Introduced in 2018 by Signature 4 as a companion to other Bronc Box hard cases, the Bronc Box 38 hard case offers a smaller, more compact hard case for those with space restrictions or looking for something specific for firearm protection. Bronc Box hard cases were first intended to provide protection to compound bows for archery hunters. A design that has undergone three generational evolutions since then. Produced in Ohio, the Bronc series of hard cases provide the upmost in protection to high-dollar rifles and accessories for those looking into exotic hunts or those within the Western Hemisphere—but also offer those using it for everyday training or professional use with its security as well.
The Bronc Box 38 is intended to accommodate full-length carbine rifles, or rifles with adjustable stocks. It’s overall exterior measures 42” (L) x 17.26” (H) x 20” (W) and is made with the same material and process as the Bronc 52. The upper and lower half of the case are identical, double walled upper and lower segments made from 0.1875” thick, rotomolded linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). This process creates a seamless shell for both segments that is water tight. In previous generations, the upper/lower segments of the Bronc Box were a single wall and utilized a foam fill inside the intervening void for protection, but that was dropped as one of several weight-saving measures and the second wall was added to maintain the protection. Around the exterior are two molded cleats for when using ratchet straps or other retention means to secure the case during transport, and reinforcement molding for added structure.
Exterior
At the front, the Bronc 38 includes three 1” military-style, spring loaded butterfly twist latches that secure the top, opening segment to the bottom.
At the front’s center, a single 5” steel plate provides for a reinforced handle that allows for the end-user to open/close the upper segment independent of the bottom (once the latches are released).
Both sides of the Bronc 38 have steel reinforced, pass-through handles that provide a point for picking up the case, as well as anchoring it to a fixed or secure point of retention. Additionally, the steel plate/handle has a single 0.4” diameter hole for securing an elongated padlock (not included).
On one side are 4” polymer wheels, while the other has two spring-loaded collapsible handles (made from steel with plastic support grips) used to support movement of the Bronc 38 during transport.
The rear exterior of the Bronc 38 features a 36” long, continuous piano hinge that allows for the two segments of the Bronc 38 to be fully opened and lay flat.
Two non-slip rubberized feet are on the bottom of the case and prevent accidental movement of the case against a variety of surfaces.
Interior
While both the top and bottom segments of the Bronc Box share some similarities, depending on configuration the two can be customized based on the end-user’s needs at that time. Regardless, the interior space of the Bronc 38 measures 38” (L) x 15.13” (H) x 15.59” (W) that provides 5.18ft3 of storage space.
Both segments include a removable, washable nylon liner, with open-cell foam padding to protect the contents.
The top and bottom segments also include two threaded anchor positions, which are dominantly beneficial for attaching/removing the two support rails that provide structure and strength to the overall case. Additionally, the lower segment includes a “kickstand” that can be used to prop open the field case and allow the end-user free use of their hands while accessing the interior.
The two support rails themselves are used on the interior to attach/move/remove the necessitating attachment points that secure the firearms to the interior of the lid. The Bronc 38 comes with three 10” (L) hook-and-loop straps, and three 16.75” (L) hook-and-loop straps, although other mounting accessories (such as gun hooks) are also available (not included in this review).
Dividing the space between the two segments is a removable foam nylon divider that is anchored into the upper segment via four slide-release buckles. One side of the divider (facing into the upper segment) is featureless while the opposite side has nylon webbing for attaching other possible pouches or accessories (sold separately).
To provide a water-tight seal between the top and bottom segments of the Bronc Box 38, a commercial-grade, double groove rubberized O-ring is around the entire perimeter of the lid. Oppositely, on the bottom the same O-ring ensures any void, gap, or debris is sealed against the upper ring to prevent saturation or moisture penetration.
The Bronc Box 38 is available in Flat Dark Earth (featured), OD Green, or Black.
Accessories
The Bronc Box line of products also includes several accessory items that can offer both supportive roles to any field case, or offer its own unique stand-alone capabilities. Two such accessories included in this review:
Weather Resistant Cover, sold and sized for either the Bronc 38 or the Bronc 52, the cover is used to enclose the upper portion of the Bronc Box during transport and defray the environmental effects during transport. Often, the Bronc Box is placed in the back of a truck bed and left exposed while being moved to the field. The cover has two layers wherein the exterior is a polymer tarpaulin canvas (like grill covers) and dense enough to prevent penetration of moisture, dust, mud, and UV exposure by the sun. Hook-and-loop straps wrap on the sides of the cover wrap around the Bronc Box while closed, and anchor it to the case.
