High-End Gun Cases: Cabela’s Box Is 'Bullet-proof'

The mail-order company’s aluminum-clad case was a brute; Browning’s heavy gun-vault model was a disappointment.

Cabela’s “Bullet-Proof” Aluminum Case is made of 0.063-inch thick marine-grade metal. It closes with four latches, and can be further secured with a metal bar that slides through holes in the latches.

Shooters expect a lot from their gun cases: They serve as storage compartment, transport vehicle, dust cover, travel protection, and theft security. Also they must be affordable, easy to use, and not so heavy that only Arnold Schwarzenneger could lift them. Clearly, no one product can do all of these things perfectly, but some will come closer than others. Performance Shooter recently examined four of the more expensive long-gun cases available to see how they stacked up. We measured each product to determine its dimensions and weight, and we evaluated them for ease of use, durability, and security.

The models we chose were: Cabela’s “Bullet-Proof” Aluminum Case, $200; Browning’s Travel Vault 5115, $233; SKB’s SKB-4900 Single Firearm model, $70; and Doskocil’s Aluminum Series Single Rifle/Shotgun Model 11101, $200. Of these units, we preferred Cabela’s “Bullet-Proof” case. It was substantially heavier than the others, but it was also very strong. Among the disappointing products was the heavy, plastic Browning Travel Vault, which failed our tough durability test.

How We Tested
We weighed the gun cases and measured their exterior dimensions. We then assessed how easy each case was to use by placing the gun inside the case, closing the case, locking it, unlocking it, opening it, and removing the gun. We timed this process. The cases that were easiest to use required less time to lock and unlock.

We investigated durability by dropping each case (closed and locked) from a standard height (9 feet) onto a concrete surface, for three trials. Each trial included three individual drops: one to land on the case’s hinges, one to land on its side (the one with the shortest dimensions), and the last to land on the handle and latches. The final and most severe determinations were made by driving a car over the cases. We assessed how secure the cases were by trying to force open the locked cases. Here’s how the products held up.

Cabela’s “Bullet-Proof”
Aluminum Case
If you absolutely, positively must have a case that won’t deform or allow anybody into it, this is the case for you. Made of 0.063-inch marine-grade aluminum, this product makes no fashion statements. It’s constructed with a full-length, piano-style hinge that seemed impervious to insult, and closed with four latches through which a metal bar passes. The bar, in turn, locks in place with a padlock (not included). The case was 52 inches long, 10 inches wide, and 4.5 inches deep.

We found it to be virtually indestructible. It sustained some scratches and dents during the drop and drive-over tests, but it maintained its integrity throughout. It was the only product to survive unscathed when run over by a car. However, in one or two spots during the testing we had to hammer one of the metal bar’s locking plates back to remove the bar. This did not appear to affect subsequent performance. Security? No problem. Lock it and forget about it. We hammered away at the latches repeatedly, and couldn’t budge them. Although we didn’t go to these extremes, it seemed that nothing short of a hacksaw or blow torch would have done the trick.

In the other categories we judged, these advantages were offset by weight and ease of use factors. All that solidity requires some mass (13 pounds), and the locking-bar mechanism slowed getting the gun in and out of the case. In our opinion, these are minor drawbacks.

Doskocil’s Aluminum Single Rifle/Shotgun Model 11101
This metal-skinned product resembles the Cabela’s case, in that it has the single full-length hinge and four latches through which a metal bar is inserted. This bar, however, has a flattened end with a hole in it; a small padlock (not included) is passed through the hole, locking the bar in place. The exterior corners are covered with reinforcing plastic. The case was 53 inches long, 11 inches wide, and 4.25 inches deep.

The Model 11101’s forte is security, in which it equaled Cabela’s “Bullet-Proof” case. Repeated attempts to force entry were thwarted. It is also worth noting that the lock-hole in the metal bar can only accommodate a small lock, which might diminish this function slightly.

