I have one of the Boyt hard cases that I'll be travelling with this fall and I'm getting ready to cut the foam for the rifles I'm taking. How do most of you do this? My scopes are on QR rings.

Would you...
1)cut the foam to fit the rifles scoped
2)remove the scopes and cut holes for them separately in the rifle case
3)remove the scopes and put them in their own hard case packed inside a duffel?

Thanks for your input. I know this was covered on a thread in the past, but I couldn't dig it up.

Either leave the scopes on the rifles or remove them and pack them inside the rifle case. The idea is to keep them together so that they arrive together or go missing together.

And they cannot go in carry-on.

I have done both 1 and 2 before. I had better luck with having my zero maintained by removing them from the rifle and reattaching them when I got there.

1 or 2, but not 3.

For option 3... If it makes a difference, I'm referring to a checked bag, not a carry on.

I think everyone understands your #3 meant in checked baggage, and the answer remains the same - NO.

I use a boyt case and use option #1. On 4 trips my rifles have remained zeroed with no problems.

Three trips for me and have left them on in a Pelican Hard case...Perfect zero on all three trips upon arrival.

When I have scopes in QD rings, I remove them for airline travel. If the case gets violently dropped, I believe a scope unattached to a rifle is less likely to be damaged.

Don't consider putting your scope in a carryon bag as TSA may consider it a "gun part" and not allow it on the plane.

LaRue Tactical make some nice, albeit, expensive cases for your scopes if you want to put them in a padded case and then cut the foam to fit a cased scope.

I always leave my scopes attached and never once have they needed adjustment upon arrival.

And, i always pack a couple of spare scopes in my carry-on and have never had an issue.

I may be a weird exception, but since I hunt almost exclusively with handguns, I guess that's already been established.

opus72,

There is no advantage or need to remove your scope for travel. I always leave my scope attached to the rifle. I have had to make some minor adjustments to my scope but it has never been more than an inch or so off.

Mark

I can't say whether it's necessary, but if the scope is in QD mounts, I take it off and pack it separately, with extra padding, either in the rifle case or in another bag altogether.

A scope is far more fragile than the rifle it's mounted on and to me it makes sense to baby them.

The airline damaged one of my mounted scopes in transit once - even though it was in a 0.08" thick-walled aluminum rifle case.

Outwardly, it looked fine, but it had been banged hard, and the reticle was loose inside and would not hold zero or respond to adjustment.

I also remove the bolts from bolt action rifles and pack them inside the rifle case with extra padding.

I always carry my optics on with me. There's no airline issue with that is there? Never had a problem, but I always get hand checked at security, because the guys looking at the xrays cannot figure out what they are by looking at the screen.

Five international hunts between my partner and me, and many more regular airline trips around the country here. Never taken a scope in QR mounts off in the past, and haven't had to adjust any rifle yet.

We pull the bolts and place them between layers of foam in the case to prevent any pressure points, but that is all.

If your rifle case is like mine, it only has just barely enough room for two scoped rifles. By removing the scopes I get a lot more wiggle room in the case.

Hugh

Bawanna - Most all of us carry our "optics" in our carryon bag, but scopes are not considered just optics by most TSA folks and especially some of the inspectors in the African ports of call. They are considered "gun parts" and will not be allowed in carryon bags. I know some here have gotten away with doing this, and I feel they were pretty "lucky" in doing so. No reason to take a chance of having your scope confiscated and poetentially ruin your hunt when just leaving it in the guncase, attached or unattached, would make more sense.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanna:
I always carry my optics on with me. There's no airline issue with that is there? Never had a problem, but I always get hand checked at security, because the guys looking at the xrays cannot figure out what they are by looking at the screen.

Those who insist on carrying scopes in their carry-on bags are on borrowed time. If TSA doesn't get you, some african inspector will, sooner or later.

I kinda split the difference. Use QD mounts, one scope on the rifle with a spare scope/rings in the gun case (usually use bubble wrap). With medium bores like a .375 or a .416, you can have the "spare" be a step up in power, say a 1x4 on the rifle and a 2.5-8 as a spare. Great for plains game after you accomplish your primary objective. Could definitely use it for anything in a pinch.