Alaskan Survival Rifle - What do you pick & Why?

[Chesten_Hesten]

The light sniper rifle thread got me to thinking.

If you were to choose a survival rifle for the wilds of say Alaska, what would you choose, and why?

Me, I think I'd choose a lightweight bolt gun, that came with iron sights, either 223, 308, 0r 30'06.

Prolly go with a compact scope too:

Something like these:

308 Mossberg

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mo...-action-rifle-115318617#repChildCatid=5044526

223 mossberg
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mo...-nato-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=5025675


3006 Mossberg
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mo...field-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=4903740



CZ 223 5.6lbs

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/cz...ngton-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=5023296


CZ 3006 Synthetic ( just cause I likes the looks of it)

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/cz...field-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=5041039


What would you choose and why?

Yo @bushman505

 

[VitorReem]

Marlin 1895 SBL

Game over.

 

[bushman505]

The light sniper rifle thread got me to thinking.

If you were to choose a survival rifle for the wilds of say Alaska, what would you choose, and why?

Me, I think I'd choose a lightweight bolt gun, that came with iron sights, either 223, 308, 0r 30'06.

Prolly go with a compact scope too:

Something like these:

308 Mossberg

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mo...-action-rifle-115318617#repChildCatid=5044526

223 mossberg
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mo...-nato-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=5025675


3006 Mossberg
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mo...field-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=4903740



CZ 223 5.6lbs

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/cz...ngton-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=5023296


CZ 3006 Synthetic ( just cause I likes the looks of it)

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/cz...field-bolt-action-rifle#repChildCatid=5041039


What would you choose and why?

Yo @bushman505

That’s a good question which I’ve thought of in the past but may revisit now that you’ve peaked my interest.

For a survival rifle, I’d probably go with a 223 in a similar setup as you showed, reason being that caliber would get you a caribou or a deer or any predator short of bears (although natives kill polar bears with 223 all the time). But would also be small enough to use on small game like grouse, ptarmigans, ducks and rabbits for survival purposes.

If I had a bigger handgun, and I wanted to build something strictly for survival then a 22 withiron sights that was very lite would work well on small game. I use a 22 in Alaska more than any other rifle.

 

[bushman505]

Marlin 1895 SBL

Game over.

I’m a survival situation, your going to be more worried about eating every day than defending yourself against bears which almost never happens. 45-70 is cool but not great for a survival gun.

 

[FacePunch]

Maybe a Kimber Mountain Ascent in 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[Chesten_Hesten]

That’s a good question which I’ve thought of in the past but may revisit now that you’ve peaked my interest.

For a survival rifle, I’d probably go with a 223 in a similar setup as you showed, reason being that caliber would get you a caribou or a deer or any predator short of bears (although natives kill polar bears with 223 all the time). But would also be small enough to use on small game like grouse, ptarmigans, ducks and rabbits for survival purposes.

If I had a bigger handgun, and I wanted to build something strictly for survival then a 22 withiron sights that was very lite would work well on small game. I use a 22 in Alaska more than any other rifle.

I'm inclined to agree. I've heard most of the native Alaskans use 223, that's one reason alone to choose it; doesn't take a cannon to kill a deer.

An 06 maybe good if you get forced into longer shots on larger game, but you'd have to pack that stuff out too. Many times you can figure out how to get closer to critters you're hunting, (when you need to)

All things considered the lighter tackle 223 would be the best bet. You can kill a bear if you got to and everything else to eat on. And it lighter too.

a 22-mag would be a great gun, but for the fact you might find more 223 than 22 mag around.

 

[bushman505]

Some sort of a kimber 223 with a basic fixed power 4 or 6x leupold and the barrel chopped down to 18-20” would make a good light weight rifle.

That ruger scour rifle would work too

 

[wvboy]

I'm inclined to agree. I've heard most of the native Alaskans use 223, that's one reason alone to choose it; doesn't take a cannon to kill a deer.

That is what I would go for as well. I would like a magazine fed bolt gun in a survival situation. I think that Mossberg takes standard AR mags therefore I would think a 30 round PMAG would work in it. The .223/5.56 round has enough punch to kill most game in a pinch especially in the heavier grain variety, and is light enough that I could carry a lot on me.

As far as sights go, a basic 3-9x scope and a set of iron sights would be my setup..

 

[Scrody]

One of those over/under combo rifles would be my choice. A 5.56/12 gauge would be pretty legit.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Lightweight custom AR 18" .223

Nightforce NX8

KAC offset buis

Should be <7 lbs loaded.

You could take medium game out to 250-300 yards and also take out smaller varmints without vaporization. Also have bear/predator protection.

 

[VitorReem]

I’m a survival situation, your going to be more worried about eating every day than defending yourself against bears which almost never happens. 45-70 is cool but not great for a survival gun.

