Range trips often can be a complex ordeal when bringing a variety of firearms.
Traditionally, I have used a combination of soft double and single rifle cases to transport my gear to and from the range. This exercise is then reversed at the range and repeated when it is time to go home.
Compounding this mental exercise is the need to track all the various accessories —magazines and whatnot — I need for each firearm, as well as the constant double-checking between multiple cases to ensure everything is accounted for.
This song and dance of cases and additional bags is, without a doubt, one of my least favorite parts of the whole ordeal.
The Goal: Streamlined Packing with Fewer Cases
My goal for this project was to synthesize my range packing into a streamlined system, making up fewer dedicated containers.
Ideally, I am bringing one case dedicated to long guns, one for handguns, an accessory bag, and ammo cans to support the calibers I am bringing. I will be highlighting Condition 1 as I believe they offer several products that help in this mission in a well-thought-out manner.
Why Condition 1 Stands Out
Condition 1 has historically been a growing underdog in the hard case world. They offer no-nonsense, robust hard cases that are made in the U.S.A. and most directly compete with Pelican’s Storm lineup. An area where Condition One shines is foam design- they configure their cases and foam to fit a wide number of use cases with the end-user in mind.
Traditionally, when you buy a hard case, you either have to cut your foam by hand, order custom foam, or use the dreaded pluck foam; all of which have their downsides. Even some “pre-cut” options are sub-optimal as they either don’t fit anything well or are too loose to be effective.
Having traveled with hard cases, I often find myself just removing the foam altogether and playing the age-old game of tactical Tetris, which is far from organized and often can lead to items being less than secure during transport. Condition 1 seeks to remove this pain point by offering cleverly pre-cut foam that is designed with the end-user in mind.
Tackling Rifle Transport: The Condition 1 Trunk (#2191)
First, we will tackle the rifle case, as I believe this is where the most bulk and clutter can come from. Condition 1 offers a very feature-rich “trunk” (Part #2191), which is a 45” 4 rifle hard case that has precut foam. It is worth noting that this case can also be purchased with solid foam if you have some other application in mind.
The unboxing experience of this case is great; everything is, for the most part, pre-set up, making this a product that is immediately ready to use. There is no need to pluck foam or “configure” the case, which I really appreciate. The only thing they leave to you is adding the foam to the lid- they supply some double-sided tape for this purpose, but I opted to use some of my own velcro to attach the lid foam.
This allows me to remove the foam as needed and store any sort of documents or paperwork out of sight in the case. I would like to start playing with the idea of velcro mounting some GP (general purpose) pouches to the inside of the lid to increase the “one-stop shop” nature of this case. Nonetheless, this is the only thing you need to actually make a decision on before using the case.
Design, Build, and Environmental Protection
The outside construction of this case is what you would expect from a rifle case of this caliber. It utilizes an extremely robust hard plastic outer shell and hinged top lid, making it easy to access on the go.
The lid is secured by 4 thick, patented latches that tightly seal the lid to the case body. Several lock loops are present, making this a great contender for air travel with multiple rifles.
A thick rubber gasket and GOR-TEX automatic air valve help to keep the environment out, as this case carries an IP67 dust and waterproof rating (can remain submerged 1 meter deep in freshwater for 30 minutes without damage).
The weatherproof aspect of this case is awesome for my location in the Pacific Northwest as I often have more rainy range trips than not.
To help move this thing around, one side has a robust set of wheels to pull the case as needed. Overall size is just right for what the case offers- the outside dimensions are 44.52″ X 16.30″ X 12.90″, making it perfect to fit in the back of most vehicles.
I would be lying if I said swinging this sucker around was a nimble task, but that is a compromise I am willing to make to avoid wrangling several smaller cases at once.
Pre-Cut Foam That Actually Works
The case foam has 4 rifle slots that fit most carbines. Each rifle cell has a small amount of filler foam in the stock area, allowing you to only make cells larger as needed, allowing for a tighter fit with shorter carbines and SBRs.
While the case is certainly designed for rifles with an AR-15-like form factor, the foam is surprisingly accommodating, as I have securely stored an AKM and a tactical shotgun inside.
Even when bringing rifles with accessories such as lights or high-mounted optics, this case accommodates as much as it can.
The only items I cannot use with this case are some of my longer bolt guns and AR-10s. For longer AR-10s specifically, this is not a significant issue, as I can separate the upper and lower receivers and spread them between two of the four included slots.
This one negative is not something I can fault Condition 1 for, however, as there will always be some natural limitations when keeping size in mind, I would much rather this case be the length it is than a larger format for most situations.
To pair with the 4 rifle cells, there are an additional two slots of covered storage at the bottom of the case that is great for tools, accessories, or a couple of spare mags.
Value vs Cost: Is It Worth It?
At the time of writing the MSRP on this case is $539.99 which is pretty staggering- but when you consider the price of 2 double rifle soft cases (99.99/ ea for a cheap foreign made one of decent quality), and the cost of a single rifle hard case of this caliber (~$330) this case really checks a lot of boxes for what you pay.
I want to emphasize, however, that if this system is not something you need, and you often travel with only 1-2 rifles to and from the range, a simple double-rifle soft case may be all you need for a fraction of the cost.
The Pistol Solution: Condition 1 Case #179
With the big piece of this project out of the way, let’s talk about the pistol case (case #179). It is identical in construction to the rifle case but in a much smaller form factor that accommodates 4 pistols and 12 magazines.
In the middle of it all, there is an additional small cell that can fit a box of ammo, or most pistol suppressors comfortably.
The #179 is available with other inserts (such as a 2 pistol model) that leave extra room for ammo and accessories as you need. This case comfortably fits most semi-automatic handguns, including some larger pistols with weapon lights and optics.
The magazine slots snugly fit most double-stack handgun magazines, including full-size 45 and 10mm mags. At the time of writing, this case has an MSRP of $99.99, making it a super accessible dedicated handgun option.
Final Thoughts on the System
Overall, I think that condition one has the most user-focused hard firearm cases on the market. These are just two examples of the many cases offered- they have many others tailored to different uses, gun counts, gun types, and organization styles.
I have traveled many miles with condition one cases over the years and their quality and robust construction have remained unwavering. I think condition one is headed down the correct path and look forward to what thoughtful case designs they bring forward in the future!
Circling back to this minimalistic range transport setup, with these two cases, most of the prep work is out of the way. Now I just need to pack a bag for mags/accessories, and an ammo cans. The firearms are all now in 2 organized locations, and due to the ease of accessing this case, they can stay organized at the range.
All this said and done, this easily fits in the back of my standard-sized hatchback.
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