Open a hunter’s closet almost anywhere in America and you will probably find one: a soft, camo-patterned Allen gun case leaning in the corner. Allen Company has spent more than fifty years making the affordable, unglamorous gear that shooting and hunting actually run on — gun cases, range bags, shooting rests, steel targets, cleaning kits and slings. It is rarely the flashiest name on the shelf, but it may be the most familiar. Here is who they are, what they make, and what is worth buying.
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Who Allen Company is
Allen Company is a Colorado, family-owned outdoor brand founded in 1970 that makes affordable hunting and shooting gear — gun cases, range bags, shooting rests, targets, cleaning kits and slings. Its soft gun cases are an industry standard, and it remains one of the most recognizable value names in the shooting-sports aisle.
The company was started in 1970 by Dick Allen, an outdoorsman who launched the whole business on a single product: one gun case. The idea was simple and it stuck — make gear that is genuinely durable but priced so any hunter or shooter can afford it. More than five decades later the company is still under the same family ownership and has grown from that one case into a sprawling catalog spanning shooting, hunting, archery and tactical gear.
Where does it sit? Firmly in the value tier, and that is the entire point. Allen is not chasing the premium buyer who wants a milled-aluminum hard case with custom foam; it is making the reliable, no-drama case, bag, or rest that does the job for a fraction of the price. Some of its cases are proudly made in the USA; much of the broader line is imported and built to hit a budget. You buy Allen for honest function at a fair price, not for luxury, and on that promise it delivers year after year.
What Allen makes
Gun cases
The product that started it all is still the flagship. Allen’s soft rifle and pistol cases — the classic padded, camo or black sleeves — are an industry standard, and the line runs from simple economy sleeves to heavier tactical and range-ready cases with MOLLE and multiple pockets. If you have ever carried a rifle to the range in a soft case, there is a real chance it said Allen on the zipper.
Range bags and storage
Beyond cases, Allen makes a deep line of range bags, gun racks and even entry-level gun safes and storage. These are the practical, affordable organizers that keep ammo, tools and handguns sorted at the range or in the truck without a premium price tag.
Shooting rests
Allen’s shooting rests cover the bench and the field — front rests, bipod-style supports and bag rests that steady a rifle for zeroing or load development. They are a budget-friendly way to get a stable platform without stepping up to a precision-brand price.
Targets and stands
The steel targets and target stands round out the range-day side of the catalog — AR500-style steel gongs, spinners and the stands to hang them on. For a shooter setting up a plinking range, Allen is one of the cheapest ways to get reactive steel downrange.
Cleaning kits
Allen’s cleaning kits and bore-care products are the simple, affordable maintenance option — universal kits, caliber-specific sets, rods, brushes and solvents. They are the kits that live in a lot of range bags precisely because they are cheap and cover the basics.
Slings and field gear
Rounding it out are slings, plus the wider hunting and field gear the brand is known for. The slings are simple, padded, affordable carry solutions in the same value mold as everything else.
Build quality and where it is made
Here is the honest read. Allen is a value brand, and the quality is exactly what that implies: reliable, functional gear that does the job without frills. The soft goods — cases, bags, slings — are genuinely good value; fabric, zippers and padding hold up fine for range and hunting use, and a portion of the cases are made in the USA. The steel targets and rests are honest budget tools. What you are not buying is the crush-proof, waterproof, lifetime-warranty toughness of a premium hard-case or precision-rest brand. For most hunters and range shooters that trade is exactly right; if you need airline-grade protection or match-grade stability, look higher up the ladder. Bought for what it is, Allen gear earns its keep.
How Allen compares
On cases, Allen’s real rivals are Plano and, a clear tier up, Pelican and SKB. Plano trades blows with Allen at the budget end, while Pelican and SKB are the crush-proof hard-case answer for people who need it and will pay for it. On rests and targets, the comparison is Caldwell, which sits a step up in features and refinement for more money. Allen almost never wins a head-to-head on outright toughness or features — it wins on price and availability, and on the fact that its gear is on the shelf of nearly every sporting-goods store in the country. For the buyer who wants solid gear without overpaying, that is often the deciding factor.
