Looking for luggage with a built in hard sided case.

I have gone with a Pelican case. It's plastic but big enough that the average airline/TSA worker can't casually walk out of the baggage area with it under his coat or pry it open without a significant tool.

I don't know what you mean by a "built in lockable hard side"

Most 25"-32" softside rolling suitcases I have seen have a handle that telescope into two tubes which run the length of the back of the case. In the one I have, it looks like it would be pretty easy to use conduit clamps and pop rivets to permanently (more or less) attach a hard case to these tubes. You would need to be be able to remove the padding from the hardcase in order to drill the holes for the rivets, but on this suitcase, it would be an easy job. Now you just have to find one like it.

Why do you want it to be "built in"? I cannot see any advantage over a separate case for the gun that can be used for just the gun and slipped into any suitcase when travel is required.

I have gone with a Pelican case. It's plastic but big enough that the average airline/TSA worker can't casually walk out of the baggage area with it under his coat or pry it open without a significant tool.

I don't know what you mean by a "built in lockable hard side"

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BIG +1 here!!!


Pelican cases are hard to beat, plus they laugh off abuse from the airline baggage throwers! A Pelican 1620 makes a good checked bag.

Firearm in soft case inside Pelican case + whole thing locked with 2 TSA NON-COMPLIANT padlocks = No one taking ANYTHING out of your luggage without being conspicuous.

A steel handgun lock box affixed to the lid or bottom of a Haliburton suitcase would fill your bill. Attach the lock box with carriage bolts which will make their removal difficult. You could also use one of the super adhesives that are used to glue on auto body panels. Haliburton suitcases aren't cheap but they last forever.

Let's be honest: while most TSA bag inspectors are honest, it takes just one dishonest agent to steal any attractive or valuable item from your suitcase. Locking the firearm into a hard-sided box and then firmly affixing that case inside the suitcase is a really good idea. I have a short cable lock that does the trick.

When I travel by air, I put my handgun in a lockable handgun box that comes with a steel security cable. These are about $25 online. Then I loop the security cable through the handle tubes in the main compartment. After I show the handgun to the gate agent and lock the box, it is secured to the interior of the bag, which has an extendable handle. I usually lock the suitcase, but even if TSA or a thief baggage handler opens the bag, the gun box is secure. That won't stop stealing the entire suitcase or using bolt cutters on the cable, but nothing is absolute. I also have firearms insurance separate from my homeowners insurance.

My Pelican case is a full suitcase size: about 23"x18"x9". All the items I need for at least a week goes in there with my firearm. After the TSA agent inspects it, no-one can legally open the case without me being there to unlock it.
Alcohol, jewelry, cash. Any valuables I don't want to carry on my person easily goes in there.
I have my cell phone number pasted to three sides on the outside and once more inside if another agent wishes to re-inspect the contents, they can get a hold of me.
The case itself looks like photographic equipment which might be tempting for some but size is a deterrent. As stated above, nothing is absolute.

Sorry to bring this topic back up, but it may help someone else. I just made my own version of this with two Pelican cases: a Pelican 1620 and a Pelican 1200.

I used an oscillating tool to cut the feet and ribs off of the bottom side of the Pelican 1200, and also the ribs off the side of the Pelican 1620 I wanted to attach it to. This was so I could get two flat surfaces to glue together. Then I sanded both of the surfaces with sandpaper, and cleaned the surfaces with rubbing alcohol. Then I used 3M DP-8005 Scotch Weld to adhere the cases together, and put 50 lbs of weights on the cases to cure overnight. This epoxy is recommended by Pelican on their web site:

http://www.pelican.com/info/bulletins/tech_bulletin_adhesives.pdf

After 24 hours of curing, I tried to forcefully pull the cases apart. It's definitely not easy. The cases bonded together very tightly, and I don't see anyone removing the Pelican 1200 from the larger case inconspicuously. I'm also going to remove the handle on the Pelican 1200 and one of the handles on the outside of the Pelican 1620 to make it even more difficult to separate.

I'll be taking it on a flight in a couple weeks to test it out. I've never flown with a handgun before, but now I feel more comfortable doing so.