Napier Aluminium Shotgun & Rifle case

I’ve been a keen shooter now for several decades and, if anything, I’ve become more cautious about my kit along the way – and I was fairly bad to start with! As a competition shooter, we consider our rifles as precision instruments, that need careful handling at all times, but any treasured rifle or shotgun setup deserves respect, and will perform at its optimum if cosseted and kept out of harm’s way. Lob your gun about and let it get knocked about, and it should come as no surprise when the zero is less than perfect!

Peace of mind

Padded cases of various types may offer some level of protection; however, if you are throwing kit into a car and sharing the trip to a shoot with others, for example, then you’re having to rely on people being careful and not dropping heavy items onto your kit, or crushing the gun in some way.
Hard cases bring ultimate peace of mind, since they form a rigid cell around the gun, cocooning it from any possible knocks and jolts that may occur. I’ve used a hard case for years, to transport my kit from home to any competition venue, and it just gives you a safe place where you know your investment is secure, bringing peace of mind to the proceedings.

Yes, it pays to be fussy! Under the spotlight, here, is the Aluminum Shotgun and Rifle Case from Napier of London and this is a serious product, built to do a job. Napier make a point of stating that the case is ‘airline approved’ too, which should give you some idea as to the faith they have in their product – and just how tough it is.

Tough cookie

Specified as black with metallic grey aluminium trim, the case comes fitted with four strong key locks, two loop over style and two spring loaded hinged locks. Each pair requires a different key, so two key sets are supplied. Construction is impressive, with aluminium trim throughout, side brackets, and re-enforced corner brackets, all combining to great effect. The case sits on four small feet when standing up, so wear is prevented on the underside, whilst the substantial central ‘deluxe carry handle’gets a rubber liner for extra refinement and comfort.

So, how big are we talking here? Well, internal dimensions wise, this full-length case is 122.5cm x 32.5cm x 10cm and will comfortably carry a lengthy scoped rifle or fully assembled shotgun. (Napier also produce a shorter threee lock version incidentally, which is 84.5cm x 35cm x 10cm, again, internal dimensions).

Inside, this sleek case is filled with impact-resistant, interlocking eggshell style HD foam, with, I have to say, just the right amount of resistance. That may sound an odd comment, but some cases on the market get super dense foam that doesn’t have enough give, so causes a very tight fit with the contents. Napier’s approach sees a perfectly snug fit, as the fairly soft foam holds the rifle securely, without compressing it.

Intrinsic weight is also an issue with this style of case, as again, some hard cases in my experience, are so damned heavy to start with, that it all becomes a back-breaking affair. This Napier case hits the right balance between robust security and manageability and, for that reason, as well as the impressive spec, it gets a firm thumbs up here.