Now that's what I call a distinctive rifle case...

Sparks

Spotted on the web:

Stinger Missile Box Makes Dandy Double-Gun Safari-Style Case
You have to hand it to the Texans. Forum member Paul S (aka “FTRinTexas”), has created a sturdy double-gun case from a surplus Stinger Missile transport box. Measuring roughly 63″ x 11″ x 13″, the aluminum Stinger box is big enough to fit two, long-barreled match rifles side by side, stowed vertically, toaster-style. There’s even room inside for a spotting scope and other accessories. With a little effort (and some after-market foam), the Stinger box can be converted into a very practical (and rugged) gun case.



The converted Stinger box is also an attention-getter according to Paul: “Other guys at the range definitely do a double-take when you haul a missile case out of your truck! They’re kind of disappointed when I open the lid and they see there are only rifles inside.”

Advantages of Side-by-Side (Vertical) Rifle Cases
For wide-forearm rifles with big scopes, we have always liked the vertical storage (drop-in style) cases such as the Plano AirGlide. Vertical placement allows the gun’s weight to rest on the stock with no side-pressure applied to the scope turrets. We’ve asked Plano to make a double-gun case of a similar design, but that’s not going to happen any time soon.

There are companies that make large, metal-bodied safari cases that stow two rifles vertically, side-by-side. These cases are super-secure, but they are also very expensive. Cabela’s side-by-side Safari Case costs $399.00, and it will only hold rifles up to about 50″ overall length. Ziegel Engineering makes a beautiful two-rifle, top-loading Expedition case, but it costs $639.95, and is also limited to a 50″ rifle OAL.



The Stinger Solution — Inexpensive, Rugged Side-By-Side Storage
Paul S was clever to source a Stinger Box and transform it into a side-by-side double rifle case. With over five FEET (61.5″) of internal length, the box will secure guns with barrels up to 38″ with ease. And the Stinger box is wide enough to hold two F-Class guns side-by-side with plenty of clearance. Stinger boxes come with an O-ring seal, air relief valve, and handles on each end. Hasp locks are easily added.



As received from Uncle Sam, a surplus Stinger storage box needs some modification to work as a double rifle case. Paul S removed most of the internal foam padding from the lower section, and then used an electric knife to carve cradles to support the two rifles under the forearms and buttstocks. The original hard foam blocks in the Stinger box lid were replaced with closed cell foam like that used in Pelican cases. Paul found that the new foam in the lid would press down on the scopes’ elevation knobs, so he cut round holes in the top foam to provide additional turret clearance.



As you can see in the photos, Paul had enough room forward of the rifles to stow his spotting scope and disassembled spotting scope stand. Paul simply placed another layer of foam in the bottom of the box and then cut the foam to fit the equipment. Another foam layer can be placed over the spotting scope and stand to prevent slippage during shipment.

If you are interested in making your own double-gun case from a Stinger box, email PScott [at] pegasustexas.com . Paul has a few extra Stinger boxes he may be willing to sell for around $200 each. Each of these Stinger Missile containers cost Uncle Sam $2066.00 originally! The photo below shows the Stinger transport box before modification.



Below is a Stinger “Rocket Box” adapted (by a different shooter) to hold a big Barrett 50-Cal Rifle. This conversion was done two years ago. Note the ample space for magazines, gear and accessories.

And where can you get one?

Got Your Stinger Missile Box Yet?
Last month, we ran a story explaining how surplus aluminum Stinger missile transport boxes can be modified to hold two long-barreled match rifles side-by-side. We have received many emails concerning the Stinger missile box conversions. People wanted to know where they could purchase the Stinger boxes commercially. Folks also asked about shipping costs and weights.

On the outside, the Stinger missile transport boxes measure roughly 66″ x 12″ x 13″. Usable inside length is just under 62″. That’s nearly a foot longer than a typical long-range benchrest rifle with 30″ barrel — so you have plenty of clearance. As received from Uncle Sam, with hard foam internal cradles, the boxes weigh about 53 pounds. The boxes are watertight and are fitted with air relief valves, but they do not have key-locks. However, it is pretty easy to retrofit a hasp lock for security.



