About 3 weeks ago I got an assignment to Eielson AFB near Fairbanks AK. I will be there for 4 years and am stoked about getting there this August. I have hunted a decent amount in lower 48 but mostly small game and whitetail. From what I have been told I am lookin at buying a 300 winmag and considering a .44 super redhawk. I am wondering what the frequent hunters up there carry and if I really do need a handgun in the first place.

I have been told by a lot of people to get at least a 300 win. A friend of mine said to be weary of developing a flinch with a mag rifle so im really not sure what will give me the best all around weapon for alaskan hunting without too much of a beating from the weapon. I have only hunted lower 48 with 30-30 or 12 guage slugs in thick woods with for whitetail so I have no experience with large game rifles. Any suggestions appreciated!

.30-30 to .300 Win Mag is a pretty good jump. If you can try out a few friend's rifles at the range before buying, it might prove helpful.

A .30-06 would seem to be more managable, but try first if you can.

If you can handle 12 ga. slugs, you should be able to withstand the .300 WM and even the .338 WM.

As with the shotgun, these aren't really fun guns to benchrest shoot all day - will give you an Excedrin headache! :eek:

But, for standing on your hind legs and shooting, won't be any worse than the slug gun.

Look through the Alaska Hunting Forum here at Beartooth. Much of the rifle stuff has been gone over quite a bit. I will say here, though, that the 300 is an exceptional round for Alaska. I do feel a little more comfortable in Brown bear country along the southern coast with a little more bullet weight and diameter, but for the interior, the various 300's are fine.

There are as many opinions about carrying a handgun as there are outdoorsmen in Alaska. I carry one, a 500 Linebaugh, before that was a hot loaded 45 Colt in a Ruger Redhawk. A handgun is no rifle, but it is always with you, especially when it counts for bear protection.

The number one most popular round in Alaska is.... 30-06.

Properly loaded and used carefully, it can handle just about anything. Moose, caribou, sheep, goats, musk ox, bison, black bears, even grizzlies. I'd prefer something a bit heavier for bears, especially the brownies along the coast, but the 220 grain '06 loads are known for their penetrating ability.

The old 300 H&H doesn't kick much more than the '06 if you are looking for more speed.

I just got an assignment to Eielson Air Force Base. I will be there for 4 years and am trying to gather all the information i can on gearing up for hunting there. I am considering a 300/338 win or possibly a 30-06. Also I have been lookin at getting a ruger .44 SRH for backup. Just wondering what the best all around rifle for AK would be and also wondering what the general consensus is on carrying a backup sidearm.

Get a 338 Winchester Magnum, good for Moose and Bear. If I didn't already own a large bore pistol I would suggest a 44 mag, 454 Casual, 480 Ruger with the shorter barrel as a sidearm.

If your gonna hunt sheep in the high country a light 270, 280, 06, or any of the magnums in those calibres in a rifle that you don't mind packing to 9000 feet will do ok. I killed my last sheep at over 500 yards with an 06, but I did wish I had a rifle that shot a little flatter at the time. By the way their are lots of buffalo near where your going to be stationed.

Good luck on your tour, I sure enjoyed my time up there. Check out the hunting around Fort Greely.

afhunter.... welcome to the forum, but please don't post the same questions all over the place.

I've merged all the threads together.

It's hard to go wrong with Alyeska's advice....For whatever reason, I've seemed to have met more Alaskans with 338s than anything else....Interior....Coast.....didn't matter. 30 cals are popular, too, (especially belted mags) and a fair number of 375s and 416s. If I were buying one "Alaskan gun," I'd probably grab a 338 Win Mag. If you're in Fairbanks, it'd be a nice caribou or moose gun.

Re: the second part of your question, I always carry a sidearm when in the bush. Everything from a 10mm Delta Elite (with 190 JFP Sierra handloads) to 357 6" M27 N-frame to 4" 41 Mag. Something!

The 338 is an excellent choice - if you can handle it. I've never had a problem with a 338 that has the right stock design for me. A lot of people disagree.

If you are accustomed to shooting a 30-30, a 300 or 338 is a huge jump in the recoil department. Better an '06 that you can put the bullet where it needs to go than a 338 or 300 that causes a bad flinch and wounded animals.

Unless you are hunting the big coastal brown bears in the thick stuff, a 338 really isn't needed. It's nice to have, but not required. For sheep, goats, caribou, the flatter trajectory of the 300 (WM, Wby, WSM, H&H, or other) might be more beneficial.

I carry a sidearm in the backcountry while fishing, working, hiking, camping, etc... The advantage of a handgun is that it is with you at all times and always with quick access. A shotgun or rifle leaning against a tree, left in camp, or slung across your back can turn you into a spectator real quick.

Whether using a rifle or handgun for bears, use good quality bullets, the best you can afford. Something that is constructed to break bones and penetrate into the next state. But most of all, practice putting the first shot exactly where it needs to be.

