There is one name than stands out in the gun storage market, to whom all other cases are compared against. That would be Pelican, and the cases they produce certainly earn the philosophy "Buy Once, Cry Once." While near the top of the budget range, the Pelican Protector Series of gun cases are extremely durable. Often used in the military as well as international hunters traveling abroad for dangerous game, Pelican cases are depended on and deliver everything they promise to offer. Many gun owners will stray to cheaper budget cases, but the best way to protect your investment is investing in better protection and you would be hard pressed to find a more protective case than a Pelican.
I picked up a Pelican 1750 long case in OD green, knowing I would have to either remove the center foam insert or custom cut it to the shape of my desired firearm and accessories. I really enjoyed this aspect, as it let me have complete control on the degree of fit and shape of the cuts and how many accessories I can carry with my rifle. The process for measuring and cutting the holes for your gear can be easy and painless or shotty and grueling, depending on your aptitude and patience. While many How-To sources say to trace an outline of your gear with chalk or a marker, I chose to take an extra step for better precision and a better fit overall. Lay down masking tape or painters tape first, and that will prevent leaving marks or residue on the foam and also is necessary for the next steps. Trace the items using a marker or pen on the tape, but then you will take a razor or Exacto blade and cut the tape about 1/16" to 1/8" inside of your traced outline. This will give you a tighter fit to your items, as you are left with a tape edge to follow with your cutting device. You only need to cut deep enough to remove the tape, cut too deep and you will leave cuts in the foam you don't want - this is also a great reason for tracing everything backwards on the reverse side of the foam.
Many folks suggest using an electric knife (often used on thanksgiving) however I chose to use a jigsaw. Not only does the jigsaw automatically give your a level to keep the cuts perpendicular, but the thinner blade facilitates sharper corners. Make sure you find a blade that is long enough to trim the foam fully, 2 inches is a safe length. The most important thing to remember when cutting is to slow down and control the pace. The saw wants to pull forward, so without a firm controlled hand mistakes are abound. After trimming and checking for fit and before you discard the unwanted foam parts, flip the foam upside down and press the inner foam parts out a bit. This keeps the structure while you can spray an adhesive on the back, then insert into your case. Let dry, and then remove and discard the foam cutouts. The glue is optional, but a tighter fit means pulling the items out will pull out the foam too. Then again, if you want it somewhat more universal for multiple rifles, you can trace / cut it that way. Many 1750 owners carry two AR15 types rifles in one case, with cutouts for mags and accessories. Gotta love the options!
One more note, close your case on all your gear, then open back up after a few minutes. If you have any protruding items they will leave an indentation in the foam of the lid. Your windage adjustment turret, for instance. I went ahead and trimmed a circle out in the top for the turret, you could also do this on the bottom foam lining if you have a turret for parallax adjustment. If you have a mounted bipod, you may want to cut a bigger area for clearance as Atlas, Harris, Caldwell, and other bipods have different profiles. After a couple hours, the 1750 was custom fit for my Remington 700 SA 20", with room for a suppressor as well as mags, rangefinder, removed bolt, and everything else. With a little modification, I was able to fit a second R700 Long Action with 26" barrel and similar scope!
Pelican cases are the epitome of protection for your firearms. Watertight and dustproof o-rings, crushproof shell and hinges, and double throw latches that are easy to open / close but tough. The padlock points are also steel reinforced (for travel use one TSA combo lock and key lock, don't make it easy for 'em!) and while the case itself is a whopping 25.5 lbs empty, its polyurethane wheels and robust handles make it possible to carry short distances. This is not a case you want to carry for long periods of time, especially if you have it packed with heavy rifles, optics, or multiple firearms.
These cases shine for throwing in the truck on bumpy roads or surviving the TSA luggage monkeys who are notorious for carelessly chucking or dropping expensive looking cases. The three layers of foam and durable construction helps keep your rifle zeroed and makes it less easy to brake into and rip you off. They aren't indestructible or theft-proof by any means, but their strength will endure what would easily scrap other cheaper cases out there, and if burglarizing takes minutes instead of seconds then it's somewhat more reassuring. Bottom line is, you will buy more cheaper cases over and over after wear and tear long before you buy a replacement Pelican case... that is unless you are looking for additional Pelican to suit other needs!
Firearms Insider Reviews – 8 Key Points
Claim to Fame: The Pelican 1750 Gun Case with Foam for your rifle is a waterproof, crushproof, and dustproof case perfect for various means of travel.
Target Market: Long Gun Owners and/or Hunters, Air Travel, Water Travel, ATV Travel
FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):
- Polypropylene Shell Construction
- Foam 1.3 lb Polyurethane
- ABS Latches and purge body
- Watertight, Crushproof, and Dustproof
- Easy open Double Throw latches
- Open cell core with solid wall design
- O-ring seal
- Automatic Pressure Equalization Valve
- Fold down handles
- Strong polyurethane wheels with stainless steel bearings
- Stainless steel hardware and padlock protectors
- 3-piece foam set
- Personalized nameplate service available
- Lifetime Guarantee of Excellence
- INTERIOR (L x W x D) 50.5" x 13.5" x 5.25"
- EXTERIOR (L x W x D) 53" x 16" x 6.12"
- PURGE VENT: 3 Micron Hydrophobic Non-Woven PET
- Stainless Steel Pins
What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?: Black, Tan, OD Green
What others are saying?:
"I have two of these 1750s Bought one for a 338LPM rifle. I did not want to pay the Pelican prices for some shorter rifles, so I tried a bunch of other brands. I ended up buying another Pelican 1750. The other brands work okay for 1/2 the price, but they do not compare in sturdiness or in the latch functionality. I also like the fact that Pelican does not use pluck-out foam, which always looks terrible. Pelican's foam is solid, and you can use a special reciprocating saw blade (Festool S155/W)made for foam to make a perfect custom rifle cut-out (And bolt cut-out, Mag cut-out, tool cut-outs, etc.) " Midway User Review
"A lot of people don't think that you need to spend this kind of money on a case, but take it from me it matters! I've been shooting competitively for years now and nothing is worse than buying a cheap case and having to completely reset your optics after a flight. Spend the money upfront or waste time afterwards just getting back to square one. This is my third pelican case so now I don't have to switch out the inserts when I bring different setups. But switching the foam inserts is a way to save a little money if you want. Also if your looking for a double firearm case for an AR-15 style weapons system you can usually do it with this case. Although if you are going to try and put two 20" barrel AR-15 it's going to be really tight. Also be careful cutting the foam make sure you have the layout exactly how you want it before you start cutting or you can end up with a real mess!" Amazon User Review
Price point:
I need it now! Availability: Brownells or Amazon
Our Rating:
Pros:
- Foam is denser than most other cases and is easier to cut / more supportive
- Dual steel reinforced padlock points
- Shell has raised ridges surrounding a perfect area for stenciling / labeling
- Latches are easy to use and secure (won't pop open under pressure)
Cons:
- Bulky and heavy UNLOADED -- 25.5 lbs!
- No instructions for cutting foam. Pelican would make a killing if they sold predesigned template kits to follow with a jigsaw or electric knife.
Score: 9.0 Amazing
Featured FFL:
For FFL services I choose Promised Land Firearms in Toulon, IL.
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