Stinger Missile Boxes $199.97 at SportsmansGuide.com
The Sportsman’s Guide is now selling the Stinger boxes for $199.97 plus shipping. These durable containers weigh a hefty 53 pounds shipped so there is a $5.00 “heavy product” surcharge in addition to regular shipping and handling fees. If you are a member of Sportsmans’ Guide’s “Buyers Club”, you can save money. Buyer’s Club price is listed at $179.97 plus shipping. If you’re doing a search on the Sportsman’s Guide website, these boxes are listed as “U.S. Military Aluminum Container”, item number WX2-157199.

Grizzly 45

Great idea.Unfortunatly I must urinate on the parade....:(

Uncle Sam will not ,repeat NOT ship or allow any US company,corporation or individual to sell or ship nowadays ANY US military surplus ammo boxes,etc outside CONUS.It's the damn UN and ITAR that are faffing this up for everyone.:mad: I wanted to get a few of the Xtra tall ammo cans,they are used for ASFIK 120mm mortar rounds,as they would make a handy "flat and long" gunsafe for the Jeep.Only place you can get them is the US and is there a chance of getting them?About as much as winning the lottery and then being struck by a meteor.{which is proably what would happen to me if I did win the lottery.:rolleyes:}.So unfortunatly a stinger case appearing at an Irish range is I reckon pretty remote.:(

intershoot

what the f**k would sleazy-jet charge for taking one of those on board! :eek:

Cant say i'd fancy trailing it around the airport for long .......pmsl. I get enough funny looks when I have the ordinary rifle case as it is.......and no........its not me they stare at.....I know its the case! :rolleyes:

Sparks

Don't think I'd take it on a plane at all to be honest, that's why I got the Peli in the first case. But for hauling stuff around Ireland, it'd be pretty handy...

Remmy

They are seriously cool..

fish slapped

What would ye lads make of this one , worth the money????

http://www.sutter-gmbh.de/Rifle-Cases/Aluminium-Rifle-Case-125x36x15cm::2363.html

Sparks

I've seen a brand new case like that get destroyed with one trip through Dublin airport's baggage section fish, I wouldn't risk it if you were going abroad. For just pootling around Ireland, it should be fine.

fish slapped

Yes its just for our native shores, unless I win the lotto tonite but then it wouldn't be an issue.

cheers sparks.

FISMA

I bet after one flight the airlines would still beat it up.

Is anyone amazed at the damage a case gets with even one flight? Does the airport employ a kicker/case beater that I do not know about? Do they have a union?

Took a flight and brought two cases: one brand new(gun case) and the other about 10 years old. When I landed, the new case actually looked older.

Discounting any relativistic time-travel effects on the cases, how do the airlines manage to to this? Do they own stock in luggage companies?

I am not one to complain, usually, I understand that things happen, however, I just could not believe the amount of abuse the firearms case had.

Anyone else note this?

Sparks

Every international shooter out there FISMA
There are legends.

Last trip to Kuortane, I'm sitting in schipol airport with another shooter, watching our kitbags get "the treatment":

There’s something about baggage handlers that suggests that one day they’ll earn the majority of the Darwin Awards. Or at least that’s what we were thinking watching one of them test my Peli case to its limits with the luggage loading conveyer belt, and then testing to see how flat he could make Daniel’s range kitbag (the damage was fairly thorough, we discovered later on in Helsinki), but we became sure of it when we watched the senior baggage handler (a man smart enough to wear his tie loose and flapping about while walking around running jet turbine engines) pick up Daniel’s ammo box under a wing full of fuel vapour about seventy yards from a crowded passenger terminal, hold it upside down by his head and then shake it to see if there was any loose ammunition inside that might accidentally go off. Now you and I, having been around ammunition for a while, know it’s not quite that sensitive; but in fairness, had he been right, few of us would have been about to congratulate whatever bits of him remained afterwards. I don’t think being right is quite worth that much.

