Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Must have firearms for Alaska

Should pretty much cover all hunting, I say.

12ga shotgun
30/06
45-70 Guide Gun
.22lr rifle
.22lr pistol

I'd lose the last two and substitute a 223 and a 357, and a Dillon 550B and a bullet casting setup.

A real handgun is nice, which would be a 44 mag on up to whatever you can handle. Also dittos on the 223.

I'd ditch the guide gun in favor of a .338 or .375. A good bolt gun is just as fast as fast as a lever action for followup shots, and not all shots in AK are in deep cover. Not to mention a scoped rifle is better at placing shots in low light conditions vs. irons. And with a .338 or .375, the deer/bou rifle can be much lighther than an -06, say something in the 25-28 caliber range, short action.

I was going to say nix the 06 and add a 270/7mm and a 338. I'd still keep a 16in SS Guide Gun myself.

A bolt action 30-06, a pump 12 ga and any 22lr that suits you will be all anyone actually needs.
Other than those - well opinions vary. There are no bad guns or calibers, just wrong applications.

Guide gun would be cool. But someone noted a bolt gun is fast.

They are REALLY fast if you practice. I"d be willing to be as fast as a lever or faster.
And can pack much more power.

IMHO from what I"ve seen, you can't go wrong with a 338 Win mag in there.

22 pistol

44mag or 45 colt w/4" barrel

260or so to a 338 mag,,30-06 would be fine too,,

A heavy 416,425 ,458 etc

This would work for me!

Everybody up there has a different theory on guns and for different reasons. Hard to argue with a 12 ga pump.
Your main hunting rifle 30-06, 300 Win, 338 Win, what ever appeals to you.
I have to admit I hauled my 45-70 around for a ton of years and enjoyed having it. I liked the XS sights and 430 grain hard cast.
Couple of handguns 44 Mag or 45 Colt with hard casts are about all the recoil MOST people can handle. Plus you can use shot shells and accomplish the same thing as a 22 pistol, but it's fun to have the 22.
22 pistol for spruce grouse, or ptarmigan.
That's plenty to start with.

double tap

22 pistol

22 centerfire rifle of about any chambering, a current 222 is mighty hard to match... but 223 is probably a better choice.

7-08 or 7x57 for most everything

375AI for serious stuff

12 gauge pump

.22 Pistol with Bull Barrel and red dot sight

.22 Magnum rifle

.30-06

.338/.340

12 Ga.

,22 rf rifle ( I have 3 or 4)

12 guage 3 inch chamber (I have 3 or 4)

.300 Short mag. (don't have one)

I've found little practical use for a .22 pistol ( I have 3). Nor for a large caliber - I have one currently, owned several in the past.

Mostly I use a 20 Ga. vs the 12's.

The .243, .260, .25-06 (sold, dammit), .270(converted to hvy bbl '06,), '06 standard and carbine bbl lengths/weights, 308 Norma Mag (long since lost in a fire), and .338 WM have all done yeoman's duty over the last 40 plus years. I carry the Win 94 in .30-30 more than any other...but kill less with it. In fact, that whitetail doe in 1966 was the last kill, but I've hope for a moose with it. ( I took my first moose with a Marlin 336 in .30-30 ) The '94 and the .260 - everything else has taken a moose, including the 12 guage and a .22 pistol (road hit finish).

It just doesn't matter what you hit em with, if placed properly at reasonable range....

A "must have" list of five is already a "collectors list". (Not downing on collectors either as I like having my 40-plus calibers revolvers, a few lever guns - the 30-30 is even quite handy in a scabbard, the medium cased 20-somethings, a 223 of course...) But, what Phil said: .22/12/30-06....... ...my Winchester M670 30-06, a Remington M870 12 gauge, and a Winchester M94/22 were among the first guns I bought here in Alaska over three decades ago. They still get used regularly, and they'd be among the last to go if I thin things down. Certainly those are chamberings I'd keep.

Those suggestions make a lot of sense. I would have expected a .458 Win added to the mix.

Phil's answer was the same I got 40 odd years ago when I set foot here.t The fella I asked owned a hardware store in Cordova,06,12 gauge,and a .22 Colt Woodsman.

It was good advice then and with the price and availablity of ammo today it still is.

Phil's comments remind me of an article written by G. Sitton way back when (wish I still had a copy). He told the story of an older gentleman who lived in a modest home, never married, and spent his life hunting all over the world. He only ever owned 4 firearms, for both hunting (small & large game), and for self-defense. A .30/06 bolt rifle, 12 ga. dbl barrel shotgun, a .22 rifle, and a Colt 1911 .45 acp (I think that was the list anyway).
I've often thought back on this story & been envious of the life led by this gentleman.....

That sounds vaguely familiar. I saved some of Sitton's stuff cause it was so straight forward. When I get time, I'll have to dig into my folders of saved articles.

I'd think a fella could get by pretty well with just a .44 mag Redhawk or SBH for a Pistole and a Lever Action .44 Mag rifle to make a combo set. Especially with good Hardcast LBT WLN 280gr bullets.
And then a 12ga pump and a Ruger semi-auto .22 Pistol. For hunting birds & small game, and also the 12ga with slugs for Bear defense.

If I was heading to AK to homestead, or trying to make a living Hunting & Trapping, I would take 3 guns for sure of all the many I own.
I'd take my 300 RUM for big game. My WW M.70 Featherweight in 7x57. And a AR-15 in .556/.223.
Also would take 2 Pistols. A 4" Redhawk in either .44mag or 45 L.C. And some type of .22 LR Pistol.

If I had to survive in Alaska with only 1 weapon it would be a 22, pistol for me. I trap and live in the bush year round and have killed more with my K-22 than all other firearms combined! That would probably change if I was a duck hunter though.