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Not to get hairy here but, did all my long distance hunting in the Corps.
That's a no-brainer, eh?
Quote:
Not into long shots anymore. Creepin and sneakin and getting up close is the way I prefer to take my game. It's called stalking, eh?
But why are you talking about stalking? Or creepin and sneakin, or "game" for that matter.
The OP specifically said they do not hunt, this is a discussion about "protection".
She doesn't need a gun, and all of this talk about various cannons is nothing but excess testosterone from people who get excited about it in odd, scarey, ways.
Worse yet, the subject is "Guns and Barrow". Your comment above clearly indicates you haven't got a clue what hunting here is like. The only sneakin and creapin won't be you! Long shots are the only shots...
Step 16. Clear and clean the gun. Consider returning it for store credit.
Ha! I LOVE IT! and so true...
I've got one of those featherweight S&W .44mag revolvers, and the first time I shot it with heavy solids the grip frame's corners bit me right through it's rubber grips. OUCH...to say the least. I think I've still got about 15 rounds left out of a box of 20. The regular 240 grain factory rounds aren't that bad, but in general it's a VERY economical gun. Super lightweight and easy to carry, accurate enough for it's intended use, and nobody at the range ever wants to shoot it more than once. I suspect any lightweight carbine chambered in 45-70 will have a similar effect, let alone if it's full of .450 Marlin.
I'll second Floyds recommendation to just wait a while and see what you need. Prices on guns and ammo are sky-high right now and what you'll likely need is not that high on the Obama gun-ban list, so it's probably safe to just wait and see. In all probability you'll be travelling through Anchorage or Fairbanks fairly often, and if you can't find what you need in Barrow it's simplicity itself to buy one in the bigger cities and take it back up with you.
However, if you insist on having something when you arrive I'd also recommend going with a Mossberg 500 shotgun in the combo pack. I've owned one for over 20 years and it's never given me a lick of trouble. It's certainly not the prettiest gun you'll ever see, but it's a reliable tool that's up to the intended task. Perhaps more important, it's economical enough to actually use out in the field every day, rather than just live in a fancy gun cabinet with all the other pricey guns that are too valuable to drag around in the skiff or on the snowmachine.
Above all, if you're new to firearms and shooting, PLEASE get some training before you just go out and buy one. Even just a basic hunters safety course or an NRA firearms class will pay dividends, and could end up saving your life. While accidental firearms deaths are way down in the US, there are still far too many people who pay for their bad habits or ignorance with their lives or their health, or that of their close associates.
There is no surer way of getting yourself dis-invited from outdoor activities than to become known for toting around a firearm while having dangerous or non-existent gun-handling skills. Nobody minds teaching a novice the safe way to do things, but it's hard to unlearn bad habits once you've gotten into them. Even if you have some experience it's not a bad idea to get some refresher training, especially if it's been a decade or two since you've been to the range.
A lot of folks that "learned all about guns from Uncle Bob way back when" might be surprised at just how much they've forgotten, and even more surprised to see how much Uncle Bob forgot to mention back then.
Last edited by rotorhead; 02-24-2009 at 12:57 PM..
Reason: cuz
Thank You all for all of the information. Icu2rn and I were asking on the premise that we could buy what we need down here to bring with us when we come up there.
We are living in Phoenix at this time and guns here are readily available and not as expensive as there. We have 2 sons that are in the military but their suggestions were not very practical although a 50 cal might be fun.
She is more of a novice than myself but I have to admit that it has been quite awhile since I have used a gun so I am well advised to brush up on gun safety.
Thank You all for all of the information. Icu2rn and I were asking on the premise that we could buy what we need down here to bring with us when we come up there.
We are living in Phoenix at this time and guns here are readily available and not as expensive as there. We have 2 sons that are in the military but their suggestions were not very practical although a 50 cal might be fun.
She is more of a novice than myself but I have to admit that it has been quite awhile since I have used a gun so I am well advised to brush up on gun safety.
Welcome Goldlightning84, I think you and Icu2rn are going to enjoy your adventure in Barrow
I find it most disengenious that one person will tell you don't bring firearms yet the vast majority of natives who go out on the tundra for berry picking or hunting will take one with them. Either he doesn't get out or he's just afraid of firearms.
People who live in the hospital housing and do not hunt are going to use a gun for what?
And the idea of using a pistol for protection against a polar bear is just plain stupid.
I appreciate all the information. I only asked about purchasing a gun for personal safety from polar bears since I live in a state where guns are plentiful. If I do not need one when I arrive, I am fine waiting until I arrive and finding out exactly what is best for us.
We do not hunt, so we are only looking at guns for personal protection. We are moving to an area unlike anything we have ever been accustomed to so it is only natural that we are curious about everything. To go from the Arizona desert to the arctic tundra is a very exciting time for us.
We will probably just wait until we arrive. I am sure everyone will assist us in figuring out exactly what we will need. I am sure you have figured out that goldlightning84 is my husband by now. I think he was tired of me spouting off Alaska facts and decided to get on here and get involved in our discussions also. We can not wait to arrive. I think we are now planning on arriving in mid June.
Look forward to meeting over coffee at the restaurant.
I didn't see much of anything specifically wrong with what you wrote... except of course that none of the specifics applied to Barrow! :-)
We don't have "woods", we don't have anything except polar bears. Almost everything you know and learn elsewhere about bear protection does not apply here. Wanna use a big pistol? Fine. Use all blanks except that last one. The noise is indeed very likely to keep bear a bay. If not, shoot yourself with that one real round! It's easier... (Seriously, most polar bear interaction with humans here is handled with various devices that make noise, not with lead bullets.)
Keep in mind that polar bear attacks on humans are relatively rare. Moose and brown bears are far more dangerous; and among the reasons why is because they do live in the "woods". Humans can't see them, and if the bear doesn't hear a human coming and run, a surprised bear is a problem. With polar bears along a coastal plain it's an entirely different situation. You simply don't just happen up on a bear and suprise it! It saw you a long ways off (and might even hide and wait in ambush).
And they often come in threes... a mother and two almost grown cubs is not an uncommon sight. But even one is not something to shoot at with a pistol. The last one I saw shot was on the beach in front of town with a crowd watching. They hit it three times with a rifle (I'm not sure what caliber it was), and it ran into the surf... where it eventually bled to death about 30 minutes later. Make a mistake like that with a healthy bear that is going after you, and you're dead meat.
As to buying a gun here or there... which gun? And what ammo? It's a really good idea to have a chat with the gunsmith about how well various weapons perform here, and about what ammo is available at reasonable prices.
And there simply isn't any particular reason to get all excited about buying a gun and then trying to figure out how to ship it here!
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firearms training
OUCH...to say the least. I think I've still got about 15 rounds left out of a box of 20. The regular 240 grain factory rounds aren't that bad, but in general it's a VERY economical gun. Super lightweight and easy to carry, accurate enough for it's intended use, and nobody at the range ever wants to shoot it more than once.
I suspect any lightweight carbine chambered in 45-70 will have a similar effect, let alone if it's full of .450 Marlin. 
