Today’s gun cases should be able to go through the rigors of travel and battering at the range or in the field without any hiccups. They must protect our rifles and associated gear, such as optics, cameras, ammunition or other items that need safety. It’s easy to slide a scoped rifle into a soft case for a quick trip to the 3-gun challenge, the range or elsewhere. But when you need more, hard-sided cases should be employed.

These hard cases should be reliable, durable and fairly easy to transport by hand or vehicle. They must without a doubt protect the internal cargo: firearms and optics. I have collected and used numerous cases over the years, from stiff waxed-cotton models to heavy aluminum-steel cases and a stack of hard plastic versions. They have transported rifles, pistols, shotguns and other items for me to the range and hunting grounds in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. 

My smaller Pelican cases have carried camera gear, clothing and other items on myriad trips. Airlines have gate-checked my Pelican-cased cameras into the belly hold, ignoring my pleas that the case would fit under the seat or in the overhead. The tough snap-locks held. Smaller Plano and MTM Case-Gard cases also have reliably carried phones, ammunition, pistols, GoPro gear and other items on boats, in hunting stands, to the range and in vehicles squirreled away in hidey holes. I’m a case and bag junkie, always looking for anything similar to the Six Million Dollar Man: stronger and better than before.

Smaller cases, such as the Pelican 1450, are easier to keep up with. I’ve used that size for years for camera gear. Larger cases, such as a rifle case, get transported to the range and sometimes banged around. At the airport they are checked at the departure gate, disappear into the Conveyor Belt Tunnel of Doom and you hope to see it at your destination. Airlines lose bags, but they hate to lose gun cases. Seriously, yes, they hate it. Losing your underwear and dopp kit is one thing. A cased rifle? Yeah, that’s an issue. I’ve not been too nervous over the years flying with rifles, but there’s always that twinge. Knock on wood, I’ve been lucky, even when going to Canada.

Gun cases must hold up, be strong, protect what’s inside. That’s the bottom line. This month’s torture test includes gun cases from those three companies. Plano, MTM Case-Gard and Pelican sent cases for the tests. Other companies that were contacted didn’t respond or declined for other reasons, which is fine. Similar to our torture tests with hunting boots and backpacks, we ask for basic models most consumers will consider, buy and use. Companies who want to participate can do so, and those that do not, no problem. Here’s how it all went down, with a surprise ending.

About the Cases

Customers will be familiar with the three companies and probably the cases we put through the grinder. Pelican is the kiddo at just 49 years old, while Uncle MTM got started in 1968 and Grandpa Plano was founded in 1932. Salt-and-pepper in the beard is fine because they continue to evolve with the times and needs of consumers.

Personally, I’m more familiar with Plano, thanks to their history of fishing and tackleboxes. My father hunted but really loved fishing, so I was exposed early to all of that. I still have some old Plano boxes in my garage from years ago, including one from my wife’s late grandfather that held a trove of old spoons, plugs and OMG lures. But in the last 30 years I’ve become intimately familiar with Pelican and MTM Case-Gard, thanks to my work and recreational travels. I have never have had an issue with any products from these companies. I fully expected the test cases to take whatever I dished out.

A quick glance at the tortured trio:

Plano All-Weather Series — Designed well, numerous features including a pressure-relief valve, not heavy but sturdy.

MTM Case-Gard Rifle Case — Punches above its weight, easily and deftly handles travel to the range or field, the no-frills guy at the bar who smashes your head with the pool cue.

Pelican 1750 — Beefy, sturdy, built for the toughest conditions, treatment and travel, numerous features and wheels that work.

After the cases arrived, my wife asked what I could do to them that the companies or regular Joes could not or have not. I mulled that for a bit, considering the possibilities. Most companies do serious testing of products in the field and under controlled situations. We also usually see the disclaimers in product guarantees about “under normal use.” That’s fine, and as it should be. But our torture tests would, hopefully, take things beyond what normally happens to a product and see how things fare.