And there was the time we got back from Bisley to catch the baggage handler actually throwing our cases four or five feet onto a carrier and when we yelled at him to stop, he just threw them harder.

There was the time a friend's brand new case was completely destroyed by the handlers on it's first trip.

In fact they've managed to bang my Peli case up so badly on the last Finland trip that I was convinced they'd taken an industrial sander and a sledgehammer to it. And that's a case that is designed to be thrown out of a moving airplane and survive. And Dublin Baggage Handlers can nearly break it by hand. It'd be impressive if it wasn't so expensive...

LCrawford

Have tried Peli cases and they have returned without handles and locking points. Would have to recommend www.icc-case.com and their product. I will try to post the photos of the resulting damage to the case. It happened in Dublin, Frankfurt or Zagreb. The rifle was undamaged but the case was unusable. Any other case would have resulted in damage to the rifle. Only if it was driven on by something very large would damage like this occur.

Sparks

Driven over with one of the airside vehicles maybe? They're pretty bloody cavalier when loading stuff :mad:
I've seen Peli, Storm and SBS cases being used on the circuit, but so far noone's found a baggage-handler-proof case that I know of

sharky0922

and the complains about it? any compensation for destroyed case?

fish slapped

Unbelievable :eek::eek:, I'd definably think twice about bringing my firearms abroad now!!

Grizzly 45

Sparks wrote: »

Driven over with one of the airside vehicles maybe? They're pretty bloody cavalier when loading stuff :mad:
I've seen Peli, Storm and SBS cases being used on the circuit, but so far noone's found a baggage-handler-proof case that I know of

FWIW,I did a couple of months of baggage screening and airside security,and some of the horror stories I could tell in that short time of handling is unbeliveable!Dont EVER,NEVER put a FRAGILE sticker on any luggage.That will ensure it will get an extra thumping,kicking,and bashing from screening to cargo hold.It's like some sick joke internationally with baggage handlers!The tougher it looks the harder it will get it.Years ago my mum bought a set of aluminium luggage cases.This was in the early 80s when these puppies had REAL metal in them.They are heavy.So heavy nowadays they are already using up half the free baggage allowance weight.
We took them on a US trip ,and by the time we got back to Ireland,they looked like they had been used thru the Vietnam war!Locks broken, been hit by somthing that one was only openable with a crow bar by my dad.
So with that in mind,I'm thinking that maybe we need to develop" a defence in depth case".IOW somthing like an outer shell that can be hopped off everything to the hearts content of the baggage handlers.But is protecting the core of the Pelibox[sounds stupid that somthing Milspec needs protection],which is protecting the guns.It will have to be ABS or somthing lightweight,as baggage allowance wont allow metal much anymore.
anyone here into plastic moulding?

Sparks

I have actually heard of some international shooters talk of packing a peli inside a peli for that kind of thing Grizzly, just without the foam on the larger one. Whether they were taking the mick, I can't say - but with baggage handlers, it wouldn't be utterly insane to do that, especially if you were going to a match where the outcome might mean an Olympic Gold medal (or your state funding for the next year).

Bananaman

I have a plastic foam lined case which I pack inside an alu foam lined case for the small stuff.

B'Man

LCrawford

Sharky,

Complaint was handled by others in the organisation and any payment would go to the exchequer so wouldn't see anyways. DHLd a replacement out to Zagreb and dumped the other one out there.

We use large Storm Cases (Peli's Cousins) for all other shooting kit. They have survived multiple trips now, it was just the plastic gun cases that the handlers seemed to like assaulting.

Main thing was that rifle was undamaged. The advantage of the ICC cases is that the handles seem to survive because they fold back in automatically. They do a safari case also. Stuff is very well assembled.

L

Hibrion

The best one I've seen was an actual two inch wide hole punched through a case that was covered in diamond plate steel:eek: How hard would you have to try to make a hole like that in all honesty?
Luckily the gear, which was worth upwards of four grand, was safe.

Remmy

It could be an idea for smaller items that need to be packed into a protective box to put them into a generic suitcase.I'm not sure how you would do the same for a rifle case though...