Firearm usage in Alaska

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Moparnut

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I got hooked on watching a show named The Last Alaskans. As I watched, I tried to figure out what kinds of firearms were being used. Even though the show is based on hunting and trapping, in this particular wildlife refuge, there is not much focus on the firearms used.
As I watched I noticed most firearms used tended to be bolt guns and revolvers. Now to my questions, what type of rifle (manufacture, caliber and type) is common for hunting in these conditions? Second, what pistol calibers are used in Alaska in particular? Lastly, why isn't the lever gun more popular? I would like to hear from people who live and hunt in the state or people who have knowledge of hunting in the state.
Thx
 
It wasn't that show, but one of the other "wild Alaska" shows that's also been running, during which I saw a woman making use of a Mosin 91/30.

Now that I think of it, I believe it was one of the parties profiled in "Off The Grid." One of the parties was in Alaska, and that's where I saw the rifle being used.
 
I saw one episode where Heimo takes his revolver out (looked like a ruger), said he's had his 44 mag since he moved their and never leaves the house without it. Ray carries a Winchester 1895 in 35 Winchester.
 
homers said:
I saw one episode where Heimo takes his revolver out (looked like a ruger), said he's had his 44 mag since he moved their and never leaves the house without it. Ray carries a Winchester 1895 in 35 Winchester.
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In all honesty I believe I recorded episodes at season 3, so I may not have caught the particular episode Heimo talks about his Ruger. Not sure who Ray is. I figured the sidearms are 41 Rem mag and up.
 
I lived up there for 3 years and I used a Mossberg 500, 18.5" cylinder barrel with bead sight, loaded with Brenneke Black Magic Magnums, a Marlin SS Guide Gun in .45/70 loaded with Corbon 405 grain solids as well as 540 grain hard-cast solids, and my Ruger SBH loaded with Buffalo Bore 300 grain hard-cast solids. Never had to use any of them.
 
Some people I've spoken with say the Ruger Mini-14 and AR in 223 are quite common among the native Alaskans in some of the more remote locations. They use them for everything from polar bear protection to moose. The Glock 20 in 10mm is becoming popular among bush pilots replacing big bore revolvers. Other than that normal bolt guns in common calibers such as 30-06, 270, and the 7mm and 300 magnums.

Lastly, why isn't the lever gun more popular?
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Not nearly as reliable in harsh conditions as a good bolt rifle, especially a CRF version. Levers are the single most complex rifles ever made, bolt guns the simplest. It doesn't take much mud, ice or snow to jam up a lever action. Same reason they were never considered for military use.
 
jmr40 said:
Some people I've spoken with say the Ruger Mini-14 and AR in 223 are quite common among the native Alaskans in some of the more remote locations. They use them for everything from polar bear protection to moose. The Glock 20 in 10mm is becoming popular among bush pilots replacing big bore revolvers. Other than that normal bolt guns in common calibers such as 30-06, 270, and the 7mm and 300 magnums.



Not nearly as reliable in harsh conditions as a good bolt rifle, especially a CRF version. Levers are the single most complex rifles ever made, bolt guns the simplest. It doesn't take much mud, ice or snow to jam up a lever action. Same reason they were never considered for military use.
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That is the first time I have ever heard of a lever being unreliable in adverse conditions. Usually, when people ask for recommendations for a all around woods rifle, the lever action seems to be one of the first recommendations.
 
Moparnut said:
In all honesty I believe I recorded episodes at season 3, so I may not have caught the particular episode Heimo talks about his Ruger. Not sure who Ray is. I figured the sidearms are 41 Rem mag and up.
Click to expand...

Ray Lewis, seasons 1 & 2
 
Moparnut said:
That is the first time I have ever heard of a lever being unreliable in adverse conditions. Usually, when people ask for recommendations for a all around woods rifle, the lever action seems to be one of the first recommendations.
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Thats the first , Ive heard of it to, Cant comment of Alaska but here in Texas my .30-30 has never been unreliable, its only been in the rain and sand however, cant say its ever been icy.
 
I lived in Alaska 25 years, hunted over much of the state... I also owned/ran a gun shop there.

There's a little bit of everything used there, but MANY guys there hunt with 30-06's and 7mm Rem. mags...

I also moved around on gun choices, but in the end, for much of my hunting and especially for brown bear hunting, I used a .338-06 and it was a good choice.

For a bigger handgun, I carried a S&W 44 mag., but I preferred to have a shotgun over ANY handgun, IF I was going fishing...

7mm Rem. mag. loaded with 175NP's is also an excellent choice for an all around Alaskan cartridge. Properly loaded 30-06 works well too...

