|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
December 16, 2012, 07:33 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 24, 2010
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 3,318
|
the ultimate Alaskan handgun
I guess you have to distinguish among roles:
1. hunting 2. defense 3. combination of 1 and 2 4. law enforcement |
December 16, 2012, 07:44 AM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 16, 2008
Posts: 1,692
|
10 MM .
__________________
No Gun Big Or Small Does It All |
December 16, 2012, 07:57 AM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 24, 2010
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 3,318
|
I think a 10mm Glock or 1911 is arguably optimum for law enforcement in Alaska.
It wouldn't be my first choice for Alaskan hunting though. |
December 16, 2012, 08:48 AM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: September 16, 2007
Posts: 712
|
robhof
I would think that 10mm would be a bit weak, if responding to a large brown bear in the house or an irate moose attacking cars; as both incidents happen on routine patrol in AK.
|
December 16, 2012, 08:51 AM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 16, 2008
Posts: 1,692
|
Ruger Redhawk . Pick a caliber ,barrel length .cross draw holster .
__________________
No Gun Big Or Small Does It All |
December 16, 2012, 08:55 AM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 22, 2012
Posts: 1,031
|
Whatever you do, don't even think about getting a 454 with a 2.5" barrel.
|
December 16, 2012, 09:07 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 16, 2008
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 11,061
|
Alaska is no different then any place else. The best pistol is the one you shoot the best.
You accomplish nothing flinching away with a hand cannon.
__________________
Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071 |
December 16, 2012, 09:14 AM | #8 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10,792
|
Quote:
For pure hunting this is where a long barreled 44 is about the minimum and the hand cannons, 454, 500 S&W etc., have their place if you insist on hunting with a handgun. For LE, I'd not want a handgun much different than what were used most anywhere else. Any quality semi or revolver someone is comfortable with. I would however insist on a long gun in the vehicle capable of dispatching larger animals if needed. A Ruger All Weather in 30-06 would make a good choice I'd think. |
|
December 16, 2012, 09:26 AM | #9 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: June 16, 2008
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 11,061
|
Quote:
__________________
Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071 |
|
December 16, 2012, 10:38 AM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 27, 2009
Posts: 3,968
|
I'm going to go with kraigwy on this one. (Since he did it for like 20 years or something.)
__________________
Sic Semper Tyrannis |
December 16, 2012, 11:05 AM | #11 |
Junior member
Join Date: January 24, 2010
Location: South West Riverside County California
Posts: 2,763
|
^ +2
For "real" work in the woods, the 10mm would be anemic, and for self-defense possibly too much gun. It would all be a compromise regardless. |
December 16, 2012, 11:08 AM | #12 |
Junior member
Join Date: January 24, 2010
Location: South West Riverside County California
Posts: 2,763
|
"Whatever you do, don't even think about getting a 454 with a 2.5" barrel"
Why? It has been proven to work on a 1,000 pound bear charging in a surprise attack. For serious bear defense, the Ruger Alaskan makes a whole lot of sense. |
December 16, 2012, 11:34 AM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: February 20, 2011
Posts: 654
|
"the ultimate Alaskan handgun "
As a young teen working on frozen rivers (a DNR job) recall an Eskimo hunter who said, 'don't break wind, a mile away the bear will smell you.' Well, if you know animal anatomy and you can shoot straight, the 357Mag is likely good enough. That said, my favorite trail caliber is the 44. Shooting a couple hundred rounds is my idea of a good day at the range, so my choice would be a 44Magnum handgun, with a 3, 4, or 6.5 inch barrel. Before you dismiss the 3" barrel, remember its really a 4" due to the cylinder. I do not have enough experience with the 454 Casull, but guys that have one are satisfied with it.
__________________
For 20 years the sea was my home, always recall the sun going down, and my trusty friend, a 1911 pistol, strapped to my side. |
December 16, 2012, 11:58 AM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 5, 2009
Posts: 558
|
a good ol 44 mag would suit me just fine. add a box of 44 specials, a box of your favorite weight 44 mag factory ammo, and a box of some speciality 44 mag ammo like buffalo bore in your favorite bullet weight and you're good to go for any animal on the planet from man to elephant. you also have the benifit of a lower inital cost for the firearm and lower cost of ammo and the added advantage of a variety of firearms from semi auto pistoles to single and double action revolvers, even single shot pistols.
__________________
ya only got 1 arm and ya carry 3 guns for Christs sake. Well I don't want to get killed for lack of shooting back. |
December 16, 2012, 01:44 PM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 9, 2011
Location: Land of the Free
Posts: 2,834
|
AR/ pistol 3 point sling.
