Not sure where to post this, but figure you guys would probably stand the best chance of answering.
The Americase 3 gun safari - what holds the guns in place? I see no velcro straps or anything to assist in keeping the rifle from moving up and down or back and forth?
Can't figure out what would keep a gun from floating around if it didn't have a scope or a small scope that would not touch the top foam piece.
Does anyone have experience with either of these models and are they worth the money?
Thanks in advance

hunter,

I have a 3 gun TNB safari case. Mine uses foam strips to pack around the rifles. The rifles do not move once properly packed. The rifles go into the case in an upright position instead of laying flat.

After many trips to Africa and half that many to other parts of the world, and having tried a dozen gun cases over the years, I believe the Tuff case properly packed is by far the best of the lot in many ways..The more I have hunted and traveled the more I leaned toward a one gun safari and I usually stopped over and hunted in RSA, then Zim and on to Tanzania and dragging guns in airports got to be a hassle, at least for me...I also found out that a 375 or 416 would fill the bill on any hunt. If I decided on two guns and I did early on I would add the 30-06 or 300 H&H to the above, but later dropped those two..A 416 with a 300 or 350 gr. bullet shoot incredibly flat and delivers a powerful blow and leaves great blood trails and actually doesn't ruin a lot a meat like a 270 for instances...Anyway for what its worth.

After years of using my still good Haliburton aluminum gun case I now have three of the Americases. When I travel the guns go in the Americases .

Mine is the 2 gun safari . It is a few years old though . As you say the cut outs are in the foam and you pack the other foam on top of the rifles . They don't move . I actually got the 2 gun last. I wish I had gotten it sooner .

I did send two of my other ones back to AMericase to have extra straps added inside. One is a double style long case for rifles or shotguns which holds them flat, and the other is their premium built single rifle case with the top notch interior. I wanted more straps and more options . It worked too .

One thing I can say is that they will work with you to get what you want. I also have the riveted nameplates, and the velcro on covers etc on mine. It doesn't just jump out that is a gun case as much as the Haliburton case.

I never have had anything broken while it was in one of the Americases cases. They will last too . I also have their standalone ammo box . It is just as solid as the others .

The Pelican style cases are very useable too .

But before I used the Americases I went all around the world with very expensive and delicate instruments in those Haliburton style aluminum cases . I don't remember any of them arriving broken. And that was traveling out in boonies and offshore everywhere by every means other than Space Shuttles . In darn tough conditions way worse than virtually any hunts. They have been on boats and donkeys and flatbeds and jungle truck transport and hanging out of choppers. So I got sold on the aluminum cases . I did find that for square items like computers the Pelican style hard plastic worked better .

My 0.02 cents on that .

I have and use a Cape Buffalo 2 gun case. Love it and have had no problems. With the wife starting to go on more trips, I thought it would be nice to get a case that could hold enough for each of us. Thought of the 3 gun safari-t as it would probably be wide enough to handle a double barrel or two as well as a scoped bolt action. Trying to justify the price tag on something like that, only to be used once in awhile.

I've only run into one problem with my three gun safari case. By the time you get it loaded with two or three guns, that thing is HEAVY! The tuff case will hold just as much, but not as heavy. I really like my safari case, but am learning to like the tuff case as well.

Can you fly with 3 guns in a case on any airlines anymore?

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Can you fly with 3 guns in a case on any airlines anymore?

Looking over several airlines and baggage restrictions for firearms, yes. There are several that allow 3 or even more. You may get hit with excess weight or oversize fees though.

Does SA airlines still only permit 2?

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Does SA airlines still only permit 2?

SA airlines baggage restrictions around firearms do not explicitly state limit on # of guns in a checked bag. At least nothing I have seen on the site. Others do explicitly state limits on number.

In the early 2000's sometime...I flew to Zim via SAA. Went DFW to Atlanta on Delta...Atlanta to Zim on SAA...with bags checked through to Harare. When we went to check in to SAA we had two Americases with 3 rifles in them. They almost did not let us board. We finally talked them into letting us as there was no way to go buy a third case as they wanted us to. They showed me a written SAA rule saying no more than 2 guns per case could be carried on SAA. A supervisor over-road the decision when I told them just charge me for a third 50lb case...which they did. Funny thing was that on the return...we got no static...as we boarded SAA in Zim with our bags checked through to Atlanta.

I think you can get by with less than three rifles, especially given ammunition restrictions. I've always taken two rifles and only one time did I fire a shot in anger (not at the range) with my second rifle. And I missed. Beware of the man with only one rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
I think you can get by with less than three rifles, especially given ammunition restrictions.

Doing a husband/wife hunting trip, I'm looking at 3 guns. Actually in the works to pick up a used tuffpak which will accommodate that for a good bit less than the americase would run me. Besides, is there a thing as too many guns

Nothing beats a TuffPak.

Has anyone run into an airline carrier trying to charge an oversize rate on a Tuffpak? I seem to recall someone complaining about a $250 charge.

There should be no extra charge for oversize. One should look under the airlines "sports equipment" baggage category. TuffPak is an approved firearms case for airline purposes. This is a mandated requirement so cannot be considered oversized.

