Soft gun cases can be both a blessing and a real pain. They’re convenience is a blessing when travelling in any form of transportation where soft cases are permitted. The pain comes from their inability to store anything but the gun, and their shape lets everyone know you’re carrying. Fortunately, Hogue and Vertx have come up with solutions to both of these problems. I recently tested two of the newest gun bags from these companies and found both to be a definite improvement over conventional soft cases.

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Gun bags and traditional soft gun cases both protect their contents and are easier to stow than a hard case, but that’s where the similarity ends. Most gun bags conceal the gun more discreetly than traditional gun cases. The bags also generally have more padding and usually feature pockets to carry other items. These pockets allow for storage of extra magazines and ammo, food, first-aid gear, flashlights, batteries, clothing or just about any other small accessory you can think of. If you need a stored item like a fresh magazine or a wound dressing in a hurry, it’s in the bag. This can save precious time during a critical incident.

Hogue Double Rifle Bag

Hogue recently came out with a full line of various-sized gear bags in the popular Flat Dark Earth color. Made for rifles, shotguns and pistols, most, but not all, of the bags don’t have traditional gun-shaped profiles and are outfitted with at least one external storage pocket. These rugged bags are made of heavy-duty nylon and have thick internal padding. Reinforced handles and extra-strong cross-stitching at all critical stress points add to the durability, with heavy-duty YKK zippers keeping everything contained. I tested the Double Rifle Gear Bag and found it fully lived up to my expectations. For an MSRP of $235, you can have one to easily carry two of your rifles along with a variety of accessories. (hogueinc.com)

Vertx Professional Rifle Garment Bag

This Vertx bag combines the benefits of a lightweight travel bag with the ability to quickly access a powerful concealed firearm. Made of tough 1680-denier ballistic nylon, the Professional Rifle Garment Bag is designed for discreetly carrying a gun with an overall length up to 28 inches. This includes rifles with folding stocks, many submachine guns, some bullpups, some Class 3 shotguns and most AR- or AK-style pistols—with or without stabilizing braces. For organization, this bag also has internal pouches and Velcro straps for attaching additional aftermarket Tactigami accessory pouches.

Other features include heavy-duty YKK zippers for secure closure and smooth operation, a large handle for a good grip and, of course, a central hanging strap. A coated steel anchoring cable that can be used secure the bag and help prevent theft is built-in, all for an MSRP of $267.

Tactical rifle bags like these from Hogue and Vertx are convenient solutions for those who need to discreetly travel with larger firearms. They will definitely be of interest to military, law enforcement and security personnel as well as civilians engaged in shooting sports today. (vertx.com)

This article was originally published in “Tactical Weapons” November/December 2017. To order a copy and subscribe, visit outdoorgroupstore.com.