Alaska Woods Bumming Rifles
Key Takeaways
416 Ruger Guide Gun
458 Winchester - Mauser mklo
416 Remington Winchester Model 70
45-70 Marlin
50 Alaskan Marlin custom
Transcript
Welcome back to our Idaho office! We just finished a video on woods bumming guns for the Idaho and Montana area, and today, we're continuing to talk about woods bumming guns. In my experience, woods bumming guns see more use than hunting rifles. Hunting seasons in America are generally short—maybe a couple of weeks or a month, depending on the species and local regulations. But as soon as the snow starts to melt (and even before), I’m out bumming around in the woods.
These are my Alaska woods bumming guns, which are very different from my lower 48 guns. Where you woods bum will dictate the kind of rifle you need. All the bolt-action rifles I’m showing today are controlled-round feed. While it’s not strictly necessary, I’ve seen a lot go wrong with guns, ammo, and conditions in the field. A reliable controlled-round feed is just a bit more foolproof than most push-feed actions, and remember, any lever action is technically a push-feed.
Let's start with this Ruger Guide Gun chambered in .416 Ruger. It’s as if the folks at Ruger asked me to design the perfect guide rifle for Alaska. Guide rifles are not necessarily hunting rifles; they’re for close-range protection and packing enough punch to stop a charging grizzly. Ruger aptly named this the Guide Gun. It has a 20-inch barrel with a muzzle brake, though I take the brake off if I’m using it in Alaska. I’m shooting Buffalo Bore 350-grain Barnes TSX bullets, which are extremely effective. This rifle has quick-detachable mounts for the scope, so I can use iron sights for close work or reattach the scope for hunting. Without the scope, the rifle is a pound lighter and carries better, making it ideal for hiking.
This Guide Gun has adjustable length-of-pull spacers, so my wife Kim can use it comfortably too. Ruger thought of everything, including positioning the sling swivels on the barrel to avoid painful recoil-induced hand injuries. The stock is weather-impervious laminate, and the metal is stainless. Ruger nailed it with this design; it’s as close to perfect as it gets for Alaska woods bumming. I actually have three of these—one in .416 Ruger and two in .375 Ruger. One of the .375s will be going to Africa, and the other is for Kim, who may hunt moose in Alaska someday.
Next up is my oldest Alaska woods bumming rifle, a .458 Win Mag that I’ve had for 40 years. I’ve restocked it a few times. There was a time when I was in Alaska two or three times a year, hunting brown bear and moose, or even just catching crabs. This rifle is all stainless, with a controlled-round feed Whitworth Mark 10 action, which I had nickel-plated. The barrel is only 18 inches long, making it super handy. I believe that, loaded with a controlled-expansion 400-grain bullet at 2300 feet per second, the .458 Win Mag is unbeatable for stopping brown bears.
Here's another favorite: a .375 H&H Winchester with a 20-inch barrel. It’s also equipped with a Leupold 2.5-8 scope in quick-release mounts. I can swap between scope and iron sights depending on what I’m doing. I’ve taken game with it, including an Alaska brown bear. This rifle is incredibly versatile.
Now we get into lever guns. This is a Marlin .45-70 that I’ve customized for Alaska. It’s all stainless with a shortened 20-inch barrel, and I shoot Buffalo Bore 430-grain hard cast bullets. It’s weather-resistant and low maintenance, so I don’t have to worry about keeping it in perfect condition. This rifle has seen a lot of use.
I also brought in another Marlin, chambered in .50 Alaskan, with an octagon barrel and a full-length magazine tube. It’s more power than you’ll ever need for Alaska, but in dangerous animal situations, having more gun is always better than having less. If you’ve ever been in a dangerous animal encounter, you know they close the distance in seconds. I’d rather have extra power when facing a charging bear.
Speaking of bears, bear spray is something I’m not a fan of. I’ve never bought a can and never will. If the wind’s blowing in your face, you’re the one who’ll get sprayed. Now, not only are you being mauled, but you’re also blinded. It’s just not a good combination. Bear spray might be the preferred tool for Fish and Game departments and other groups, but I rely on powerful firearms. I want to avoid any situation that might leave me with lifelong scars—whether physical or emotional.
The .50 Alaskan is an excellent cartridge, and we manufacture ammo for it. We’re even working on potentially bringing out model 1886 Winchester lever actions chambered in .50 Alaskan from the factory, although that’s still several months away from becoming a reality.
These are my Alaska woods bumming rifles. Canada is another large region with diverse environments, similar to Alaska. In some areas of Canada, I’d use my Rocky Mountain woods bumming rifles; in others, I’d use the same ones I use in Alaska. You can’t go wrong with a rugged, controlled-round feed, all-stainless, large-bore rifle.
The main purpose of these rifles is for protection, but they’re also versatile enough for hunting if you need to subsist. I find it more enjoyable to hunt with iron sights; it adds a bit of challenge, and the rifle carries better without a scope.
These are my Alaska woods bumming rifles, and I always have one of these with me when I’m up there. We hope these videos are useful, that you get some instruction out of them, and that you stay safe, enjoy the outdoors, and God bless.
