. They protect the gun from all the normal damage possibilties. Hard cases do take up more space than soft ones and this can be a factor. As warned don't leave the gun uncleaned in the case at the end of the day or rust happens. Leather cases are very nice, simular to gunstocks in my opinion. I wince when leather gets dog claw marks and Hoppes stains.

I second ben-t's recommendation of using a hard case if you are worried about damage. I use a boyt case made of the green canvas with leather trim that is padded. I have never had a barrel or the wood dented in it. It takes a lot of force to dent a barrel. When you see guns with dented barrels likely something extremly hard and or sharp fell on it, not like a dog or box of shells.Though they likely will damage the stock.
A good padded case that unzipps all of the way is a must if it is padded so you can air it out. Another opption is to use an unlined case like King Brown but add a silicon impregnated gunsock over the gun for a little added cussion.
As others have said, NEVER store your gun in the case.

I second ben-t's recommendation of using a hard case if you are worried about damage. I use a boyt case made of the green canvas with leather trim that is padded. I have never had a barrel or the wood dented in it. It takes a lot of force to dent a barrel. When you see guns with dented barrels likely something extremly hard fell on it, not like a dog or box of shells. A good padded case that unzipps all of the way. Another opption is to use an unlined case like King Brown but add a silicon impregnated gunsock over the gun for a little added cussion.

Being an avowed cheapskate, my solution to your query would be one of the ubiquitous floating zip cases sold for waterfowl guns. They generally have a synthetic (nylon or cordura, preferably not PVC) outer shell, with a soft liner that drys quickly. The magic happens with the floatation material, which is almost always a closed cell foam that will not absorb moisture and that provides a high level of very good protection against dings. Not expensive, very durable, easy to use with full length zipper (I don't like the flap closure on some of these cases). When I'm hunting with a bunch of guys or a lot of gear and dogs, this is the case I use.