Alaska wild, need rifle

is there a stevnes 30-06 or anything 30-06 in the $300 range? I do not want to come across any bear, but might need it in case.

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You could buy a Marlin 336W (you can also get it with a mounted scope). Then get some 170 grain Federal Fusion Cartrifges and some Hornady 30-30 Win, 160gr, Leverevolution, and some cheap 150 grain stuff. I've seen some big elk taken with a 30-30.

12 ga shotgun with slugs. It's the only way to go for defense.

I've never been to Alaska, but hope to get there some day. Since I've never been there, you know what my advice is worth!

I like the Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70. I like my Marlin 1895 LTD III with 18 inch octagon barrel and full length, 9 round magazine even better!

You're looking for a first rifle that you can take with you to Alaska. So let's look at the choices.

Stevens. Not a bad rifle to take on such a trip, but is it something you'll want to pass on to your grandkids? Let's face it, the Stevens isn't one of those firearms that ages well. It's got a cheap finish that's going to look even cheaper as the years go by. In this case, I'd look for a good used rifle. What could be better than a sporterized 03A3 in 30-06 with a Lyman aperture sight? I have seen them going for less than $400. I don't know how available they are in your area. Used Remingtons & Winchesters are also good choices.

The Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 would be a good choice with a ghost ring aperture sight and a good recoil pad like the Pachymer (sp?) Decelerator recoil pad. Sure it'll cost you a bit more, but if you're looking for a first rifle that will be your companion for years to come, it'll be worth every penny.

Another Marlin I'd consider is the Marlin 1894, but instead of 44 Magnum, I'd opt for the 45 Colt. You can get as much power from a good 45 Colt load as you can with the 44 Magnum with less recoil using a hard cast bullet with a large meplat. (Meplat is the flat part of the nose of the bullet.) It will penetrate deep even with velocities as low as 1000 fps. You can use Cowboy loads to practice and work your way up. Without going to an optic, I'm a firm believer that the aperture sight is the best for accurate shooting, so again I'd go with a ghost ring. This sight would be better for fast shooting at close range if you screw up and tangle with a bear. The 45 Colt is a better hunting cartridge than the 44 Magnum. You can have a recoil pad installed.

For hunting for a week, nothing beats a good 22 rimfire, and you can't go wrong with a Ruger 10/22. Pair that with a 22 pistol and a backpack full of ammo, and you'll have the time of your life!

Before going, you should check to see if bears will even be a problem in the area you'll be. If not, I'd just take 22s.

Don't let that keep you from taking a good centerfire, if that's what you really want. I've had plenty of fun taking long hikes with mine

Try this one:
http://www.bigskyguns.com/Marlin_Rifles-Marlin_1894_Cowboy_45_Long_Colt.html

The 44 Mag rifle is a good one. You can get seriously hot loads for it (they won't approach the hottest 45-70 loads but they'll do just fine for most things) and you have a handy, quick rifle you can depend on. No glass on a defense rifle, open sights. Fiber optic if you can get them, but definitely open sights.

You can shoot cowboy loads for quite a while, they're very tame.

So have you completely ruled out getting a shotgun as your backup for now? It would be cheaper and more reliable, but I know they don't fill the same role. I'm not trying to convince you to change your mind if that's what your set on, but if I was going out and had to trust my life on a firearm against large, unfriendly creatures, I'd definitely start with a shotgun.

Go handle a Marlin 336 (30-30) and a Marlin 1894 (.44 mag) in a gun shop. Both are handy, but the .44 is a little more so. See if there's a difference for you. Neither one kicks enough to worry about.

The 30-30 shoots a smaller bullet a little faster. It gives you a little flatter trajectory (flat to 150 yards; maybe 200 with leverevolution ammo). This is good for hunting, but for defense against a bear doesn't come into play. The .44 magnum has a little loopier trajectory (flat to 100 yards). What the .44 magnum offers is very heavy, hardcast bullets that will penetrate the bone and hide of a large bear much better than a 30-30. This is kind of important if you need to stop it right there. The .44 magnum ammo is also smaller and easier to carry on a hike and as you noticed the .44 lever action holds 2.5 times the number of rounds.

Well, you've gotten lots of advice, much of it very good. But I don't think anyone has hit on these points yet...

Do more research before you go. Decide, at least to some extent, on where you will go, how long you will stay out, and when/where you expect to return return to "the world". That way you can plan appropriately for food, gear, etc. If you are taking your truck, you'll be able to haul all you need, and that's good. Make sure she's in good running condition!

Once you've decided on where your adventure will take place, you can make the appropriate contacts regarding regulations, accessibility (if native lands/private property are an issue), whether or not your firearms are appropriate for the location and allowable by the regulatory authority.

Let someone know about your plans so that if some calamity befalls you, others will know to come looking. I know that probably seems like a tether to civilization, and contrary to your intent, but the facts are you are young and inexperienced (by your own admission), and your family surely loves you and would want to know - save them the anxiety.

Truth to tell, I envy you the adventure. To me, Alaska seems like the promised land. I can tell you that back when I was your age (30+ years ago), I had a group of pals that I had adventures with along the Missouri/Arkansas border lands. We had great fun backpacking, canoeing, hunting and fishing in that country...we fancied ourselves adventurers, and we were!

Finally, have fun, be smart, be careful, and let us know how it goes.

Sounds like the goal has changed a bit from a rifle just for this trip to one with utility back home. I still don't think you need a rifle for protection and if someone in the party has a handgun that's enough. And I don't know why you'd want to carry and extra 7-8 pounds but that's just me.

