[flyandscuba]

I'm considering taking a month of vacation at the end of the summer to do a long cross-country flight to visit a friend in Alaska. In order to do so, I'll of course have to fly through Canada.

Since Canada prohibits the transportation of handguns, I'll have to leave the S&W 500 at home :evil: Therefore, I need a long gun to use as a survival firearm to place in the baggage compartment.

I'm considering the Springfield M6 chambered in .22LR over .410 which folds in half into a small package. Or, I ran across Rossi's website for their "Matched Pair" long guns. These offer many more caliber combinations. Although it doesn't fold in half, it breaks down easily and Rossi even makes a zippered case to carry everything in a small package.

I'm still leaning at .22LR or .22WMR as the rifle caliber, simply because you can carry a bunch of ammo at low weight. The shotgun option is only 12 GA. in the adult model, but the youth model (shorter stock) is available in .410 or 20 GA. Actually, they have a three barrel youth model in .22LR, 20 GA, and .243 available.

I've pretty much decided on the Rossi over the M6 -- unless someone can convince me otherwise. But I'm torn between the fullsize model of the Rossi versus the shorter youth model. For it's intended use, I don't know if the 1.75" shorter length of pull would bother me shooting-wise -- and may actually be beneficial in a smaller package for storage.

What do you guys think, fullsize or youth model??

http://www.rossiusa.com/products/products-matchedpairs.cfm

 

[packin heat]

oohh 3 barrel..i like it.

how about mounting a Gatlin gun to the nose of the ol' Cessna?

 

[BIGIRON]

The combo. I've always believed most folks went way overboard on their survival items (as opposed to SHTF items). The 22lr would be totally adequate -- probably more game has been killed with it than anything else. And frankly, I'd be tempted to leave the shotgun at home. It and the ammo are heavy and you might have weight/balance concerns. The chances of you being in an unintended survival situation and having a bear attack (about the only scenario that would require shotgun) are about the same as hitting the lotto back-to-back. Signaling, by gunshot or flare, are about the only unique uses for the shotty.

If you're going to spend much time in the bush, I'd probably take a short lever gun in a big caliber - 45/70, 444, etc.

You might also contact a gunsmith or gunstore in one of your first Alaska stops and see if they would receive and reship a handgun for you. I think you can also legally ship to yourself.

A couple of years ago, the RV rental place in Anchorage said they would receive and hold packages for us. We didn't do that tho. Took 44mag as baggage w/no problem.

I do believe in having something with big bullets when in bear country -- even black bears.

I envy your trip.

BIGIRON

 

[Flyer]

I tend to agree with Bigiron.
A Marlin Guide Gun 1895 in .45-70 is going to take care of anything you'd come up against, and will be nice and compact, also. I've got the full-sized 1895, and love mine.
Flyer

 

[Bulbman]

Personally I would take a lever action carbine in something big, just like Flyer and Iron, but that springfield could do the job nicely with some .410 slugs

what are you gonna be flying? Sounds like a lot of fun, but do you have a CD player??

 

[flyandscuba]

Well,

At $95 for the matched pair (12GA/.22WMR) and $19 for the zippered case, I opted to go that route.

The 12GA will give some flexibility in that I can use a variety of shot, buckshot, slugs, flares, and starburst shells. The .22 WMR will allow a large quantity of ammo at low weight, while still giving ballistics similar to a 9mm.

The complete package with a reasonable ammo supply will weigh 12-14 pounds in a small pouch that will easily slide under the rear seat of the 172.

The price was great given the quality of these weapons. These in other rifle calibers would do well for the budget minded hunters too, as they are drilled and tapped for scope installation.

 

[TxCajun]

I ran across those Rossi's a while back. Quite an amazing array of guage/caliber combinations, and really cost effective. For the given purpose, I like your choice.

I lived in Anchorage for two years in the early 70's and have always wanted to go back. I am green with envy. Enjoy some of the most awesome and beautiful country on the planet. I drove up and down the ALCAN highway when it was over 800 miles of gravel road that snaked up and down the Canadian Rockies. There were frequent abrupt drop-offs of several hundred feet just off the shoulder and no guard-rails... Quite an adventure but I think I prefer your mode of transportation. Be careful! There has got to be some long stretches of high mountains with airstrips few an far between. But then again, that plane doesn't require much room to land, does it?

