Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Moving from Alaska to Idaho need Ideas

Ok guys so I`m leaving Alaska after 50 years figured how to ship most of my stuff. Question how to get my primers, powder and reloaded ammo to Idaho. I will ship all my empty unprimed brass and boxes of bullets. But how to do the rest even if its just to seattle and I can pick it up and drive it over. Aaron

Unless you have a shipper that can do hazardous material, I think you are out of luck from legitimate sources

Yes I figured I might be screwed I may to to pull all my loaded ammo down to components to save the brass and bullets. I was told primed brass could be shipped to Alaska but postal regs seem say different. If I`m
wrong I can prime a [bleep] ton of brass to take primers with me. Just want to know what other`s that have moved from here have done. Also in coming weeks will be selling alot of my rifles here to bring collection down to minimum. Will try face to face in Alaska as I don`t want to ship them out and be troubled with ffl fees etc. Aaron

Well for selling off your firearms, depending on who they go to, you should be able to just ship them to the FFL with a copy of your DL. Some states require an FFL to FFL, and some dealers don't deal with individuals, but that should be on the buyer to know. Still the shipping fees would be high from AK, so better dealing up there if you can.

But loaded ammo can be shipped via UPS or Fedex. USPS doesn't deal with ORM-D or hazardous.
In today's climate that is going to be cheaper than buying new.

Send the wife in her car on the state ferry to Seattle.

I don`t think we can get to ferry system without going through part of canada as far as I know.

But loaded ammo can be shipped via UPS or Fedex. USPS doesn't deal with ORM-D or hazardous.
In today's climate that is going to be cheaper than buying new.[/quote]
Cant ship Ammo from Alaska

Load up your components and sell the rest of your powder. Get a hold of me with your list of powders. Kurt

Yes will be making a few trips by alaska airlines with firearms as they allow that in excess checked baggage. And I can drive over from seattle or go straight to boise with them. May be a pain thats why Im getting rid of alot and keeping just all my handguns and a few rifles. Will leave some with my parents and make a few trips. Yes will take all my brass and bullets and reloading equipment in vehicle on tote to seattle. Will sell all my primers and powder here. God after 40 years I didn`t realize I had hoarded so much stuff. Vehicle will be damn heavy LOL.

you had all of Idaho to choose from and you chose Boise/LA north?

Whittier to Bellingham via AMHS..... I know someone that did just this with 2 safes worth of guns, etc. Of course that assumes that route is still in service. I shipped the majority of my firearms from Fairbanks to New Mexico with American Relocation Services. Everything was inventoried, crated and sealed right in front of me in Fairbanks and unsealed and inventoried again upon delivery. Bullets and brass were no problem, but I did leave an awful lot of loaded ammo, powder and primers behind with my sons. The logistics of moving that stuff was just a big PITA.

Also 8KG is about 17lbs.

Explosives Type Quantity
Model rocket motors that each have a maximum total impulse of 80 newton-seconds (NFPA alpha designations A to E, as indicated on the motor or its packaging) 6
Avalanche airbag systems 3
Small arms cartridges (Import or Export) 5,000
Small arms cartridges (Transport in Transit) 50,000
Percussion caps (primers) for small arms cartridges (Import and Export) 5,000
Percussion caps (primers) for small arms cartridges (Transported in Transit) 50,000
Empty primed small arms cartridge cases (Import and Export) 5,000
Empty primed small arms cartridge cases (Transport in Transit) 50,000
Black powder and hazard category PE 1 black powder substitutes 8 kg in containers of 500 g or less
Smokeless powder and hazard category PE 3 black powder substitutes 8 kg in containers of 4 kg or less

As far as the loaded ammo goes, you should be fine for the short distance through Canada. When I left in '08, I took a lot of ammo with me from Eagle River to Indiana, going by ferry from Haines. You just need to declare it at the border. At least that is how it used to be.

