Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Most popular caliber carried in AK.

Yeah, I agree with Bear Hunter.

Since we've kind of got off-track concerning the original context of this thread - now we're not so much talking about our personal hunting favorite(s), but talking about what we estimate is the most popular caliber among our fellow Alaskans - I haven't noticed a lot of tendency toward short magnums, either.

However, if there is such leaning toward short mags, it seems that it's the .270 rather than the .300 and that leaning tends to be among sheep hunters, for the most part. But there again, that's but a tiny fraction of the hunting populace in Alaska.

It is my belief that the .338 Winchester magnum is probably the most popular caliber among Alaska residents, followed by the .30-06. But, that's just a layman's estimation.

I don't think any local university has ever published a research project on the topic.

Guys check out this thread:

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com...all-around-quot-AK-hunting-rifle-caliber

This vote says the 300WM, 338WM, 30-06, in that order.

Alaska is so dang big,that it's hard to say that any 1 caliber is preferred across the state. In my area, the 243 is popular amongst the native hunters and neck shots are preferred.

Yes, it's a huge state - the biggest in fact - but with a tiny population. The majority of Alaska's population resides in Southcentral and within that region, Anchorage holds more than 50% of the entire state population. Since by far and away more hunters reside within that general region than the other five regions combined and since large majority of those hunters are recreational hunters, I still believe that the large magnum caliber probably gets the nod in reference to most popular caliber among Alaskans, as a whole. But there again, I doubt any local and/or distant university has done a theoretic hypothesis and published it, concerning the matter. Would be interesting if a grad student would research it and then publish a thesis, though.

I know of no research from a university either, but a range master published the following table in AFG - Magazine a couple of years ago.



Seems to bear out the general consensus of this thread.
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Source added - AFG seems to have removed the info, but found this.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=374903

Was that a list of range users?

1848 hunters preparing for hunting season at Rabbit Creek in Anchorage.

That's interesting anecdotal information, for sure.

Worth to you what it cost you, I guess...

Calling this "anecdotal" reads a bit "off the soap box" to me.

It didn't cost me anything, by the way.

"Anecdotal" is lay science; such as that which was garnered via the range monitor.

A thesis would result to a scientific hypothesis and that would be something more tangible and therefore, much more accurate and more credible.

Nevertheless, it's still interesting anecdotal information.

My money is on the '06 overall. .223's and 30-30's are very common in the villages.

Jeff

After living in Alaska for over 40 years and hunting / shooting almost every animal you can legally take, plus talking to a lot of other hunters.

My top 3 picks for the "MOST POPULAR CALIBER CARRIED IN ALASKA" would have been:
.30-06
.300 Win Mag
.338 Win Mag

Just as the information cmg found states, a pole of 1848 different hunters preparing for hunting season in Alaska. The top 3 on the list account for almost 60% of the hunters in that state.

If I were choosing one all-around rifle for Alaska it would be a .300 Win Mag shooting 200 grn Partitions. Shots can be long and a lot of the critters are bigger, plus some bite back.

Second choice would be a .30-06 shooting 180 Partitions, I've used that on everything from Sitka Blacktail Deer to Brown Bear with good success.

There are a lot of good calibers out there and a person doesn't have to go with a whiz bang magnum. Using a good premium bullet goes a long way in making up for power, in my humble opinion.

If you haven't yet, every one needs to hunt Alaska at least once

That could very well be, Jeff. Back in the 50's 60's and on until the early 70's, that certainly seemed to be the case. Still might be. But I'm not so sure anymore. I mean, gosh, there's a hell of a lot of guys out there in the brush using .338 Winchesters. But, it's hard to say. Would be interesting if someone did a study on it though.

Does anybody in Alaska only own one gun? haha


I actually know 1 "1" gun guy, and he slays the Sitka Blacktails and sheep with a 30-06. The rest of the guys I know own a pile of guns.

I hunted out of a small, native village this last season in moose/griz country and used a local transporter. About as remote as you can get. The older native guy had a 338 Win Mag with iron sites. His nephew had a 300 RUM.

Yes, up here I have only one rifle that I keep with me full-time. But, like you mention, I'm the exception.

How about a Ruger 375 or is the ammo too hard to find?

I talked to the manager of VF Grace a couple years ago and he told me the biggest selling rifle calibre, and ammo sales, excluding the 22lr or the 223 is the 243Win.
I thought it odd, but he stated that the natives love the calibre. After a few years behind the gun counter, I believe him, I sold a lot of them.
30-06 and 300 Win were next in line, followed by 338 Win. Just my observations though, nothing scientific.

Up here, .375 catridges are readily available, as are loading supplies for that caliber.

Thank you for clearing these things up for me.

You err, however.

Just the fact of application of scientific principle does not necessarily change the accuracy and precicion of the result.

The range master may very well have, in his way, hit the nail on the head.

I laud his efforts.

BTW - the range master never labeled this as "science".

It's just a survey of a damn lot of hunters preparing to go afield.

4 in 10 use a 30 caliber.