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More than enough room for 8 guns, and mag cut outs for single-stack and double stack too (just pull out more foam).
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Check out the Case Club gun cases: https://www.caseclub.com/gun-cases.htm
Sometimes we get in guns and gear and have to put up a post the same week. It doesn’t give us time to live with the things we’re reviewing, and we often have to write up articles based on little more than first impressions. But not this time. We’ve been kicking these around for a while now, and are ready to give a full detailed perspective.
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The revolver case holds 4 guns. Fairly nondescript from the outside.
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The 8 pistol case is about the size of a carry-on bag.
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I go to the range at least twice a week. I often travel out of state with guns (sometimes by car, sometimes by plane). Getting gear organized is a crucial piece of the equation. Keeping guns sfe in transit is even more important. Protecting them is really the last thing I think of, but it is certainly an added benefit when you’re carrying around show pieces or safe queens.
We’re here now, after beating up the cases for more than six months, to report on what we’ve found.
Steel hinge pins inside polymer. Hinges are one of the first points to break on a case.
The First Impressions
The cases arrived in cardboard cartons. That’s an odd way to ship a hardworking case, but logical. I’d rather put the first scuffs and dings on a case myself. When the two arrived, I opened them up to let them breathe a bit. There was very little noticeable smell from the foam. Sometimes new foam off-gases and can be a bit obnoxious. But not these. No smelly foam or plastic is a good thing.
When I’m looking at the protective qualities of a case, I check all of the seals and how everything fits together. Both of these closed easily. The gaskets held. I dumped them into the shower and let the water run on them for a while. I hit them with cold and hot water, just to see if there would be any expansion or contraction that could cause a seal to fail, but they didn’t. I hadn’t expected them to.
Inside, the foam has some options for configuration. Devotees of my case reviews may remember that I’ve got a penchant for empty cases. This allows me to have foam cut to my exacting needs. When I dedicate one case to one gun, this is a must. But both of these cases are designed to be multipurpose cases for multiple guns. So they come with some standard shapes and options–one designed for autos and the other for revolvers.
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The pistol case has an overlapping lip.
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The revolver case closes tightly together.
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Once I’d pulled the extra cuts from the case, I had multiple slots that were ready for guns and mags. Full-sized 1911s fit perfectly, as did the long barreled revolvers. Shorter guns fit well, but had more wiggle room (either at the end of their barrels, or on the sides of their thin frames).
The extra space in the cases could be used for whatever you like. I couldn’t fit all of the extra gear and ammo I needed into either of these, but that is hardly the fault of the case. Case Club makes multiple designs that allow for a wide variety of set-ups. If you want more open space, that is up to you.
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4 Revolver and Accessory Case
- Holds up to 4 Revolvers or Pistols
- Max length of semi-auto pistols is 8 5/8″
- Max length of revolvers is 12.25″
- Extra Accessory cutouts
- Case is 100% Waterproof, & Dustproof
- Case is crushproof
- Hydro absorbent silica gel included to prevent rust
- Foam insert is (closed cell) military grade polyethylene which can be wiped clean
- Case can be padlocked
- Case is Airline Approved for checked luggage
- Quick draw design
- Outside Case Dims. 21.75″ x 17.00″ x 10.25″
- Manufactured in America
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8 Pistol Case
- Holds up to 8 Pistols with 16 extra magazines
- Case is 100% Waterproof, & Dustproof
- Case is crushproof
- 2 Hydro absorbent silica gels included to prevent rust
- Foam insert is (closed cell) military grade polyethylene which can be wiped clean
- Case can be padlocked
- Case is Airline Approved for checked luggage
- Quick draw design
- Twist latches for extra security
- Outside Case Dims. 23.97″ x 16.0″ x 10.10″
- Max length of pistols is 8 5/8″
- Use a fork to remove deeper magazine cutouts
- Manufactured in America
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The revolver case is ideal for longer pistols, too.
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You can see here how various lengths line up.
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The Testing
The best test of these types of cases is actual use. As I mentioned earlier, the cases have made more than 100 range trips at this point. One case was mailed cross-country and back (and not in a cardboard box). In all of the normal testing, both boxes performed exactly as advertised.
Then come the absurd tests. In addition to my silly shower tests, I like to push the limits. I’ve stood on both of these, and they hold my weight easily (240+ pounds). I’ve dropped them from ten feet (about as high as they’d fall if dropped from the cargo hold of a passenger plane). No issues.
These cases do well with protection against rain, dust, and jarring impact. The foam holds firm. The rigidity of the closed cell foam may end up being abrasive once it has picked up some dirt and grime–so I’d recommend keeping the interior clean, and maybe even wrapping precious blued Pythons in a cleaning cloth.
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A snub-nosed Smith next to a 6″ Python with the barrels down in the foam.
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There’s a lot of barrel out of sight in that foam.
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The pistol case is meant for full sized guns, but not crazy long pistols like this Buckmark.
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The closed cell foam compresses to the shape of the gun very well.
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The Drawbacks
There was only one thing I didn’t like about the 8 Pistol Case. The foam is glued in. I’d been planning a trip, and thought I’d use a case as a carry on (as I wouldn’t need it for toting guns). But the foam didn’t simply pull out as I’d expected. I didn’t rip it out, either. I could. There is nothing to prevent it. But I made the choice to leave it alone. I didn’t need the multipurpose case that badly.
Other than that, there was nothing. From the lock points, to the hinges, to the clasps–everything else is solid.
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Some lock points have steel reinforcement, others don’t.
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Even with the steel, the lock points aren’t meant for ultimate security. But they will slow a thief down and are needed for shipping and travel.
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So how much do the cases cost?
Gun cases cost real money. Foam is always extra. I’ve got cases decked out that cost more than the guns I carry in them. So be it. The Case Club cases are priced very competitively. You are getting a rock solid case and foam that’s ready to use. The 8 Pistol Case is $198.
And what you get is both protection and organization. The 4 Revolver & Accessory Case is $178.
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The latch on the revolver case.
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Twist locks on the pistol case keep latches from popping open.
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The revolver case is made by SKB. There are no markings on the pistol case.
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Cases are marked with the Case Club logo.
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The reinforced ribs give the case structure and allow it to hold a tremendous amount of weight.
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Wheels help with the weight of a fully loaded case. But with only 8 guns, it isn’t too heavy to lift.
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Even a 5 shot smith is held secure.
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This is the glue holding in the foam on the pistol case. The revolver case isn’t glued.
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For those who own fewer guns, they make cases with more room for gear. Or smaller cases. If you own more gear or guns, there are larger cases. Up to you and your budget.
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Is there a reason why you didn’t put the semi-autos in the case muzzle down as shown in the maker’s video?