This, expensive, and scheduling might be difficult with the virus stuff, but that is what I was going to suggest next

We were going to move to Idaho two years back. We opted to stay in Alaska. We made arrangements with a container shopper to deliver a 20 foot container to our house and we’d load load it. They would pick it up the next day and ship by barge. They were going to store it for $10 a day in Seattle until we completed the drive from Alaska and deliver it to the home in Idaho. I’ll go back through my emails but I think it was through the marine division of Lynden.

We moved up to Alaska the same way. Shipped all the guns and reloading in the container. I was going to do the same had we moved two years ago.

You can mail your long guns to yourself care-of someone at your new location. That person is not allowed to open them.
When we moved many years ago we carried handguns on our Alaska Airline flights. We did not take possession of our baggage in Washington. This may be a real consideration with the current laws in Washington state.
You can also have loaded ammo in your baggage with certain limits on weight and packaging.
In past years going through Canada you were permitted to have 200 rounds of loaded ammo per person without paying duty.
You'll certainly want to verify all this but I don't things have changed except for , perhaps, Washington state laws

Wife`s choice her job here will let us move there and she will keep her same job and be able to support us till I find work.. Her family is all there now and her mom and our son. We are getting tired of the weather here. Been here since 1972 as a airforce brat I am now 58 time for something different. I am checking with tote as they may be able to ship stuff in container like lynden does. Thats how I brought my new car up from seattle 2 years ago by barge.Wife has brought back her brothers and nephews guns in checked on baggage twice this year 2 giant heavy cases from boise. What would be the issue of picking them up in seattle airport to put in the car and drive them from seattle. We are going to ship the two cars down.I thought washington was a good gun state.

A few years ago I got sick of dealing with this shipping nonsense and talked my son, who lives in Rapid City, into getting certified to ship primers, powder, etc. If you cannot find any better way you could drive your primers, powder and ammo over to him and he will include it in one of my loads (we accumulate until we have a near-minimum-charge load to make it not so expensive). Obviously if you can find someone in Idaho who is primer/powder certified, that would be better.

My son palletizes the load and ships by truck over to the barge co. The whole thing costs around $5 - 6 per pound to ship stuff up, but with a jug of powder costing $500 or more in the Lower 48, another $50 is not the problem!

You are not going to be able to replace much when you get here, unless things change drastically. A friend who works at the Anchorage Cabela's told me they have over 200 people in line at their door when they open every Monday morning, because they stock the shelves with whatever primers etc. they got on Sunday night. BUT, they typically receive enough for about six people. Can you imagine? No place else is getting in anything to speak of, either.

I have moved or helped a friend move out of Alaska 3 times since 2003. I bought a U-Haul for $3500 drove to Iowa pulling a jeep behind. Painless until re-entering the USA our border patrol can be tedious.
>>>>>>The Highway is not an option this year.

>>>>>>AMH is running Very few ferries, the gap to Wrangell was from Nov last year to Feb this year with delays and a disabled ship so far this year.

>>>>>>We moved my friend from The Valley to The Midwest last summer. By freight FIFTY THREE FEET of semi trailer LENGTH ! Everything, lawn mowers, power tools a lathe... in the semi trailer and a 3/4 ton Dodge truck and a Crown Vic.The trucking company is on 4th street in Anchorage. We boxed and inventoried everything then the trucking crew packed it garage to trucks..They also inventoried every thing ! I did not write the check for that move guessing on the order of $40K

>>>>>>My second move was 2017 Juneau to Portland Or. One 24' container from my driveway in Juneau $4400 delivered to about 20 feet from the door of my storage unit, in Portland. I rented a U-Haul parked it between the container and the storage unit door. I unloaded the essentials into the U-Haul and everything else went into a 20 foot storage unit. I unpacked it in a day. The next day AML removed the container. ALL WENT WELL! We also drove a vehicle after a ferry ride to Prince Rupert but that port is closed maybe forever! Not that long ago an it seems very inexpensive.

Rates NORTHBOUND were about twice of the cost to ship South. But the demand has been freight up...empty ships down. Guessing Southbound is still less money than Northbound. Seems folks are leaving Alaska so that may even shipping charges (?)