Many of the "newbs" gotta carry a cannon though! lol

DM
 
jmr40 said:
Not nearly as reliable in harsh conditions as a good bolt rifle, especially a CRF version. Levers are the single most complex rifles ever made, bolt guns the simplest. It doesn't take much mud, ice or snow to jam up a lever action. Same reason they were never considered for military use.
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Actually, they were. The 1895 Winchester was produced in 7.62x54 for the Russian military.
The Russians ordered 300K, and they saw duty. Article about it here:
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/ria-russian-winchester-1895-in-7-62x54r/
 
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jmr40 said:
Some people I've spoken with say the Ruger Mini-14 and AR in 223 are quite common among the native Alaskans in some of the more remote locations. They use them for everything from polar bear protection to moose. The Glock 20 in 10mm is becoming popular among bush pilots replacing big bore revolvers. Other than that normal bolt guns in common calibers such as 30-06, 270, and the 7mm and 300 magnums.



Not nearly as reliable in harsh conditions as a good bolt rifle, especially a CRF version. Levers are the single most complex rifles ever made, bolt guns the simplest. It doesn't take much mud, ice or snow to jam up a lever action. Same reason they were never considered for military use.
Click to expand...

You've apparently never taken a Marlin lever action rifle apart. Very simple action. 225,000 Lever actions (Winchester Model 95) were ordered and used by the Russian military, not to mention the Henrys bought privately and used to equip State militia units in the US Civil War. The real reason lever actions were not considered for US Military use after the Civil War? The huge stockpile of M1861 Springfiled rilfes, and the subsequent Trapdoor conversion. Also, The Ordinance Board believed, as they always do, that troops would waste ammunition. By the time they were replaced, better bolt action repeaters had been developed, though the Krag was not the best design, IMO.
 
The wife and I collected many a Mosin, from the 90's untill the later 00's, and found the M-39 flavor to be utmost in accuracy, and it was easy to just go with a rifle built for cold weather, easy cleaning , and bullets in bulk, for shooting in bulk. Czeck quality stuff was cheap and abundant and VERY accurate, our stash lasted years.
She also use her PU scoped 91/30, but didnt like the neck craning to get to the scope, and ended up ducking the scope alltogether and used the irons. It got cleaned and put away, her M-39 just awaiting.
Now, today, Im using a Valmet made, Tikka barrled M-39, and with Czeck 149gr LPS, its as good as it was 5 years since I had shot it last. Im feeling like your gonna see it ''Lots'' as we say here :D

Winchester M-70's and Rmenington M-700 galore, and anything inthe 30-06 class of cartridge will kill everything you cross paths with.

My wife carrys a pistol for Bears to free her hands to cut meats, fish , pick berrys, but my Bear pistol is my rilfe.

Lever actions , while poplular are a pain to carry in winter on a snowmachine and operate with mittens or heavy gloves.

Mini-14's are as Alaskan Bush as Snowmachines.
Alot of people carry 5 guns, at various times and seasons; a Pistol for Bears, the caliber usually starts with a .4 , .22lr, 12 gauge, 30-06, 5.56x45. the Mini 14 or a .223 AK are poular as are piston driven AR's. For some reason AR-15's make the village bought and resold untill they leave the vill.... LOL.people like the accuracy of the AR's, but you need it to go ''boom'' every time, which the mini-14 does.

But, anything gos, bring what you like and can hit with , fill it out from there.
 
In the lower 48 we buy guns more as toys than tools. I suspect fully 1/2 of new guns sold either rarely or never get shot or used

From what I’ve read, Alaskans are more like the lower 48 was a hundred years ago. Guns were tools. You bought what was handy and cheap. And used it hard
 
redneck2 said:
In the lower 48 we buy guns more as toys than tools. I suspect fully 1/2 of new guns sold either rarely or never get shot or used

From what I’ve read, Alaskans are more like the lower 48 was a hundred years ago. Guns were tools. You bought what was handy and cheap. And used it hard
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Except around the cities...

A city is a city is a city, no matter what state it's in!

DM
 
When I lived in Bethel we liked bolt .300, .338 mag and .30-06 amongst my circle. Along with 12 gauge for waterfoul and .22 LR or .17 HMR for Ptarmagin and Beaver (or other fur bearing critters).

Some of the natives did, indeed, use .223 for everything even including Moose, unfortunately.

Sidearms always seemed to be either .44 mag for bear (when the 12 gauge or rifle was not close at hand) or a .22/.17 again for trapping purposes.

Out in there ammo was crazy expensive so odd calibers were more rare. I recall UMC .45 ACP being like $57 / 50 rounds at the hardware store, things like .338 mag were $70 or $80 a box.

Whenever I went to Anchorage or the lower 48 a good portion of my checked weight went to ammo
 
.454 ruger toklat with stoner 330 grain hardcasts for when im hiking/fishing.
.375 or .300 h&h for hunting. Took a 10’ 4” brown bear on kodiak last spring with my mdl.70 crf .375. Id say it was effective
 

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Oh, i forgot to mention, i know alot of people use the glock 20, and the long slide version glock 40 i think. A coworker shot and killed a smaller brownie (600-700 lbs) at the russian river 2 years with two shots from his glock 10mm.
Apparently it charged him and some random kids who were lucky he was there!
 
Lotta Tikkas up here, for what it's worth

Various magnums are popular like 300winmag, 300wsm, and 338win mag, as well as 30-06.
 
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