Last updated and checked October 30, 2026 · By Nick Hall. Prices are the lowest new listings in our feed of 200+ retailers on October 30, 2026.
When a rifle has to survive a baggage hold, a truck bed in a downpour or a cross-country move, an SKB case is what a lot of shooters trust to get it there. The company built its name on molded polymer: the waterproof iSeries hard cases, the foam-fitted multi-handgun cases and the long AR and tactical rifle cases. Hardshell cases carry a lifetime warranty for the original owner. And it all started with guitar cases and a shop fire. Here is who they are, what they make, and what is worth buying.
Table of Contents
Who SKB Cases is
SKB Cases is an Orange, California maker of molded hard cases, founded in 1977 by Dave Sanderson and Steve Kottman. It makes waterproof iSeries firearm cases plus cases for music, medical, industrial and military gear, with a lifetime warranty on hardshell models.
Kottman and Sanderson met on the rowing team at Cal State Long Beach in 1973 and began building guitar cases for friends on homemade vacuum-mold equipment. In 1976 a music store owner named Doug Browne invested, and they moved into a windowless shed behind his warehouse that they called the “pig hole”. Then, in 1977, they left a vacuum-former running and came back to smoke and “a total loss”. Browne sold out. The two founders scraped together enough for a small shop in Orange. You can follow the rest on SKB’s own timeline.
The break came in 1979, when they talked Fender into ordering 2,500 cases for an anniversary Stratocaster. By 1983 they had 20 employees making 600 cases a week for Fender, and the two founders were still doing the deliveries. Military, medical and computer contracts followed in 1987, along with a 40,000 square foot plant in Orange. Mil-spec lines came in 2002, and a large new injection molder in 2014 made room for bigger iSeries sizes.
Ownership has changed, and older write-ups miss this. Clarus Corporation, the parent of Black Diamond, agreed to buy SKB in March 2020 for $85 million in cash plus stock, but the deal expired that April 30 amid the pandemic. Then, in January 2025, the private equity firm MPE Partners invested in the company, and in April 2026 MPE and SKB bought Canadian case maker NANUK. So two well-known Pelican rivals now sit under one roof. SKB says its products are proudly made in the USA, and its headquarters is in Orange, with a further facility in Mexicali, Mexico.
On the tier question, the iSeries is a premium hard case in the same class as Pelican. A single-handgun iSeries runs about $95 and a large rifle case runs from about $400 up.
What SKB Cases makes
iSeries waterproof hard cases
The iSeries is the heart of the gun line: injection-molded, waterproof and dust-tight, with SKB’s Trigger Latch system, a molded-in hinge, a rubber over-molded handle and a pressure-equalization valve so the lid opens easily after a flight. SKB said in 2018 that it had more than 50 standard sizes, more than any other maker.
AR and rifle cases
The iSeries 4214-5 AR is a good example of what you get: seven separate accessory cavities in closed-cell foam, in-line wheels, padlock points for a 5/16-inch shackle and an 18.95 lb weight, at $414.99 direct. The 3614 is the shorter double M4 option, and the long wheeled cases take full-length rifles. Measure your rifle with the optic on before you order. Hunters who do not need a sealed case can look at the cheaper ATA and Hunter Series rifle cases.
Pistol and multi-handgun cases
iSeries handgun cases come in single, two, four, six, eight, ten and twelve-gun sizes. The bigger ones have foam cut for pistols and magazines, so the ten-gun case holds 20 magazines. These are the cases match shooters and collectors use to move a lot of handguns at once. There are also smaller Dry-Tek pistol cases for lighter duty.
Lockers and transport cases
Beyond the sealed iSeries, SKB makes rifle lockers such as the Field-Ready iSeries four-gun M4/M16 locker, along with ATA transport and bow-and-rifle cases. These are for moving guns in bulk or for shooters who do not need every feature.
Pros
- Waterproof, dust-tight iSeries
- Lifetime warranty, original owner
- Over 50 iSeries sizes
Cons
- Heavy: AR case is about 19 lb
- Warranty ends if you sell the case
- Sealed models cost more than lockers
Build quality and the iSeries standard
SKB rates the iSeries to MIL-STD 810H for its waterproof and dust-tight design, its pressure-equalization valve, and its resistance to UV, solvents, corrosion, fungus and impact damage. In plain terms, the case is built to keep water and dust out and to open cleanly after a change in altitude.
The lifetime warranty covers defects in materials and craftsmanship for the life of the case, and SKB will supply parts, repair or replace it. Read the small print though. It is for the original owner only, you need proof of purchase, you pay the freight to SKB, and modified or secondhand cases are not covered. Soft cases and gig bags get one year.
How SKB compares
The obvious rival is Pelican, and the two are close: both make injection-molded, submersible cases with lifetime warranties. I would not assume either one is cheaper, because it changes by size, and our Pelican vs SKB comparison lays out the prices side by side. Many people find SKB’s Trigger Latch easier than Pelican’s press-and-pull design, while Pelican has greater brand recognition and a bigger accessory range. Against budget cases like Plano‘s All-Weather and Field Locker lines, SKB is a clear step up in sealing and toughness for more money. Against soft cases, an iSeries protects far better, but it weighs and costs more.
