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Old December 16, 2012, 07:33 AM   #1
kcub
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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
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Old December 16, 2012, 07:44 AM   #2
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10 MM .
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Old December 16, 2012, 07:57 AM   #3
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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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 08:48 AM   #4
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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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 08:51 AM   #5
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Ruger Redhawk . Pick a caliber ,barrel length .cross draw holster .
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Old December 16, 2012, 08:55 AM   #6
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Whatever you do, don't even think about getting a 454 with a 2.5" barrel.
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Old December 16, 2012, 09:07 AM   #7
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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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 09:14 AM   #8
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Quote:
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
Glock 20 in 10mm for #2 and #3. A properly loaded 10mm is equal to or better than a 357 and both are closer to 44 mag than most understand. Any handgun that offers significantly more power is going to be significantly larger. For me at least once you get to a revlover larger than 4", I'd just as soon carry a rifle, and you'll need at least 6" of barrel from a magnum revolver to better a 10mm.

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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 09:26 AM   #9
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I would however insist on a long gun in the vehicle capable of dispatching larger animals if needed.
Not needed, I've dispatched many with my 4 in Model 28 in 357 using LSWCs.

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Old December 16, 2012, 10:38 AM   #10
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I'm going to go with kraigwy on this one. (Since he did it for like 20 years or something.)
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Old December 16, 2012, 11:05 AM   #11
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^ +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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 11:08 AM   #12
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"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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 11:34 AM   #13
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"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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 11:58 AM   #14
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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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 01:44 PM   #15
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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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 01:58 PM   #16
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"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.

Quote:
SHORT BARRELED AND LIGHTWEIGHT 44 MAGNUM REVOLVERS

We have observed, with concern, the introduction of super lightweight and/or super short-barreled 44 Magnum revolvers. This parallels the ammunition industry’s continual movement towards more power and heavier bullets, especially in 44 Magnum, and is creating performance limitations that need to be understood by 44 Magnum handgunners.

Of greatest concern to us are the new lightweight guns with exceptionally short barrels, such as the S&W 44 Magnum Night Guard. The Night Guard is very lightweight and, as a consequence, offers greatly increased recoil. This extra recoil presents a considerable obstacle for the handgunner to overcome in order to be proficient with this firearm, if it is to be reasonably carried for defensive use in grizzly country. Also, the extremely short barrel of the Night Guard significantly reduces the velocity produced by high performance ammo, when compared to guns of conventional barrel lengths, and this reduces the impact performance of the ammo. When one combines greatly increased recoil, which always slows recovery time if follow-up shots are required, with reduced velocity, one has taken a definite step down in overall revolver performance which could, under critical circumstances, lead to a failure to perform with adequate lethality.

Also of concern to us is the Ruger Alaskan 44 Magnum revolver. Although very strong, this revolver has an extremely short barrel, which produces greatly reduced velocity with high performance ammo, and also produces tremendous muzzle flash and recoil. Given the Alaskan’s considerable strength, possessing the same frame and cylinder as its longer-barreled brethren, it is clearly “strong enough” to easily handle our most potent 44 Magnum Ammo and other 44 Magnum cartridges loaded to similar power levels, but to do so is to subject oneself to a level of recoil the majority of shooters will find impossible to control.

The only answer to the problems presented by super lightweight revolvers and/or super short-barreled revolvers seems to be firing reduced-power loads, which may not, when fired from extremely short barrels (less than 4-inches), provide the performance one expects, or requires, from the 44 Magnum revolver when used as a defensive weapon in the deep woods.

- Randy Garrett

At least one Expert disagrees.
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Old December 16, 2012, 02:10 PM   #17
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"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
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Old December 16, 2012, 05:43 PM   #18
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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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 05:58 PM   #19
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^ 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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 06:35 PM   #20
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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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 06:44 PM   #21
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Wouldn't the ultimate Alaskan handgun be the ultimate handgun anywhere else?
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Old December 16, 2012, 07:02 PM   #22
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@^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?
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Old December 16, 2012, 07:17 PM   #23
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"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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 07:27 PM   #24
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I guess you have to distinguish among roles:
1. hunting
2. defense
3. combination of 1 and 2
4. law enforcement
1. Chopped Ruger SRH
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.
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Old December 16, 2012, 09:43 PM   #25
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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.
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