While I'm on my soapbox, I think everyone's first rifle should be a .22. Lots of people regret buying more gun than they need that ends up never being used. No-one ever regrets buying a good .22.

While one should always go in the woods adequately armed in case things go south, your statement is one of the most ridiculous thing I've seen posted on this board, possibly even the whole internet.
So there are ~1million people residing in Montana, so you're saying 250,000 will be attacked by a bear? Plus over a million people visit glacier national park every year, so do another 250,000 of them get attacked to?

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One out of three Montanans were victims of wild bear attacks in 2003. Two out of seven victims were killed by bears. Bears kill people.

Montana has an estimated pop. of 967,440 people in 2008, so I assume it hasn't changed that much in 5 years. It was probably about 322,480 people who were attacked by bears in 2003.

Deer Hunter, there's no way on God's Green Earth that such an amount wouldn't have driven financial disasters off the front pages.

TV coverage out the wazoo!

Hasn't been in the news, anywhere.

And, folks, let's don't go baying off at the moon about this notion, okay?

One out of three Montanans were victims of wild bear attacks in 2003. Two out of seven victims were killed by bears. Bears kill people.

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Don't think so dude. I will however congratulate you, you had the stupidest post on the internet with your previous post, but it looks like you beat your own record with this one. Since there were ~50 grizzly attack deaths in the last 100 years in all of North America, I assume you are just a troll posting ridiculous things to get attention.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_bear_attacks_in_North_America_by_decade

Sarcasm doesn't transpose well to teh internets.

I *hope* it was sarcasm on The Deer Hunter's part...

100,000 people were killed by bears in Montana in one year? I can't stop laughing. All I can say is - we should relocate congress to Montana!

100,000 people were killed by bears in Montana in one year? I can't stop laughing. All I can say is - we should relocate congress to Montana!

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No, I said 322,480 people. Get your facts straight.

And no, I didn't actually think about that-that is a very high number. I also posted that like 10 pm last night, after work, and my brain activity was null...

I have never been to Montana. Matter of fact, I think I have seen 5 photographs from Montana. I'm sorry I posted that as fact, but you guy's gotta loosen up.

Also, please try not to derail this guy's thread anymore than you have

please try not to derail this guy's thread anymore than you have

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So you were not derailing by throwing out your ridiculous "facts".
whatever

+1 for a 45-70 lever action.

powerful and reliable.

Jduvall89

The marlin 336s are well made to say the least.

If you already live up here, I would suggest cruising the Alaska Outdoors for sale /trade site. There have been a few good rifles in your price range on there lately.
http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/forumdisplay.php?f=28

My brother who lives up by Palmer just picked up two 44 mag Marlin carbines for a very good price.

Had you expressed this post a few weeks earlier, I would have had you contact my youngest son up in Anchorage. He just sold a Marlin Guide gun in 45-70 for much less than it was worth. He has been something of a bone-head ever since he got back from Iraq. Buy high and sell low in his case.

You may get lucky and run into a30-06 M-700 Remington or a Stainless M-77 Ruger MKII for a good price. It happens....

Jduvall89 - Remember that the Marlin lever gun in .44 Mag will NOT stabalize a bullet over about 270 gr. So. all this hot load stuff you are hearing here doesn't really apply to a Marlin .44 Mag.

http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#44P

However, if you buy the 336W, you can buy 190 gr cartridges from Buffalo Bore etc. And, the Marlin 336W is very affordable; and, it looks so cool.

So buy a Winchester or Puma which use a faster twist. The 30-30 lever action is a great gun, but I'd rather have the big chunk of lead from a .44 magnum in this instance.

Of course a 45-70 is ideal for this usage and is my first choice.

JUDVALL89 - " Don't know much about rifle calibers so help me with that if you can."

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Judvall, from that statement and others you posted about not being familiar with rifle shooting, the most important thing you can do is to LEARN how to shoot a rifle accurately.

That means not only practice, and a lot of it, but being instructed by a competent instructor. Trying to teach yourself accurate rifle shooting is folly, when you are completely unfamilar with the fundamentals, and have no one to correct your mistakes.

I suggest you find yourself a good instructor there and have him or her teach you how to shoot. Then practice, practice, practice. You are going out into an area of Alaska where accurate shooting might just save your, or your buddy's life.

BTW, "practice" means shooting a lot more than a box or two of cartridges, off the bench. It means shooting many cartridges from various stances at various ranges.

Shooting Fundamentals top this-or-that-or-what-other- caliber-and-action every time.

FWIW.

Good luck on your trip.

L.W.

Judvall, from that statement and others you posted about not being familiar with rifle shooting, the most important thing you can do is to LEARN how to shoot a rifle accurately.

That means not only practice, and a lot of it, but being instructed by a competent instructor. Trying to teach yourself accurate rifle shooting is folly, when you are completely unfamilar with the fundamentals, and have no one to correct your mistakes.

I suggest you find yourself a good instructor there and have him or her teach you how to shoot. Then practice, practice, practice. You are going out into an area of Alaska where accurate shooting might just save your, or your buddy's life.

BTW, "practice" means shooting a lot more than a box or two of cartridges, off the bench. It means shooting many cartridges from various stances at various ranges.

Shooting Fundamentals top this-or-that-or-what-other- caliber-and-action every time.

FWIW.

Good luck on your trip.

L.W.

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Excellent advice.