If any counter clerk wanted to insist on oversize charges, I recommend politely asking to see a supervisor. In over 20 international trips the past 20 years, I have never been asked to pay overage for my TuffPak. BA, SAA, Namibia Air, Virgin, Northwest, AA, Delta, Emirates, Lufthansa, Canadian, KLM and others I can't recall at the moment.

Good way to start a rumor Biebs!

Hi Mike,
Have you flown with 3 guns in a case lately?

Hey Lane,

Not lately. I used to take 2 rifles and a shotgun when the weight limit was 70# per bag, but haven't done since the 50# limit was established. A TuffPak weighs 18# - lightest multiple gun case on the market - so taking 3 long arms in soft cases averaging 10# per would be under the 50# limit and could be done.

Beau has a Zim lion & leopard on license for September. So I might do the 2 & 1 again.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
Hey Lane,

Not lately. I used to take 2 rifles and a shotgun when the weight limit was 70# per bag, but haven't done since the 50# limit was established. A TuffPak weighs 18# - lightest multiple gun case on the market - so taking 3 long arms in soft cases averaging 10# per would be under the 50# limit and could be done.

Beau has a Zim lion & leopard on license for September. So I might do the 2 & 1 again.

Hi Mike,
That's great. If you go SAA, be sure and ask specifically if they allow 3 guns in one case.

I will be embarking in early 2015 on a long trip which I would like to take 3 guns in my Americase. It will be overweight...but I am happy to pay its way as long as they will let it go.

Lane-

Back in the day, SAA didn't care how many firearms you carried. Of course, back then, they were an outstanding, customer service oriented airline. They are no longer and I have seen their 2 gun stated limit, which makes no sense whatsoever. Haven't flown SAA down since circa 2004, when the service had deteriorated to the point that Business Class service seemed like economy. Surly flight attendants have no place on any airline, especially in the BC cabin.

I'll be flying Emirates, again, this September, SFO - Harare. This has the added benefit of eliminating the JNB debacle. And Emirates service is second to none.

You can fly Emirates from Houstin. I recommend them highly and suggest you give them a try. Good luck.

BTW, if you sell your Americase you can buy a TuffPak. You'll never look back.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:
Lane-

Back in the day, SAA didn't care how many firearms you carried. Of course, back then, they were an outstanding, customer service oriented airline. They are no longer and I have seen their 2 gun stated limit, which makes no sense whatsoever. Haven't flown SAA down since circa 2004, when the service had deteriorated to the point that Business Class service seemed like economy. Surly flight attendants have no place on any airline, especially in the BC cabin.

I'll be flying Emirates, again, this September, SFO - Harare. This has the added benefit of eliminating the JNB debacle. And Emirates service is second to none.

You can fly Emirates from Houstin. I recommend them highly and suggest you give them a try. Good luck.

BTW, if you sell your Americase you can buy a TuffPak. You'll never look back.

I am highly likely to take your advice on both accounts...but was already planning on Emirates...just keeping SAA in back of my mind.

Lane

If you would like to try/borrow a Tuffpack you are welcome to borrow mine. I used mine with 2 guns and a lot of stuff on my trip and loved it.

SSR

Interestingly I was opening the mail and I received a new brochure from Americase and a letter thanking me for being a customer in the past and showing a couple of new things.

One of those is that they can put graphics on the cases now. Not something I need , but could be handy and cool too.

Also it did say that they still build them custom to suit you.

Nothing against Tuffpack or any of the others, but I like that customize option . I also like it that I have never yet pulled out anything broken .

Emirates for us too.

Being in the booking biz, I have noticed over the years the newbies always go with the big 3 gun cases, myself included I might add, but as trips go by they tire of dragging those huge heavy clumsy big cases around in airports trying to make conections!

I had the best 3 gun Aluminum case Cabellas made, the one with the rod through it to lock it up..I spent hours with a crow bar trying to straighten up that airline bent rod to pull it out so I could get to my guns. that went on for 60 days as it got bent every flight as I traveled throughout Africa..

I complained to Cabellas btw, and in typical Cabellas fashion they refunded my money, no questions asked, good folks there...

I tried a half dozen or so cases over the years and like most that travel a lot overseas I settled on the tuff pack, its lighter, stronger than aluminum, does not dent, nor will it break..Mine is now about 25 years old, scratched up and ugly but good as new.

I can go to Africa with it, and I usually take one do it all rifle (It will hold 4 or 5 in soft cases btw), and pack all my stuff like boots, binocs, clothes, around the gun in its soft case, along with a small duffle bag and my brief case and I'm good for an extended trip. I try to check my guns all the way through if possible, with no more than one pick up and recheck such as in Joberg.

When I get to Dar es Salaam for instance, I take my rifle in its soft case, put the clothes ammo binocs and stuff I need for my stay. Clothes get washed every night so two changes is all one needs, so not much is actually needed for a 10 day stay.

I get big smiles from the PHs as I have saved space and weight on the charter flight and they need that space to haul in food and supplies. I leave the tuff case and traveliing closthes and things not needed in camp in the tuff case stored in the Seacliffs safe until I return...

Keeps life simple, and nothing bothers a PH like someone showing up with a ton of un-needed gear in huge gun cases and oversize suitcases, on a light plane charter flight. He won't say anything, but that is probably not the way to start a good hunt.

For what its worth.