[loader]

Let's take Fireplug's intruguing question regarding one gun and one load for Alaska wilderness travel/hunting, covering large and small game and add one handgun. COMBINED WEIGHT LIMIT IS 10 LBS.


requirements:

1) Able to take either small or big game as opportunity or need presents.

2) One long gun, one hand gun, one factory load for each - factory loads only.

3) Portability counts. Note 10 pound total weight limit for 2 firearms.

4) Meet Canada's and Alaska's regulations requiring a firearm for wilderness travel.

5) Durable.

Your thoughts.

 

[MikeG]

Can't take a handgun into Canada from U.S.!

 

[Joel B]

Loader

Great thread, but here's my problem. The first time I went to Alaska I didn't take a handgun, figured why when I had a rifle. Then we camped on the Tundra, ...with a boned out Moose on the 4-Wheeler. And blood all over my clothes.. As I thought about being "bait" for the first time, it occured to me that ifun Mr. Bear stepped on my rilfe why I was in the tent, I would have a real problem. The next year my 44 was next to my head, for the close encounters of the furry kind! Haven't needed it so far thank God. And I do mean that!

 

[alyeska338]

It kinda depends on why you have a rifle in the plane to start with. If you are on your way to your hunt, then your rifle will be whatever you are going to be hunting with. That will be determined by what and where you are going to be hunting. That also may determine what handgun you will be carrying. If I'm carrying a 375 H&H rifle to the hunting grounds, I may only want to pack a .22 handgun for grouse or ptarmigan. If I'm carrying a 270 Winchester, I may want to pack a heavy handgun.

If this is going to used in the summer or winter for survival purposes while you are heading on a fishing trip or just flightseeing, a great idea would be to carry a 12 gauge shotgun with slugs and birdshot.

 

[Rmouleart]

If I only could bring a 1 handgun and one rifle, this would be my choice, My scoped 450 Marilin Guidegun using 350gr interlock on top of 50gr of H4198, CCI mag primers, heavy crimp, 2250 fps, this will take anything large with fur within 200 yards,for a handgun, my Ruger Mark2 22LR, this will take care of any small game using Rem yellow jackets hp, with both of these guns I am king of the tundra sleep with one eye open. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

 

[Joel B]

Should have read the thread a little closer, I can have 2 guns! Whew! Much better. 30-06, 180 grain Nosler, FN 98 action. 44 mag pistol, hard cast load, probably the Federal load. Might not make the weight limit.

 

[loader]

Joel -

I think you can make the weight with the '06 @ 6.5 and the 44 @ 3.5 lbs.

 

[Combat Diver]

My pics would be rifle either 1) My SAR-48 Bush rifle (FAL) with Federal .308 Claw 165/180gr. or 2) My Springfield M1903A1 in .30 USGovt with same Federal load. Pistol would be my SW M58 in 41mag with Federal 250gr Cast Core. My FAL may not make the weight but the Springfield and Smith will be close.

De Oppresso Liber

 

[exflatlander]

.375 Winchester for hunting big stuff and protection from bigger stuff and my .357 blackhawk for hunting small stuff and protection from anything else.

(not ideal for some, but the best combo in my safe right now)

 

[kciH]

I'll go with what I have instead of what I would want. I'm not familiar with the Alaska regs, so forgive my ignorance if these don't qualify. I know they'll make the weight requirement. I'd rather have handloads, but factory is the rule.

Rifle-340 Weatherby Mark V with synthetic stock and the factory load with the 225gr X-bullet. I'm sure this will kill anything on the continent unless it charging. It will kill down to deer/antelope without blowing it in half. This shoots as flat as my .270 Wthby with 210gr XLC handloads.

Revolver-Ruger Single Six in 32 H&R Mag, 4 5/8" barrel with the Federal factory load using the 85 gr Hi-shok bullet. A close runner up would be my same barrel length Blackhawk in .41 mag with whatever mid-power factory round I could find. The .41 is a little more to pack around but will kill a deer with a mid-range load.

I think this would do it pretty well if called upon.

 

[Pooter/Shooter]

I would take my mossberg 835 12 guage with all sorts of pellet sizes and slugs and for the handgun it would be my 480 Ruger with some 370 cast flatpoints. Now granted I may not be able to reach out far but I like to look my game in the eye before I shoot it. You see I started out bow hunting and never got over that type of style.


