It’s not a gun case. I promise it’s not a gun case.

When I purchased my Meyer Optik Görlitz Orestegor 500mm f/5.6 telephoto lens for my Pentacon Six TL camera, I thought it was a nice addition to my photographic arsenal.

I soon discovered that it is a very HEAVY and BULKY addition to my photographic arsenal.

I could do barbell curls with this thing. Build up my deltoids and my biceps.

If I want to take this beast out for a photo shoot, I might accidentally pull a muscle with it. Can’t have that.

Yesterday, I drove to my local Harbor Freight for a solution to my problem.

If you’re not familiar with Harbor Freight, it’s like a candy store for tools-users and gear-heads. If you don’t mind that they manufacture all their own products, and that all their “brand names” are just store-specific gear, then you’re fine. It’s the same thing as getting a Kirkland product from Costco, so work with me on this.

Harbor Freight sells these padded travel cases, and they’re filled with layers of tear-away foam inside. You trace the outline of your intended product’s contents, tear out the cubes of foam, and then place your item in the case – and your item is protected. And this one has travel wheels and an extendable handle, just like what you see at the airport. And it’s only $99 – and since I had a coupon (you never go to Harbor Freight without a coupon), I acquired a nice big red storage bucket for free.

I measured the length and width of my telephoto lens. It will fit, I just have to tear out the right amount of cushioning.

It was then that I realized … these padded cases are also sold as gun cases. Seriously. For an extra $50, I could have purchased this doozy.

Oh, yeah. That will look REALLY innocent the next time I travel to Canada.

“That looks like a gun case in your car, sir.”

“No, it’s for my camera lens.”

“Kinda looks like a gun case. You wouldn’t like to Canadian customs, would you, sir?”

“Trust me, the only shooting in the contents of that case involve photography.”

“Didn’t you cross the border last year to photograph something?”

“I did. I photographed the CPKC Holiday Train as it went through Montreal.”

“So you’re trying to shoot at trains, are you? Why don’t you pull over to that spot there, hand me the keys, and we’re going to check your car from front to back. JEAN-PIERRE! GET THE LUG WRENCHES AND THE SAWZALLS!!”

Yeah. I mean, this could be a great addition to my Pentacon Six travel package.

As soon as I decorate the case with enough photography-specific stickers so that people understand that ceci n’est pas un gun case.