I’ve been in remote wilderness by myself living off the land many many times. I can provide food water and shelter without a little “survival” plinking gun no problem.
You won’t see any Alaskan in the bush without a high power rifle. That 1895 goes with me everywhere because when you run into some large dangerous wildlife (and you will) you have to be able to defend yourself. I’ve come close to grizzlies 4 times over the years not to mention moose which can be dangerous. IMHO I prefer having a weapon that can save my life. I can eat drink and sleep on my own.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

I’ve been in remote wilderness by myself living off the land many many times. I can provide food water and shelter without a little “survival” plinking gun no problem.
You won’t see any Alaskan in the bush without a high power rifle. That 1895 goes with me everywhere because when you run into some large dangerous wildlife (and you will) you have to be able to defend yourself. I’ve come close to grizzlies 4 times over the years not to mention moose which can be dangerous. IMHO I prefer having a weapon that can save my life. I can eat drink and sleep on my own.

He lives in Alaska...

I'm curious how you eat living off the land in remote areas. You getting big game kills and preserving the meat?

 

[VitorReem]

He lives in Alaska...

I'm curious how you eat living off the land in remote areas. You getting big game kills and preserving the meat?

Mostly snares and fishing. Only once in a blue moon if I’m starving will I resort to something bigger and just smoke it out

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

How would Remington 7615 pump action 223 fair in the cold weather?

 

[FyrFytr998]

I’m a survival situation, your going to be more worried about eating every day than defending yourself against bears which almost never happens. 45-70 is cool but not great for a survival gun.

Hey Bush, I meant to ask since you would know. Is 10mm stout enough for the bigger bears like Brown and Grizzly? Or is .41 mag the minimum handgun for them?

 

[bushman505]

Hey Bush, I meant to ask since you would know. Is 10mm stout enough for the bigger bears like Brown and Grizzly? Or is .41 mag the minimum handgun for them?

10mm seems to be quickly taking over the backup gun game in Alaska, with the heavier hard cast bullets people are finding they can shoot more rounds, more accurately than they can with their 44mag revolvers.

There’s a bear hunting guide who guides out of becherof and he’s dropped an angry charging grizzly with a 9mm loaded with buffalo bore 147g hatdcasts, you can read the story over on Buffalo bores website. In some interviews he has said that he’s not sure he would have been able to do it at such close range with his 44mag revolver.

I have a 44mag but I carry the Glock 20 99% of the time now, it’s lighter, holds more rounds, quicker to deploy and get multiple rounds on target quickly and really, any time I shoot a 9mm Glock I’m training for my 10mm since it’s the exact same function between guns. With my 44mag, I’d shoot 20-30 rounds a few times a year.

In my opinion, a Glock 20 in a gunfighters inc kenai chest holster is the ultimate in woods protection.

 

[JOE QUEEF]

 

[FyrFytr998]

10mm seems to be quickly taking over the backup gun game in Alaska, with the heavier hard cast bullets people are finding they can shoot more rounds, more accurately than they can with their 44mag revolvers.

There’s a bear hunting guide who guides out of becherof and he’s dropped an angry charging grizzly with a 9mm loaded with buffalo bore 147g hatdcasts, you can read the story over on Buffalo bores website. In some interviews he has said that he’s not sure he would have been able to do it at such close range with his 44mag revolver.

I have a 44mag but I carry the Glock 20 99% of the time now, it’s lighter, holds more rounds, quicker to deploy and get multiple rounds on target quickly and really, any time I shoot a 9mm Glock I’m training for my 10mm since it’s the exact same function between guns. With my 44mag, I’d shoot 20-30 rounds a few times a year.

In my opinion, a Glock 20 in a gunfighters inc kenai chest holster is the ultimate in woods protection.

Thanks for the reply dude. So a 10mm Glock Mag Carbine/G20 combo is viable!!

 

[bushman505]

Thanks for the reply dude. So a 10mm Glock Mag Carbine/G20 combo is viable!!

Yeah that would work, I’m not sure anybody makes one though, the closest I’ve seen is the high point carbine in 10mm which would actually be pretty cool because they are cheap, it wouldn’t matter if you smashed it up a bit.

I was at a shop the other day and the clerk told me that the CAA micro RONI adapter was going to be released for the g20/21 pistols at some point, that might be sort of cool. I think for now just a Glock 20 or a Glock 40 would are the best choices.

 

[Gregolian]

Yeah that would work, I’m not sure anybody makes one though, the closest I’ve seen is the high point carbine in 10mm which would actually be pretty cool because they are cheap, it wouldn’t matter if you smashed it up a bit.

I was at a shop the other day and the clerk told me that the CAA micro RONI adapter was going to be released for the g20/21 pistols at some point, that might be sort of cool. I think for now just a Glock 20 or a Glock 40 would are the best choices.

I think there’s talk of Vector making a 10mm