Depresion is merely anger without enthusiasm

 

[Gunnut45/454]

My '06 with Hornady High energy 200-220gr's for the big stuff.
For my side arm-454 Casul with Buffalo Bore both in 454 and 45LC loadings 325gr - 360gr for hairy nasty stoppers, some 45LC regular factory stuff/CCI Bird shot loads for small game punching

 

[kciH]

Come on guys, I had to stick with ONE factory load for each weapon (hard as that is), so stick with the instructions on this one. I almost had to cut off my hands to stop from listing handloads after over half of my 31 years handloading. Let's hear about the one load to do it all. I think you'll find that the handguns are what you depend on for most of it. This also makes it interesting in that you can't define calibers that rely on handloading. God knows I'd rather have my 32-20 handloaded, which will take a deer if need be, than the 32 H&R. There has been some very good insight in this post. Shotguns: one load. I'd love the metric equivalent of the 375H&H with a 12 guage slug under it for this one, but it's all about ONE FACTORY load. I don't have experience stopping angry bears, but I think most who would have to wouldn't want to rely on ANY handgun to do it at the moment of truth.

 

[MikeG]

OK, I'll bite.

.338 Win Mag, 250gr. Nosler Partition, available as factory load in Federal Premium line, I think. Runner-up, .30-06 with 180gr. Partition.

Handgun - .22 rimfire, any. Whatever makes the weight limit. Don't want to try to shoot bunnies with a .338 if I don't have to. Carry lots of .22 ammo in a small space and it's light.

 

[whitehunter35]

Gentlemen,

Its been quite awhile since I have fired a factory load from any of my rifles, so I am not really sure of what is out there.

But, having said that, Reckon mine would be a 300 magnum of some fashion loaded with 180grain fail safes. The weight requirement impacts choice of pistol, and thus restricted, I would take my slicked up model 12 smith with 158 grain lead hollowpoints, and hope like heck my two handed gun stayed in good order.

Good thread, lots of good input.

Steve

 

[m141a]

Well now,

One rifle...Weight limits...Overall effectiveness even at a distance...
1. My Winchester Timber carbine in .444 shooting 240's OR
2. My "new" Model 700 in .308 loaded with 180's.
I know the .308 is kinda under-gunned, but it just shoots so sweeeeeet!

Pistolas.....

The .22 has great capabilities for small game, but really wouldn't, as Joel stated, want to become some bear's snack!!!
I'd have to go with the Smith Mountain Gun again in 45colt using 265 BTB keith bullets......

 

[loader]

Looking over the excellent responses to my question, and learning from them, I'll take the 338 with Federal 250s @2800 fps and my trusty CZ 75 in 9MM with 124 gr Ball ammo.

 

[Gunnut45/454]

kciH
O.K If your going to get snooty about it , your going to force me to buy another gun though!!! I 'll have to go buy a New Rossi 454 lever gun with 20 " barrel to Max range out to 200yds, so I can use Just Buffalo bore -resticted to one load - it would have to be 360 gr for both rifle pistol for the big stuff and 45 LC bird shot loads for small table fare. Yes I'd have to get up close and personal but hey life would be exciting!!!

And before all you guy's start harping on me that the 454 isn't good enough for Griz/Brown bear - In the Lever Action 20' tube I'll be getting around 1900 fps, 2886 ME BB360 Gr thats a 196 on the Thornily scale -46 over that reqiured to take those big hairy's! Just a few pionts below whats needed to make it Rhino foder. In the 454 SRH it is only 7 off from 150 requires pionts. So I would not feel under gunned with either.

 

[loader]

I have handled the Puma 454 and it is very smooth, fast and light. The round in a 20" bbl = modern 45-70, so there is enough power for griz.

 

[Fireplug]

Hey Loader,

I go away for awile and here you go not only giving them a second load but a second gun. This makes it too easy, but this is your thread not mine so to answer:

Rifle: The factory load part rules out my beloved .35s so M70 .338 in synthetic for weight with the aforementioned 250 partitions.

Pistol: The old High Standard Model B or Colt Woodsman in .22. Both are slim, light, and typically tack drivers. I like Winchester hollowpoints in most of my .22s.

Now if I did not plan any hunting, I might go more controversial with a .22 rifle and a big pistol. I would justify this choice by saying that if you are already forced into a survival situation you should work very hard to simply stay away from anything big, bad, and furry.

Fireplug