Pelican Case with Folding Stock Rifle

[Imabballer]

I have a Tikka T3x Tac a1 with a folding stock and I am going to buy a pelican case for it. My dilemma is should I buy a shorter pelican case and fold the stock, or should I buy a longer case and keep the stock unfolded?

I would love the smaller case but I’m not sure it would be a good idea to have to cut one of the other layers of foam to accommodate the folding stock. Have any of you ever cut pelican foam to accommodate a folding stock and if so does it still seem like it has enough padding?

I would love to hear your opinions on which would be the better route to go.

 

[diverdon]

You could get some cardboard the size of each of the cases you are considering and lay out everything you might want to cry in the case, then see which layout you like better. Chances are if you like to carry six mags, a rangefinder, a bipod , a surefire, and some tools the longer case will look nicer.

 

[Imabballer]

I'm not so much worried about fitting all of my other stuff in the case, as much as I am worried about how thick the rifle is with the stock folded. I'm worried that with a case like the pelican 1720 I would have to cut the bottom or top foam piece as well as the middle piece to give it enough relief to be able to shut the case and get it to seal very well. I'm just wondering if anybody else has done this before and how they got it to fit.

 

[diverdon]

You should only have to cut the second piece of foam where the folded stock is located, so you should still have all the foam you need protecting the optic and the rest of the rifle.

 

[fastfwd]

Unfolded, the widest part of my Tac A1 is across the scope's windage/parallax knobs. The folded stock only adds half an inch to that width.

BTW, here's a case with foam already cut for a folded Tac A1: https://www.peakcase.com/peakcase-tikka-t3x-tac-a1-case.html

They do unfolded, too: https://www.peakcase.com/peakcase-tikka-t3x-taca1-case-.html

 

[Barryd]

Good info. I have trip planned to meet up with some good friends early next year. So I am in the market as well for a case for my Tikka. Concerns for me would be meeting airline weight requirements.

 

[anarchist]

I have two of the Mile High cases that are made for the AICS folder. You can see that the lid foam is partially relieved for the butt. Not sure how the Tikka compares on thickness when folded. That's a 19" barrel. Same case also fits my 300 WM with a 26" barrel in a AICS folder.

 

[fastfwd]

Yeah, that Peak case I linked to also takes some of the top foam out to make room for the folded stock. I don't have one of their cases, but from the photos, their relief looks a little excessive; I think that their top-foam cutout could be filled with a square of adhesive-backed lower-density foam -- or with a square of regular-density foam with a stock-shaped cutout -- to give a little more support to the back of the rifle while still allowing the case to close properly.

But still, for the price it looks hard to beat.

 

[quiksilverj]

I would go shorter case and fold the stock. It's amazing the difference. I rarely use my storm 3300 anymore and it's only 10 inches longer. This is how I bring my ai around and can fit the 27 in with ai brake with a little extra room.

 

[...]

why bother having a folding stock if you arent ever going to use it for what it was intended for?

folding stock are designed to make it shorter for transport so you can use a shorter case.

 

[yakstone]

I have done it both ways and prefer unfolded as it seems to better balance the carry.

 

[Andez182]

Folded. Not as awkward to carry. Plenty of padding in the Pelican case even with a space cut out for the folded stock. In my case I just go back forth to the range though, so folded/smaller case fits my needs.

 

[Samson77]

Folded hands down. As long as ther is a little foam left behind the folded portion (cut half thickness or so) and the bolt is removed there is plenty of cushion . I am with mcameron " why have it if you don't use it".

 

[Timo Turl]

Is anyone running a smaller case, especially those with folding rifles that have quick change barrels like AI ? Wondering if anyone is using an even smaller case and taking the barrel out, running it diagonally in the case under the stock to reduce the overall length of the case ? Appreciate it might be a pain needing to re-zero but for the occasional flight it could present a more compact option, or perhaps just a dumb one ???

 

[Stevo3556]

Is anyone running a smaller case, especially those with folding rifles that have quick change barrels like AI ? Wondering if anyone is using an even smaller case and taking the barrel out, running it diagonally in the case under the stock to reduce the overall length of the case ? Appreciate it might be a pain needing to re-zero but for the occasional flight it could present a more compact option, or perhaps just a dumb one ???

TJC,

I have an AXMC and two bbls. I just got all the goodies and rifle together along with an OLD Pelican case to start this process. Came to the realization that it may not be as easy as I thought. My rifle with the 300NM bbl won't fit with the stock unfolded. SO thought I would go folded. Not sure that will work either as there is just one piece of foam in the lid and two below. Thought I would just cut the top piece in the bottom layer and be good, but think it might not be "deep enough" to close case properly. Can't cut the layer of foam in the top as there is only one.

Hoping to get a few ideas before I butcher the foam.

Don't feel like buying more foam for multiple layer, not yet anyway.

Steve

 

[Timo Turl]

Hi Steve, which Pelican case are you using ? I was thinking of the IM2950 which is 10” deep.

https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/cases/travel-case/storm/im2950

 

[Stevo3556]

TJC,

I have a 1750, 6" deep. Starting to look at my options. Might have to get a new case and then I can keep this case for other rifles.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[The Durk]

I would go shorter case and fold the stock. It's amazing the difference. I rarely use my storm 3300 anymore and it's only 10 inches longer. This is how I bring my ai around and can fit the 27 in with ai brake with a little extra room.

View attachment 6960394

Is that the iM3100 or the iM3200?!

 

[Timo Turl]

I went with the Pelican Storm IM2950 in the end. Barrels are underneath with a magnetospeed.

 

[Crews]

I’ve got a Pelican 1605 Air on the way to my house for this exact reason. 26” long, 14” tall, 8” deep. Should be perfect for a removed barrel and a folded stock without having to get too fancy to make everything fit. Will report back.