Back when I lived in my hometown of Petersburg, Alaska, a good gun case was a necessity. Living on an island means most all recreation comes by means of a skiff cutting through waves, slinging corrosive salt water spray everywhere.
So, you need an excellent case. Now, living on a homestead in Oregon with my own personal shooting range, I haven’t needed a case in years. With some interesting travel opportunities on the horizon (carbine courses), I find myself in need of a compact and secure method of transporting an SBR.
Preferably, one that’s a bit discreet as well. Here’s where the Savior Equipment Fiddle Master gun case comes in. On the heels of reviewing (and loving) their Apollo electronic hearing protection, I had high hopes.
Here’s the tech specs, followed by hands-on.
Tech Specs:
- Discreet Violin Hardcase
- Weather-Resistant Sealing
- Fits Firearms 30″ OAL or Less
- 2x Cuttable Rifle Lockdown Straps
- TSA Approved Locking Latches
- Sticker Pack Included
- Imported
- High-Impact Polymer Shell
- Rubberized Internal Shell
- Polyurethane Ester Foam
- 4 Latches
- Side Carry Handle
- External | 33” x 15” x 7”
Internal | 31” x 13” x 4”
Straps | 15” x 1.5”
Where To Buy
Hard sided, locking, discreet “violin” case with an adjustable interior. Sounds good, so let’s test it out.
The exterior of the Fiddle Master is a robust material. I’m no expert on the many types of polymer, but this is not only tough, but clearly pretty scratch and scuff resistant too. It took some dragging across gravel to finally mar the surface a bit.
If you say “Weather Resistant”, you’re talking about rain. Nobody is worried about some sunshine sneaking in right? So, let’s hit the Fiddle Master with a garden hose. 10 minutes, focusing on the seam where the two halves come together should do it right?
No water intruded into the rubberized internal lining, just a couple droplets left in-between the overlapping lips of the lid and base.
Taking a gun in a locking case on the plane unfortunately means using a TSA approved lock. I was able to pick this lock three times, in under ten seconds each time. Call me thankful then, that Savior Equipment also included a little hole to loop a cable lock through, binding the case together.
I also pried at the four latches as much as possible without straight up destroying the case, which would be easy enough using tools even if the case was made of steel. The latches are close enough to the body of the case that they don’t make prying easy. The latches are spread out enough to resist prying in between latches.
Ok, so the case can keep your gun as safe as should be expected. Now let’s look at how well it works for it’s nominal purpose.
The two included straps can be looped through any of the 11 slots, giving you anchor points wherever you want them. These straps can also be cut for the most photogenic and snug fit, but if you plan on changing which gun you’re toting in the case like I am, you may want to leave the straps long.
The top half of the Fiddle Master has nice cushy foam, but the rifle will actually be resting on the bottom half that it’s strapped to. The rubberized material is pretty rigid, but does have a little bit of “give” to it. Definitely something I would consider a non-scratch surface. It would have to be a pretty thick gun to press into the foam in the top half of the case,
While the Fiddle Master does indeed keep your rifle secure, it is lacking in the ability to hold an assortment of accessories (magazines, most notably). I can agree that a compact case isn’t meant to be a do-it-all, so I’ll stow ammo, mags, and accessories in a discreet range bag.
Size constraints would significantly limit the amount of goods kept alongside the gun anyways. I think Savior Equipment has an opportunity here to design some optional accessories that attach via one of the 11-mounting points, and adds the ability to securely hold on to a mag at least.
Bottom Line:
The Fiddle Master is not only an inconspicuous rifle case, but a tough one as well. Weather resistant, lockable, and durable enough to get your gun where you’re headed, and in style. The Savior Equipment Fiddle Master runs $149.99.
–Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer
@Rexnanorum