Cut or compress for foam in black gun cases?

maifire

maifire

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I am looking to see what the consensus is on this one. Have a few black guns with optics that I am proud to own, but see a lot of people custom cutting their foam for transport. I have always just compressed the rifles in their cases and have never had an issue. It is curious to me that one would custom-cut the foam vs having cases that can accept any of their toys, as there is no set pattern. What you figure?
 
All depends how heavy the rifle is, compress foam have the tendency to much softer than the high density foam that is typically used in the custom fitted foam cases, so they sometime will shift around in the case.
 
I tried cutting...it is nice, but gets very expensive if you change guns (buy and sell often). I now just compress as it holds things in well and is the most adaptable.
 
Custom cut foam is awesome, but it must be on a closed cell foam...or it will be be like wet noodle.
I have done 4x custom cut rifle cases, the best tips I can give is...
*buy / borrow an Electric Carving knife.
* Measure twice, cut once...lay out your rifle and accessories trace with chalk.
* spray your custom cut foam with Plasi-Dip.
IMG_20150913_131958_edit1_zpsijymuxr5.jpg
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redshooter said:
Good source for foam?
Click to expand...

Since you're in Ontario, try the Custom Foam Store in Kitchener. They might be able to help.

360 Trillium Drive, Kitchener, Ontario Canada, N2E 2K6
Toll Free: 1-800-804-FOAM (3626) • Tel: 519.748.1700 • Fax: 519.748.0936


http ://www.customfoam.com/ourcompany.html
 
Trace all the stuff you want to put into the case on paper to make a bunch of templates. Then you can try arranging them different ways in the case to get the best economy of space and look. Use thumb tacks to hold the templates in place once you've decided where you want it all and then cut the foam.

I made a wire-based foam cutter that is almost ready for use. It's basically a 24"x24" surface made out of peg board with an arm from one end of the surface to the mid-point of the surface. A wire runs from the arm through one of the peg holes at the mid-point. You place the foam on the surface, pass the wire through the foam at the template you want to cut out, energize then trace the shape of the template. You can then turn the cut out piece on its side to make a cut at the desired depth. I made this based on a description on AR15.com.
 
I just did this with a pelican case. I could not close the case with foam uncut with AR, shotty and pistol. I had to cut. And I used a long x-acto knife buuuuuttt it was rough, man. I probably should have used an actual foam cutter.
 
I cut the foam in my first Pelican years ago. What I visualized:

http://3.bp.########.com/-kk2Ik2u-Akg/UAuydrd7GnI/AAAAAAAAN2k/F8DdDGmApYk/s1600/M-16-rifle-137_342-02172010.jpg

What I ended up with:

http://2.bp.########.com/-GgsTdpRAMZE/UAuSTclX1BI/AAAAAAAANt8/NlT526G33ck/s1600/P7161804.JPG

What I didn’t realize at the time was the foam cut from the factory was a different foam….like some high density foam. When I cut my foam, it was all soft and bendy and it didn’t turn out very well. I also got greedy and tried to cram everything I owned at the time into one case for easy transport (Yeah, I thought I was going to bring all my guns to the range every time I went to the range). Anyway, it weighed a ton and it was a total PITA to bring that long case to the range every time. My AR and shotgun are no longer in the configuration pictured so I don’t even use that cut foam anymore and I doubt I ever will. Foam essentially ruined, and pricy to replace.

The solution? Well, the only time I use the Pelicans is when I go wheeling and the guns are bouncing around in the bed of a pickup. For just commuting to the local range on nice paved roads, I just throw my toys in a soft case and in the trunk of my car. When I do use the Pelicans, I throw the guns in a soft case, and the soft case inside of the Pelican. One rifle I recently purchased came with custom cut foam and I’m pretty happy with it. It protects the rifle and glass perfectly, and it looks about a million times better than my hack-job, lol!

https://4.bp.########.com/-cP7Nlg1MZD8/Vu9xhqfOpeI/AAAAAAAAhi4/zWy_uceA2pAzbeSDSNTUm3czwvzFaFDMg/s1600/P3202591.JPG

https://4.bp.########.com/-ksW1dI_x41I/Vu9xnF_Od-I/AAAAAAAAhjI/BpzkyrN_ppw8lXXEHfrtYNAaOU-gTVSAQ/s1600/P3202594.JPG

Anyway, just my two cents.
 
I got a Pelican for cheap, but it came with high density foam. No option to compress. Its also to small for my rifles, but it neatly fit these two toys.
I like the look of cut personally, but if I got 1700 series cases, I don't know if I would cut, because I have so many long rifles and I would never buy a pelican case for each rifle.
 
polskadude said:
I got a Pelican for cheap, but it came with high density foam. No option to compress. Its also to small for my rifles, but it neatly fit these two toys.
I like the look of cut personally, but if I got 1700 series cases, I don't know if I would cut, because I have so many long rifles and I would never buy a pelican case for each rifle.
Click to expand...

For the win!
 
How much weight can you bench press? That looks like one heavy case. My range required unloading the firearms at the bench, wouldn't want to lift that behemoth onto the bench.
onetwentyish said:


Here is how I plan to do my next case, can't afford to have a separate case for every rifle I own, and I have a tendency to want to take at least 4 favorites when I go to the range... :p
Click to expand...
 
Hoag said:
Since you're in Ontario, try the Custom Foam Store in Kitchener. They might be able to help.

360 Trillium Drive, Kitchener, Ontario Canada, N2E 2K6
Toll Free: 1-800-804-FOAM (3626) • Tel: 519.748.1700 • Fax: 519.748.0936


http ://www.customfoam.com/ourcompany.html
Click to expand...

Thank You!
 
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