Has anyone had any grief by the airlines over the size of there Tuffpacks,and if you have what was the out come?

WH 1, No complaints but in Dar KLM charged me for overweight I still dont know why for tufpak was heavier going then coming...

TSA absolutely no gun parts in carry ons...Scopes are gun parts...

Mike

We used one a recent trip to RSA. Had no problems with Midwest Express or SAA. We had more trouble with our caryons being overweight.

Thank for the response.

On my last trip to Tanzania TSA did a physical inspection in Tucson and Houston. I saw other (smaller) gun cases go through without inspection. Don't know why though.

TJR

When I told them I had a gun they could care less about weight or size. Coming back they didn't even weigh them. Just made sure paperwork was correct.

Wayne

My tuffpak damaged my double rifle. From now on I will use a Starlight case.

500 Grains,

I am curious, how did it damamge the double? My double is packed and ready to go in my tuff pak and if there is something I can do to prevent a problem I would like to do that.

Mike

Leaving New Orleans they did not even check my rifles to see if they were unloaded.
In Dar Salom, they were going to charge me $30.00 for overweight tuff pack, but the supervisor said it was ok and I was not charged.
Had double and 375 CZ padded with clothing, guns were in soft cases.

They no longer look at rifles to see if they are unloaded..You must sign the red tag and put it in your case or tufpak verifiing your rifle is safe...

If rifle is damaged you the packer did a wrong pack job...No one opens a gun case after you lock it...Or your bags are flagged and you must open them and back off as TSA inspects them....

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
They no longer look at rifles to see if they are unloaded..

NOT TRUE in most airports.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
500 Grains,

I am curious, how did it damamge the double? My double is packed and ready to go in my tuff pak and if there is something I can do to prevent a problem I would like to do that.

Mike

I had the double packed in a super-thick foam soft gun case. Probaly 2.5 times normal thickness. I put extra foam in that was cut out to fit the top and bottom of the tuffpak to provide extra padding on the ends. Then I stuffed the tuffpak tight with lots of clothes.

2 days before leaving the U.S., the double was in perfect regulation. On arrival in Zim, it was crossing. I hunted with it like that. On my return I shot some test targets with the gun and it was crossing by quite a bit. Sent it back to the manufacturer who re-regulated it for free because he is a nice guy. He said that no matter how tight you pack a tuffpak, it just doesn't hold the rifle well if it is dropped on its end from a few feet off the ground. He thinks that the baggage handlers probably dropped my tuffpak on its end, causing the rifle to hit the end of the tuffpak hard, even with all the padding. That broke the solder loose causing the gun to go out of regulation. Of course the tuffpak was fine, but the contents were not. Since the gun was in the tuffpack nearly the whole time from when it was in regulation to when it was out, I can only conclude that the damage occurred while it was in the tuffpak.

500 grains,

I agree that at least some airports are still asking that the rifles be pulled out to verify that they are unloaded. Mine were inspected on both ends of the flight last month - Missouri and Maun.

Regarding the Tuff Pak and damage to double rifles - Was your rifle assembled or taken apart as you packed it? Do you think it would make any difference?

Mike- Just back from a long trip with very bad connections in Montreal and Atlanta. Had ample opportunity to observe what happens on on the tarmack with baggage. It was staggering. I personally saw bags dropped from carts traveling at max speed, then being run over(on purpose it appeared) from other cart drivers.I saw baggage dropped from the top of conveyors as the belt enters the aircraft. These are not isolated incidents. Do not underestimate the ability of anyone involved to damage any type of checked baggage. Weapons, whether we like it or not, appear to be a "target".

500 grains. To Palmer's question, I assume that the double was "assembled". Would it have done better "disassembled"? I am of two minds as to how to handle this. Doubles are heavy and perhaps more susceptable to damage from an "end on" impact, but they are of course, designed to be taken apart, so, why not do that? My Kreighoff comes with a heavy canvas carry case designed to carry it disassembled. I am pretty sure this would fit inside my Tuffpak. Any thoughts? Is your "Starlight" designed for a double gun ie. store it disassembled?
Peter

I had my rifles in soft cases with clothes stuffed in between. They were barrel down, so when they wanted to see the Serial number or check the chamber, I unzipped the back of the case, slid them out far enough to see them, and slid them right back in (Bolts were in my boots in the bottom of the case).

The only complaint I got was from the pilot on the little prop plane we took to the concession. He had a very small cargo hold and the Tuff pack took some work to get just right so the door closed. He grumbed a bit at first, but it all worked out.

Gentlemen, my double was assembled within the tuffpak, with a bolt gun beside it. If it had been disassembled, and if there had been enough clothes at both ends of it to prevent it from hitting the end of the tuffpak, then it would have been fine. But the soft cases I have seen for dissassembled doubles do not have a lot of padding, and under heavy impact the barrel and stock of the dissassembled double could damage each other through the padding. Note that my bolt gun was not damaged in the tuffpak, but it has a heavy contour barrel.