Because the three cases are not identical, some might say it’s unfair to treat them the same way. Poppycock and balderdash. That’s the point of the test. Yes, the MTM Case-Gard model isn’t as heavy or thick as the other two. But all three have seals, latches, internal eggshell or pick-pluck foam to protect rifles and gear. They all would get the same treatment.

First up was a pasture drag behind my trusty Fundra pickup (it’s a Tundra, except in torture tests). I chained each case by the handle and dragged it for almost two miles. They bounced, bounded, slammed and scraped over rocks, grass and dirt. I hit speeds up to 35 mph over a rock-strewn road with each one. They were scarred, scuffed and dirty. A corner on each of Plano and MTM cases must’ve grabbed something, because both had a bit of dirt and grass clumped up. Each lost a locking latch, but the remaining three still worked fine. The Pelican giggled at being dragged.

Smashed repeatedly by a sledge hammer? Bounced off. Regular claw hammer? No problems. One Plano latch was broken. The hammer’s claw created some character scars on the Pelican lid. Overall, though, all three took the hammers like a champ.

My testing grounds have a concrete pad beside a lake. I put a concrete block in the middle and then hurled each case as high as I could to land on it and the pad. Each got 10 throws, higher than 10 feet each time. I was worn out. Even the Pelican case, which weighs 26.7 pounds, got tossed. They all landed flat, angled, on their corners, on the latches, on the handles, and directly on the block.

One Plano case latch tab was stressed so badly that I could easily tear it off. The MTM Case lost a latch, as well. But both of those still were able to be latched and secured. With a padlock or TSA lock in the tabs, these cases would be battered but fine. The Pelican case, again, just laughed at the concrete.

I could’ve tossed them into the lake, but the ABS-poly plastic and internal foam simply would’ve floated. Pressure-wash blasts would blow back and turn me into a soppy mess. I thought about using my neighbor’s propane flame torch to heat ’em up like a giant Hot Pocket. Decided against that, though. I don’t have the proper gear to test internal temperatures, and also am fairly certain that hard plastic and eggshell pick-pluck foam hates direct flames.

Crunch Time

Gun cases get dirty, dusty, and wet, and they’re slammed around and often banged up. Cases used by the military see far rougher treatment. Airport baggage handlers might be the most aggressive thing a case sees in most cases, and even then they’re not purposely throwing a gun case — usually — 10 or 15 feet onto concrete.

“Did you run over them yet?” my wife asked. True, people do run over gun cases. It’s not common, but it happens. And we’re doing tests above and beyond what Randy Rangeguy might do. But, people sometimes forget to shut a truck tailgate or slide the case in all the way. They forget it’s on the ground and get distracted, and drive off. Yes, cases and backpacks and other gear sometimes gets run over.

So, I did that in our driveway with the Fundra over the MTM, Plano and Pelican cases. They each got one tire rollover, width-wise and over a lock latch. The first “crunch,” with the MTM case, didn’t surprise me. I mean, it’s the thinnest, lightest case of the three. The second “crunch” with the Plano case also didn’t, to be honest, although I thought it might offer a bit more resistance. Sure enough, it did. Both the MTM and Plano cases took a smash but were able to be latch-locked. That surprised me. Add padlocks, if need be, and you’re still good to go.

I won’t print what I said when I heard the third “crunch,” but I was disappointed. Shocked, to be honest. Ralphie’s mom would’ve fetched the bar of soap for my mouth. Yes, the Pelican 1750 gave way under the truck tire. My wife wasn’t surprised; “It’s a 2,500-pound truck, or whatever it is. What did you expect?”

I expected the Pelican to not be crushed and unlockable. The case was bent enough that I couldn’t close the lid. No matter how hard I forced, it wouldn’t close. Three of the other latches closed, though, so again, the case was good to go. It still protected the internals. But it wasn’t waterproof or dirt-dustproof because it couldn’t be sealed. Two days later after sitting in the hot sun on the concrete, I was able to almost force it closed. The seal still wouldn’t seal, though.

Deal-breaker? Nope, not at all. All three cases work even after the above-and-beyond dragging, beatings and smashings. They’re not perfect, but they still achieve the main objective: Protect what’s inside.