Rifle case and rifle-range load out

[MDS]

So I have a nice Pelican case for my LTR. I've demanded a lot from my Pelican cases over the years and they've never let me down. But...I'd like something more convenient for my trips to the rifle range, and I'm thinking about a soft or semi-rigid case or bag. If it does the job well and stands up to some abuse, price isn't the main consideration. I have bad experiences with choosing soft rifle cases in the past and I'm hoping you guys can give me some good advice before I lose my Poor Choice superpower through overuse.

I'd also love to hear about how you guys manage all the crap that comes with you to the rifle range. For a pistol range trip, everything I need has its place in a single range bag - including mags loaded with 250+ rounds. For rifle days, I fumble-flail all around with the rifle case, spotting scope, targets, ammo bag, eyes/ears/misc bag, and probably something else I'm forgetting right now...

Thanks in advance!

[Odin Bravo One]

Plano has some lower end cases that I like for travel and range trips. Half the weight and price of a Pelican or Storm. But still rigid enough to offer some protection.

As for hauling gear, I take stuff out of my pistol bag I don't need and replace it with what I do need. The rifle case holds the rest that I need.

[MDS]

Plano has some lower end cases that I like for travel and range trips. Half the weight and price of a Pelican or Storm. But still rigid enough to offer some protection.

As for hauling gear, I take stuff out of my pistol bag I don't need and replace it with what I do need. The rifle case holds the rest that I need.

Easy enough, thanks! I was looking at something like a decent drag bag, which might do for a dedicated rifle range bag...not worth it?

[JV_]

I won a Galati Deluxe Shooters Mat at a rifle match:
http://www.wiskur.com/shootersmat.html

It's served me well, but I don't abuse it. I use it for a range mat and transport. When using it as a range mat, the black elbow supports can get quite hot in the sun.

[MDS]

I won a Galati Deluxe Shooters Mat at a rifle match:
http://www.wiskur.com/shootersmat.html

It's served me well, but I don't abuse it. I use it for a range mat and transport. When using it as a range mat, the black elbow supports can get quite hot in the sun.

Looks good, thanks!

[Odin Bravo One]

Ah..........

Yeah, I don't use a mat. And I only use my drag bag to drag my rifle through the muck. They are not a terrible comfortable way to haul my rifle, though I imagine there are better solutions out there. My bag is about 12 years old.

Though would be interested to see what you come up with. I actually have a separate range bag for rifle stuff, and only haul over from the pistol bag the things I want/need for rifle. And ammo almost always ends up in the hard case with the rifle, depending on what I am doing.

[JV_]

And I only use my drag bag to drag my rifle through the muck.
If you plan to use your gear like Sean, I have no idea how the Galati bag will hold up.

Just so we're clear, my idea of "muck" is often the gravel parking lot to the concrete shooting bay/slab. It's occasionally a field or grassy shooting position, but not often.

If I'm headed out for a field type match, which I haven't done in years, the Galati bag stays in the car and the rifle is slung. I have a Camelbak Talon - that holds my shooting sticks, rear bag, LRF, Brunton ADC Pro, and other accessories.

[MDS]

Yeah, if I'm using a drag bag to actually drag the rifle, either I stepped into a zombie movie, or I'm taking some kind of fun class. OTOH, something like the TacOps or Eberlestock drag bags look like they'd hold a rifle, bipod, spotter and compact tripod, log book, some targets, eyes/ears/stapler/etc, a few boxes of ammo and maybe a rear bag. I can strap it onto my back if I need to hike with all that, but mostly it will let me organize things so everything's loaded up and ready to go, I stop at home for <90s on my way to the range during a long lunch break...

[JV_]

TacOps or EberlestockI had a TacOps bag at one time. It was well made and was more than sufficient for what you're describing. The mat included with Mike's bag is okay, but I preferred the Galati mat/bag combination unit.

Eberly packs are quite popular, but I've never used one.

[MDS]

If I'm headed out for a field type match, which I haven't done in years, the Galati bag stays in the car and the rifle is slung. I have a Camelbak Talon - that holds my shooting sticks, rear bag, LRF, Brunton ADC Pro, and other accessories.