Here is my new solution. Hope it works.

500- That looks very much like a Pelican. What are the differences?

Crane, supposedly it is just like a pelican but with stronger fasteners and handles. I have tested it out by using it for UPS shipping twice. UPS has not succeeded in breaking it yet.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Crane, supposedly it is just like a pelican but with stronger fasteners and handles. I have tested it out by using it for UPS shipping twice. UPS has not succeeded in breaking it yet.

They do say the third time is the charm...

When I packed my double and bolt gun going to & from Africa, I had two ponchos in the bottom that the bores bottomed out on, about5" thick. Seemed to work good.

Could someone please splain to me why I would want to buy a gun case to ship/protect my expensive gun, then I have to surround the gun with clothes/shoes to protect it? I must be missing something here.
Does the Tuffpak have any padding in it?

quote:

Originally posted by TJ:
Could someone please splain to me why I would want to buy a gun case to ship/protect my expensive gun, then I have to surround the gun with clothes/shoes to protect it? I must be missing something here.
Does the Tuffpak have any padding in it?

Go here: www.tuffpak.com

Put one of these in your Tuffpack and there is no problem.

http://www.hideawayhuntinggear.com/product.asp?product_id=1

Tj
Some of the advantages of the Tuff-Pak are that it does not look like a guncase. On somw of my flights including comming home from Zim in 2004 and arriving in SA last March my Tuffpak was placed with the golf clubs.
Also you have your soft gases in country when you arrive.

The tuffpak can carry more stuff than just your guns. I do not pack clothes around my gun cases as they are thick enough to fill up the TP and provide adequate padding.
I did put some hard cell foam in the end [bottom] and in the lid [top] for additional protection.

I have flown with several different kinds of cases over the years. Before the tuff pak my favorites were a alluminium case that I put in side a big duffle bag padded with clothes or a Pelican case.

I have used the Tuff Pak on flights to [and of course back] Africa [twice to Zim] Canada, and California with perfect results.

I pull the scopes off and take them in my carry on....
Which may not be possible now, if not, I will still take the scope off the rifle and put it in its own case inside the Tuff Pak.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Gentlemen, my double was assembled within the tuffpak, with a bolt gun beside it. If it had been disassembled, and if there had been enough clothes at both ends of it to prevent it from hitting the end of the tuffpak, then it would have been fine. But the soft cases I have seen for dissassembled doubles do not have a lot of padding, and under heavy impact the barrel and stock of the dissassembled double could damage each other through the padding. Note that my bolt gun was not damaged in the tuffpak, but it has a heavy contour barrel.

Here is my new solution. Hope it works.

I BOUGHT one of the BIG Pelican cases for rifles then had a buddy tell me about the Starlight. 3 starlight cases later I much prefer them over the Pelican if nothing else for the difference in weight. When I was in the game as a PD sniper that is what I carried my rifle in. Bouncing around in a vehicle the rifle never suffered and held zero.It was a 24/7 type assignment and the gun was always with me except on vacations.

years ago I was talik ing to the Starlight rep(while buying case #2) and he said to read..(I forgot where I read it)re- a tst they did for a magazine They fit a rifle into the case then threw the case off a 3 story building to the concrete below... and the rifle came out unscathed but the case had a small piece broken off of a corner.. but not enough to expose anything but the outer foam. It was about the size of a half dollar.

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
Put one of these in your Tuffpack and there is no problem.

http://www.hideawayhuntinggear.com/product.asp?product_id=1

Maybe. I had 2 successful trips with a tuffpak. But never again.

Anybody want to buy a used tuffpak?

500grains,

How much you want for the Tuffpak?

Perry

I've never been interested in the Tuffpacs as they look as they were designed for a set of golf clubs. Big, bulky and generally a pain in the ass to handle with all the other gear to transport.

How about $225 shipped via ups to you? I looked on the TP website and they were $335 plus shipping for a new one.

FAIR WARNING TO INTERESTED PURCHASERS: If you have not had something damaged in a TuffPak, it is only because the airlines have not dropped it hard enough yet.

I have made two trips with my tuff pack and have had no problems. I pad the muzzle end with Cabelas rain suit packed into its self, plenty of padding. The thing I like best is they look like golf clubs and I have passed right thru customs comming home and they think it contains golf clubs no forms to show although I have the proper documentation..

My tuff pak has been to Africa 4 times and Canada once. Each time it included 2 rifles, scopes attached and my bow, all in their own soft cases. I like the fact that you can use clothing, boots, raingear and the like as additional padding in the ends of the case as it lightens the load in my duffle bag. Never had any damage problem whatsoever. Scopes were always on zero and the bow and it's sight totally dead on. I am leaving for Canada on Sept. 14th and the packing will be the same. I am a little concerned about the 50# weight limit now, so may take the bow in a seperate case. Final weigh in hasen't been done yet so everything might just make weight, since the large calibur guns are staying at home this trip. It seems like only a very small percentage of people here have had a problem with tuff pak, while many more have had none at all?? I subscribe to the "don't fix it if it ain't broke" theory on this one!!.

