Gun up for Alaska

[PropStop]

Wooohooo! I just got orders to Alaska! Heading up that way in the spring.

And as I'm moving back from Japan, I have a hankering for some new firearms. In particular I'm looking for a good pistol for the big varmint that try to eat you and a rifle to dispense some justice on a moose or two.

I grew up in AK so I know the lay of the land, but didn't grow up hunting though I fished a lot. My wife, a former semi-vegetarian (no pork, no red meat), has been most supportive - maybe demanding - of me picking up hunting and bagging a moose and a 'boo. I'm not generally a person who feels the need to bring a gun while hiking. In all the years of hiking in AK, I never once felt the need to have a side arm, or even bear spray. However, when hunting, it seems most prudent and there is a much higher wolf population in south central AK than southeast where I lived.

I know hunting rifles have been brought up in this forum before, but I thought I might resurrect a discussion on the topic anyhow.

So, that brings me to my question(s) - if you were moving to the Great Land, and your better half demanded that you slay the beasts of the land, what would YOU bring? And what would you bring to keep the beasts from slaying you?

I'm thinking of a Redhawk in .44 w/ 5"-ish barrel for a sidearm, that or an S&W - opinions on this? Go BIGGER? Usually a .44 is more than enough, unless you're on Kodiak, to dissuade any bear.

For the big game I'm thinking about a Rem 700 w/ stainless barrel and composite stock. I bought one of these for my brother several years ago and it's a pretty nice rifle. Anyone have experience with this or prefer something else for moose? I figure moose is about the biggest animal i'll go after (not that there's much bigger) and I'll probably never go after a bear - unless it's going after me.

Also, does anyone have any experience with a chest holster? There's a variety called the "Alaska chest holster" designed for hiking w/ a pack or keeping your side arm high up when going through water.

Discuss! and thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[A4sForever]

I'd feel 'safe' w/ a .44 revolver for a sidearm ... the rifle?? Something in .308/.30-06 at least.

A crewmember of mine -- Alaska outdoor experienced & savvy -- stopped a charge by a brown (black? can't remember) bear coming AT HIS WIFE. Obviously, spray would have done nothing in that instance. They had their float plane parked & were setting up camp when the bear came out of nowhere ... no apparent reason ... it just did.

He only had a scoped rifle nearby -- looked through the scope and all he could see was 'fur wiggling' -- he ran the rifle dry, putting 5 rounds into the 'wiggle' as it dropped dead at his wife's feet following the last shot. When he told me the story, he stated that he 'now carries a 12-guage w/slugs around camp'. (?)

 

[Lights Out]

One of my good buddies is from Alaska and he hunts/fishes/hikes etc. I think he uses a .300 win mag. I'll check with him to see which brand and I'll see what he has to say about pistols. I talked to another friend of mine this morning who currently resides in AK and he mentioned something about purchasing a chest holster for a .45 he was going to pick up come spring.

 

[PropStop]

Something along these lines perhaps? http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/bears/story/897940.html

My wife worked at a remote fish research facility in SE AK. Part of the job involved collecting salmon from a weir that were tagged specimens. Where do bears like to go to get their fish? The mouths of streams. Where do you set up a weir to collect fish? you guessed it. They always had to have someone standing by w/ a rifle or shot gun while the other person collects. Well, she got charged by a mama one day and it changed her outlook on carrying firearms in AK! Thankfully she didn't have to shoot the bear and wasn't harmed.

I was thinking either .308 or 300 win mag. I have an 30.06 but it's a WWI rifle and weighs about 900lbs, not really suitable for going into the woods and too valuable to risk damaging.

Too bad i can't get a full auto UMP 45, that'd do the trick.

Thanks for the replies. I'm shopping guns as I type this!

 

[NYYanks]

I don't know if you have ever been to the following site sir, but here is something for you to browse around. I have personally found their prices to be pretty damn good, esp compared to local shops in Corpus. Not to mention they have a pretty vast selection to choose from, hell if you search hard enough, you may even find razor sharp toe nail clippers.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php

 

[Fog]

A .308 w/in 200 yds will do anything a 30-'06 or .338 WM will do. Buy premium bullets (or handload your own) w/ Nosler Partition or other top loads of 180g. or more, and that's great moose medicine & adequate for Brown bears. JMHO, though.

 

[Boomhower]

To give you something else to look at to compete with the Remington 700; look at the Savage Hunter series. Damn nice rifles right out of the box and they generally don't break the bank. I have the Law Enforcement model in .308 Win (black w/composite stock). I only came across these because I shoot left handed, and finding lefty guns tends to limit your search a bit. Truth is, I wanted a Sakko 85 but they don't make it in lefty, yet.