Product Link: https://broncbox.com/products/bronc-38-weather-resistant-cover
Three Gun Foam Insert, sold and sized for either the Bronc 38 or the Bronc 52, the gun insert is a means to organize and compartmentalize three full-sized rifles, magazines, and some associated accessories. The exterior of the open-cell polyethylene foam is coated with a water-resistant polymer coating that provides for a water resistance and added durability to the foam itself. Additionally, the bottom of the insert is reinforced with a corrugated plastic sheet.
Product Link: https://broncbox.com/products/bronc-38-three-gun-foam-insert
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Good (4/5): The Bronc Box 38 is at the mid-level of the Bronc field cases, with a list price of $795, and includes the internal rails/retention straps, liner, and divider. The volume of LLDPE material needed to enclose 5.18ft3 of storage space as a double-wall design was also significant. In contrast, market alternatives would be the single-walled 1740 Protector Long Case ($509.95) with 3.72ft3 of storage space or the double-walled 472-M4-M11-5 Rifle Case ($1,328.25) with 5.89ft3 of storage space by Pelican, the rotomolded 12 AR15/M16 Rifle Case ($1,338.99) with 10.61ft3 of storage space by Case Club, or the GunCruzer 3N3 GunPOD – Universal Gun Case KR ($853.78) with 5.47ft3 of storage space by Case Cruzer. These alternatives illustrate that while some inexpensive options do exist, they are often not to the same level of construction/protection, and those that are, to be above the cost of the Bronc 38. This puts the cost of the Bronc 38 at a good balance between materials, manufacturing, and the market. In terms of cost in general, for the end-user the high dollar amount attributed to any case of this size and manufacturing becomes the single largest detractor. But considering the amount of high-dollar items that can be protected inside—the value of the Bronc 38 becomes more apparent and it is recognized more to protect an investment.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): With an overall exterior length at 42”, and in a similar design as the Bronc 52, the Bronc 38 was more comfortable for a single individual to pick up and maneuver due to its smaller size and slightly less weight (while empty). The best method to comfortably move the case (by yourself) was via the spring-loaded handles on the side, and opposing rolling wheels (that provided a very smooth movement). The over-molding on the case’s exterior also made gripping and picking the (empty) case up from either end, the lid, or the front easier, but obviously the best method to transport a field case of this size was via vehicle. The smaller dimensions of the Bronc 38 found it more suitable for the back of SUVs or larger cross-over vehicles with some measure of standard cargo space. With its current height, the Bronc 38 fit comfortably under the height of the standard pickup truck bed, with adequate clearance under the height of the railing to account for most aftermarket truck bed covers. In the back of a standard pickup there was a good measure of space on the sides remaining for anchoring. As is, once fully loaded with gear or firearms, the Bronc 38 was heavier than its initial 38.5 pounds (empty) but not drastically so, and thus was still able to be picked up by an individual or more easily with two. The steel reinforced pass-through slots on the side also allowed for cargo straps to securely hold the case to the truck’s anchoring points without any concern of slippage, tearing, or warping on the part of the field case. The two non-slip feet on the bottom did a very good job of ensuring the case didn’t slip, even against the slick surface of a truck bed. Other comfortable aspects to the 38’s design included a “reach” strap to the lid’s interior that made opening and closing a fully weighted lid much easier, and far more physically manageable given when Bronc 38’s lid was fully laid flat. One recommendation from a comfort aspect to Signature 4 would be consider adding to the front-facing 5” handle from one to two (perhaps only on one side), which would improve the ability of the end-user to comfortably grip the front of the Bronc 38 when maneuvering it around or opening the lid. As is, the single handle on the front/back was somewhat limiting/awkward, especially when the case is fully loaded and the end-user is working against that dead weight.
