Rifle case that doesn't look like one?

[Major PITA]

I live in an apartment. I get the heebie-jeebies thinking that one of my neighbors with theft on his mind might see me leave the apartment with my gun case and decide to do a little firearms shopping at my home.

Browning makes a line of gun cases that look like briefcases, but they are too short for the average scoped rifle. They are made for take-down shotguns. I also have looked at cases by Winchester and even some specialty manufacturers who make gun cases that don't look like gun cases, but some of these are overly expensive or are used for guns commonly enough that they don't disguise the contents like you might think. I had a black rectangular case that I swore would fool everyone into thinking it was a case for a musical instrument. I had used the case all of twice when a neighbor came up to me and said, "What kind of shotgun is that?!"

Can anybody suggest a manufacturer of rifle cases or specialty cases that will hold at least one scoped rifle and not look like a gun case?

[Quickdraw Limpsalot]

Just an idea here... and it may not be a very good theft deterrent at all, but how about going to a local music shop and getting a guitar case? A bass hardshell case (around $50) will fit longer rifles, but most will fit in a regular cheap acoustic guitar case that's cheaper and attracts less attention from thieves generally since a run-of-the-mill acoustic guitar can be had for around $100.

[lionslayer]

Your dilemna afflicts all of us who live in public places and need to move guns in and out discreetly... my strategies include: using hard cases, rectangular in shape, indistinct in contents to casual observers; taking cases in/out under cover of darkness, when possible: strategic parking to minimize exposure while loading/unloading. A friend carries ARs in a soft guitar case -- not conspicuously a gun, but perhaps equally attractive as an object to steal...???

[HKmarc]

http://www.pelican.com/cases/3bo_1720.html

They are pretty expensive though...just stick a couple kayak, hiker or scuba sticker on it.

[Quartus]

Pelican cases are of excellent quality. Not sure how well that case would disguise a rifle though.

Give some thought to a tennis racket case or a golf bag. Both can be had cheaply at thrift stores.

They aren't long enough for all rifles and shotguns, but they might work for you - especially if you can break it down.

[johnbt]

www.cabelas.com/information/HuntingOptics/CabelasGunCaseJackets.html

I use one of these, mostly to make carrying a bunch of stuff easier, and stuff a jacket or towel in one side to make it lumpy. I've thought about using a golf bag, but I'm afraid someone will ask me to play. ;)

John

[saands]

Well ... I recently started playing golf and I've been thinking that the golf bag is an exceptional idea. With a cover over one of the dividers, it will swallow a 36" carbine whole and with the help of a "head cover" that goes on a driver, even a battle rifle like a Garand will conceal easily. I've used the bass guitar rig and a tenor sax bag (for a field stripped SKS) in the past, but the nice thing about the golf bag is that the contents are SUPPOSED to be heavy ... a Garand weighs WAY more than a bass guitar should, and I think that a perceptive person would notice. While one of the other posters feared being asked to play golf, I HAVE been asked about my musical talents while "carrying" and I have none, so I'd rather cop to just learning golf than just learning to play the sax ... golf is WAY easier to fake. I will add that many golf bags come with a "rain cover" that would allow a person to carry as many battle rifles as they had the strength to lift. Lots of pockets for accessories as well ;)

Saands

[saands]

Oh ... I almost forgot ... when the neighbor overhears you say, "I'm off to the range," he doesn't think it's at all odd that you have your "clubs" ... but a guitar case is a little odd ...

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

The ultimate "sleeper" in firearm transit bags are the ones offered by W. Waller & Son of Grantham, New Hampshire. I have gray ones for my longarms and green ones for my handguns with matching magazine pouches. These lockable bags contain a heat shield and high-buoyancy foam that enable them to float in the event your firearm goes overboard. My barrel-type keys are numbered with red nail polish for easy identification between the bags.

Nothing about them would suggest a firearm was inside. Studies have shown that the human eye tends not to focus on gray, but rather ignores it, which is the precise reason I chose this color for my 46" bags. You'll need this longer length unless you plan to disassemble your gun for travel.

The bags are colored differently from what is seen on the site. For example, my handgun bags have the same color trim and main color. They told me they will also do "common keys" if an order is large enough. In addition to a great product, I've been very impressed by their solid customer service.

http://www.wallerandson.com/

Good luck with your search,

~ Blue Jays ~

[Telperion]

I-shot is developing a nice rifle bag: discussion with pics at http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=61335. Unfortunately, the non-PALS "CCC" version won't be available until next year. The Waller & Son bags look very nice; thanks for the link. I may consider those instead given the wait for the CCC.

[Rovi]

Still fresh newbie here- 2nd post!
(the first thread I posted to got 'locked', I hope I don't jinx this one :) )

I love the golf bag idea!
My problem is getting into my local gun shop without looking like I’m planning to make an unorthodox withdrawal from the bank a few doors down :)
Here in Ireland, the only contact most people have with firearms is on TV or at the movies, so all guns are assumed to be capable of laying waste to entire neighbourhoods at a moments notice.
So, while it may be a quick ego boost to walk down the street and have people treat you like Clint Eastwood in full ‘Man With No Name’ mode, it’s probably best NOT to draw too much attention to yourself and the fact that you have guns in your possession.


