Designing a pistol box

First topic message reminder :


What would be great features in a good custom box?

For example: have the pistols face into the box instead of across it. No drawer needed on this level, but the box would be wider. This brings up the questions: what are the largest bullseye guns, tallest, longest?

What is the best spotting scope mount?

Think of it as a "freebie".  Capture stuff as high-def video, play it back with VLC video player on your computer, and anything nice, just use the "snapshot" function.  

Is it useful?  I dunno.  I like taking photos of all my targets before I go home, and that would already be "done".  

The Raspberry Pi will save everything to a memory stick, so that's another option.  

Since we're dreaming, how about a digital red dot sight which shows everything instantly on a display, no parallax errors for not looking at it straight on, and maybe with the ability to record or broadcast?  I was just looking at a sight that supposedly does (some of) that....     not sure if it would even be legal.  It could be like a digital heads-up display, generated electronically.

Maybe I can ask a related question here.  After all this discussion, I can see the advantage of buying one of these Pistol Boxes.  I've looked at several suppliers on the 'net, and think I know which appeal to me, but you guys know far more.  

Forgetting price, which brand(s) would be the better ones you might either want to buy for yourself, or recommend?

I guess what I'm describing is my own view of the ultimate gun box.
I'm assuming I would want to carry the following in it:

• two or three guns aimed downrange (22, 38, and/or 45)
  
• hearing muffs
  
• tools
  
• magazines (magnetic strips)
  
• magazine loader
  
• ammunition
  
• room for at least two pair of glasses
  
• a place for paper, pencil, shooting diary (small), 
  
• targets?????
  
• scope and mount
  
• brass catcher?????
  
• stapler and staples
  
• a space for odds and ends
  
  
• other things you guys have found invaluable, that I haven't thought of
  

mikemyers wrote:Maybe I can ask a related question here.  After all this discussion, I can see the advantage of buying one of these Pistol Boxes.  I've looked at several suppliers on the 'net, and think I know which appeal to me, but you guys know far more.  

Forgetting price, which brand(s) would be the better ones you might either want to buy for yourself, or recommend?

I guess what I'm describing is my own view of the ultimate gun box.
I'm assuming I would want to carry the following in it:

• two or three guns aimed downrange (22, 38, and/or 45)
  
• hearing muffs
  
• tools
  
• magazines (magnetic strips)
  
• magazine loader
  
• ammunition
  
• room for at least two pair of glasses
  
• a place for paper, pencil, shooting diary (small), 
  
• targets?????
  
• scope and mount
  
• brass catcher?????
  
• stapler and staples
  
• a space for odds and ends
  
  
• other things you guys have found invaluable, that I haven't thought of
  

I think you will find that most gun boxes are built with these things already in mind. Strong Case seems to be a very popular box. I had one and I liked it plenty but I wanted something else. Gun-ho is a capable piece of equipment and again I used to have one of those too for a brief time. I personally am very attached to the old Pachmayr style but they don't hold dot sighted guns and so I have ordered a case from Greg at Precision Pistol Boxes. They are built very close to the Pachmayr cases but are taller to accept dot sighted guns. They have plenty of room for everything you may or may not need. Most cases all have about the same amount of room in them. The people who make them know what you'll be carrying roughly. Many of the makers are shooters too. 

Really it's not who makes the case but how big the case is. That's the reason I switched from case to case. All my cases were used until I ordered one from Greg. And each case I tried was a different size. Now, Greg builds them per your request and how you need it. He has a lot of options from the smallest box for a limited shooter or indoor league thing to the biggest box holding five guns for just about anything you might shoot.

Thanks; one limiting factor is the size of my trunk.  It's a Mazda MX-5, and trunk space was not an objective when they designed it.

How many weeks/months/years does it take him to build a custom box?

Mike,

I’m on here.  Lead time is about two weeks or less.

Greg
Precision Pistol Box

mikemyers wrote:Thanks; one limiting factor is the size of my trunk.  It's a Mazda MX-5, and trunk space was not an objective when they designed it.

How many weeks/months/years does it take him to build a custom box?

As much as I’ve enjoyed my fathers MX5 when he had one it’s not friendly to toteing gear around. Front seat is more useable than the trunk. I don’t see a pistol boxing going in the trunk of a Miata no matter the year of design.

Nice to meet you, Greg!

I was looking at this:
http://www.precisionpistolbox.com/apps/webstore/products/show/3174061
...but it needs to fit into the trunk of a 2012 Mazda MX-5.  Unless I cut a hole in the trunk lid, I'm sure it isn't going to close.  I expect to have at least one 1911 and a M-41, with scopes.  Since I don't return from India until mid-January, there is no rush.

If I remember correctly, you or someone else makes a "horizontal" box.  The front seat is not an option for me.  This is why I didn't buy a box two years ago.

Buy a cheap truck along with a pistol box! 

Mango uses a Pelican 1610 with gunbox and scope mounted. A few Army reserve guys use the aluminum horizontal boxes set up similarly.   Here is a horizontal 2 gun box. 
http://www.precisionpistolbox.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2229140


Most people tend to load way to much into the box and be comes this big heavy thing. Keep what you need in the box, transport the rest in a duffle. Most shooter i know don't even carry their pistols in the gun box.

Mike,

We can design a box that’ll fit in the Mazda.  My personal 3-Gun box is only 12” tall.  

Greg

Greg, can you post a photo of your personal box?

The photo I posted is of a 3-Gun Ultra Compact.  It weighs just over 7 pounds empty and stands just over 12” tall.  I have an identical 2-Gun that I often use as well.  

On the door is an NG 20x33 on a Jones Mount, brass bag on the left exterior, double mag caddy for my aluminum Marvel mags on the left interior, oil and rosin holder on the drawer bottom.  Under the drawer is a 3/4” deep area where I keep extra mags, ECI, cleaning rod, etc..

I realize the clamp used for the regular gun boxes locks the lid & helps keep it open, but wouldn't it be nice to have a built in latch to lock the lid open? Surprised nobody thought about that. That clamp is one more thing floating around in the box that has to be located. Anyone who has shot out West or Camp Perry knows a bit about the wind. Some swing out stabilizing feet would help keep that box from succumbing to the sail effect in a heavy wind as well

I used to drill a hole through the top door edge through the top of the box, so when it was open, you just dropped a provided 2” bolt through the hole and locked it down with a wingnut.  I stopped doung it because folks were complaining that water could get into the box.  Mine is drilled for what it’s worth.

I also thought of that. A bolt with a rubber washer and wing nut could cure moisture entry while closed. Possibly a hasp on the outside could work as well. Anyway as long as we are discussing design securing the lid is on my list.