Traveling to Alaska with a firearm....or not.

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Cabin Fever

Cabin Fever

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Lets say a couple from the lower 48 is planning on a vacation trip to Alaska. To do so, they must drive through Canada. It is almost impossible to take a firearm from the US into Canada. (It is possible, but there are 100s of restrictions and forms that must be completed and approved.) This couple, who shall remain nameless, always travel with their EDC, but seems like this is near impossible to do in Canada. What would you do for personal protection?
 
If you are going to be there for a long time, I would check to see if you can purchase one on arrival, if you have a CCW it might be possible to purchase one in Alaska. Then you could sell it when you leave.

Or you could have one member of your party fly in and out of Alaska carrying your iron, then you could pick them both up.

Or your could travel by ferry from Washington to Alaska and avoid Canada all together. (But I have read that this can be expensive).
 
zoomzoom said:
Pretty sure you can mail it to yourself (or wherever you're staying in AK) via UPS.
E.g. UPS it to your hotel with your name on it. Let the hotel know you have a package coming. At the end of your trip, UPS it back to your home address.
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I believe it is illegal to mail firearms unless the sender and receiver are FFLs. Besides, what about the 1000-plus miles traveling through Canada to get to Alaska? And, this particular couple is traveling in a RV.
 
With Canadas current restrictions and more there attitude, towards firearms and Americans, I wouldn't try to take any firearm through.. Especially a handgun.. In fact regardless of the expense I'd consider the ferry both ways.. Even as nice as BC and the Yukon are it isn't worth the time and trouble.. To me the inside passage is most beautiful especially the Bella Bella, Boat Bluff areas.. I know people from there..
My 5 cents of experience and opinion..
 
Cabin Fever said:
I believe it is illegal to mail firearms unless the sender and receiver are FFLs. Besides, what about the 1000-plus miles traveling through Canada to get to Alaska? And, this particular couple is traveling in a RV.
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I'm pretty sure you can do it if you follow some guidelines.
Do an internet search for "can I mail a weapon to myself".
Here's the first hit I got.
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/how-to-mail-guns/
 
Are you leaving a vehicle in Alaska and flying home, or driving both ways.

The short answer you are not allowed a handgun while in Canada. As to long guns, think "NOT SCARY". Even if legal, avoid short, barreled shotguns. For example, A Remington 870 shotgun with 28" barrel is not scary, same firearm with 18.5" barrel will not be allowed.
As for rifles Bolt action 22" plus is not scary. Any semi-auto "ANYTHING" is scary & not allowed.

Two things to remember the rules change regularly, think frequently.

A forum called 24 hour campfire, is always on top of this problem.
 
Sourdough said:
Are you leaving a vehicle in Alaska and flying home, or driving both ways.

The short answer you are not allowed a handgun while in Canada. As to long guns, think "NOT SCARY". Even if legal, avoid short, barreled shotguns. For example, A Remington 870 shotgun with 28" barrel is not scary, same firearm with 18.5" barrel will not be allowed.
As for rifles Bolt action 22" plus is not scary. Any semi-auto "ANYTHING" is scary & not allowed.

Two things to remember the rules change regularly, think frequently.

A forum called 24 hour campfire, is always on top of this problem.
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Driving both ways. It seems to me that if you bring a shotgun into Canada, you will still need a reason for it, like duck hunting, which is typically done in the fall. Same for a .22, hunting or target shooting competition.

I'll check out that forum. I belong to a RV to Alaska forum and you cannot belief the difference of opinions and arguments that start over this issue.
 
Cabin Fever said:
and you cannot belief the difference of opinions and arguments that start over this issue
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It can change from day to day. Surely week to week. This was especially true during Covid-19
 
Cabin Fever said:
this does not help me carry in Canada.
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You cannot carry a hand gun in Canada. End of story. That is for the privileged criminal class only.

Personal protection is pretty much prohibited.The only thing that is legally allowed for self defense is a good lucky feeling. Keep the rest innovative and to yourself.

