which guns should i get? do i need? (Fairbanks, Kenai: home, to buy) - Alaska (AK) - City-Data Forum

r67ho83 · 02-17-2015, 03:40 AM

im moving to fairbanks soon and am going to buy some remote land and i will be there often hunting and needed to defend myself from bears. im having alot of trouble figuring our which gun/guns i need. at the moment my list of options is as such:

338 win mag bolt action stainless, synthetic stock (how is the weather in interior alaska? i noticed that fairbanks gets the most precip in summer... would a wood stock/non stainless be ok?)

44, 454, 460, 480 magnum. (which caliber is best? im looking for as much power as i can get and need that is not an x frame. do i really need a sidearm with the rifle? should it be a stubby since my rifle will used first and the pistol will be a last resort as the bear is eatin my face? so a stubby so i can aim it inder him?)

12g smoothbore for the black magic slugs or whatever (this will be left at home since i just want one do-it-all rifle when im outdoors)

lever action 45-70 or 454 casull (this seems redundant. the shotgun is cheaper and more powerful. the bolt action is all weather, more powerful and more accurate. i dont think i need a lever gun)

so im trying to get as few guns as possible for my purposes. the shotgun for at home. pistol for my side when im doing work and travelling and main rifle for hunting and bear defense. is a bolt action ok for bear defense or do i need something faster like pump or lever? what about a semi auto 308? i know 308 isnt reccomended for bear but it has more managable recoil than a magnum and more follow up shots, but i think since bears are so fast you may only get one shot off so it better be a 338 mag. i know my post is kind of a mess but im pretty confused right now!

r67ho83 · 02-17-2015, 03:45 AM

i also want to mention that there are a slew of 338 magnum callibers and 375 callibers. im not sure which is best or even affordable. i need to make sure all these guns and loads are affordable. so the most power to value ratio is best for me. can somone tell me which of these pistol magnum, 338 and 375 callibers are plentiful in alaska, affordable and powerful enough?

r67ho83 · 02-17-2015, 04:06 AM

forgot to mention lead fragmentation. im guessing those rifle magnums have a ridiculous amount of fragmentation in the meat. so maybe 308 would be better for hunting general purpose and use something else for defense but that means carrying 2 or even 3 guns which i dont think is feasible.

stiffnecked · 02-17-2015, 07:38 AM

Don't worry about all that now. You've first got to pass all the written tests, psychological interivews and firearms marksmanship tests before you are even allowed to own a firearm in Alaska. When was the last time you had an MMPI?

War Beagle · 02-17-2015, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

Don't worry about all that now. You've first got to pass all the written tests, psychological interivews and firearms marksmanship tests before you are even allowed to own a firearm in Alaska. When was the last time you had an MMPI?

I think you forgot that you also have to demonstrate your in-home gun safety equipment and practices to the local authorities. /sarc

AKStafford · 02-17-2015, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

Don't worry about all that now. You've first got to pass all the written tests, psychological interivews and firearms marksmanship tests before you are even allowed to own a firearm in Alaska. When was the last time you had an MMPI?

Huh? I've got multiple firearms and never did any of that...

6.7traveler · 02-17-2015, 10:29 AM

I usually carry my .22 when deep in the woods and my .380 side arm for bears in case things get real nasty. Anything over .380 caliber is just a waste.

Rance · 02-17-2015, 10:31 AM

I think the suggestion of dragging an empty 55 gallon drum behind a pickup truck, and practice shooting at that as it hops and bounces along behind the truck, is spot on for any firearm you plan on using for bear protection. Because a charging bear doesn't just stand there broadside and let you shoot at it. It's a bulldozer on steroids screaming mad rush snapping off trees and dirt flying as it's coming at you.

I don't live in Fairbanks...but I'm pretty sure it's not crawling with bears like Kodiak Island, in every nook and cranny.

War Beagle · 02-17-2015, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rance

I think the suggestion of dragging an empty 55 gallon drum behind a pickup truck, and practice shooting at that as it hops and bounces along behind the truck, is spot on for any firearm you plan on using for bear protection. Because a charging bear doesn't just stand there broadside and let you shoot at it. It's a bulldozer on steroids screaming mad rush snapping off trees and dirt flying as it's coming at you.

I don't live in Fairbanks...but I'm pretty sure it's not crawling with bears like Kodiak Island, in every nook and cranny.

How does Kenai Peninsula compare to to Kodiak with bears?

Rance · 02-17-2015, 12:23 PM

There is no comparison I think. We are a much bigger land scale with fewer bears. There are plenty of bears here...but more spead out than the scale of Kodiak Island. We usually have a handfull of brownies in the Sterling area every summer, but after the Funny River fire, we had much less traffic in my area this last summer and fall.