I will add to what others have said: Unless you plan to buy an out of the ordinary gun, you may get a better deal here in Alaska. I only paid $399.00 for my .338WM Ruger M77 MK-II over ten years ago. Fred Meyer and others have gun sales during the summer months, and the BX/PX will match the local prices. It's much easier to buy guns right here in Alaska than trying to bring them through Canada, specially handguns.

Anyone have experience bringing a handgun through Canada? I was considering buying the handgun here but that could change depending on the difficulty of bringing it across the border.

You won't be bringing any handguns through Canada, unless you're on a airplane.

A lot easier to buy one when you get here. There are several places (note Ray's post) that have a wide selection and decent prices. My understanding is that Sportsman's Warehouse will open a store in Fairbanks this fall. The one in Anchorage has a wide selection and competitive pricing.

No Alaska experience here...but...a good quality '06 with the best scope you can buy is still a standard. And it will fit in with your previous shootin/hunting experience. The '06 can go from mild (Remington Reduced Recoil ammo) to wild (Light Magnums from Hornady).

The pistol question is not my forte: my guess is that a Ruger in 44 Mag. would be a good choice. Just practice a lot and wear it every time your feet are on the ground.

most folks realize one thing when hunting or carrying and this is always the same question--can I make the shot? It is always good to ask especially for those of us that live here in the state. I've hammered and dropped like a freight train most moose and bears with a .270 and can never say enough about how well that works but......we can argue that. One time I used a 300 winmag and it still seemed light for a big grizz we had to track---I was the one taking the shot---I swear their is some interior bears almost as big as them coastal bears. That winter I pondered that hunt over and over and bought a .375RUM--hits all my targets hard never seems to need a second shot. Your handgun still needs you to do the work as most handguns generally do theirs-- redhawk in .45 colt or bigger is pretty near the to do -----practice, practice and practice. Have fun.

If you are shooting 12 gauge magnum slugs from the bench at all then you have a reasonable idea what the 300 Win Mag will be like. I would go with the 30-06, controlled feed in a rifle and then .45 Colt or .44 magnum in a handgun.

Do Not bother with trying to bring a handgun through Canada.
Long guns are enough of a hassle but that can be done so long as you do all your homework first. The Canadians do not like handguns and like travelling handguns even less.

Those two will work just fine and you will be able to find inexpensive ammo everywhere up here.

You sure you are going to be at Eielson for four years with that base being on the chopping block/ BRAC list? Mothball crew?

Anyway, good luck.

Consider the .35 Whelen or the 338-06 as viable alternatives to the stiff recoil of the magnum cartridges mentioned above. If you reload, the Browning BLR in .358 Winchester is a great "walk around" rifle that can also throw a heavy 225, or 250 grain bullet with authority.

Alaska fly fishermen find the .44 Mag revolver with a 4" barrel a handy addition to their hip, without being too obtrusive. This pistol can also shoot the milder .44 Special ammo for most target and small game hunting purposes.

alyeska338: You are correct about Sportsman's Warehouse. Also, the Sports Store on post will match any of the local prices, except for real big discounts. I remember buying a Nikon spotting scope and ammo at Fred Meyer, all at 40% discount.

The spotter costs $409 at Cabela's, and I got it for just over $200.00.

Wal-Mart had Weatherby Vanguards in .300 Weatherby for $379.

George

My"walking around rifle" is a Marlin 1895 45/70. Handgun, .44 SRH. Jst got a 454 SRH in a trade. That sucker KICKS!!Now I know why the guy traded it with only 11 rounds through it.
Changed grips, that helped. Changed powder, that helped too. Might tame that sucker yet.
Might try some of Marshall's 405grain bullets at about 1100-1200 fps. Good for a camp gun.
Seriously, you can't beat the old '06 for an all around rifle. For a handgun that's to be carried all the time, a .44mag in a Ruger Blackhawk is a nice light, hard hitting package. Practice, practice, practice!!! If you don't reload, try to find someone who does and get them to teach you, and do it yourself. Practice is a whole lot more affordable, and reloading is FUN!!
It ain't rocket science.

I just got an assignment to Eielson Air Force Base. I will be there for 4 years and am trying to gather all the information i can on gearing up for hunting there. I am considering a 300/338 win or possibly a 30-06. Also I have been lookin at getting a ruger .44 SRH for backup. Just wondering what the best all around rifle for AK would be and also wondering what the general consensus is on carrying a backup sidearm.

I was Ft. Wainwright back in the 80's for three years. I would agree with alyeska in choice of rifle. You don't need a big rifle to hunt Alaska. As far as a handgun for walking around and fishing and such you would be better with a short shotgun. Tey are much more effective and take less practice to be proficiant (sp) with.

When I was there I had only two instances where I felt deadly force was called for (with the wildlife anyway). Both times were with moose and not the bears. Bears really don't like us and will try to avoid us in most cases. Moose think that everything is theirs and you best leave while you are still able.

My carry piece for outdoor fun was a .41 Rem magnum Ruger Blackhawk with 4and 5/8 barrel. My advise is get there and then decide what to buy. Fairbanks will have some great firearms dealers and the base gun club can be a great source also.