 

[Flyer]

Believe it or not, Alaska is peppered with small airstrips all over the place... maybe not with towers, but plenty of smaller single-runway ports. Shouldn't be much of a problem for a competent pilot.
Flyer

 

[TxCajun]

(Competent) Bush Pilot! Expansive distances between destinations support a healthy population of pilots in Alaska and the Candadian Northwest. I'm sure there's lots of small plane traffic flying that route.

Fly: Have you ever landed on skis? Better not hang around up there too long.

 

[flyandscuba]

No skis -- just floats. Mountain flying has its challenges. High altitudes affect performance and updrafts/downdrafts associated with mountain peaks can cause big problems.

It will be a challenge in a 172 but completely possible -- requiring careful planning and a close eye on the weather. Making the trip solo will be an adventure. Thanks goodness for my autopilot to reduce fatigue!

 

[Dano136]

Not sure if they are still made, but Savage use to make a .222 X 20 gauge O/U. I always thought this would make a good backpacker. I have a Stevens .22 X.410 O/U that was left to me that I use to take rabbit hunting sometimes.

 

[Bulbman]

that is going to be one heck of a flight in a 172; are you gettin lots of short field/soft field practice in?

but for 95 bucks for that matched pair, that sounds like a deal too good to pass up! If you havent already gone for it, I would get the adult model, you can disassemble it if it doesn't quite fit anyways

 

[Flyer]

At my ultralight airport, when I would rent a Cessna for an overnighter, I'd always drop in for three or four practice landings.
700 feet of grass, sixty feet wide through a cornfield. After awhile it's pretty easy, but the first time you see that wee little strip in a REAL plane your heartrate goes through the roof!
Flyer

 

[Bulbman]

Re:

At my ultralight airport, when I would rent a Cessna for an overnighter, I'd always drop in for three or four practice landings.
700 feet of grass, sixty feet wide ...

:shock: good lord! I remember the first time I flew into a 1500 foot runway, about 25 feet wide in a Cherokee (first time in the cherokee too, was flying 172's up until that point), scared the you know what out of me! My Instructor said stop and go (later he said he meant touch and go) so I started to step on the brakes, and he said "GO!!!!" Opened up the throttle and barely made it off the end of the runway It's a good thing there wasn't an obstacle there

I guess you get spoiled when your home airport has a 5300' x 200' runway

You fly ultralights Flyer?? I've always wanted to try that, no hassel with ATC or anything, just wind in your face; flying in it's elemental form

 

[Flyer]

Yup, I've been flying Ultralights pretty much since I knew what they were. This is my first solo in my (then brand-new) Quicksilver MX:

The runway I use now is 1000 feet of grass... the owner has both a Beechcraft and a Piper Cub in his hangar, and my Quicksilver in the other.
You're right, it'd be a bit scary to drop a Cherokee into 700 feet... but it could be done! It was pretty common for regular aircraft to leave the runway with a few cornstalks dangling from their landing gear, though. :shock:
Flyer

 

[DaveN007]

I vote for a stainless pump shotgun with an assortment of shells.

It has to be the most versitile single thing you can take along.

Slugs, buckshot, birdshot, flares...

What else do you need?

 

[flyandscuba]

Size (compactability) and weight were factors for me. I already owned a pump shotgun -- too big and cumbersome in a smaller cockpit. I decided to go with the Rossi Matched Pair over the Springfield because it was less expensive ($99 out the door) and could still be carried in a 22" zippered case (yes, the 28" SG barrel was trimmed to 20") -- with a total weight including ammo (a variety of 12 ga. shotgun shells/slugs and 250 rounds of .22 WMR) of just under 7 pounds.

The package fits nicely under the rear seat. The fact that it is a single-shot weapon should cause little concern for the Canadian officials when passing through customs, or if I make a forced off-field landing somewhere in their country.