Larry Sellers

I'm heading to Alaska in 2 weeks, and I've just tested my TuffPak packing. Scoped rifle in Kolpin floating soft case, one pair LaCrosse hip boots, one fleece jacket, one fleece vest, one pair Kenetrek boot liners, one large vinyl, dry sack, a 2.5 in. Model 19 .357 mag, one box 357 ammo, and 2 boxed 30-06, all total right at 50 lbs. I've got the inner duffel and it seems to pack pretty well - I guess I'll find out how well it works.

When I get ready to get in the float plane, the rifle is in its soft/floating case, everything else plus some from my carry on and other duffle(tent, etc.) go in the dry bag. The TuffPak stays with the pilot until I get back.

Yes, I am taking a lot of crap. I'm sure I'll regret it.

I have a Tuffpack, Pelican, Starlight, and an Aluminum case, along with a few others. (O.K., so I travel with guns a lot!) They each have their advantages. The Starlight is my go to case for maximum protection. It is stout, and the padding is great. Really almost identical to the Pelican. The downside is they are somewhat heavy, and of course hold two rifle and essentially nothing else. When I am traveling with my family and we need to take 4 guns, it is the Pelican and Sarlight that get the nod. With four of us traveling, we have enough other baggage alotment to pack whatever else we need in other suitacases.
When traveling alone, like on a recent Alaska hunt, I use the Tuffpack with only one rifle, providing me space to pack a few extra clothes, a thermarest pad, etc. in the Tuffpack case. It does double duty almost as a suitcase in this fashion. Again, when traveling alone, or bringing back meat, the tuffpack allows me to take more (gear and/or meat) without having to check additional bags. At the current prices for checking extra bags, this is a significant consideration.
I have about given up on the Aluminum case. It no longer looks pretty, and although it gets the job done, certainly it isn't any better than the starlight or Pelican. It isn't water tight, and I once got water in it on an African hunt. Not good! I use it only when I am traveling with 6 guns!
Each have their uses. I do travel a lot, and agree that watching the baggage handlers at most major airports is a recipe for heartburn. They must have a special course where they teach creative new ways to abuse luggage. Not all baggage is so abused, but sooner or later it will be one of your bags. I prefer maximum protection against the day when it is my turn.
Bill

Might I suggest you also look at the SKB's. I have a single gun model and the two gun model that has cutouts in the foam. Being recessed in foam as it is there is no way whatever that the guns can move. I have taken my double and mod. 70 in that case on three trips, with no problems. Just a thought before you buy.

Wow, this is a great primer on all the various cases out there in the marketplace. Even though my main job in the service was flying, I've been involved in the Security/Force Protection business for over ten years now.

I've seen our SEAL Teams with the Starlight cases on deployment and they swear by them. They are HEAVY though, just like the old Browning Travel Vaults.

I don't own a Tuffpak, but I have examined them closely an my biggest problem with them is the locking mechanism. I'm here to tell you that given the current security posture ( we work with the TSA all the time) sooner or later SOMEBODY's going to want to get into your case. While TSA does make an effort to find you, often-times they can't and they WILL pick your lock as they did with me when I went to Maine on a bear hunt. Fortunately, they were able to pick the lock on my aluminum case with integral locks (4) and left me a nice note inside.

Upon my return, I went to see the head TSA guy here where I live and he told me they WILL break the lock if they can't pick it. With a TUFFPAK you'll be SOL. Just be aware. It can easily ruin your trip, especially if you are africa bound and on a tight schedule. jorge

Let's see, TSA has x-rayed the box. They know there are firearms in there. They will break the lock if they can't pick it, and why? Am I supposed to feel safe?
Peter.

Another vote for the tuff-pac

Let me add that since my wife is going to Africa on my [I mean "our"] next Safari I bought another Tuff Pak, with the Tuff Sac for her to use.

I have two small thin pillows I fold one over double and place in the bottom. Guns in the soft cases next, pack clothes around all sides and follow with the other pillow on top. Four roundtrips later, one to Africa and no problems. Also, these are the same pillows I use at home and like taking them with me. My guns are so locked in the Tuffpac they do not move, yet unzip the case and the gun will slide out with a good determined pull. So far all the TSA agents I have dealt with have been very nice. Guess I have been lucky.

You would be screwed if they punch out the lock. Wish it did have a tab and slot type way of attaching another lock if this happens. TSA should not do this if they cannot open it by picking or finding you the bag should stay at the airport.

Wayne