- Durability – Good (4/5): From a durability aspect, the Bronc 38 is made almost exclusively from the same linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) as the Bronc 52, which is (to put simply) a variant of low-density polyethylene plastics commonly found throughout many products and industries. The difference being polyethylene plastics are widely known for its malleability and tensile strength, but in the linear variant the “fibers” of the plastics are predominantly in a single direction and thus have a much higher degree of flexibility during production, strength, and can contour to much tighter angles. As part of that manufacturing process, rotomolding involves a great deal of heat, and is very labor intensive. Thus, on the Bronc 38 some evidence of over-molding/excess material (evidence of being inside a cask or mold) was noted on the exterior finish, while others showed minor evidence of contact to a heating element along some edges. None of this was detrimental in any aspect of the field case, nor inhibited any function—merely were minor defects inherent in the manufacturing process. Additionally during usage, some exterior surface marring was observed due to transport to/from the range as the LLDPE material was pliable enough to offer flex against pressure, while avoided excess rigidity that might risk fracture or puncture. This was entirely within the normal range of expectations from any hard case, that it will receive some superficial scratches, gouging, or marring over time. The important thing was the durability of the double-walled case provided good protection to the interior space, and the 36” long piano hinge held up perfectly (with no warping or pulling up of pins observed) despite the added weight of items inside. Over the period of evaluation, the finish to the metal hardware did not experience any chipping at either the contact points or twist latches. Throughout evaluations the latches themselves held up appropriately and neither bent nor failed to align (in the military this style of latch is very common to equipment cases and almost always gets abused by lower enlisted, so there is often at least one broken latch on every case). The supportive hook-and-loop straps used to anchor the firearms inside the case will likely be the first sacrificial element in the Bronc 38 that will need replacement over time and continual usage. With these straps, replacing/adjusting them was as simple as removing the strap and replacing it with another. But Signature 4 is encouraged to examine the possibility of moving to the QuickFist retention block (similar to how Grey Man Tactical uses it to secure firearms to its RMP) that eliminates frictional wear, protects the rifle’s exterior, and secures the overall item. It could be easily modified to accommodate the Bronc 38s interior support rails and improve overall longevity.
- Functionality – Good (4/5): Functionally, there was a lot of good aspects packed into the Bronc 38’s design that deserved to be addressed, so the best approach was to do so with each of the three areas individually. These are:
- The Upper Segment (i.e. the “lid”):
- With the upper segment, there was a good amount of space available to appropriately stow two carbine length, 16” AR-15 rifles, or with shorter barreled rifles, or AR pistols (to include with optics mounted). The two support rails themselves were rigid and added good stability of the case, and the security of stored items. Some minor difficulty was noted however as the rails are anchored in fixed positions/distances, and thus (depending on rifle configuration or length) sometimes was difficult to find a suitable position for the hook-and-loop retention straps around the various accessories. A recommendation to Signature 4 would be to consider transitioning the hook-and-loop anchoring points to something that could be converted to attach a rigid MOLLE panel similar to those by Greyman Tactical, or akin to the EZ-Click system (now configured standard in most Pelican cases). Such MOLLE panels would allow full utilization of the interior space for the upper segment, and configure the stored items in any means. Currently, the end-user is limited by those two rails, in any of the three fixed positions.
- Another area of note for the upper segment was the padded nylon divider that was attached to the interior. The divider itself had nearly complete coverage, and did a good job at partitioning both segments and protecting the contents of the upper segment (when not encumbered). This protected optics and the firearms themselves. However, the spacing of the nylon bands on the bottom was not consistent to the PALS/MOLLE webbing standard, so it was difficult to attach accessories or pouches that meet this requirement without some deflection/bunching in the material (that or just skipping the last band). Additionally, while the slide-release buckles on the top/bottom do provide some measure of support if the padded divider is loaded with MOLLE pouches/accessories—there were no buckles on the sides, which resulted in the padded divider sagging somewhat due to the added weight. Here, it is recommended to Signature 4 it examine if it wants/needs the webbing on one side—and if so then to make it PALS-compliant. Moreover, adding a slide-release buckle to the sides of the padded divider would also give it the added support if loaded down. A final recommendation for the divider would be to consider adding a continual zipper line along one edge of the padded divider as its interior space would make an excellent pocket for paper targets, documents, and other similar flat items. Alternatively, if the need for the divider were eliminated, the ensuing space along the interior removable liner would be ideal for administrative pockets for range cards, notepads, pens, etc.
