The Pelican Protector Long Case is a watertight, dustproof, and (nearly) crushproof case that can withstand nearly anything that gets thrown at it. When it comes to protecting your valuable firearms, the Pelican Cases are the next best thing to leaving them at home in the safe. The protector series of cases is made from rugged high-impact polypropylene with stainless steel pins and bearings. The lid is sealed with a silicone o-ring, and secured by durable latches that prevent the case from opening accidentally. An automatic pressure equalization valve balances air pressure in the case while keeping water out. The pressure valve prevents potential difficulty in opening the case when changing altitudes. The larger versions have a pair of polyethylene wheels that allow heavy cases to be rolled. Each case comes with a set of three foam padding inserts that do a great job of insulating the contents from impact. A foam replacement for the center piece with easily removable squares allows for custom fitting to whatever equipment is desired can be purchased separately. The Protector case is available in a large number of sizes to fit most any application. Most of the cases are available in 3 colors (Black, Desert Tan, and OD Green), with a few products having a high visibility option as well.
For testing, we used a medium size rifle case, the Pelican 1720 Protector Long Case. We tried to kill this case and the lucky gun inside. We rolled it down concrete stairs. We threw it against walls and out of windows. We beat it with an aluminum baseball bat, a framing hammer, and a 48″ pry bar. We left it submerged it and left for the evening. We used it hunting in Alaska in November, and New Mexico in July, subjecting it to rigorous use for over a full year in the worst conditions we could find before writing the review. The Pelican withstood the beatings and abuse better than any other case of similar construction that we tested. We were able to crack the case with the hooked end of the pry bar when swung by hand, but the contents remained undamaged. With unlucky placement of the strike, the hook certainly could have damaged the rifle or scope, but in our case they were both unharmed. We eventually did damage the scope by running over the center of the case with a Toyota Tacoma. If the wheel was placed over either end of the case the contents were unharmed. The weight of the truck caused the lid to slip and contort, deforming the front bell. This was the only damage the firearm received through our year of testing while in the case. As this was the last testing that we performed, the case may well have sustained some degree of structural damage that went unnoticed at some point during the process, but in order to be sure we will need to run a new series of tests with new cases. We look forward to further abusing these cases. It is comforting knowing that our favorite guns are as safe as they can possibly be.
On the down side, the cases are bulky, heavy, and expensive. The model 1720 that we tested weighed in at just shy of 19 pounds. Well worth the weight if you have very valuable firearms to transport, but also a lot to carry if the trip is only to the local range and back. Ultimately, there are cases available that are more durable, but none that offer the same combination of protection and (on the high end of) manageable weight that the Pelicans do. They are expensive when compared with other common cases, but in our minds the expense is necessary and worthwhile to protect valuable equipment.