Shot-Box.com - My new gun case and a first impressions review.

I was fortunate to receive a Shot-Box over the Christmas break. I am so far impressed, in fact even more so when I consider that I have never owned a hard case made specifically for my gun. Now you I mustn't get carried away, after all my new shot-box gun case was not made specifically for my Browning GTI trap. However, this is the impression the makers of the shot-box try to give. I don't think they go far wrong either!

Now, I had considered a few other types of boxes but none had really caught my eye and I didn't consider them for a number of reasons. They tended to be too expensive, didn't quite look right (in other words it was shaped to suggest that it did contain a shotgun) or wouldn't fit my gun.
So, the shot box ticked all of those boxes!
It looks like it could be a musical instrument (important if walking down the street and not wanting to attract attention). It wasn't prohibitively expensive (it was also a gift - always a bonus, but cost £120) and easily accommodates the 32" barrels of my trap gun. On top of all this, it has wheels, three locks, is built like a brick privy all of which means is that it is approved for use on aeroplanes which could become an important consideration in the future.

The inside of the case is packed full of high density foam, cut into squares, that you remove in order to create a space for your own gun shape. This system does work but you have to be careful that you don't rip out too much foam in one go as once it has come out you can't easily stick it back in. (I found this out the hard way, fortunately I only took out two extra pieces of foam and a touch of glue saw them right again)

Now I have used the case a couple of times and taking the gun out and putting it away again is straightforward. However, the foam can tend to grip to the gun and come away from the case. A touch of glue here and there seems to have solved that problem. However, for £120 I wouldn't really expect to have to add glue here and there. I have found this to be a bit annoying and frustrating. The other concern I have is that there were no instructions. Now, I know that common sense prevails and when you look at the insides of the case it is fairly obvious what you have to do. However, some guidance would have been useful as I did have a small debate about whether to lay my barrels on their side or rib up. There did seem to be room as the case is deep enough (another impressive feature). In the end I settled for laying the barrells on their side, so that the rib would be protected. However I have stuck some of the padding I removed back in, laying it down so that the barrels are further supported.

Overall, I am pleased with my new gun case.

Positives:
It definitely protects my gun and is a much more sturdy solution than my old gun slip.
It looks good and means that I can move around with the gun much less conspicuously, important considering that I live in a town and people see me loading and unloading my car.
I can secure the case to the inside of my car and any thief will find it much harder to remove than a cloth slip.
The foam offers great protection and now I have ironed out a couple of niggles with it, can't really be faulted.

Negatives:
A slight niggle with the foam. I had to glue it in places to stop it coming out of the box with the gun.
A lack of instructions or some guidance. Something would have been helpful.

Overall:
The positives far outweigh the negatives and I would recommend this gun case. Watch this blog for a second review of this case after it has been used a little more.

Also, watch out for further reviews over the next few months. I did quite well for shooting equipment this Christmas!