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Forums10
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Most Online1,344 Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 674
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 674 |
i am looking for a case for both very short and also sorta long trips. by short i mean covert hopping, making 5-15, maybe 20 minutes max, get out and hunt for a short period of time, then saddle back up and hop to the next covert. i have been using canvas cases with very thick piling in it, unzipped, behind the rear seat of my truck.
for long, serious trips i use double, full length aluminum cases. they are heavy and i trust them immensely, but i don't like to monkey with them if i am not driving a fairly long ways. the canvas case behind the seat is so much easier o use, being far quicker to get a gun in and out. so now i have a couple of guns that are nicer than any shotgun i have owned. my philosophy on life is the more i spend on something, the harder and more i use it. i want to be sure i get my money's worth out of it. with these guns i want to use them hard, but not beat them up unnecessarily. i don't want to carry the aluminum cases with me, but i also want something more protective than the cordura cases. the good gun has an oak and leather case and the second tier gun has a leather case, but i don't want to break them down all of the time.
so what about about full length leather cases? are they the happy medium i am looking for? i was looking at the ones that could be buckled together, allowing me to carry 2 guns (always have a back-up!) but it would be less cumbersome than the big aluminum cases.
any advice?
thanks!
skunk out
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,991 Likes: 302
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,991 Likes: 302 |
Mark- I had about a dozen leather gun slips and cases damaged by an inept contractor. I tried valiantly to find exact replacements for them. Luckily, the primary shortcomings of vintage gun slips have been overcome with modern materials.
I ultimately chose cases from the Boyt Harness Company Heritage collection. I am very satisfied with the hides, the hardware, the brass pieces, and the linings.
I prefer those that unzip until they lay open flat because of moisture. At first I didn't feel the clasps on the end were vintage enough, but have come to appreciate the clips that attend the buckles. The brass zippers are quite heavy, and have never bound.
I have about 20 years remaining to get them all marked up and smelling of gunoil, and they are patinating nicely.
Out there doing it best I can.
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 602 Likes: 39
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 602 Likes: 39 |
Check out the leather slips from Murray www.murraycustomleather.com.I've had 2 of his leather slips (one for me & one for my wife)for about 15 years & use them exactly as you describe for local travel & in between coverts. They have no zippers or any other metal to scratch a nice gun. The down side is that you can't open them up to dry but I am always careful to wipe a wet gun off before putting it into the slip & I've come to prefer this style slip. They are not cheap but are of excellent quality. Mine have held up very well & offer a lot of protection for transporting a nice gun in a vehicle & the gun doesn't get worn from taking it in & out of the slip as I've found with zippered slips & cases. Boyt makes a padded canvas slip w/o a zipper & I have one of those also. Much less expensive but doesn't offer the level of protection that the Murray does.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,991 Likes: 302
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,991 Likes: 302 |
Brittany man, Have you experienced any burnishing of the bluing on the ends of your barrels yet? I found that it is impossible to clean out sleeve style cases, and the constant sheathing, unsheathing wears away the finish on barrels. And, I could never dry one out. I have a bunch.
I am in the field most everyday, and whatever firearm I am using gets cased/uncased a dozen or more times per day. I will admit that other than a rag with rem oil my shotguns basically get a rag-off, then into the case. A damp case will etch whatever weave the lining exhibits into any blued surface very quick. I have a GR6 Browning Citori with some sort of damask pattern etched into the barrels from sitting in a case that a cooler dampened.
My choices and behaviors certainly don't mimic those of others, and unfortunately, I have experienced about every way that a firearm can be damaged.
The big difference between $1,000.00 leather cases and $250.00 cases is whether they are made with 1 hide, or 3 pieces. Oh, and whether or not the maker attaches an embossed label. Also, if a person travels, and wishes to carry matching accoutrements, not every seller has a full leathergoods line to attend the cases. Having handled 6 or 7 brands, it was obvious that only a couple companies in the US make all the private labled sleaves.
On any of my excursions, the most glorious moment is when I unsheath my sabre of the day.
Out there doing it best I can.
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 602 Likes: 39
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 602 Likes: 39 |
Zapper,
The guns that get used frequently do show some slight wear to the bluing on the ends of the bbls but I have experienced the same & much worse wear with zippered cases & slips. Unfortunately it's something that is going to happen with a reasonably tight fitting slip & frequent use & I'm most interested in preventing deep nicks & gouges.
The Murray slips are lined with a synthetic fleece & at first I was concerned about it re. picking up grit & moisture retention but these concerns proved to be unfounded.
I've experienced no corrosion issues but I'm careful not to put a wet gun in the slip & on the rare occasion I've got the slip wet I use the wader extension on my boot dryer to get it dry.
Obviously, I don't leave guns in the slips any longer than I must.
Re. embossed labels & matching accouterments, I don't remember if the Murray cases have a label & my luggage is usually a pair of canvas duffle bags I bought from Gander Mountain in 1970 w/my ID elegantly put on with magic marker so the Murray slips definitely don't match.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 424
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 424 |
Put a gun vault in the bed of your pickup. They are the next best thing to a complete field medical kit for your dogs that you can take hunting.
bc
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,145 Likes: 202
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,145 Likes: 202 |
The Spanish full length double gun slips for driven shooting are wonderful. One of mine is fleece lined and one is unlined. For expensive guns, I would prefer the lined. Recently marketed slips of this type are very high priced. Our friend Charlie Jordan brought them in under his Everts and Jordan brand a few years ago. They were beyond expensive, but very nice.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,570 Likes: 75
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,570 Likes: 75 |
A little shameless self promotion. http://www.mbabllc.com/hand_made_cases_.htmlIf you place an order from this post mention you saw it hear and you will get a 10% discount and Dave will get his due as well. Best. Mark
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 594 Likes: 12
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 594 Likes: 12 |
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