Gun owners know just how important it is to have a dependable tactical case. I tested the best hard rifle cases on the market, and the Plano All Weather exceeded my expectations.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
Plano All Weather Tactical Gun Case with Pluck-to-Fit Foam
Highlight: Easy to customize the foam to fit your needs.
Helpful review: A hard-sided Plano gun case is the only way to transport guns, in my opinion. I say that because the case will take all of the abuse, and the ability to customize the inside to fit your needs will become necessary after you do it once. I use hard-sided cases for custom-built guns as the presentation case. Depending on the final price, I may remove the stock liner from the pluck-out foam to a customized layout. That is easier than it sounds; I only make it from lightweight wood or plastic, then cover it with high-density foam and fake velvet-looking material. I always include spaces where I toss in desiccant packets to keep things rust-free.
Making a customized inner space inside a Plano hard side case is simple. One great way to do that is to use the pluck-out foam to find out precisely what you want to do; then, you can add some stiff material and glue to make this case very custom.
I love this method for my guns. Plano All Weather Cases are one of the best on the market. This case can be placed in the car's trunk, and all the rest of your gear can be loaded on top of it so as not to damage the gun and contents inside the case. The Plano case is so tough and protective that I use it to transport my camera gear, and I even have one to carry my spotting scopes. Not only are they tough as armor, but they will also keep water and dust out of all the stuff in the case. This is hugely beneficial when transporting items in the back of a truck bed or on the back of the ATV units. I have driven down old fire roads and logging trails for half a day, brushed off the dust, tree bark, and leaves, then opened the case, and it looks like it did at home on the coffee table.
A Plano case can be bought in many sizes, from handguns to long guns; I have even seen them long enough to carry trap guns with huge barrel lengths. Not only do Plano cases come in different lengths but also different widths; this manufacturer has what you need. The padding inside the case will look like a solid sheet in the middle of an egg crate on the lid.
The solid-looking stuff is plucked apart foam. The pluck-apart foam is pre-cut into little cubes, or maybe it is perforated because it initially sticks together. The bottom of the case will be a solid medium-density foam to protect the guns inside. When you get the case opened, lay out the rifle; in this case, let's talk about an AR15 and a ton of magazines. Lay out the rifle and the magazines where you think they need to be, then take a step back and critically examine how it's played out. If this passes your critical look, hold the item in place and pull out the foam in little pinched-out pieces, and the gun and magazines will fit like a glove.
When you pull out the foam, it's a good idea to leave it a little tight; if you pull out the foam and make the hollow bigger than needed, it will not have support to stay in place. Loose foam will soon become a curse word-inducing item. If you have foam coming loose, or should I say when you have loose foam, it's an easy fix; get some spray glue, toothpicks, and lots of patience. Here is my tip for fixing the foam: Remove the gun and stuff, obviously, then replace the foam chunks where they are supposed to be, then use the toothpicks to hold them in place. When everything is put back where it is supposed to be, pull out the loose chunks, hit it with some spray glue, and then put it back with the toothpick holding it there. After the glue dries, pull out the toothpicks, and your customized and near-perfect Plano case is ready to go anywhere you want to take it, any way you want.
This case will meet all the requirements that the FAA and TSA need for you to travel with your firearm to competitions or hunting trips; whatever reason, you may have to haul your gun with you a long way away. The hard-sided case will protect your gun and magazines from anything the airline can hand out. You MUST use the TSA locks. Do yourself a favor, place a cable lock through the magazine well, and bolt over the safety to keep TSA happy and out of your business. NEVER, NEVER put ammo in the same case as your firearm; get a smaller Plano and put the ammo in that case, or ship the ammo with UPS. If you decide to put someone in with a gun, you will soon meet everyone who works for TSA and Law Enforcement on duty that day.
I read an article about traveling with firearms. That writer talked about putting the hard case inside a duffel bag. This will not fool the TSA; they use an X-ray machine, but it will help camouflage the fact that you are traveling with a gun from casual observers and bad guys.
The one thing to consider when talking about Plano and other hard cases is that they are heavy. Loading a heavy case with heavy guns and magazines will weigh about fifty pounds, which may be limited to some folks. Luckily, most of the bigger cases will have built-in wheels and can be moved like a built-in hand truck, which is very nice.
One final note about traveling with Plano cases on airplanes: they put them in the cargo area, which is not pressurized. The case will have a knob that can open a valve to regulate air pressure, making your case safe and again protecting your items inside the case. Hard-side cases are the only way to go, but I also drive a super-size car or pickup truck, so I have the space to carry the hard case. Plano is the industry standard that everyone else is measured against, so they are worth the price it costs to get one or two. — Gary Anderson
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