Palmetto Sells A Very Solid 36″ Tactical Rifle Case At A Very Affordable Price

For a number of years now, Palmetto State Armory (PSA) has sold a solid 36″ tactical rifle carrying case that you don’t hear about! I’ve owned a number of them over the years. When I bought my AK-E and needed a case, the PSA unit immediately sprang to mind. Yes, I really did buy the AK-E and this case. Nobody paid me to write this so I’m telling you my honest opinion.

One reason I wrote this post is that there are a ton of junk cases for sale on Amazon and eBay. I plan to write up some of the other good brands like Savior, Voodoo, 5.11, US Peacekeeper and what have you when I get some time. By the way, some Amazon reviews of cases are useless – “Looks good when I got it out of box” and they give it five stars when the POS obviously will not hold up but that buyer lacks the experience to know better.

Do you want to separate the cheap bags from the good ones real quick? Look at the material, the stitching (at least double stitched around the zipper and even better in high stress areas such as box stitches), the main carry handle straps should go around the bottom vs. ending on the sides. Guys, these rifles weigh a ton when you are carrying loaded mags with them. I’ve watched cheap cases fall apart.

One other comment – these bags really need a robust zipper. My preference are YKK zippers but whatever PSA uses is pretty good. I’ve only had one break out of the 4-6 that I have owned over the years. If you ever see a case with a zipper that looks like it came off light-weight clothing or a spring coat, don’t buy it. It’ll probably fail pretty quick with real world loads (not airsoft).

With my Magpul ACS stock collapsed, my AK-E is almost 36-1/4″ long and it fits nice and secure at a slight angle – you will not get anything longer in this case unless maybe if you force it but anyone looking for 36-1/4 or shorter will be happy.

There are tons of pockets and straps for tailoring the bag to your needs. I’m using a RS Regulate optic mount and a Vortex Crossfire red dot and everything is nice and protected by the ample padding.

Click here to go to the PSA website if you’d like to order one or read more.

In the following photos, the Secret Squirrel morale patch is something I added. The give you a velcro attachment point to do whatever you want with it.

30 round AK and AR magazines will fit in the provided pouches. You can get two mags each in the end pouches and four in the middle. Yes, a Chinese style 75 round drum will fit in the middle no problem.
You’re pushing some weight at this point and that is why you need good stitching and carry straps that go around the whole bag. Note how the mag pouches have both velcro as well as clips if you need to securely close the flaps. The bungee cords are for increasing the tension on the mags in the pouches.
There are MOLLE loops on both ends plus a small zippered poclet.
There is another compartment with even more storage areas directly behind the magazines. It will unzip and lie flat but it does not detach – not that I think it needs to. I’m just pointing open it is wide open in this photo.
My AK-E is packed in there. This is the only way it will fit and the ACS stock is firmly in one corner and the muzzle in the other. 36-1/4″ is as big as I think you can fit in here. That main compartment is 36″ long and about 10″ tall. It’s kind of hard to tell the exact height will the flexible padding – it’s somewhere around 10-11″ though.
The stitching and the zippers look good. FYI, if you ever see a case with a zipper that looks like it came off light-weight clothing or a spring coat, don’t buy it. It’ll probably fail pretty quick. I’ve seen some real crap import cases with ridiculously fragile zippers and light stitching.
The case has a flap to join the two carry handles together plus a full set of backpack straps. Everything looks solid – I’ve never had a problem with a strap but also need to point out I just sling it over my right shoulder and don’t use both straps — don’t think I ever will for that matter.

So the PSA cases are solid. They routinely go on sale and if you see one, I’d recommend snagging it for your AK or AR.

I hope this helps you out!


PSA AK Webstore Links

Interested in an American made AK? Consider Palmetto State Armory (PSA) as a source. Click on the following links for the associated webstore categories for AK-related rifles, pistols and parts at PSA: