Question for you guys in Alaska - What guns/calibers do you guys use up there?

[goon]

This is a semi-pointless question but I'm kind of fascinated with Alaska. Just seems like kind of a cool place that I'd like to visit some day and maybe move to after I finish school.
Anyhow, what guns are common up there? What calibers are common? What do you guys consider "adequate" for hunting and what is big enough for defense against big bears?
Just curiosity at this point but I have to admit that I may start looking at what guns will work well here that will also work well there if I ever decide to relocate.

 

[stevelyn]

Well it really depends on where you live.

Most folks who live in the bush use standard calibers with the .30-06 being the most common as the heavy hitter with an odd .338 here and there.

Chances are if you're traveling on the Yukon or Koyukuk Rivers, you're more likely to see an AR-15, Mini-14 or .30-30 in the boat than anything else.

Out here on the AK PEN there seems to be more .270s than anything else.

Magnums only become common once you are within gravitational pull of Anchorage and Fairbanks except for guys working in the guide industry in one manner or another.

Most of those folks are carpetbaggers that don't live here year round anyways.

My favorite bear defense is a Remington 870 stoked with Brenneke slugs. I've whacked three in DLP kills and all have died rather spectacularly with complete pass-through one-shot kills.

I don't have a problem crawling around in the alder bushes so armed.

All of the non-department DLP kills I've investigated out here have been with a shotgun or rifles no larger than .30-06.

 

[goon]

Thanks.

Also, I never would have guessed that AR-15's and Mini-14's would have been popular up there. They just seem like they'd be too "light" to be good for anything.

 

[dogmush]

When I lived there i had a 30-06 as my all-around rifle, a 12ga then later a .444 Marlin as dedicated bear guns, and a .45ACP for pistol work.

Ammo availability becomes a problem outside of town with oddball calibers. 30-06 and 12 ga are pretty much everywhere. I worked out of Bettles for a while, and had to bring all my .444 ammo in from Fairbanks. No big deal though as I didn't shoot that much.

 

[Farnorthdan]

Cold .....and DARK in the winter, you'll hate it, stay home. Just kidding, its beautiful here. Been cold and wet this summer though.

Personally I would recommend a shotgun or large caliber lever action when traveling in the bush, but if a long arm is not an option I go with my Ruger in .454 casull and make lots of noise while traveling. My 7 and 11 year old boys work great for this.

 

[goon]

Thanks.
Like I said, I'm thinking about visiting there after I finish school, maybe for a little while, maybe to move there if I like it.

Just wondered what is common up there. Dogmush's comment about lack of availability of some of the more obscure rounds is exactly what I was thinking of.

 

[jeepmor]

My step brother moved up to Alaska through the Coast Guard. He's tried leaving, but keeps moving back. Part opportunity and part "he should be an outdoor hunting/fishing guide" sort of thing.

I recall him stating he had a 450 Marlin. Mostly, he stated stainless steel is king up there due to the overwhelmingly moist conditions. As an Oregon hunter living between the Coast range and the Cascades, I tend to agree.

 

[Dan Forrester]

What about 45/70 and .308 availability in the more remote regions? I’ve been thinking about a move up there myself here in the next year. I thought a DS Arms FAL would be an excellent option for up there.

Dan

 

[goon]

Good question!
A stainless .45-70 Marlin Guide gun is on my wish list whether I head to Alaska or not. But knowing whether I'd be able to get ammo or components up there would be good.
Already got the .308 but I was thinking of investing in an 06 or a 300 Win Mag (stainless Savage) if I decide to go north.
Dark Tranquility - whether you go to Alaska or not and whether an FAL is a "good" choice for Alaska, I think a DSA FAL is a good choice for just about anyone.
Look in this thread to see the last target I shot with mine.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=383262
Damn good rifle IMO.

 

[Cosmoline]

There's something going on in the ursine world. We just had *another* serious mauling right here in Los Anchorage. A few weeks back a girl mountain biker got nailed bad, and there have been dozens of serious run-ins and close calls on the trail. My former cabin-mate out in Willow reports close encounters with brown bear all summer. She had to shoot one a few weeks back (she had to use a .30 wcf and didn't get a good hit, but gave it a belly ache before a neighbor finished it). When I was living out there a few years ago we never saw so much as a print.

I used to have a CZ .375 H&H but ditched it when it turned out the homestead was ostensibly bear free. I've been loading my speed six heavy and I stay clear of the more overgrown bike trails, and the ones near salmon streams. The most common big game hunting round these days seems to be the .338 WM. The .45-70 has been growing in popularity as a defensive round in the past decade. Out in the bush folks have all kinds of stuff. A lot of native hunters just use a Mini-14. Personally I really like a big Mosin for bear defense and as a trail rifle, but I'm weird.

.458 Win. Mag. for large bear like Brown and Kodiak. .

That's a lot of gun to tote! The biggest bears can and have been taken down with a .32-20 and they've escaped when hit with high powered magnums. Placement is the key. I would go with a .375 H&H for hunting them.

Whatever you bring, be prepared to see it dropped, scratched and doused with all kinds of moisture. Only the touristas bring fancy and expensive rifles. The workaday Ruger M77 is about ideal.

 

[danweasel]

I have a mossberg mariner with Brenekke slugs for my "walking around in the woods" gun. I like the stainless steel cause it gets beat on a bit and neglected. As has been posted, big levers, shotgun slugs and massive wheelguns are popular, at least with the guys I know. I live up in Fairbanks.

Finish school and come up here, it's awesome.

Oh, and that marlin GG is great but I actually shot the 22" barrelled one the other day and it has a pistol grip stock which made the recoil a lot nicer. The little one is a cool gun, but pretty brutal. Then again so are 3" slugs.

 

[aimy]

We went to Alaska for the summer once, 13 years later we were back in Texas. You will like it! It's beautiful, like being on top of the world and really good people too.
I carried a shotgun or .338 out picking berries, later just a .357 revolver. The only time we would see bear (besides through binoculars or on the road) was after a day of target shooting. They liked to come see how we did.