Kodiak Alaska, Self Defense

[flyfishinjunkee]

I'm heading to Kodiak AK in mid September on a fly fishing trip and will be fishing in remote areas where bears are frequently seen and encountered. I have done this trip once before and didnt carry a firearm. Just bear spray.

I have a variety of 44 magnums in my safe (4/6/8") M29's. What is the best approach for carrying while wearing waders and keeping the gun DRY? My biggest concerns are comfort (to a degree) and not getting the gun wet (wherever possible). A friend of mine carried his Ruger .480 on the last trip in his back pack. This is also another potential approach I suppose. I'm curious to know what some of you have done in a situation like this.

 

[shell627]

My first thought is hill people gear kit bag

 

[WR Moore]

There are several makers of chest type holsters, if you want dry, you're probably looking at a full flap holster.

A pack carry is interesting. The bear is gonna wait while you find/take the pack off and dig the gun out? It'd be really interesting if you're in mid stream when you need it.

 

[stevebarracuda]

simply rugged chesty puller

 

[Echo40]

Definitely use a chest holster, it'll keep your gun dry and make it easily accessible should you encounter a bear and need to draw in a hurry.

That being said, be prepared to receive at least a few unhelpful responses informing you that .44 Magnum is either excessive and you'd be better off carrying some sort of semiautomatic pistol chambered in a lesser cartridge or that it's not powerful enough for Alaskan bears.

 

[BigMuddy]

Diamond D Guide's Choice. Stainless gun if available but not necessary.

Dan

 

[Erocksmash]

I would say the 4inch gun, stainless preferred, buy myself in that situation, it's a toss up, 1026 or 1066 IMO 200 gr hard cast easy follow up, I'm better with a 10 than a .44

 

[junglefighter]

Galco Chest Harness.

 

[waffles]

I'm heading to Kodiak AK in mid September on a fly fishing trip and will be fishing in remote areas where bears are frequently seen and encountered. I have done this trip once before and didnt carry a firearm. Just bear spray.

I have a variety of 44 magnums in my safe (4/6/8") M29's. What is the best approach for carrying while wearing waders and keeping the gun DRY? My biggest concerns are comfort (to a degree) and not getting the gun wet (wherever possible). A friend of mine carried his Ruger .480 on the last trip in his back pack. This is also another potential approach I suppose. I'm curious to know what some of you have done in a situation like this.

Hill people gear kit bag. I use mine more these days as a fly fishing chest pack than anything else, holds all my stuff and whatever gun I feel like bringing. When you get there snag spray too. Don't carry the gun in your backpack, which will get left on shore, in the car, or, yaknow, on your back where it's hard to get to a pistol.

Beyond that, have fun. Alaska is pretty rad, bear safety is important but its way more securing food and smelly stuff careful than it is blasting or spraying charging bears. That aspect gets a bit overblown online.

 

[CalmerThanYou]

I use a Gunfighters Kanai chest rig. Works great, keeps the gun just above the wader top if adjusted and is very well made. Photos in my infamous "gun for trout fishing" thread.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Best solution I can think of is having someone else come along to sit nearby with the 12-gauge slug gun. Maybe take turns on fishing and guard duty. A large caliber handgun would make a comforting back-up piece, but when dealing with Kodiak bears I want something a little bigger (and I can't call for close air support anymore).

 

[ancient-one]

A 12 gauge with the proper slugs slung over your shoulder.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I grew up fishing Alaska. The minimum we carried was a 44. Sorry, no 10MM. Ain't big enough especially for Kodiak.

We hand loaded 300gr lead hard cast.

A 12 ga with slugs is best but cumbersome considering the other gear you need to carry. Sometimes someone would bring a 45-70 or 444 Marlin.

Highly recommend a chest holster. Before chest holsters were available I carried a Ruger Blackhawk on my hip. It was quick to reach but often got in the way.

You definitely need to be prepared for Kodiak. Enjoy your once in a lifetime fishing trip!

 

[crazyphil]

Last time I went on a trip such as you describe, I bought this Crossfire
Alaskan chest rig to carry my model 29 .44 Magnum with 4" barrel.
As you can see it is made out of nylon, but it only cost about fifty bucks.
Knowing that would be my one and only trip such as that, I sold it, and
still got most of the cost back. It worked well.
BTW my model 29 was loaded with Federal 300-Gr. cast flat point

 

[RobertJ.]

Fishing in Alaska?

Take a gun that you don't mind getting wet!

 

[s&wchad]

I hunted along the Bering Sea in Alaska. The salt air alone is enough to cause a gun to start rusting after a day or two.

A stainless handgun is a good idea. It might also be smart to wax it and seal it in a large ziplock back before holstering.

 

[Neal]

waffles: What ammo is in the speed strips? The bullets appear very long.
LBT LFN ?

 

[WoodsCustom]

A good pair of lightweight hiking shoes so you can run faster and climb higher.

Bear defense pepper spray and a big bore handgun in a chest rig. Heavy cast bullets.

Thats what I use.

WC

 

[old pipefitter]

Diamond D leather makes the nicest looking chest holster. I'm buying one for a Ruger Alaskan that I bought for the same reason. I love my Smith .44's but they cant take the pounding a SRH can. I own 3 Simply rugged holsters but the Guides choice from Diamond D looks heavier duty. And its made in AK.

 

[waffles]

I had a guides choice for awhile. It's a cool holster but I didn't care for leather on something that's going to be exposed to lots of rain and other water (of which you'll get both in southeast Alaska).