In testing the case’s durability, we were disappointed. The corner guards snapped off after only one or two drops, and the latches bent out of alignment more easily than we would have liked. By the end of the drop trials, one of the latch’s rivets had loosened significantly, and some hammering was necessary to open the case. The hinge looked bent, although it still functioned properly. Finally, the drive-over test resulted in a completely crumpled product.

The case weighed 12 pounds. Its multiple latches made it slower to open and close than most of the other models.

SKB’s SKB-4900
Single Firearm Model
Suitable for single rifles or shotguns with barrel lengths up to 28 inches, this model is manufactured from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), with a “heavy-duty” aluminum valence for reinforcement. It has four die-cast locking latches, and three hinges. It also sports two rings for use with a shoulder strap, which is not included.

We thought this product was easy to carry and use, weighing only 8 pounds. The latches are simple, and are surprisingly theft-resistant given their straightforward locking design. The case was 48 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. The plastic shell resists dents and scratches quite well, but the overall design didn’t stand up to the drop tests. After only one trial, two of the latches stopped functioning properly, and the hinges started squeaking, although they still worked properly. During one drop in which the case was unlocked, all the latches popped open, which means anything inside the case would have gone flying.

By the end of the drop trials, two latches wouldn’t stay closed. During the final automotive insult, the case immediately crumpled, although it partially regained its original shape after the rollover was completed. The case’s security was adequate but not great. We broke open the locked latches, but only after extended efforts.

Browning’s
Travel Vault 5115
When we received this product, we took one look at it and projected it as the hands-down winner for security and durability. This is one solid-looking, heavy (23 pounds) piece of luggage. It measured 52 inches in length, was 17.5 inches wide, and 6 inches deep.

It’s constructed of heavy plastic, and locking rings are molded in for a long-shanked padlock (not included). Four heavy latches secure the two sides, and the product has four hinges. This is also the only case tested that has two wheels attached and two carrying handles. One handle occurs along the long axis for traditional carrying, and one handle on the end opposite the wheels may be used for rolling the case along the ground. Another unique feature is a purge valve, designed to equalize pressure when changing altitudes.

When the smoke cleared, however, we were left with a broken and battered piece of equipment. It was the only product we tested that actually broke apart during the stress tests. Latches broke completely off, huge cracks appeared, and in general it seemed to fall apart. By the end of the drop tests, it would have been a simple matter to remove any of the contents. Security tests suggested that it is reasonably resistant to forced entry, but the case did eventually succumb to our efforts. In general, it seems that the shell material is subject to severe, sharp blows, we think.

Ease-of-use testing resulted in a mixed bag. The timed trials indicated that it is one of the simplest of the cases to use, but there are a couple of provisos. Two of the latches were consistently difficult to open and close. Also, the consumer must customize the middle layer of foam in the case. Although this undoubtedly results in good firearm restraint, it is an extra step required of the consumer, and it limits the case’s flexibility. If you go traveling for upland game on one trip with your favorite shotgun, you’ll have to get another case (or at least recustomize another piece of foam) when you take a rifle to hunt for mountain sheep.

Performance Shooter
Recommends
The Cabela’s “Bullet Proof” Aluminum Case, at about $180, is one of the lower-priced models of the bunch. Its mass and size aren’t necessarily needed for driving to and from your local range, but for heavy-duty protection and security, you won’t go wrong with this one.

With a suggested retail price of a little less than $70, the SKB-4900 represents a reasonably good value, despite its poor durability performance. Its lightweight and simple functioning rank it over some models that are priced much higher. We wouldn’t recommend this one for air travel, but it would be an appropriate choice for local use.

Browning’s Travel Vault 5115 is big, heavy, breaks more easily than the others, and is the most expensive product ($233 suggested retail) in the test. We think the cases reviewed above are better values.

We would pass over Doskocil’s Aluminum Series Model. It retails for about $175, and addresses the same niche that the $180 Cabela’s case does. The latter is a better buy, in our view.

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-By Oliver Shapiro