Most long guns are under attack now as well, but are your best bet; obviously it's a hunting trip.

It will be cheaper to take the ferry than risk losing everything including your wheels to the border gestapo, many of whom, do not know the rules either and don't care to be educated.

If a road trip is still on the books, traveling through Canada is pretty safe. It's pretty easy to cross the border without going through a big city, and ours aren't nearly the cesspools like down south, although they are making some progress in achieving such low standards.

Most of the way to Alaska is quite rural. If you run into difficulties it's OK to accept the help that will invariably be offered. We don't tend to leave people stranded on the side of the road twiddling their thumbs. We do a slow drive by looking to see if help is needed or if you are just yacking on the phone. Sometimes, there is no phone service so it's rude not to check. Pretty low volume of traffic going to Alaska as well.
 
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Haertig said:
Does Alaska law allow you to loan your friends one of your spare guns while they're there? If you like them, and want them to come back for another visit, hand them a 9mm. If not, give 'em your wife's .454 Casull (tell 'em it's a .38spl)
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There are no gun related problems IN alaska....

I think his question is about when in Canada.
 
Aerindel said:
I think his question is about when in Canada.
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Not much you can do, legally, in Canada since they have very draconian laws there. For their own citizens that is. It appears that for foreigners, Canada effectively has a gun ban, even though on paper it sounds like it's possible to have one. Maybe. Almost.

Aerindel said:
There are no gun related problems IN alaska....
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Other than getting the gun TO Alaska in the first place.
 
You cannot use bear or pepper spray for self defense against people. Just make sure you can convince the gestapo that it's for bears only. If you use it against people, be prepared to spend some quality time defending yourself in court. The issue may or may not be resolved in your favor with five to ten years of court persecution and costs.
 
What CAN be legally used in Canada for self defense? Anything? Knives? Stun guns? Clubs? Slingshots? Is it legal to defend yourself in any way there? It almost sounds like self defense might be illegal, if even pepper spray is on the banned list. Pepper spray is about the least human-damaging way to defend yourself there is (and it's not actually that great of a defense in the first place).
 
I have lived in Canada For 60 plus years, never been even near a situation that required me to have a hand gun, If someone were to act like they were going fro a gun a very firmly placed boot to the sternum would stop any stupid stuff like that. You do not want to try to cross into canada with an undeclared hand gun, the border guards are usually people who couldn't qualify for other gastapo positions and have a chip on their shoulder. As Clem said stay out of big cities and be polite. A baseball bat, along with a glove and ball or an axe is about what you can carry, but you won't need either unless you really really try.
 
Haertig said:
What CAN be legally used in Canada for self defense? Anything? Knives? Stun guns? Clubs? Slingshots? Is it legal to defend yourself in any way there? It almost sounds like self defense might be illegal, if even pepper spray is on the banned list. Pepper spray is about the least human-damaging way to defend yourself there is (and it's not actually that great of a defense in the first place).
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A lot of confidence work best. How often do you need to pull your gun to defend your self?? really. I don't like the laws, but most gun or violent crime in Canada is in big cities and criminal on criminal.
 
Tirediron said:
How often do you need to pull your gun to defend your self??
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Hopefully never. Similarly, my seatbelt has never had to restrain me in a crash or maneuver in a car either. But I do wear it every time I get into a car. I've never had to draw my gun on anybody. I hope I never am forced to. But I want to have it with me in case I am. I am lucky to live in a country where this is still allowed (for the most part - but there are entities that are trying to stop it).
Tirediron said:
most gun or violent crime in Canada is in big cities and criminal on criminal
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That is true everywhere I think. I don't go into the big cities much, but sometimes I have to. And from what the newspapers and broadcast news say about Denver, it has gotten quite a bit worse than the last time I was there. I no longer consider it a safe city. Avoidance is my primary strategy. But I can't avoid the city 100% of the time (unfortunately).
 
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