A leather-covered takedown case like this one from T.B. Gunn protects a shotgun much better than a softcase, but it is not a durable as an aluminum case.

The hard takedown cases I have described thus far are strong, but they are not intended to survive very many trips in the baggage hold of a commercial airliner. For that, you need a top-quality case made of heavy aluminum with welded seams. The upper and lower halves of the case should be held together by a sturdy piano hinge and strong latches, it should also be sealed by a rubber gasket to prevent moisture entry.

I have a couple of Americase Premium Grade cases. The oldest has logged well over a half-million air miles, and while its exterior is covered with many dents and scratches, the baggage handlers have yet to break it. At about the quarter-million-mile mark, they did manage to snap off a couple of the little rubber bumpers on the bottom of the case and I've had to replace one latch--the manufacturer replaced them without charge and I installed them in about five minutes. No gun I have ever shipped inside that case suffered any damage.

A soft takedown-style case takes up less room behind the seat of a hunting vehicle, and if it’s dropped, the stock of a gun stowed inside is less likely to break than a shotgun stored in a full-length case.

The case holds two guns--one in its top half, the other in its bottom half; the two sections are padded by high-density foam. I also use the same case when traveling with only one gun. Staying within the fifty-pound maximum-weight limit per bag now imposed by the airlines can be difficult when your duffel bag contains, ammunition, waders and heavy hunting clothing. So when traveling with a single gun, I fill the other half of the case with gear and clothing, until my bathroom scale reads a pound shy of the limit.

No matter what kind of shotgun you have, if you want to keep it in good shape, you need a good case.