Gun Bag Required

[XP_Dude]

I'm looking to get some type of gun bag to carry my equipment when I fly in the next couple of weeks

Previously I have been able to fit them in to my normal dive bags with the rest of the gear but I will be taking my Comanche 100 with me this year and it doesn't fit and would like some suggestions on what I could use?

Are the dedicate gun bags that you can buy any good?

Thanks
XPD.

 

[spaghetti]

Ciao Dude, if your still in Italy you may ring up these guys:
http://www.tuttopescamare.com/2006/catalogo/articoli.asp?id=171&pagina=1&records=18&ordina=d. They deliver in 2 days.
and if you're still in Liguria, step into a shop called Dalla Colombina at Lerici near La Spezia.

 

[Groupermadness]

i have some 75mm plastic piping from the plumb center with a 150 down to 75 mm reduction adaptor piece, glued together and end caps to seal. Barrel fits perfectly in the 75mm tube with the grip section in the 150 mm adaptor piece.i would post a pic but its flying around Turkey at the moment with a buddy. everything is available at all good plumbing shops.

oops got the sizes wrong , posted the new ones.

 

[sniper nick]

make sure you put your reel in your suitcase if you have one, mine was damaged from SA to UK in my gun bag, it got all bent. my carbon fins were fine though, bubbled wraped and cardboarded, putting them in your gun bag may help them as there is something ridged to stop them from bending.

 

[XP_Dude]

I've just bought the following:-
http://www.divingdirectshop.co.uk/p...id=79&osCsid=59fe837efc6d91ab52d97f79263f11da
£25 plus a fiver delivery.

 

[Jep]

i have some 40mm plastic piping from the plumb center with a 40 down to 100 mm adaptor piece, glued together and end caps to seal. Barrel fits perfectly in the 40mm tube with the grip section in the 100mm adaptor piece.i would post a pic but its flying around Turkey at the moment with a buddy. everything is available at all good plumbing shops.

Excellent advice! Has anyone got any more tips on travelling with guns etc.? Can you take them as hand luggage? if not, do you have to label them all up and wait for that extra turn of the carousel at the other end?

I've got a trip to FLA later this year and was hoping to take mine out with me. I think security like to take a closer look at things nowadays and cut locks/seals which is a real pain.

Cheers

 

[Ted Budion]

It may be too late for this trip, but the very best is Sportube, originally devised for snow skis (snowboards, the bigger ones). The #1 handles most everything, but fins. You can fit even your fins onto #2 nd #3. Worth every penny. The ultimate in gun + gear protection.
http://www.sportube.com

 

[Fondueset]

I used a sportube #2 with a riffe gun bag with my two guns in it. The riffe bag is very nice - and well padded. I had two guns, two pairs of fins, masks, snorks, gloves, boots and my omer weight vest in it. A word of caution - it's very tempting to cram everything into the sportube - but i think it best not to overweight it. I've heard of them ripping and I think it was probably a result of too much weight. Mine was 48lbs - on the way back I took out the weight vest to make it a little lighter.

 

[Ted Budion]

Fondueset -- just to be clear, have you heard of a Sportube or a Riffe Bag ripping? Another good bag option is Rob Allen's big tanker gun bag, I also have one of them. Excellent and sturdy, Depending on type and/or number of guns you're carrying, you can fit your fins in it too (but I'd advise against it if they're carbon or glass fiber...). Also, I never carry weights in my air trips. I do a lot of research to find them the locally, but in some places, yes, we've to take them along.

 

[Fondueset]

Righto - The Sportube is made of heavy, flexible pvc type thing - what they make alot of kayaks and stuff out of. I've heard of it getting tears in it from rough handling by airlines. My suspicion is this was probably due to too much weight crammed into it. The Sportube also comes with a shoulder strap and has wheels on one end.
The Riffe bags are great - the gun bag is very sturdy - with alot of pockets and good padding. I also have the fin bag which holds my fins, mask, snork, weight-belt, 3 mil summer suit - weight vest, gloves, boots and an MT0.

 

[Bloodyshaft]

Armor Has A great Gun Bag And It reatails For Like 69$ check it out here.
www.armorbags.com

 

[Ron Bakker]

Rabitech make a very nice gun bag that has padded side walls & two spare slots for spears. Then another pocket for smaller items like bridles & spare rubbers.

 

[Marwan]

i tried both the sportube and the armor bag, go for the armor bag by all means if you are moving around in the same country, it takes all your gear and is easily accessible and usable. If you are travelling abroad byplane, definiely use the sprtube, you could guarantee that your stuff remains untouched and is fully protected. I just hate using it on a regular basis as it is not very user friendly to access your stuff. verything goes in from a small opening on the top.

 

[kmo]

"Excellent advice! Has anyone got any more tips on travelling with guns etc.? Can you take them as hand luggage? if not, do you have to label them all up and wait for that extra turn of the carousel at the other end?"

Jep, I think that since we aren't allowed to take nail files in hand luggage on commercial flights, it is unlikely that they will allow you to take a speargun.

 

[Fondueset]

I had to take the Sportube apart three times for customs - actually at the first airport they paged me to put it back together for them. Canadian customs needed a look at the guns. US customs just sniffed it for explosives.

 

[freediver7]

Guns flop around in soft bags while traveling. You may want to wrap the whole thing with a cord and snaps to tighten things up. Don't tie the cord with a knot because US customs will cut it off.