Who should buy what
- Traveling hunter or competitor: an iSeries rifle case, waterproof and lockable.
- AR owner with an optic: a 3614 or 4214 iSeries case, sized with the optic mounted.
- Match shooter or collector: a four, six or eight-handgun iSeries case.
- Anyone flying with a gun: an iSeries with padlocks, since the TSA requires a locked hard-sided container and you must declare the firearm.
- Range-day shooter on a budget: an ATA rifle case or a Dry-Tek pistol case.
Look elsewhere if you need home security rather than transport. A case is not a safe, and SKB does not make biometric vaults or fire-rated safes. If weight and budget matter more than waterproofing, a good soft case may suit you better.
The SKB philosophy
Everything SKB makes comes back to keeping something valuable safe while it moves. The company learned that on guitars, which are fragile, expensive and always on the road, and it applied the same molding know-how to firearms, audio gear, medical equipment and military hardware. It was also still building its own machinery in 1983, and that shop-floor habit shows in how often the timeline is about a new press or a new oven instead of a new slogan.
How to choose your SKB case
Start with what you are protecting and how it travels. If the gun flies or lives outdoors, go straight to the waterproof iSeries, and measure the gun with its optic attached. If you move several handguns, pick by how many you carry and whether you want magazine slots. Decide whether you need the full seal or only rugged transport, because the sealed iSeries costs more than an ATA case or locker and is only worth it if waterproofing matters to you. Register the case and keep your receipt, since a warranty claim needs proof of purchase. And remember that a travel case and a home safe are two different jobs, so most serious owners end up with both.
From a burned-out shed to a gun case
It is worth sitting with how this company started: a homemade vacuum-former, a windowless shed and a fire that cost the founders their investor. Protecting a guitar and protecting a rifle turn out to be the same engineering problem, a precise, expensive object that has to arrive undamaged after being dropped, soaked and thrown around. SKB solved it for Fender first, then for the military, and then for anyone with something worth protecting. Nearly fifty years on, with private equity money and NANUK in the family, it is a far bigger business than those two rowers could have planned on.
Facts and Figures
- Founded: 1977, by Dave Sanderson and Steve Kottman.
- Based: Orange, California, with a facility in Mexicali, Mexico.
- Ownership: MPE Partners invested January 2025; NANUK acquired April 2026.
- First big order: 2,500 Fender Stratocaster anniversary cases, 1979.
- iSeries rating: MIL-STD 810H, per SKB.
- iSeries sizes: more than 50 as of 2018.
- iSeries 4214-5 AR: 18.95 lb, seven accessory cavities, $414.99 direct.
- Warranty: lifetime on hardshell cases, original owner only.
Maker details and prices are from skbcases.com on October 30, 2026. Retail prices in the cards and carousels below are live.
Shop SKB Cases Parts & Prices
Live SKB products and current prices, organized by department and updated automatically.
Rifle & Tactical Cases
Pistol & Handgun Cases
Lockers & Transport Cases
Where SKB Cases Fits in Our Buying Guides
- The best gun cases
- Pelican vs SKB
- Gun safes and storage
- How to store your guns safely
- The best gun safes
- The best gun safes for pistols
- The gun safe buyer’s guide
SKB Cases FAQ
Who owns SKB Cases?
Private equity firm MPE Partners invested in SKB in January 2025, and in April 2026 MPE and SKB bought NANUK. An earlier $85 million cash-and-stock deal with Clarus Corporation expired on April 30, 2020.
Where is SKB based?
SKB is based in Orange, California, with a further facility in Mexicali, Mexico. It was founded in 1977 by Dave Sanderson and Steve Kottman, who started out building guitar cases.
Are SKB iSeries cases really waterproof?
Yes. SKB rates the iSeries as waterproof and dust-tight to MIL-STD 810H, and each case has a pressure-equalization valve so it opens easily after a flight.
How does SKB compare to Pelican?
They are very close on protection and both have lifetime warranties. Neither is always cheaper, so compare by size in our Pelican vs SKB guide. SKB has the Trigger Latch; Pelican has wider recognition and more accessories.
Can I fly with a gun in an SKB case?
Yes, if you follow the rules. The TSA requires an unloaded firearm in a locked hard-sided container in checked baggage, declared at the counter. iSeries cases take padlocks. Check your airline's and destination's current rules too.
What does the SKB warranty cover?
Hardshell cases are covered for life against defects for the original owner. You need proof of purchase and you pay freight to SKB. Secondhand or modified cases are not covered, and soft cases get one year.
Does SKB make gun safes?
No. SKB makes transport and storage cases, not biometric or fire-rated home safes. Use an SKB case for travel and a dedicated gun safe at home.
What tier is SKB?
Premium hard cases: the same protective class as Pelican, with a lifetime warranty for the original owner, and from about $95 for a single-handgun iSeries to $400 and up for a large rifle case.
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