I carry my 9mm daily and everywhere I can. I take the responsibility of protecting my family pretty seriously. I just found out my wife won a trip to Alaska! I’ve never been there. Looks like we get to do some hiking, beach combing, and fishing for sure. Plan on flying into Anchorage and running around the Kenai Peninsula. Is it worth the hassle of flying a pistol? If so will the 9mm suffice? I do have a Glock 20 I carry in the back country. I have a chest rig, pancake and an appendix holster for it. I don’t care to open carry in a social setting, I’ve had some strange interactions doing that. Hahaha. As much as I’d like to think Alaskans are just regular old rednecks like the rest of us, I gotta imagine they have a boatload of hippies too. I’m sorry for the rambling, I’m just so danged excited. What’re your guys’ thoughts on carrying in Alaska? Worth it? Pea shooter EDC or suck it up go a little bigger?

I would travel without it...

What is your concern in AK, two legged critters or four?

The 9 should be ok for almost all of the situations you may encounter. Obviously, the biggest risks will occur in areas like Anchorage.

While the 9 would not be my choice for a bear encounter on the beach........the probability of that is pretty low.

I'd stick with whatever you are comfortable with and by all means keep it concealed....not open.

Flying a pistol is really no more hassle than flying a long gun.
Personally I'd feel more at risk getting to the airport in Minneapolis !!

I’m not exactly sure what to expect. This trip is a promotional so I’m not sure how much time we’ll get to spend bombing around. When we vacation we tend to stay away from tours and groups, gather info from the locals and head off. So if we’re tied up with this promo stuff we’ll probably be grouped up. But given the chance to get away and fish the rivers off the highway or wander the coast I sure plan to. I’m fully aware I’m a dumb tourist and at the mercy of local info and the law of hard knocks. How much of a threat are moose and bear? Meth heads? Dudes fed up with stupid tourists?

You can carry concealed in Alaska without any special permit.
If you are checking bagage anyway, it's no harder to travel with a firearm, just have it in a hard, locked piece of luggage, you can have ammo in same piece of luggage as long as it's in it's original container. You must declard it at checkin, and after they bag-tag it, they will have you drop it off at a specific TSA drop point.
My reccomendation is to fly Alaska Arilines if possible, this is routine for them.

That’s good stuff. Thank you for that. That was my initial gut feeling. Bringing the 9 if anything. Better than nothing and more than I more than likely need. I’ve heard the saying Los Anchorage and if it’s anything like our Mogadishu settlements I plan to carry or never stop till I’m in a better neighborhood.

Flying with a pistol is easy. Unloaded in a locked case and separated from boxed ammunition. I put the locked case into the checked bag and just declare the firearm, answer the ticket agents question's, fill out the declaration form and put one copy into the checked bag.

As W17 said a 9 isn’t a preferred caliber for bear, but if it’s always on you that is worth something, and better than going hands on, lol!

Alaskans are nicer than most I've met from MN. Take 160user for example.....you'll be fine without it.

Regarding 9mm for bear protection, check this out.

This crush you got going on is starting to get uncomfortable.

Truest statement I have read on the interweb in years!

Oh go smoke a perch or something.

Bring the gun with you, super easy, declare it, have it in a airline approved loved case. You will hand carry the luggage containing gun to TSA and pick it up in Anchorage. That said, I have lived in Alaska for 42 years and don’t own a large pistol. My Ithica model 37 with the slug barrel will handle all two and four legged threats.

Los Anchorage
Just bring it
Without it be like no coat
Hopefully never need but...
Your a traveler
Idiots can be anywhere and anytime
Enjoy your visit

Been up there a few times and am going to agree with White17 100%. If the majority of your time was going to be along the rivers or in the Bush I would recommend a heavier caliber firearm but as long as you are in Anchoragua, etc. I think a 9mm you are confident with will be just fine.

Moosetrot

The last time I travelled Alaska Air out of Alaska I put the cased pistol in my luggage. Had to show it to the Alaska agent at the Alaska gate. Then pad locked the case and put it in my checked bag. I don't remember having to take the bag or pistol to TSA. I think we went from Fairbanks to K City and returned K city to Fairbanks. It was the same way in KC. Show the Alaska agent the case. Lock the case. Put the case in your bag and check the bag.
When we left Fairbanks I initially forgot to tell the agent I had a gun in my checked bag. Went back to the counter 10 minutes later. Agent had to go get the bag somewhere and bring it back to check the case and the locks. I was surprised she wasn't mad at me!!

What time of the year are you coming? I live on the Kenai and rarely am in the woods or on the river without my Glock 20 on my chest.

If you don’t have a direct flight and your plane lands in Canada, I guess technically the firearm is still in care & control of the carrier, and hasn’t officially crossed an international border unless it crosses customs in the airport?
After a quick search…….

“Alternatives
Due to the intense scrutiny and high risk of error, many travelers instead choose to:
Ship the firearm via a commercial carrier (like UPS/FedEx) to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) in Alaska.
Take the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry from Bellingham, WA, to Alaska, which keeps you within US jurisdiction.”

But I think this is more for travellers that are staying a night in Canada or driving up.
Be safe, get a direct flight…..lol

I personally think I’d leave the gun at home. If you do take it with you might want to double check airline rules. Had a buddy get to the airport with a long gun in a case. Agent told him everywhere on the case that has a hole for a lock, needs a lock. He only had one paddle lock on his case and zip ties in the other holes. Luckily he had time to run to a Walmart and buy a five pack of paddle locks.