I don't know about hunting though. I would want it on the trail with me, wild life is bigger in AK. Last edited by 9mm; December 16, 2012 at 01:49 PM. |
December 16, 2012, 01:58 PM | #16 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: January 2, 2005
Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam.
Posts: 3,082
|
Quote:
Quote:
At least one Expert disagrees.
__________________
Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon. |
||
December 16, 2012, 02:10 PM | #17 |
Junior member
Join Date: January 24, 2010
Location: South West Riverside County California
Posts: 2,763
|
"At least one Expert disagrees"
I think Randy Garrett is "the man" - but the facts, at least as to the .454 Alaskan I referenced, prove him wrong. http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=95402 |
December 16, 2012, 05:43 PM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: July 17, 2012
Posts: 106
|
Anything less than 3000 ft lbs is roulette on a mad 1000 lb animal. .40 to 10mm is hardly a difference maker in any confrontation. Large bore handguns will give you one shot on a 1000 lb animal. No CNS hit and you might as well have used a slingshot.
|
December 16, 2012, 05:58 PM | #19 |
Junior member
Join Date: January 24, 2010
Location: South West Riverside County California
Posts: 2,763
|
^ It is not a ft lb deal - it's a penetration/destruction deal. I'll take 1,500 ft lbs with a hard cast LBT WLN .44/.45 over a 3,000 ft lb expanding bullet. One will shoot stem to stern and the other, not so much.
BTW, that may be one of the reasons that statistically, you are better off with a handgun as opposed to a rifle in a bear attack, - penetration and easier to use in close quarters. Last edited by jmortimer; December 16, 2012 at 06:11 PM. |
December 16, 2012, 06:35 PM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 2, 2005
Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam.
Posts: 3,082
|
The 300-400 FPS loss from the snub nose barrel totally goes against the logic of the big bore revolver which is power. You may as well carry a Glock 20 with some hot 10mm solids or a 460 Rowland with some hot solids.
__________________
Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon. |
December 16, 2012, 06:44 PM | #21 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 3, 2005
Location: Seattle
Posts: 827
|
Wouldn't the ultimate Alaskan handgun be the ultimate handgun anywhere else?
__________________
"Huh?" --Jammer Six, 1998 |
December 16, 2012, 07:02 PM | #22 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 9, 2011
Location: Land of the Free
Posts: 2,834
|
@^No, because there are ninja's that are more powerfull, and people like to post about caliber wars. Why the 454 and not the S&W500?
|
December 16, 2012, 07:17 PM | #23 |
Junior member
Join Date: January 24, 2010
Location: South West Riverside County California
Posts: 2,763
|
"You may as well carry a Glock 20 with some hot 10mm solids or a 460 Rowland with some hot solids."
I don't understand why we cannot keep it real. No, neither the 10mm at 750 ft lbs with a 220 grain hard cast bulet with a much smaller meplat or the .460 Rowland (which I love) at around 1,000 ft lbs with a 230 grain bullet with a much smaller meplat, are not even on the same planet as a hard cast 360 grain WLN .454 out of a "short barrel" .454 Ruger Alaskan at aound 1,250 fps. Even at such a slow speed, that will blow through anything in its path. From the thread I linked above: "Shot the following over the chrono out of a 454 Alaskan: 454 Casull Ammo - 360 gr. L.B.T. - L.W.N. (1,425 fps/M.E. 1,623 ft. lbs.) ran @ 1230fps - carrying this on an elk hunt. - no time to roll my own." (Energy of 1,210 foot-pounds for a 360 grain bullet at 1230 fps) Last edited by jmortimer; December 16, 2012 at 07:23 PM. |
December 16, 2012, 07:27 PM | #24 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 12, 2002
Location: MO
Posts: 5,453
|
Quote:
2. Glock 30 3. Glock 30 w/.460 Rowland Conversion 4. Glock 21, equipped as in #3 above. [QUOTE-kraigwy]Not needed, I've dispatched many with my 4 in Model 28 in 357 using LSWCs[/QUOTE] So YOU are the reason Bullwinkle git cancelled.
__________________
People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice. |
|
December 16, 2012, 09:43 PM | #25 |
Senior Member
Join Date: January 2, 2005
Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam.
Posts: 3,082
|
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...t_detail&p=231
I think this would be pretty close to the 300 Grn @ 1300fps from a 454 snubbie, it is certainly in the same ballpark . Once you start using a longer barrel it changes drastically to the benefit of the revolver. The 360 Grn is certainly a beast though.
__________________
Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon. |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|