Blu,
Everyone has a philosphy on handguns used in Alaska. It's a big, vast state full of all sorts of folks.

Hunters, hikers, fisherman, guides, commercial fisherman, outfitters, tactical douches, mushers, gang members, Bush pilots, trappers, artists,etc.

Hell, we even have an athabascan rapper, named Samuel John! I dont know what the fk he wraps, maybe Christmas presents?

Anyhow, many of these personalities are packin handgun heat. In my bush travels, I see a lotta different types n choices.

My brother, that crazy fkn Indian, he recently snuck up on a 6 point white tail buck in the fog, by kayak. He popped that buck with his sub compact glock 9 mil. Guy is 6 ft 5 inches tall. It's kinda silly, he cant even get more n two fingers on the grip. He's got massive bear paws. I wont begrudge him on that lil glock, he loves the fkn thing!

Though he's not an Alaskan, my point is, he had it with him because it's handy.

Talk to an APD cop or ah Trooper, they'll tell yah where some Mountain view prostitutes will hide a beretta tomcat or 25 cap. Um, thats ah little too "handy" aye? Hope the cop didn't "handle" it after the search. Covid-19 would be the least of his worries.

I've carried many ah 44 magnum. Though effective, do not discount those handy trail guns like compact 357 mag or a glock 29 10 mm.

When the hiking gets hard, they'll never way yah down.

I'm a little different than most handguners, and have different needs:

Bear protection aside, winter moose are my biggest problem. Ask ANY experienced musher, they'll tell you what it's like to have 1000 lbs of grumpy dumb, come stomp the fk outta the dogs, thinking they are wolves. I can't use heavy hardcast, it could over penetrate and kill a dog. Not happening.

Swift A-frames in both the ladies 10mm and my 357 mag. If you keep the stock spring on the glock 10 mm, it'll digest light duty fmj, that won't damage small game,. The stock spring still works fine if you're not going after that hot loaded, 220 grain hard cast madness.

My handgun must do double duty as a small game getter. I don't own a rimfire. I can only afford a single handgun. I eat beaver on my moose hunts. So fmj's at lower velocity put away at least 200-300 lbs of beaver, grouse, ptarmigan and hare every year.

Running a heavy dog sled up a hill to help the dogs, can't do that with a chubby 44. An sp 101 357 or glock 29 10mm is ideal. With heavy winter parkas like the Northern Outfitters and Apocolypse design out of Fairbanks,, there is only one place for that gun: Front parka pocket.

Little guns like the sp101 and the glock 29 won't way yah down on those steep hikes.

Anyhow, I'm a buffoon of a man,

But dont discount handy compacts. Theyll do everything well. You wont notice it, till you need it.

No name-dropping here: "this guide carries this kinda bullsht".

Just speaking for myself, my experiences, and what works perfectly well for me.

Last edited by mainer_in_ak; 01/07/21.