Just a word of caution about it's USE. MOST hand guns would stop a black bear if hit in the right place but not many would stop a grizzly or polar bear. I HOPE that's the kind of protection you're talking about and I certainly agree that a rifle would be a much more effective weapon for that purpose. Also much easier to simply pack in your luggage and check it when you get on the plane.
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We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
Eric&Lisa wrote: This is great! There are as many different answers as there are posts on this thread. Everyone is an expert!
With that in mind, in my expert opinion...
Check with the real experts:
- Ask the airline ahead of time what their rules are.
- Go to the airport a couple weeks before your flight and ask the TSA supervisor.
- Ask your local gun shop.
- Contact a gun shop in Alaska and ask them.
Read the law on both the Alaska end & your (I presume) Kalifornia end. Remember, you will want to get your firearm BACK from Alaska and the CA restrictions may make that more difficult then getting the gun north.
There is a lot of good information on Internet forums. There is a lot of mis-information too. For something which could potentially put you in legal hot water, please take what you read here in perspective.
There you go... the voice of reason.
I wonder how many people have actually done what they suggest... recently?
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Some good answers, some very bad answers. Not many Alaskans commenting.
I've been transporting my guns every summer through and over Canada for 20 plus years and below are the two easiest ways to transport your gun. I also hold a Canadian firearms Possession and Acquisition License so I know most the ins and outs for driving through Canada with guns.
If you are traveling from CA to AK by commercial airline with no stopovers in Canada it is fairly easy to bring your gun. You can take it and your ammo in your luggage. Best to have ammo in one bag and the gun in the other. Contact the airline for details. I would recommend Alaska Airlines since they tend to be more firearm aware.
If you really do have a stopover in Canada you can do air freight. You will need to become a "known shipper" so contact Alaska Airlines Air Cargo and ask how to do that. Once you are a "known shipper" take your handgun in a hard sided lockable case to Alaska Airlines Air Cargo. It must be sent "from yourself in CA to yourself in AK" (true for both long guns and handguns when crossing state lines). They will inspect the contents of the package before accepting the shipment. NO ammo can be shipped with the gun. It will be a minimum charge since you will be under the minimum weight. I do this between Juneau and Anchorage almost every summer and it costs about $40 one way, just a few dollars more if I send up a rifle, shotgun and handgun. Go to air cargo in AK, show your id and off you go with your gun to the gun store to buy ammo. The airlines don't like to hold your package for more than a week so if your Canada stopover is a long one this might not work. 44 rem mag should be readily available although expensive. You can carry a concealed handgun in AK without a permit provided you are 21 or over and not a prohibited person.
You probably cannot rent a firearm in AK and you probably cannot buy one with an out of state id.
Long guns are allowed via US Mail but not hand guns unless you are a dealer.
You can ship handguns via Fedex or USPS for the most part (read that as it depends on who is at the counter and if they know their own rules) but it requires overnight shipping, which to AK would be very expensive.
As a non AK citizen you CAN NOT purchase a handgun legally in the state.
I may not be an expert but I have been doing the FFL thing for the last 15 years.
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-No one is going to rent you a firearm in Alaska to my knowledge.
-As has been previously said, fly on Alaska Airlines if possible. They deal with firearms AND ammunition (up to 50 pounds in your luggage, by the way) all the time. I travel with firearms a lot and it's never a problem, just takes a little more time at check-in.
-The probability of really needing a firearm for self-defense with a bear is low. Or are you talking about self-defense against 2-legged predators? It's still low, in my opinion.
-What places are you going in your RV that are "pretty isolated"?
I have a ticklish subject that I am looking for some advise on.
I understand that there is much passion around opinions involving
firearms and I appreciate your positions. Both for or against.
That said I hope we can avoid any conflict with my posing the
following question. If this post is inappropriate the Moderators
have my full support in "nuking" it.
I have been to Alaska a few time this year and my wife will be
joining me next year. We do not have the time to drive up so we
will be flying up and renting a RV for a couple weeks. (My TC
does not yet know it will be staying behind). Anyway we will be
in some pretty isolated places and I would like to have a firearm
with me. My options of getting the gun up there are all new to me
and I am not sure what would be best. Maybe someone could offer
some guidance on how I might legally proceed?
1. Buy a firearm up there. Not super cost effective especially
if I need to leave it there.
2. Fly it up with me. Never tried that but being we lay over in
Canada I would be nervous about Customs and Security?
3. Ship it to a gun shop or a friend in Anchorage? Again not sure
what kind of regulations might be involved?
Thank you for any input you can provide.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike,
Sorry, I don't know how to do a link for old threads, but if you do a search on 'Bear guns' you should find a 11 page thread. I chimed in with several posts starting on p 8.
For more of a 'Protection' gun as compared to a hunting gun, It is going to be hard to beat a 12 guage pump shotgun with a barrel designed for deer hunting using 'slugs'. A second barrel for small game hunting would allow double duty in a survival mode.
The Remington 870 is my choice, but as with most equipment choices, the Devil is in the Details. Please read my posts in the 'Bear Gun' thread.
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It really comes down to whether the desire to have a long gun/hand gun is really worth the effort to get one to and then return from Alaska.
You did not state what your use would be for having a weapon in Alaska. But if you are looking at a comfort level from other people, you best weapon will always be the gift of non confrontational conversation. If it is for protection against anything moving on four legs, the US Forest Service and other reputable agencies have done a number of studies on the best deterrent for Bears, that being Bear Spray. Being a gun owner and carrier for decades I was shocked to find the reports determination that Bear Spray is by far a better deterrent that handguns. Of course, long guns are still a superior deterrent. Beginning in 2006 I started carrying USFS & NPS certified Bear Spray.
When I was working as a back country ranger, we always carried Remington 870 Wingmaster with 12 ga slugs, in addition to our sidearm, only when bears were an immediate issue or there to provide protection for staff or visitors from a known danger. I would never engage a large Omnivore with a handgun (I don’t own a Magnum 500 or have a belt big enough to carry one), but I respect and defend your right to make that choice yourself. I might make a different decision on whether the effort is worth it, from my own experienced position. Unfortunately, you will find even more restrictions on transporting Bear Spray, but that is another Topic, but I bet you can purchase one in Alaska and donate it to a local Police Department when departing.
U.S. citizens who intend to travel to Canada and wish to have a firearm in their RV need to know the Canadian law relating to firearms. The following is a brief description of the law and a list of the web sites that the traveler must read.
You may take a firearm into Canada subject to what type of firearm is allowed. Guns must be “non-restricted (most common rifles and shotguns): These may generally be imported for purposes such as hunting, protection from wild animals in remote wilderness areas where firearms are allowed”.
Handguns are not allowed unless there is a lot of special paper work.
You declare your firearms in writing, in triplicate, using the “Non-Resident Firearm Declaration” form CAFC 909. The forms are to be presented to the boarder agent and signed when you are told. The form is to be filled out ahead of time but not signed. You will be charged a fee.
Visiters with criminal records and DUI records will not be allowed firearms.
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