Camping Trip to Alaska

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Oldengineer

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Greetings from AZ,

My wife and I (and furry kids) are planning a late spring - summer road trip to Alaska. I can legally transport a shotgun through Canada on our way to Alaska, but handguns are a no-no.
I'm looking for insight into shipping a pistol to a FFL in the Anchorage area, and then either selling it there when we leave or shipping it back to Arizona.
Any advice on thoughts on this desire would be greatly appreciated.


Tom H.
 
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I can't speak to the pistol, but make sure the dogs are up to date on all their shots and take documentation with you. Canadian officials were more interested in that than they were my shotgun, which I had a firearms permit for.
 
Tom S.

Roger that on dogs. I am also wondering about how warm a welcome we will get from the Canadians given our current political situation?
 
Oldengineer said:
Tom S.

Roger that on dogs. I am also wondering about how warm a welcome we will get from the Canadians given our current political situation?
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Probably charge you a tariff. :eek:

Some advice if you haven't made the trip before. Unless things have changed since we went in 2006, after you reach a certain point, the road will start to deteriorate. That is because Canada knows their citizens likely aren't going to use, just those darn Yankees going to Alaska. You will also see sign warning of frost heaves. These start out as nice big signs, but like the road, eventually become sticks with a red or orange ribbon tied to it.

Also consider carrying a 5 gallon can of fuel with you. I plotted out our fuel stops, but when we got to one scheduled place, we found the gas station had burned to the ground two weeks earlier and the next town was 50 miles. I had enough fuel because I did fills at the half a tank mark.
 
Interesting question. A transfer to another person across state lines clearly requires the services of a FFL holder in the recipient's state, and many dealers will only accept a firearm sent via a FFL on behalf of the originator.

I'm wondering if I might send a handgun addressed to myself, to be collected at the common carrier's hub when I arrive. There would be no transfer to any other person, so no apparent violations of federal law. On completion of my visit to that state perhaps I might ship it back to myself at my home address, again no transfer to anyone else so no apparent violation.

Ammunition cannot be included in the common carrier delivery, and Canadian authorities may object to carrying ammo while travelling through Canada. Might have to stop in a sporting goods outlet in Alaska and pick up your needs while there.

Thinking out loud here. Let's hear from anyone with more experience with this.
 
Last time I went to Alaska was in '83. Drove the Alcan in February. Hardly saw any cars the whole trip. Spare tire and extra gas. A shotgun is a better option than any handgun.
 
Oldengineer said:
Greetings from AZ,

My wife and I (and furry kids) are planning a late spring - summer road trip to Alaska. I can legally transport a shotgun through Canada on our way to Alaska, but handguns are a no-no.
I'm looking for insight into shipping a pistol to a FFL in the Anchorage area, and then either selling it there when we leave or shipping it back to Arizona.
Any advice on thoughts on this desire would be greatly appreciated.

Tom H.
Click to expand...

You can only transport long guns if you do the paperwork first. You will need the paperwork at the border.
 
Whistles and air horns are cheap, Bear Spray maybe 75$/can, and everyone should carry at least two of the items. You can buy a new Mossberg Maverick 12 ga. pump with rifle sights for under $220 and probably sell it for that when you leave if you desire. I had one and would trust it to protect my family.
 
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Oldengineer said:
Tom S.

Roger that on dogs. I am also wondering about how warm a welcome we will get from the Canadians given our current political situation?
Click to expand...

Western Canadians tend to like us, and wish they were not tethered to Ontario and Quebec. These provinces are where most of the Lefties are, and they are populous enough that they always determine the outcome of all national elections.
 
LoboGunLeather said:
Interesting question. A transfer to another person across state lines clearly requires the services of a FFL holder in the recipient's state, and many dealers will only accept a firearm sent via a FFL on behalf of the originator.

I'm wondering if I might send a handgun addressed to myself, to be collected at the common carrier's hub when I arrive. There would be no transfer to any other person, so no apparent violations of federal law. On completion of my visit to that state perhaps I might ship it back to myself at my home address, again no transfer to anyone else so no apparent violation.

Ammunition cannot be included in the common carrier delivery, and Canadian authorities may object to carrying ammo while travelling through Canada. Might have to stop in a sporting goods outlet in Alaska and pick up your needs while there.

Thinking out loud here. Let's hear from anyone with more experience with this.
Click to expand...
Your Arizona dealer will have to ship it to Alaskan FFL holder, who will require you to go thru a background check before he can release it to you.
 
A 629 6 in. would be the only pistol I would want up there. But still not the best for a big bear. I'd go with a 12 ga. and slugs.
 
I travel with a Winchester Model 12 takedown in 12 gauge. Once in Alaska and we are fishing or just hanging out, I'd like to have my Glock 29 10mm with Buffalo Bore hard cast 200 grain ammo on my side. With 15 round mags it might make a difference!
 
LoboGunLeather said:
I'm wondering if I might send a handgun addressed to myself, to be collected at the common carrier's hub when I arrive. There would be no transfer to any other person, so no apparent violations of federal law. On completion of my visit to that state perhaps I might ship it back to myself at my home address, again no transfer to anyone else so no apparent violation.

Thinking out loud here. Let's hear from anyone with more experience with this.
Click to expand...