>>>>>> Lastly, We moved a 15 passenger one ton van and a Nissan sedan by Samson Tugs, Seattle to Wrangell. The van was full of books and sporting goods. Cost was $3600 We flew PDX To WRG.>>>>>>>>> Northbound is still expensive.

Wow, why would you Be leaving the land of plentiful game & outdoors. Lol I’m thinking about moving there one day. Alaska has always been a dream of mine

The reason all compass point north is because Alaska sucks.

Wishing you safe travels. One small favor, please talk as many as possible into moving out of Alaska. It is getting crowded up here and my dividend would go up and less people on the Kenai during the red run.

That is funny coming from Butthole WA...

Yep. Load up belongings in a conex and ship to WA state or take it yourself via ferry that is not stopping in Canada. It would be difficult to replace with new stock currently and who knows when or future vost availibility

You are correct!

most of the time first winter and snow in june is helping a lot to run back south ... i noticed that here too ...

Apparently you haven't been there.

I sure was.

Aren't you the idiot that posted about rifle stocks splintering in cold weather?

It’s not for everyone, that much is sure. Those that love it here, really love it. (See my sig line)

Since it wasn’t agreeable with you, good you were not a sourdough -
Sour on Alaska and not having the dough to leave.

You need to reread what I said.

Your reading skills are a true indicator of your idiocy.

I made my first trip to Alaska Dec. 20 1980. I was driving a 1978 Frieghtliner cabover. I was scared chitless. I got to my destination Wasilla. They had had a Christmas party the night before . The people were amazing. I did that run off and on until 2002
. I absolutely loved it.

Bumping this to see how things have changed with vaccines and reg changes etc, as I'll likely be doing this next year. My current plan is to load a truck with reloading components/ firearms/ other outdoor gear that would benefit from being hand delivered and drive to Seattle, then ferry from there to Anchorage. Any glaring discrepancies with that plan? Powder and primers good to go that way?

Your screwed on your dividend unless you vote out most of the legislature. I was extremely a pro buy out when we lived there. Everyone thought i was nuts, then came walker. How many thousands has each resident lost?

"You can also have loaded ammo in your baggage with certain limits on weight and packaging." quote:

50 lbs per checked bag. Factory or similar packaging (such as those plastic (3M? ) cartridge boxes.

You don't need all those clothes anyway.....

Sell the ammo here. You will make more than replacement fee.

....
100% FACT ..... True story

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depends on how bad he needs stuff when he gets to Idaho. Might get more money but if you can't buy what you need then its moot.

Pick up the ferry in Haines you will never touch Canada. I did the same move after selling my guiding Business. Idaho is a great state.
Littlejohn PM me if you have questions

It’s been 9 months and the OP is posting like he’s still in ER. I wonder if he’s still moving?

No we are still here we decided to stay one more year hope to get out by the end of summer. Still alot of work to do on house, kids wanted one more year with their friends. Have figured out how to get everything down using ferry out of whittier. They said everything but blackpowder which I sold is allowed to be in vehicles and trailer. Other vehicles will go down with tote and driven over to boise from seattle .After just getting my prop tax card I`m realizing the politicians here are out to screw everyone as it jumped 18,300 this year are they [bleep] nuts all I did was lay a new driveway last fall. And really sell my ammo I can replace it!!!! I don`t think not for the prices I paid for all this stuff since 1978 . Aaron

Just sell and move down to Kenai or just a tad North to the valley.. where abouts in Idaho?

I didn't read the whole thing, did anyone mention Lynden Transport yet?

Ok,,,,, if you've still got some ammo left, let me what it is, and your asking price, and we can go from there.... Lj

We have property in SE so I guess Alaska sucks hard enough to be sucking me up there….I wish it would suck even harder so I could get the hell out of this once beautiful state turned liberal chithole. 😁

How exactly do you get to Haines without driving through Canada?

Fly?

Have you looked at home prices in Idaho yet?

Exactly! We had plans of moving to Idaho when my wife retires. But lord the housing market is crazy, we were looking at eastern Idaho as well. Prices are still crazy..