Guitar cases are pretty cool too, as anyone who's seen Desperado can attest-
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112851/
I’d probably need to get a black suit and a couple of cool looking buddies though!

……….and grow taller, and loose weight, and get a tan, and acquire a girlfriend like Salma Hayek, and………………………….

Forget about it!
The golf bag fits my ‘dress sense’ better anyhow :)

Ivor.

[mpi]

why would you need to get taller, do you know how short antonio banderas is. hehehe
pat

[jtkwon]

The golf club trick (and some sock covers for woods) works for me.

Aside from theft, you can count on the following:

If any of your neighbors are left wing, and something happens in the vicinity with a firearm, they WILL send the police directly to your house if the neighbor has any inkling that you own a firearm of any kind.

And the police will be up your ass without lubrication, until they finally figure out you had nothing to do with it.

During that DC Sniper thing a few years back, two of my neighbors pointed out to the local police that I owned a scoped rifle (never mind that it wasn't the right caliber, and was a bolt action).

Want to see how many times county, state, and federal investigators can repeatedly come to ask questions? Even when you haven't done ANYTHING except "own" a firearm?

I would have rather that the neighbors just came over and stole my rifle.

[saands]

And in an unusual lapse of vision, Cabelas totally misses the boat: Golf Bag (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jhtml?id=0023140618146a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=golf&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jhtml.22&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=golf&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jhtml)

[Rovi]

mpi wrote-
why would you need to get taller, do you know how short antonio banderas is. hehehe


EEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:
He's 5'9"!!!
http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/antoniobanderas.html

Okay then, I beat Antonio on 2 counts: I'm both taller AND younger than him.
I fear however, that he has the advantage in other areas :)

[Dark_Learner]

Try and hard chelo case or make a ply wood case made to look like ply wood. :rolleyes:

[Blue Jays]

Hi All-

The only problems associated with a guitar or cello case utilized for firearms is that:
They typically don't lock shut
Nosy musicians/neighbors may ask to see "your cool ax" in the case
Won't hold the firearm tightly to prevent damage

The better bet to me would be to obtain a case specifically designed for firearms, yet low-key enough NOT to attract unwanted attention. Just a thought.

~ Blue Jays ~

[38splfan]

Cabelas sells an outfitter bag that is a rolling duffle type, with a double rifle case in a seperate bottom compartment.
XE-516190 item number
QR-514523 item number
QR-514089 item number

each of these has a compartment for a double take-down gun case in the bottom of the bag, looking pretty much part of the duffel. Just a thought.

[saands]

Blue Jays: "Nosy musicians/neighbors may ask to see "your cool ax" in the case"

:eek: :eek: :eek:

I had that happen with my tenor sax case that holds (very nicely, I might add) an SKS that is broken down. I really had to back peddle as I don't even HAVE a sax, let alone play one! I now sport my "I'm late as hell for a lesson" look whenever I'm carrying a musical instrument ;)

Saands

[RCH]

On another forum, somebody suggested a baseball bat bag.

A Golf bag is not bad, but they also make a hard shell case to carry your golf bag/clubs on airlines. Drop your cased rifle in and lock shut.

Other similiar ideas:

The box that your weed wacker came in. Slide in the rifle and seal up with shipping tape.

A garment bag with a couple old sweaters on hangers to break up the shape of your rifle.

Long brown box with the words "Danger- Live Snake" stenciled on the outside. (I'm thinking that no one will tamper with that one!)

[gudel]

I use guitar case. fits a rifle and a shot gun, plus couple of pistols.

[4V50 Gary]

Another vote for the airline approved golf case. Guitar cases can scream "money" because a good guitar is bucks. Golf, well, you just don't hear too much about golf clubs being fenced like guitars.

[Raytracer]

How 'bout a long skinny box?

http://www.digitalriverproduction.com/files/ccw/oswaldrods.jpg

Joe

[IronLance]

A friend of mine who shoots F-Class with me picked up a Shooting Systems drag bag/shooting mat (http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=17849&title=ULTIMATE+SHOOTER'S+MAT) in OD. Some kid saw him carting it into his house and blurted out "Wow, man, you got yourself a board?" My buddy looked at him withthe typical confused expression, "Huh?" The kid thought he was carrying a snowboard case. And we live in the New Orleans area.

Galati International (http://www.galatiinternational.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=GIO&Category_Code=squarecase) and Tac-Force (http://www.savvysurvivor.com/tacforcediscreetcase.htm) both market Discreet Cases in Black and OD that would work. Costing anywhere from $78 to $110 depending where you look.

Personally I'd go for a similar system from Eagle Industries in Coyote Tan: http://www.lightfighter.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=934

Another option, and much cheaper, would be to get a real snowboard case: http://www.snowshack.com/bursnowsac.html , add a few internal straps to keep the rifle/shotgun from flopping about, and you're good to go. Especially if you live in a northern state.

[Ex-MA Hole]

I bought a used guitar case for $20.

It's beat to !#@$. It has a few worn out bumber stickers on it. No one has asked. I bought foam from an arts store, cut it myself.

Hasn't been a problem.

Does the trick rather nicely.