Nice and simple. I was thinking about one of the Eberlestock rifle-scabbard packs, too. Seems like it would be like your Talon combined a rifle scabbard. Seems awkward to manage them unless they're actually on your back, though.

Thanks for the tips, guys. The important thing is to get to the range!

[JV_]

Nice and simple. I was thinking about one of the Eberlestock rifle-scabbard packs, too. Seems like it would be like your Talon combined a rifle scabbard. Seems awkward to manage them unless they're actually on your back, though.

The downside to my setup is that the sling on the rifle is for shooting, not carrying; it can be suboptimal from a comfort perspective.

[MDS]

The downside to my setup is that the sling on the rifle is for shooting, not carrying; it can be suboptimal from a comfort perspective.

See, there's all kinds of little things like that, that I'll have to learn and adapt to over time. Lord knows, if I'm comfortable CCW'ing these days, it's because I spent a lot of awkward moments learning a lot of little lessons...and I expect the same will happen with rifle. They tell me that's the fun part. :p

[MDS]

Just an update on my where I am with this. I have a couple of cut foams for the Pelican 1750 - one to fit 2 bolt guns and nothing else, and one to fit one bolt gun and "almost everything" else - spotter/tripod, sling, laser ranger, cleaning rod/guide/stuff, kestrel, logbook, earplugs. What's missing is mat, earmuffs, eyes, ammo and targets.

I've also got the TacOps drag bag, which fits one bolt gun and "truly everything" else...depending on how much ammo I bring. The only downside is that the TacOps mat doesn't have slots for the bipod legs.

I've also got a crappy old shotgun bag for the Marlin 22lr.

I can gracefully carry all three bolt guns, plenty of ammo and everything else I need for a whole day at the range: TacOps as a backpack, the Marlin in the crappy bag slung over a shoulder and secured to the TacOps bag so it doesn't slip off, and the Pelican carried or rolling in one hand - leaves a free hand for navigating crowded front offices at ranges and etc.

For short/quick 1-rifle days I'll take the TacOps bag. I expect to have more of those in the future as I start organizing my rifle practice more...though with the price of 308 I may often bring the 22lr for cheaper reps as well.

For travel, such as a hog hunt in TX I have planned for mid-January :D I plan to put two rifles in the Pelican, with all the associated gear (glass/logs/etc) in the smaller Pelican I usually use to fly with handguns. I'd put a handgun in that Pelican just so I can lock it with non-TSA locks.

No big deal for those of you who've gone to the rifle range a bazillion times. Mostly documenting here to reward good search-fu on the part of a future n00b looking for ideas. Lord knows I went through a similar learning curve just getting comfortable/graceful with all the crap to carry for pistol range trips....and often it feels like I'm *still* working out the kinks. :p

Cheers!

[Up1911Fan]

I have multiple range bags. One general purpose bag that holds everything that always goes to the range no matter what i'm shooting that day. I've got a pistol, rifle and shotgun bag as well. Main bag is the larger Midway, the other 3 are the smaller midways.

[Jason F]

I have multiple range bags. One general purpose bag that holds everything that always goes to the range no matter what i'm shooting that day. I've got a pistol, rifle and shotgun bag as well. Main bag is the larger Midway, the other 3 are the smaller midways.

That's a great idea actually. That way you don't accidentally remove something you need while reconfiguring your bag for your days range trip. Because of course by time you realize you left part X or accessory Y on the bench back home, you're miles away at the range.

Good thinking!

[rob_s]

Pistol-side I've become a big fan of everything, including the gun, going in one bag.

Rifle-side, I'm a big fan of everything BUT the gun going in one bag, and not putting anything but the gun in the gun bag.

This is in terms of range-trips, not "real-world use" and whatever that might mean to various people.

If I were still shooting two-gun matches I'd be using a bag that held everything but the rifle, to include the pistol (in it's own rug), all ammo and mags, load-carriage, etc. and a separate bag to hold the rifle.