Negatory no ammo or reloading supplies are being sold its coming with I ain`t going to try to replace it at todays prices I got enough to keep me and the kids going till I`m dead except maybe primers. Yeah we have looked at house prices around boise thats the wifes deal we even looked at some places right inside the oregon border near boise they were a bit cheaper , they are pretty crazy on their prices for some of the old dumps people are trying to sell down there ,but neighbors houses here been selling for 375,000 in our hood so we should make some good money on our sale to get a place down there. Wife says we are going ,she is done with this state. She has family in boise and her mum and my stepson are there. And I`m so ready to get out 52 years is enough.

I lived in Mtn Home for 3 years, enjoyed it and the hunting was pretty damn good but it's been almost 22 years since I lived there so I'm sure things have changed and not for the better.

Good luck on the move. Your wife sounds like mine. I have heard through the grapevine that my job is going remote so I can go just about anywhere. The wife has a 5 year business commitment for her practice, then she plans on selling out and we leave AK. Both of my sons are wanting out as well. Five years gives the youngest time to finish college before we leave. At this point it’s either SC or FL. I am not a FL fan, but the SIL is there and is currently stage 4 of kidney failure.

Yeah we were looking for a winter home down there. Not the time to buy down there and not sure if it will get better.

Alright kids gather around the fire I have a story to tell.. I came down assignment to leave Alaska in 2013. My report date was Jan 2014 to fort Carson Colorado. My wife and daughter were ecstatic, at this point we been here 5yrs. They couldn’t wait to leave, so get house packed up movers get everything we get house rented and off we go. We get to Carson nice area, it in El Paso County population 900,000 plus yes more people in El Paso County than Alaska. Anyhow we find a nice place to rent life is good. Until summer comes subtle hints how they both miss Alaska wife not really happy with her new job with Dept of Airforce. So she applied for her old job back here in Alaska. October 2014 guess who was driving wife and daughter back to Alaska with a uhual trailer in tow? You guessed it this guy..while everyone hoots and hollers how they hate Alaska and blow out of town. They get to new destination and realize it sucks. We are going to snowbird that’s the extent of us leaving.

At least Boise has a manageable population a lot like Anchorage. Anyone leaving Ak highly recommended finding something with a small population.

Colorado is nice too I lived there before here, My Dad was in the Airforce that`s how we got here. Time to go hunt some deer way more tastier then the moose and caribou here. Will miss the tasty salmon and ptarmigan though. But the older daughter can ship me some fish down.

I’d snowbird here in a heartbeat. I’ve got a bud that just built a house in AZ, with a plan to snowbird for 5 years and then permanent in AZ after that. My plan is to just start leaving the state for 2 weeks every January and going someplace warmer. Once the youngest is out of high school, it won’t be an issue to do that. January is slow for me at work anyways, and a few days in Vegas or somewhere sounds nice!

Not everyone totally regrets leaving. After over 35 years we pulled the plug and ended up in Tennessee. Been 6 years now and we love it. I used to think Alaska had the best fishing but dismissed that. Next month we make a days drive and head out for Yellowfin tuna. We can usually fish year around if you don’t mind 50 degree days. Cost of living here is almost unbelievable.
Do we miss Alaska? At times, yes. Hunting there can’t be compared to anywhere else I ever lived. And fishing and watching killer whales out of Seward was awesome.
It would be great to spend summers back in Alaska. But maybe even better would be a second house and boat in Venice Louisiana. About once a week I run into someone who used to live in Alaska while shopping.
Alaska is a great state with wonderful opportunities. But it is geared more towards younger people and not a retiree friendly state.

Tennessee is one of the top states for Alaskans to move to. About half of the people I know that have left here, went to TN.

I've got a buddy that has a 90ft houseboat on Dale Hollow Lake, he goes there everywhere for a couple of months and he loves it, wouldn't surprise me if he ends up retiring there.

Man! I would hate to have to pay your crack bill!



I have eaten tons of deer from a whole lot of different areas... Sitka blacktails are way ahead of any and every other deer native to the US. But suggesting moose and caribou are inferior to a mulie is ridiculous. A nice grain-fed whitetail can be quite nice, but still not in the running with good eats.