Posted: 9/28/2007 5:04:50 AM EDT
|
I need suggestions on AR cases. Our ARs will be going into cases and stored in the trunks of cruisers. We are replacing aluminum cases with latches that quickly became bent up and useless. We are leaning toward soft side zipper cases that can take a bump without bending yet still protect the rifle inside the case. Most important is that the case allows for a 30 round mag to remain loaded in the AR for quick deployment. Please don't turn this into a cased in trunk vs mounted in cruiser thread. I've already been down that road and we need cases for the trunks. hinking.gif What's in use out there? What works? What don't? Thanks Ken |
| I'm kind of partial to the Eagle Discreet case. That one gives you the added option of strapping the rifle in place with velcro inside the case. Whatever you decide, I'd make sure that you find a way to keep the case from sliding around in the trunk. You'll also want to set up a regular maintenance schedule to keep the rifles in prime fighting shape. We keep our LL shotguns in soft cases in our trunks. |
|
I've had a Black Hawk soft sided case for several years. My duty gun is a Bushy M4A3 with Aimpoint mounted, vertical foregrip and double 30 round mags, and a Pentagon light on the right side. It fits in the case in this configuration with the mags in place. The case also has several outside mag pouches, and and accessory sleeve along the same side. I drive an unmarked so it rides on the rear passenger floorboard with the zippers up where I can reach and open it with one hand. It has held up very well and shows very little wear. I'd buy another in a heartbeat. Mac Still training Sheepdogs, one puppy at a time! |
The Doskocil / Browning Double Scoped Rifle Case is a nice rig - I used to keep my AR in it with a mag in place. It's a pretty solid rig (not a Starlight or Peli  ) but it should hold up with the average trunk toss stuff.HOLY CRAP! Just went looking for images and found out that Doskocil sold their outdoor products line to Plano Mfg.! 
|
|
I used a Pelican 1700 for a few years and I had some gripes. It is hands down the BEST case for protection, but getting it out in a hurry is a PITA. I have had several occasions where I needed to deploy in a hurry from the trunk. I got to a point where I had the case in the trunk (with my other piles of equipment) and when I would deploy I would snatch the case out, place it on the ground, open it up, deploy the rifle, then close the case with my foot and slide it under the car. At first I wanted to put the case back in the car, or in the back seat, it just was a PITA. Now I use a Maxpedition discrete case. It's still in the trunk but with the zippers facing up, all I have to do is unzip and I'm GTG. As far as my gear goes, it's all pretty stationary in the trunk, nothing gets banged around much. Now my 1700 sits next to my safe. As it boils down, if you are in and out of the car WITH your gear, go with the hard case. If it's going to stay in the trunk, go with a soft case. It's quicker to deploy and lets face it, your patrol rifle is not a show piece. |
|
I keep mine in a Pelican Case on top of everything else in my trunk. I leave two of the latches undone, because my active shooter vest and the AED sit in front of the case. I'll never need something else in the trunk in a such a hurry that taking the rifle case out and setting it aside is too much of a hassle. Needing the rifle in a hurry on the other hand, cannot be slowed down by having the case buried under other crap. I'd much rather have it inside the car, but you gotta do the best with what you've got. All I have to do is open the trunk, undo the remaining two latches (conveniently, one for each hand) grab the rifle, sling and charge and I'm ready to rock and roll. If it's something that may be drawn out, add "throw on the load-out vest" as the first step after opening the trunk. |
|
I'm an opponent to keeping AR's in the trunk because it is a pain to get to them & if you need them before yesterday they're better served being in the front with the officer. However, many dept's including my own want them in the trunk. If you get rear ended at a good clip your rifle is prolly gone along with the rest of your gear back there. One of they guys on my team lost it on a wet roadway & went off roading. The rear end of his squad smacked a large tree. A $2000 sniper rifle & AR were rendered unserviceable after the crash. Both rifles were in soft cases against dept policy (He got 5 days of extra vacation for it). I believe if his rifles have been in our Pelican cases they would have survived. |
|
I have used the aluminum cases (hate them), doskocil type cases (latches never last) and have now gone to just a locally manufactured soft case with padding and velcro mag pouches on the side. I pick them up at the local gun shows for about 40-50 bucks a case and they do just fine. If I knew my gun was going to be bouncing around in the trunk all the time though, and if it wasn't MY money (aka Department Money), I would go with the Pelican cases though. They have a lifetime warranty IIRC, and they will REALLY keep the gun safe while it's back there. Plus the latches are quick to open and the rifle is fast to get too... |
| I use an Unlce Mike's Tactical Carry case for my Bushy A3 w/Aimpoint and a 6p mounted to the FSB. The kicker though is I am able to place in the trunk sitting upright in a slot just deep enough so that it does not slide around. The trunk organizer is set down so that there is this gap. There is nothing sliding aorund on top of the organizer except for the other officer duty bag with whom I share a car with. Many of our officers are going with a soft side Tac case stored in the trunk simply because our mounts are putting some pretty severe scratches on the rifles. Admin won't listen because the Chief and the Sgt have thier own cars so their rifles aren't going in and out everyday. |