Designed to transport protect all your valuable gear or firearms – the 1700 Case is part of Pelican’s Protector series that provides significant storage and maximum padding. Pelican continues to be the leader in protective hard cases that come in varying dimensions to meet your mission need.
As with all Pelican cases, the Protector 1700 Long Gun Case is made from Polypropylene to deliver a watertight, crushproof, and dustproof case that provides a significant amount of external protection and stackabiliy. The 1700 itself has four locking cleats and four corner points designed from lid to base to reinforce its stacking strength.
Exterior
With an overall exterior dimension of 38.12” (L) x 6.12” (H) x 16.00” (W), the 1700’s exterior is composed of Pelican’s traditional open-cell polymer construction for maximum strength and an impact resistant shell.
The 1700 includes six C-clamp, ABS throw latches that secure the lid to the bottom. In addition, there is one fixed handle (mid-length) and one foldable handle (on top) to aid in picking up and stacking. Stainless steel hinge pins help provide maximum strength and durability to keep the lid secure.
Several protective features built into the 1700 are its stainless-steel padlock protectors, and one automatic pressure equalization valve made with 3 Micron Hydrophobic Non-Woven material.
The 1700 has two polyurethane wheels to aid in rolling and transport of the case and its fully packed weight.
Interior
With an interior space of 35.75” (L) x 13.50” (H) x 5.25” (W), the 1700 has an overall internal storage capacity of 1.47 ft³.
A one-piece, polymer O-ring provides a watertight seal to the interior storage space.
The 1700 comes with three layers of 1.3 lb. polyurethane, open-cell foam that can be cut and is customizable to meet storage needs.
Specifications:
- Foam Layers………….…1.63″ each
- Minimum Temperature…-40° F (-40 ° C)
- Maximum Temperature…210° F (99 ° C)
- Max Buoyancy Weight….136.91 lbs.
- The Protector series comes with Pelican’s Lifetime Guarantee of Excellence
The 1700 Protector Long Case is available in Black (featured), Desert Tan, and OD Green.
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Average (3/5): Coming in at a MSRP of $245.95, the Protector 1700 is within the mid-range of the Pelican Protector series. The additional reinforcement, and dense polymer material made for a strong, durable case that is specifically intended to serve law enforcement and the military. Pelican recently acquired its closest competitor Hardigg in 2017, and as such many of its mid/larger products don’t have direct peers with the same attention to strength, reinforcing Pelican as a world leader in hard polymer cases. The closest competitor to the 1700 case would be the Nanuk 990 ($453.97), the single AR Rifle Case ($199.95) by Case Club, or the 42” Tactical Gun Case ($125.99) by Plano; however, in all of these except the Nanuk case the other competitors lack the strength and design of Pelican (something reflected in the lower price). Considering all factors, and within the market, the 1700 Protector is of the appropriate (or average) market price point.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): As a 38” single rifle case with a slim profile and rigid mid-handle, the 1700 made for an easily maneuverable hard case that did not feel oversized when carried. The case itself had the storage size necessitating for either a full-sized carbine, or SBR, and not a full length bolt or semi-auto rifle. Once fully loaded with gear or firearms, the 1700 was somewhat heavier than its initial 16 pounds, but the limited depth kept how much could be carried inside it to a reasonable weight. The deep locking cleats provided a secure anchoring point for stacking and gave the overall shell a good amount of added rigidity. The two polyurethane wheels rolled quietly and easily without any resistance. The only recommended area for improvement to Pelican in terms of comfort would be to transition the rigid mid-length handle to a foldable one so it would be more streamline with the case when in storage.
- Durability – Good (4/5): The principle material of the 1700 (and indeed almost all of Pelican’s hard cases) is Polyethylene, a type of high-density plastic that made it amazingly durable and resistant to shock. The open-cell foam inserts provided a good level of protection to the equipment and firearms contained inside (more so if the user takes the time to cut specific patterns into the one-piece foam for a specific item), but the foam (by design) tore somewhat easily. The case was dragged over rocks, thrown into a truck bed a number of times, and left out in inclement weather (cold/rain) with no detrimental effect to the foam, stored contents (although some surface marring was noted), or moisture penetration. Each Pelican Protector case comes with a lifetime guarantee from the manufacturer.
- Functionality – Good (4/5): From a functional aspect, the 1700 was like all Pelican hard cases – a protective box with a pretty straight-forward design (it’s a box – it opens, it closes, it has foam for add padding). And Pelican offers a large array of products for the consumer, military/LEOs, first responders and more to choose one that best fits their specific needs. It is left to the imagination of the user to customize the foam for use, and to expand on the functionality of the case through aftermarket accessories (such as Greyman Tactical’s MOLLE inserts). The downside is then it had to be specific to that item (unless you make the cut pattern very generalized). Features like the rolling wheels and pressurization valves were an essential part of the design for long-term use or carrying. The stainless-steel protectors and hinge pins likewise fill an essential aspect of design as it ensured forced entry (shy of cutting) wasn’t possible. So, while Pelican cases have a fixed level of functionality, the user’s applicability and aftermarket options are available to expand on its use.
- Weight – Good (4/5): For its size and volume of Polypropylene, the 1700 weighed 16.98 pounds (with foam). This was well balanced with the overall dimensions of the 1700, and made it easy to transport be either the fixed mid-length handle or rolling via the top. While the contents added did not make the case too heavy to carry, the available wheels proved to be an alternative method should the user need it. In comparison; the Nanuk 990 (17.8 pounds), the AR Rifle Case (16 pounds), or the 42” Tactical Gun Case (8.25 pounds) show that for its materials and design, the 1700 owes its weight to its good level of durability and function. Other hard cases can be lighter, but they will lack the robust design of Pelican’s Protector series.
Overall Rating – Above Average (19/25)
Product Link: https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/cases/long-case/protector/1700
I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via STL Shooting Enthusiasts, 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.
The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author. The views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.