- The Lower Segment (i.e. the “base”):
- Although similar in design as the upper segment, the lower was the primary storage area, and one that could be configured in any manner using Bronc Box’s case accessories. In the instance of the Bronc 38, the lower segment was dedicated to the Three Gun Foam Insert (included in this review). The insert itself organized and protected three additional carbine length, 16” AR-15 rifles (or shorter) as well as slots for magazines and several flat accessories while keeping 1” of spacing between them all. The ability to remove the foam insert and organize the interior space further, using Bronc Box Bale Bags (sold separately), added to the organization and compartmentalization of the field case. The lower segment of the Bronc 38 fit one Bale Bag 32 and one 16 with enough room for a helmet, boots, and other items. In total, the lower segment of the Bronc 38 fit everything needed that would normally take multiple other cases or bags to hold the same amount. Previous generational versions within the Bronc Box had the lower segment’s interior space divided (via grooves) for removable dividers, but that design was eliminated in lieu of the current uniform space and removable liner.
- Other Notables:
- Another area of positive note during the review was the interlock/seal between the O-rings that created a solid, water and dust-proof seal. During recovery of multiple trips to the range (whereby the Bronc 38 was continually coated in dust, debris, and rained on) it was simply hosed off and wiped down. Water was observed collecting along the seals and piano hinge, and the case groove it sits in, but never noted penetrating the interior or saturating any area inside. Perhaps the only limiting factor in this component of the case was that when the upper segment was opened, the water along said upper groove would immediately condense and drip into/around the interior. This was minimal and was easily mitigated by opening the lid slowly or tiling the case slightly prior to opening and allow any excess water between the two adjoined segments to run off. The consumer should note however, the water-tight capabilities of the Bronc 38 to seal works both ways. There was no air pressurization valve (but one can be added at the time of purchase) or other means to allow for the passage of moisture/humidity. Thus if you placed a wet item inside the field case (such as wet boots or clothing, wet gear, or gun) and closed the case for transport, that moisture subsequently has no means of escape. The same could be said for those living in regions with high humidity levels, such as Florida or Louisiana whereby you could inadvertently trap moisture-rich air, from an early morning hunt or range prep, inside the case. The solution there would be to simply place a quality desiccant pack inside the case and alleviate any concern. As noted with the upper segment, one suggestion for Signature 4 might be to consider adding several small pockets or sleeves to the removable liner for such an item.
- Lastly, the Weather Resistant Cover. While not the direct focus of this review, the cover itself was intended to provide near complete coverage of the Bronc Box and protect it from environmental effects it may encounter while in transport. The biggest advantage to the cover was its dense, two-layer fabric caused water to immediately bead off, and drastically reduced the amount of external dust left on the case after a trip in the back of a pickup truck. The hook-and-loop straps were problematic in securing as it necessitated either lifting a fully loaded case on one end up to wrap around, or tip it up (again fully loaded) completely on its side. Signature 4 may want to examine if a horizontal wrap might be more functional. Otherwise the securing straps on opposite sides allowed for a snug fit, and at no point did the cover come loose or risk flying off unintentionally despite high-speed or highway winds. The threading and hook-and-loop fabric retained its hold and at no point was any fraying observed. It should be noted the cover was only intended for use during transport, as its near complete coverage and thus did not allow for opening/accessing the Bronc 38’s interior with the cover on.
- The Upper Segment (i.e. the “lid”):
- Weight – Good (4/5): The weight of a Bronc 38 came in at 38.50 pounds (empty) for 5.18ft3 of storage, and this proved to be more manageable in size and dimension (for the individual) to maneuver in limited spaces (stairwells, hallways, etc.) than the previous Bronc 52. As items were added, the weight of the field case obviously increased from there. While the wheels and side carrying handles did assist in moving—lifting the case into a vehicle was manageable with the over-molding on the sides that provided good additional contact points to grip. Just as with the Bronc 52, it is recommended that if maneuvering the Bronc 38 by yourself, to either (1) pre-stage the field case prior to adding items, or if loaded prior to lifting, to (2) simply get someone to assist as a two-man lift and place it where it needs to go. In contrast, the 1740 Protector Long Case (22 pounds) with 3.72ft3 of storage space or the double-walled 472-M4-M11-5 Rifle Case (47 pounds) with 5.89ft3 of storage space by Pelican, the rotomolded 12 AR15/M16 Rifle Case (65 pounds) with 10.61ft3 of storage space by Case Club, or the GunCruzer 3N3 GunPOD – Universal Gun Case KR (29 pounds) with 5.47ft3 of storage space by Case Cruzer establish that the Bronc 38 has a good balance of weight amid the market considering what is gained in its double-walled design, storage space volume, hardware, and accessories.
Overall Rating – Good (20/25)
Product Link: https://broncbox.com/products/the-bronc-38
I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via High Ground Media, LLC, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.
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