I am considering purchasing a TuffPak for an upcoming safari and have read some great reviews. However, is there a problem at the checkin counter? Everytime I have checked in with rifles they always ask me to show them that it is unloaded. No big deal with a standard case, but it sounds like a nightmare if I would have to remove all clothes, gear, etc. that is packed around a rifle and then actually pull the rifle out, and then repack. Anyone else face this problem?

GL, welcome aboard and do you have the sack that slides into the tuffpak?? Rifles are in soft cases in the center and when you pop off top you open zipper and slide out rifle to show it is empty...slide back in case and put lid back on and done...Remember max 70lbs.
Worked fine with me...

Mike

Current Alaska Air wieght limit without additional charges on Alaska Air is 50 lbs.

It is easier to get a gun out of a Tuffpak than any other gun case I have seen.

Pop the top, unzip the soft case, slide the gun up, show the person, slide it back down, zip it up and put the top back on. (Pack guns in muzzle first)

Welcome aboard!

What Retreever and Wendell said. I bought my first TuffPak for my first Safari in May 2005 and it worked great, as advertised.

Fred

We traveled to Africa in 2003 with a TuffPak and liked it so much that at the SCI in Reno this past January we purchased another one for my wife. You can easily get to your guns for inspection. You can't go wrong with the TuffPak.

Mike

ARPT: show the ticketing agent that you are on the first leg on an INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT, the regs state that the weight limits go by that for all connecting flights,ie. ANC-ATL would be 50# if you were not connecting with an international flight where the limit is 70#.

I just went through this exercise on my way to and back from Africa three weeks ago. I did just what everyone on here has said that you need to do. It was easy. The only thing that I needed to do was remove the bolt from my bolt action in Jo'burg, as that was required by SAA on their domestic flghts. I just put it inside two socks that were packed around the two soft gun cases, placed the packed bolt in the socks on top of the soft gun cases and that was that.

I hear you all talk about your experiences with these tuff-paks and I would like to know a website I can find out about them/ buy them.

Thanks,
Riodot

The secret is in the packing, don't pack so tight that you cannot slip your guns in an out..You only have to lift the gun out to the action and let African Customs read the serial number, and to let US Airlines agents see that the bolt is out is the best way to do it..

Only once have I had to remove a gun and that was in Podunk Idaho, Twin Falls btw...all the rest of the airlines just make me sign a waver stating the gun is unloaded, then place the red tag in the case and lock it....

My father and I used the SKB rifle case this year and it worked great. Fact is, when we got back to Atlanta, I had to watch as the rifle cases were unloaded as I thought everyone was taking my rifles! There were 6 SKB rifle cases there and only one tuff pak. I am sure the tuff pak is good as is surely looks like it has a lot of room. Only the TSA looked at the rifles. Not ever a question about the ammo in the rifle case or the bolt in the rifle. We did remove the bolts on the way back as they were wearing into the padding. Don't think you can go wrong with the SKB or tuff pak. SKB is half the cost.

quote:

Originally posted by Riodot:
I hear you all talk about your experiences with these tuff-paks and I would like to know a website I can find out about them/ buy them.

Thanks,
Riodot

Here's the link to Mimm's place his handle here is "Harry"
Tuff packs