Your idea of the ultimate "Alaskan firearm"

[piper266]

I'm headed up to Alaska in a few weeks. Like many of you on here, the best souvenir would be a new firearm to bring back home with me. If you've been up there, or lived up there, are there any "uniquely" Alaskan guns that you'd consider buying?

[Spots]

A gun Id want in Alaska would be a 4" barreled S&W 500

Sent from behind my anvil in ye olde smithy

[TrickyNicky]

I imagine hunting rifles and large caliber revolvers are pretty "Alaskan".

Personaly sight me up for one of them mosin Nagants converted into a handgun. That's a bear stopper right there.

[hipower]

I imagine hunting rifles and large caliber revolvers are pretty "Alaskan".

Personaly sight me up for one of them mosin Nagants converted into a handgun. That's a bear stopper right there.

 

Yes, and I bet it would stop the man firing it as well.

[TrickyNicky]

Yes, and I bet it would stop the man firing it as well.

Hey, I'm volunteering to own it, not shoot it. I'm pretty sure it would make a handy EDC if you were inclined to open carry it. Bad guys would take one look at that and say "never mind, maybe I'll get a job after all."

Seriously though, when we were younger my friends and I would have contests seeing who could fire the heaviest 12gauge loads one handed. My record was I think 6 3" slugs in a sitting. Want to talk about a sore arm? Afterwords you'd feel like you just arm wrestled Mike Tyson.

[173rdABN]

I have a s&w 329pd I'd personally use.

[leroy]

Find ya a 4 inch Redhawk or a 4 5/8 blackhawk in a caliber from 44 mag up.  Make sure ya get a holster like this one:http://www.diamonddcustomleather.com/Chest_Holsters.php  ..

 

 

leroy

[Garufa]

Buy a handgun at Walmart.  That's uniquely Alaskan.

[Caster]

Well being as you posted in the "long guns" section, I'm assuming you weren't looking for handgun suggestions.  If I were dreaming I'd likely go for a Montana Rifle Company XVR in .35 Whelen.  It's stainless, synthetic [you're gonna want that in Alaska!] and my shoulder cannot handle the bigger powerhouses anymore since I injured it but the 35 Whelen is manageable and MORE than enough if you put the bullet where it needs to go.  Price tag of $1400 is a very reasonable price considering what you get.  It is fitted with iron sights which is another prerequisite to back up a scope out there.  

http://www.montanarifleco.com/custom.rifles.html

 

 

 

 

I will say everyone is right to suggest a large caliber handgun as a side arm.  In that case I'd say a reasonable revolver in NO LESS than .44 magnum, preferably a .454 Casull or larger.  Since we're dreaming here I'd put in for a Hamilton Bowen built M1917 Redhawk in .50 AE.  I'd have it built on a stainless action though.  Only problem with this handgun is the price is north of 4K and a year wait.  

http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/gallery.html

Edited March 18, 2013 by Caster

[nightrunner]

Personally id think a ruger super redhawk alaskan paired with a wild west guns custom marlin lever chambered in .50Alaskan. Doesnt get much more alaskan than that.

[1gewehr]

I can pretty well guarantee that almost any gun you find up there will be more expensive than the same gun in the lower 48.  Still, the Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70 is pretty popular up there. 

[trevorst]

45-70 guide gun is a great suggestion. Handgun I would want my Glock 20 10mm with 15 rounds of hard cast 200 gr. from the people I have talked with no handgun is sufficient for Alaska.... I figure the glock 20 you have lots of chances to make a grizzly mad, plus you have options such as saving a few rounds to shoot a companion in the legs after all you only need to run faster than someone...

[gregintenn]

See if you can find some old 1899 Savages while up there.

[quietmike]

The Alaskan co-pilot

 

http://www.wildwestguns.com/custom-guns-2/alaskan-co-pilot/

[xRUSTYx]

SCAR 17s ... Will handle anything up there, plus you got 20 rounds just in case it don't :)

[RWF]

i just had a 30-06 and a 41 mag black hawk. there were a time or 2 i did feel under gunned but no issues.

that was before the 35 wheelen was a commercial round but that would be a good choice for all around unless sheep or goat is on your things to do list, then something that shoots alittle flatter.

this time of year bears should not be a issue

have fun.

[Jason in TN]

Here is what I would carry maybe a pistol too but this would be first choice.

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/bigbore/1895g.asp

[Magiccarpetrides]

Duh, Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in 454 Casull

 

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Faster

Edited March 19, 2013 by Magiccarpetrides

[Caster]

See if you can find some old 1899 Savages while up there.

Oh heck yeah. Done told the wife, that's what I want for Christmas this year.

[Jonnin]

Not sure what you will find for sale up there.   All I can remember in the way of a gun shop was a pawn place, in fairbanks.  Not one to window shop, and dealing with out of state buys is usually not worth it, I did not look too hard though.   Nothing rings a bell as "unique".   The locals have bigger calibers, but its the same stuff we have in TN -- large caliber revolvers or big rifles. 

[peejman]

My first thought was a heavy caliber lever gun.  .45-70 or bigger. 

[JAB]

I remember seeing an episode of some non-fiction type show - don't even remember what show it was but I don't think it was a 'gun' or 'hunting' themed show - that was set in Alaska.  The setting appeared to be somewhat rural and the regulars hired a couple of guides to help get them where they were going (on snowmobiles.)  The guides carried pistols in holsters mounted to one of the handlebars on their snowmobiles.  Funny thing was, the pistols were Ruger Mk (not sure if they were I, II or III) semiautomatic .22 pistols.  They were apparently of the opinion that if you ran into anything bigger than the .22 could handle then your best bet was to go wide open on the snowmobile and hope for the best.

 

As for me, I'd want at least an Alaskan in .44 Mag.  Heck, for that matter I have no plans to go to Alaska and I'd still kind of like to have an Alaskan in .44 Mag.

Edited March 19, 2013 by JAB

[Murgatroy]

I will say everyone is right to suggest a large caliber handgun as a side arm.  In that case I'd say a reasonable revolver in NO LESS than .44 magnum, preferably a .454 Casull or larger.  Since we're dreaming here I'd put in for a Hamilton Bowen built M1917 Redhawk in .50 AE.  I'd have it built on a stainless action though.  Only problem with this handgun is the price is north of 4K and a year wait.  

http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/gallery.html

You know, I came into this thread to mention a Marlin Guide Gun in .45/70 Gov't and/or a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan in .454 Casull.

 

 

However, I will be in my bunk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am a sucker for a wheel gun, and holy smokes, is that a wheel gun. I have followed Bowen's work for years, but somehow, that has escaped me. I am in pure lust.

[dlm37015]

to buy an alaskan gun go to johnsons gunshop google it you can find it .get a 50 alaskan i have 2 1 levergun 1 bolt gun nothing like it 500 grain bullet at 2000 plus fps

fot a handgun get a glock 20 thats a 100 load it with 200 grain fmj no other handgun will give you as much firepower that that. ps i am not a glock person but it is the best for that job

[Ratfink]

Alot of people up there carry 10mm glock 20s.