Guns for the Alaskan Bush Dwellers

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 7/17/2019 | J Dickson

[w1n1]

From Plinking for the Pot to tending the Trapline to Protecting against Cabin Raiders – Four & Two Footed Alike – Here’s the Arsenal One Man Recommends
This article is for those who live in the bush. Those who go on a guided hunt may find other guns satisfactory for their purposes, but a bush dweller's life may depend on his guns being called on to meet every contingency, not just those of a guided hunt. Most bush dwellers have only a few guns and since these must both provide food and protection, this is no place to scrimp on quality. Having lived there, here are my observations on the subject.

The people living deep in the back country face threats the same as those in the city, only a bit different. Wolf and bear attacks have been increasing in recent years and wolves come in packs, dictating a semiauto for defense. No matter how deep into the wilderness you go, you still may run into people. Some of them are nice and some are not. Some treat any cabin and its contents as abandoned, even if there is a fire still going in the barrel stove. Be forewarned and be prepared.

A GOOD .22 RIFLE is a basic necessity for small game and practice. No practice, no hit anything. The old Browning semiauto .22 has the longest trouble-free life by far. That made it the mainstay of shooting galleries in years gone by. A somewhat cheaper alternative is the Ruger 10/22 semiauto, which has earned a wide following.

Rifles need to be able to handle moose and bear. The best one currently available is the semiauto version of the German G3 rifle. This was also Norway’s standard 7.62 NATO rifle, so you know that it will work in any part of Alaska at any time of the year.
The G3 has proven more reliable than any other gun in widespread use. Even Russia’s vaunted AK-47 pales in reliability comparison to the G3. New guns built on the machinery Portugal used to build the gun under license from H&K in Germany are available from PTR-91. Guns built on military surplus parts kits are available from Century Arms at about half the price. The ones made in Spain are called CETME and they were the first ones. Designed by German engineers after World War II, the CETME was adopted by Germany as the G3. These guns work perfectly with all 7.62 NATO and .308 loads, including the heavy bullet ones.

People often want to know what is the best survival rifle to carry in their bush plane. The answer may surprise you. It is the M1 carbine. Its cartridge is basically a high-velocity .32-20 load and it kills small game cleanly without ruining the meat. It has also killed very many deer and bear, even though it is universally considered not to be the best caliber for that. Some people say they would not want to face a charging grizzly with one. Well, the grizzly’s brain is located on the centerline of the skull about halfway between the eyes and the ears when his head is down, and you have plenty of shots at it, for the carbine is almost as fast-firing as a .22. Read the rest of guns for Alaskan bush.

[mountainlion]

https://www.ammoland.com/2017/06/bella-twin-the-22-used-to-take-the-1953-world-record-grizzly-and-more/

[mylife]

CETME is a good rifle, but to heavy to tote around.
.22 in Alaska? for what? mosquitos?

[mylife]

Nothing against it but the Ruger 10/22 is the priciest .22 out there.

[yarddog]

I was thinking the same thing. The HK-91 was a fine rifle, extremely accurate, reliable but as you said, too heavy and also it just does not carry well. Too bulky.

The Browning or Ruger 10/22 are both fine but the 10/22 has the advantage of quick reload.

[mrmeyer]

Under $230-400 isn’t pricey. Look at anschutz for dropping serious coin. Marlin 981t can be had for under $200

[gundog]

Have you experienced Alaskan mosquitos? A .410 might be better than a .22.

[mylife]

I will never understand why the 25 rd mags are so huge and long, the 10 rd box is small compact and dependable.

[mylife]

Yup LOL

[gundog]

.45 ACP at 300 yards? How about a lever-action carbine and a revolver , both in .44 magnum?

[mylife]

I mean for a standard 22, not a marksmans rifle.

Marlin 60 works fine.

[gundog]

Rotary vs. single stack. I wonder if double stacks were too problematic with the rimmed cases.

[mylife]

300 yd 45 ACP aint happening LOL

100 yd 45 ACP aint happening.

[I got the rope]

I love the 981T!

[gundog]

Yeah. A grizzly at 100 yards can perhaps be avoided, but if it wants to be a problem, it can get closer pretty fast. I’d still carry a .44, and probably wish it were a .500 if I were charged.

[mylife]

BTW the bolt release on the 10/22 sucks.

I recommend the Valquartzen after market mod or if you aint squeamish take a rotary grinder to it

[mylife]

Bears scare me LOL

I avoid them.

[wastoute]

Long shots are nice but dangerous animals aren’t a problem at long range. When it comes to saving your life from a po’d Grizzly at close range I would think a lever action in 45-70 would be the preferred weapon.

[Rebelbase]

Heimo Korth is one of the last residents that live full time in ANWR. He uses a 12 ga. to kill bears that get to comfortable around his homestead. In the dark with a flashlight.

Starts at 33:42. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq0rZn8HFmQ

[mylife]

Aint that one of those high capacity military style firearms?

AOC says pepper spray and jingle bells is all you need :)