The Savage has that Accu-Trigger thingy on it that I was a bit wary about at first, but I have come to really like it. It allows you to keep a hair trigger on it but if you drop it in the woods for some reason it won't go off unless your finger is on the trigger.

That rifle is a damn tack driver and I have made exactly zero modifications to it.

My $.02

 

[feddoc]

http://www.ruger.com/products/superRedhawkAlaskan/index.html


I have seen one similar to this, packaged in an international orange hard case. http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15707&isFirearm=Y Probably won't kick...much.

 

[Pugs]

I made half a dozen trips to Alaska when I was stationed up at NUW. Mostly to Yakatat fishing where multiple big bears a day were a reality. I carried a Ruger Redhawk and ended up looking over the barrel at a bear one day at about 15 yards. With deep water behind me and a hill occupied by said brown bear in front of me I can assure you a .44 Mag isn't enough gun! I didn't have to shoot but the guides carried either slug guns or .338 Win Mags and if I were up there for good I would do the same.

Also consider whatever you get to be synthetic and stainless or coated with Cerracote or some such. As was pointed out earlier open sites are good for close work but don't discount some of the 1.5X scopes. Handled a friends .375 H&H M70 a while back with one and you can see the whole barrel through the scope it's wide enough view.

All that being said we're looking at a guy fishing trip back up there next year and I'll likely take the same .44 Mag but consider is a backup gun for whatever the guide is carrying.

 

[Goober]

I have seen one similar to this, packaged in an international orange hard case. http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15707&isFirearm=Y Probably won't kick...much.

From the site:

Most Powerful Production Revolver in the World Today
Massive S&W 500 Magnum® Cartridge 2600 ft/lb. Muzzle Energy

2600ft/lb...might be kind light, don't you think? Holy crap - that thing might as well say "Noisy Cricket" on the side.

 

[H60Gunner]

For a hunting rifle I'd go with something synthetic and stainless. Caliber for Moose and boo, .308 would be just fine. Personally I'd go with .300win/wby mag or bigger, might be over kill but I like to anchor critters when I wack 'em. I've been looking at the new .338 RCM, lets you have a shorter barrel and reportedly the same ballistics as a .338 Rem. Mag..
Pistol? The huge dilemma there is weight vs. firepower, do you want to pack a 7lb pistol around all day? .44mag or bigger just because of the Brownies, for wolves, not so much, just a big dog.
Spray is a good option IMO. But, I do hunt and camp in Grizz and now (sigh) wolf country and prefer a slug gun, Rem 870 short barrel and pistol grip. Good friend of mine was chased out of the woods by a Grizz who "claimed" his elk, he now packs a 12ga while archery hunting. Sling it or integrate it into your pack

 

[PropAddict]

I have seen one similar to this, packaged in an international orange hard case. Probably won't kick...much.

You mean this one, I think. I KNEW this was going to come up. Probably the attacking grizzly on the box suggests it for this discussion. I fired it at the S&W range in Springfield last year. It's a beast and a half.

I'll stick with my 686 (.357) for dangerous critter protection, TYVM.


Long gun: I love shooting .308; when I'm in a place where I'll actually get to use it, I'm getting another Steyr Scout.
Of course, the Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70 gov't. is a nice piece of backup, too.

 

[PropStop]

These are lots of great suggestions. Ah, can't wait to go gun hunting when I get there. I'm not sure what I'll do first, go shopping for firearms or buy a house... I think the wife will want the house. But hey, you can't look at houses ALL day...

H60, I too am in the "drop em in one shot" club. The last thing I want to do is chase something through the woods or have it suffer. Quick and clean.

I have a shoty already but I'll probably invest in a pistol grip style for home defense and hiking in really high density bear areas. I also have dogs, which are generally pretty good at deterring bears. Why I don't know, but they are.

 

[A4sForever]

... I too am in the "drop em in one shot" club....

There's no such thing. It's ALWAYS shot placement, shot placement, shot placement ... and shot placement. Or, it's just pure dumb 'luck'. Personally, I'd rather be 'lucky' than 'good' any day ...

I just reread your original post -- YOU'VE GOT ORDERS TO AK .. ??? NAVY ORDERS ??? Where are you going ... ??? Elmendorf ... ???

 

[Bevo16]

Get one of these:

If 20 rounds of .308 does not knock it down, it's immortal.