What carrier would you use? I don't believe a non FFL can ship an handgun through USPS. The package could be at the carriers hub for a couple weeks. I suspect it would be RTS by then. A friend has had items sent to a campground for which he had reservation and the campground held the package until they arrived.

If I was going to try to get a handgun to Alaska I'd go to one of the online auction sites and look up receiving FFLS near the border. I'm sure one of them has been asked to handle transfers for tourists. The catch might be that you are not an Alaskan resident. They may hesitate to transfer a handgun to someone from out of state. Technically they would not be SELLING the handgun. However the next political wind change could result in new interpretations of the law and cost them their FFL.
 
smoothshooter said:
Western Canadians tend to like us, and wish they were not tethered to Ontario and Quebec. These provinces are where most of the Lefties are, and they are populous enough that they always determine the outcome of all national elections.
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The only province I've visited is British Columbia, not since 9/11 though but in the past I found the Canadian Customs Officers more cordial than the American ones.
 
Thanks for the comments. The missing link is to find a willing FFL that my FFL can ship to. The package needs to be CLEARLY marked "do not open", and upon proof of identity, I'm good to go. No paperwork is required since it's already my gun. Any recommendations on a reliable FFL in the Anchorage area?
 
walnutred said:
What carrier would you use? I don't believe a non FFL can ship an handgun through USPS. The package could be at the carriers hub for a couple weeks. I suspect it would be RTS by then. A friend has had items sent to a campground for which he had reservation and the campground held the package until they arrived.

If I was going to try to get a handgun to Alaska I'd go to one of the online auction sites and look up receiving FFLS near the border. I'm sure one of them has been asked to handle transfers for tourists. The catch might be that you are not an Alaskan resident. They may hesitate to transfer a handgun to someone from out of state. Technically they would not be SELLING the handgun. However the next political wind change could result in new interpretations of the law and cost them their FFL.
Click to expand...

USPS is not an option for non-FFL delivery. Common carriers include UPS, FedEx, couple of other companies. Each has its own policies and rules. I know that the local FedEx office provides "will call" parcel pickup at their facility.

Several years back I used FedEx to ship a shotgun addressed to myself, in care of my son at his home in another state for my use in a hunting trip there. This allowed me to travel by airline without dealing with TSA or airline firearms routines. Thus no transfer occurred, according to my interpretation of federal law.

On another occasion I sent a handgun to a licensed FFL gunsmith in another state for some work, clearly allowed under federal law. When the work was finished I happened to be travelling within a couple hours of driving, so I stopped in and picked up my handgun. The gunsmith agreed that no transfer had occurred, as he could have just as easily shipped it directly back to me at my home.

I would be interested in hearing from others who have dealt with the issue of "transfer" and how BATFE interprets that term. To my mind, transfer implies an intent of the parties to convey ownership interests.
 
I've been to Alaska 3 times, for hunting, fishing and tourism.

I would never drive there. I have friends who did that and regretted the experience.

Fly in, have your non-gun supplies shipped and rent a car. You can take guns in checked baggage. Camping in Alaska is a dangerous proposition and lodging is worth the money.
 
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s&wchad said:
I've been to Alaska 3 times, for hunting, fishing and tourism.

I would never drive there. I have friends who do that and regretted the experience.

Fly in, have your non-gun supplies shipped and rent a car. You can take guns in checked baggage. Camping in Alaska is a dangerous proposition and lodging is worth the money.
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Have to disagree.

There's nothing dangerous about camping there IF you're prepared.

I grew up there and it was the experience of a lifetime. Had a few bear problems too. But we were all prepared.

The ill prepared sometimes pay for it with their lives.
 
Will a Canadian outfitter rent or loan a gun? FFL? Seeing the dogs and all...
 
If you're in a hard sided vehicle you are really over thinking it. Keep a handgun if you feel like you need it and rent a safety deposit box at a bank in a border town, Enjoy Canada and Alaska and pick up the handgun on the way back.

Unless you're walking around with fish guts on your clothes and leaving food out, you'll be OK.
 
Tom S. said:
Probably charge you a tariff. :eek:...
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Oh, we have that all arranged and have even appointed a Tariff Czar: Omar Shrif's grandson (also Omar) who was actually born in Canada.

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And Kanewpaddle's advice about paperwork is well advised. We (well, not "the Royal we", ie me) are so increasingly terrified of guns that the Feds have just added a whole bunch more scary firearms to the Prohibited list, despite the fact that, in perusing 4 or 5 of our papers daily, I have only seen 1 or 2 cases of a licensed firearm owner using any firearm for illegal or murderous purposes in the last several years. OTOH, just recently, here in my small town, the RCMP arrested an 18 y.o. - who lived at home with his parents - with a compact S&W semi-auto, a loaded, standard-capacity mag, (10 rds. being the legal limit for the rest of us) and a suppressor. Suppressors have never been legal for civilians in Canada. Go figger, eh?

@ smoothshooter- Yes, we generally still think you folks are OK :D

But I digress. Good luck on your trip.
 

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Personally I'd avoid Canada, and take the Alaska State Ferry.

"The Alaska state ferry serves an important role in connecting many small Southeast Alaskan communities. The ferry also connects Alaska to the lower 48 states via a route out of Bellingham, Washington. It takes 36 plus hours to reach Alaska, but it's a scenic trip and, because the ferry accommodates vehicles, a unique choice for a self-drive Alaska vacation. Check out our Alaska State Ferry page for more information."
 
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