My revolver set up. Not ideal but…

[cnelk]

Last year I decided against taking my Ruger 44 Mag single action Blackhawk to Alaska and went with a 357 double action with Buffalo Bore bullets.

No regrets. But didn’t need it either.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

If I am rifle hunting my pistol stays at camp. If I am going through brush my rifle is in my hands. I am all for more guns but it seems like having 2 guns on a person could potentially be to much to deal with. Headed to kodiak this year with my buddy. We will both have a 300 win mag and a 454 pistol that will stay at then tent. I dont see any issue with your barrel length. Sure its visually a little long but if it comes down to needing it you should figure out a way to make it work! For us pistols are a tent gun or a packing out meat gun.

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[z987k]

If I am rifle hunting my pistol stays at camp. If I am going through brush my rifle is in my hands. I am all for more guns but it seems like having 2 guns on a person could potentially be to much to deal with. Headed to kodiak this year with my buddy. We will both have a 300 win mag and a 454 pistol that will stay at then tent. I dont see any issue with your barrel length. Sure its visually a little long but if it comes down to needing it you should figure out a way to make it work! For us pistols are a tent gun or a packing out meat gun.

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I agree with this. If I have a rifle, the pistol stays home or at camp.

I carry my 44 at all times unless I'm hunting, in which I have a rifle and I never have the pistol. I mean what are you going to do, drop your rifle and pull out your pistol to kill a bear? Doesn't make too much sense.

 

[Panhandler80]

Agree with no need to have both guns in principle. I guess I had not fully thought through the meat packing sequence. I guess leave handgun at camp and go hunt. If successful, carry rifle back to camp with first load of meat and then swap guns.

 

[Nooksack]

In your situation I’d leave it at home. It’s not efficient as is. Leave the rifle a few hundred yards from the butcher site, move your meat away from the gut pile ,along with the antlers. Around camp you have the rifle.
Until you stand face to face with a bear you won’t understand how woefully under gunned you are with a pistol.
I have a .44 Airlite and it rarely goes anywhere as the rifle does. There are times for a handgun, and I do occasionally take it. Working on Kodiak it doesn’t even make the trip. Rifle only.
Just my opinion, definitely take the pistol if you feel you need to.

 

[PA Hunter]

Nice revolver but im going more lightweight. Last year i deboned & packed out two Alaskan moose in three days to my tent for supercub pickup. The second bulm damn near killed me 15 hrs straight no rest. I left my .454 Ruger Alaskan at .y tent i honestly did not care if a bear got me. The revolver was just too heavy for my beat down body to carry. As soon as i got home i sold it. Was great on horseback elk hunts but humping moose on my back no way. Made up my mind for a glock 10 mm.

 

[Chumsnagger]

… i honestly did not care if a bear got me. The revolver was just too heavy for my beat down body to carry.

Been there!

 

[Panhandler80]

Been there!

Better to have and not want than want and not have, I guess.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Disclaimer: My comment is not designed to hurt anyone's feelings....

Before I started doing my own moose hunts many years ago, I went on several caribou trips in the NWT, moose in northern BC and moose in the Yukon. All of these hunts were in serious grizzly country and we saw plenty of the big dudes. As an American hunting in Canada I was required to use a guide. To a man, every last guide I ever met did NOT carry a handgun, nor did they consider them very useful. They all carried rifles and that was it...period. To be double-gunned was ridiculous in their opinions and I know that because I wasn't afraid to ask.

I used to carry a .44 mag sometimes when bowhunting in Alaska. After many years of experience I began leaving it in camp and carrying spray...this with the understanding I'd revert to the handgun if bear activity and sign was abundant. I was completely unarmed when I had a direct confrontation with a huge blonde boar back in '15. I yelled and bluffed that bear into running away.

Today I bring a takedown .45-70 to my hunt. I hunt with a longbow. The rifle stays in camp, and I have spray with me. If bear sign or activity increases I would carry the .45-70 as I felt appropriate. I have no bear-worthy handgun and today my mind runs like many of the experienced guides I've known. A rifle is the ultimate bear stopper. If you have a rifle, the handgun...for all its weight and presence...has almost a -.9 chance of ever getting pulled. This is because the average hunter has an outrageously tiny chance of ever being charged by a bear at close range...would use the rifle for defense if a gun was even employed...by overwhelming odds would never use both weapons in a bear attack.

The weight and protection would be better utilized by wearing a good crash helmet and fire suit when flying, as you have greater odds of dying in a small plane incident in Alaska vs a bear attack. That's the reality.
I'm 100% pro-firearm for bear defense, but one gun is sufficient for me.

 

[FLATHEAD]

I recommend a Glock.

 

[Panhandler80]

K Dill,

You have way more experience than I. All statements noted and they make sense.

I just feel like a gun taped close to me with quick access would be nice to have while cleaning a moose, fishing, or packing meat.

Not sure how I wind up with it while cleaning, but we’ll figure that out. To have at cleaning would mean I carried two guns in, which is silly.

I hear you on professionals not bringing one. End of the day, if having puts me at a little more ease, then so be it. Silly as it may be

 

[PA Hunter]

My guide got mauled in the Wyoming Thorofare few years ago, he was off the ground in the Grizzlies mouth and couldn't get his Colt revolver out of the holster because of the safety loop over the hammer. Luckily his xbow hunter drilled it with a bolt and it let him go then it came after him again and he finished it with his revolver.

Two years ago my other friend got charged quartering an Elk in archery same spot luckily his little 9mm Glock with hard cast turned it away.

After hunting this infested area a few times the pistol always makes me feel a little better.

 

[TheGDog]

Ugh.. I don't even wanna THINK about wearing the cross-draw holster underneath of bino harness too. That's gonna cook ya but good out there on the hot days.

Then when your backpack is one... 3 different pairs of straps over the shoulders.

I mean, finances are what they are so make due with what you have to make do with for now. But I'd definitely look into perhaps a holster for under the bino harness, and a much lighter sidearm.

For me... I had my Ruger Security Six in .357 Mag with a Diamond D custo leather center-chest. BUT... that Ruger loaded was like 39oz and on the longer hike-ins it having that leather holster setup, dunno.. just seemed like heat was a bit much at times.

The G29, gives me 4 more rounds, that are a lil more powerful too, a much smaller form factor and ability to hang it under the bino harness thus eliminating the need for that separate holster. For a lil bit less weight than my Ruger.

AND....<drumroll>... NIGHT SIGHTS!!! Having a modern semi-auto lets you put on night-sights. When you're setup in a tent way back up in there. All up in the "country dark" you quickly realize those regular irons on your revolver ain't gon' be able to do nothin' for you if some critter comes trying to test you in the dark. Something to think about.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Glad that hand canon isn't strapped to my chest...no thanks. G40 MOS w/ proper optic/sight for me.

Would you carry a g29 10mm??

I literally never knew this about 10mm. Not a huge .40 fan, but a really useful piece of information. You can research it yourself, from what I have found it’s only safe in a Glock, due to how it holds the round. some will naysay it, as anything off label, but I’ve read where competition...

www.rokslide.com

 

[HuntHarder]

For sure not ideal, but should get the job done if you need it. Hell, you might even be able to use it on your moose should the opportunity arise for a close shot. I will, hopefully, just be taking my Glock 10mm for a walk again in AK. Hoping to not even have to think about using it. lol.

 

[ChuckInTn]

If it feels good to you, roll with it. You could definitely do a lot worse, and if you ever have to use it and you do get the shot off, you'll be glad you kept it.