Who should buy what
- New shooter needing a case: an Allen soft rifle or pistol case — cheap, padded, and does the job.
- Heading to the range: an Allen range bag to keep ammo, tools and eyes-and-ears organized.
- Zeroing a rifle on a budget: an Allen shooting rest for a stable bench platform.
- Setting up a plinking range: Allen steel targets and a stand for reactive practice.
- Basic maintenance: an Allen universal or caliber-specific cleaning kit.
- Organizing at home: an Allen gun rack or entry-level storage solution.
Who should look elsewhere? Anyone who needs airline-grade, crush-proof, waterproof protection should step up to Pelican or SKB, and precision shooters who want a match-grade rest should look at a dedicated precision brand. For everyday hunting and range use on a budget, Allen is the right call.
The Allen philosophy
Allen’s whole approach has not changed since 1970: make gear that works, price it so anyone can afford it, and put it everywhere. It is the practical, unpretentious backbone of the shooting-accessories aisle — the brand that does not ask you to spend big to get out to the range or the field. That value-first instinct is why Allen shows up in so many closets and truck beds: it solved the ordinary problems cheaply and reliably, decade after decade, and never tried to be anything more than exactly that.
How to choose your Allen gear
Start with the job. If you just need to transport a rifle, a soft case is the obvious pick — step up to a tactical or heavier-padded model if you carry it a lot. For range days, pair a range bag with a cleaning kit and eyes-and-ears. If you are zeroing or load-developing, add a shooting rest for a stable platform. And if you want reactive practice, a steel target and stand is cheap, lasting fun. Keep Allen for the value-focused pieces where reliable-and-affordable is the goal, and spend up only where you genuinely need premium protection or precision.
From one gun case to a whole outdoors aisle
There is something fitting about a company that started with a single gun case and grew into a catalog that covers most of a sporting-goods store. Dick Allen bet in 1970 that hunters and shooters wanted durable gear at a fair price more than they wanted luxury, and fifty-plus years of family ownership have proved him right. The soft case is still the signature — the humble, everyday product that quietly protected millions of rifles on the way to the range and the deer stand. Around it grew the bags, the rests, the targets, the cleaning kits and the slings, all built on the same idea. Allen never became a premium name, and it never wanted to. It became something arguably more useful: the brand almost every American shooter has owned at least once.
Shop Allen Gear & Prices
Live Allen products and current prices, organized by department and updated automatically.
Rifle Cases
Pistol Cases
Steel Targets
Shooting Rests
Cleaning Kits
Range Bags
Gun Racks
Target Stands
Where Allen Fits in Our Buying Guides
- The Best Gun Cases
- The Best Range Bags
- The Best Gun Cleaning Kits
- The Gun Cleaning & Maintenance Guide
- The Best Gun Safes for the Money
- The Best Gun Safes Under $300
Allen Company FAQ
Where is Allen Company based?
Allen Company is a family-owned business based in Colorado, founded in 1970. It has remained under the same family ownership for more than fifty years.
What is Allen Company known for?
Affordable gun cases above all — its soft rifle and pistol cases are an industry standard — plus range bags, shooting rests, targets, cleaning kits and slings.
Are Allen gun cases any good?
For the price, yes. Allen soft cases are a reliable, budget-friendly way to transport and protect a firearm. They are value gear, not crush-proof premium hard cases, and they do that job well.
Are Allen products made in the USA?
Some are. A portion of Allen’s cases are made in the USA, while much of the broader catalog is imported and built to a budget price point.
How does Allen compare to Plano or Pelican?
Allen and Plano compete at the budget end. Pelican and SKB are a clear tier up — crush-proof, waterproof hard cases for people who need maximum protection and will pay for it.
Who founded Allen Company?
Dick Allen founded the company in 1970, starting the entire business with a single gun case. It is still family-owned today.
Does Allen make steel targets and shooting rests?
Yes. Allen makes AR500-style steel targets, target stands, and a range of budget-friendly shooting rests for the bench and field.
What tier is Allen Company?
Value tier — affordable, functional hunting and shooting gear, strongest on soft gun cases and range accessories.
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