Prepping for AK

[Capt Nemo]

I've been a little scarce around here lately, but have been busy prepping for the trip next summer. I've got the deployment boxes built for the A22 cargo bags. The boxes are built for 4 box pallets of 40x48x48". We had the same boxes and cargo system when I was in the Guard. We will have 2 pallets of the boxes, and a 10' box for all the pipe and other long items that can't fit in the palletized boxes. I don't like the idea of having to bring wood fence posts along, but the nearest place to get any wood will be marching 4 miles down to the treeline, cut the wood where the salmon and bears are, and drag it back up the mountain.


For flying the boxes, every box will need to be weighed, so that nothing goes above 2000lbs per pallet. This is a 400lb postal scale. We'll need it for the trip back as well. Empty the boxes weigh in at 65 - 69lbs.


Here's the kitchen box partially packed. Duel fuel stove, 2 Aquatainers, 2 Vario water filters and spares, pots, paper towels, dinnerware, first aid kits, ect.


There's still enough room for 2 GGT Explorers in here!


I'll need to get another case for the radios and solar panel system adapters. We'll have 150W of solar for power, and will be able to run everything from it.


And for the bears. 2 AKM's for personal defense, and a 3 Joule solar fence charger for the camp perimeter.

 

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[Bonaro]

The AKM's are inappropriate for large predator control. The ammo available is military, FMJ and not designed to expand or fragment. It is kinda low power and large and heavy which makes it hard to carry while working. You would be far better off with a .44 mag.
The electric fence is a great idea. It will make a lot of noise to warn you when the bears walk right thru it

 

[RTR]

Hey Capt...What area of AK are you headed ?

 

[Capt Nemo]

The AKM's are inappropriate for large predator control. The ammo available is military, FMJ and not designed to expand or fragment. It is kinda low power and large and heavy which makes it hard to carry while working. You would be far better off with a .44 mag.
The electric fence is a great idea. It will make a lot of noise to warn you when the bears walk right thru it

I will have 8M3 fragmenting hollow points. Most poached elephants and rinos are killed with the AK and FMJ.


The electric fences actually work quite well on bears. The charger is rated for bear control. Mom's horse pushed me into a fence ran by this same charger, and the jolt had my arm numb for half an hour.

 

[Skunked68w]

That round only penetrated 14” of gel. That is inadequate for bear protection. .308 or 7.62x51 is minimum rifle cartridge size for large NA game. I would get a .44 mag revolver for the most portable solution. Cheapest solution is used 12g shotgun loaded with slugs. They kill large African game with AK’s by putting a whole magazine into the animal and waiting for it to die. A charging bear shot by 7.62x39 will have plenty of time to maul you. If you take the AK use FMJ. You want penetration of the vitals not expansion

 

[Skunked68w]

My hog hunting buddies stopped using AK’s because they couldn’t get clean kills on large hogs with it.

 

[Capt Nemo]

Hey Capt...What area of AK are you headed ?

We're going to the other side of the mountain NE of the Independence Mine.

 

[Capt Nemo]

That round only penetrated 14” of gel. That is inadequate for bear protection. .308 or 7.62x51 is minimum rifle cartridge size for large NA game. I would get a .44 mag revolver for the most portable solution. Cheapest solution is used 12g shotgun loaded with slugs. They kill large African game with AK’s by putting a whole magazine into the animal and waiting for it to die. A charging bear shot by 7.62x39 will have plenty of time to maul you. If you take the AK use FMJ. You want penetration of the vitals not expansion

No, that's exactly what you need! Keeping the bullet in the animal transfers maximum energy to target. Mass damage is what's going to stop the bear, not over penetration. The damage with 8M3 is great enough that a limb shot would immobilize that body part. The 7.62x39 also has the same power as the .44 magnum at 1600 ftlbs. And I am not looking at a 1 shot kill on an attacking bear, I'm looking at dumping the entire magazine into it until it drops. And if I had full auto, I'd use it!

 

[N-Lionberger]

I'll second the 12 gauge slugs.

 

[RTR]

12 gauge w/3.5" slugs....A good attack Sheppard...And >>

 

[Johnnybravo300]

I'd pack a 12 with slugs and a 44 mag as a back up/tent gun.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

A good dog is the best tool to have around. They always know what's lurking before you do.

 

[Sockeye1730]

I also agree. Leave the AKs at home, especially the hollow points. Nobody I know in Alaska would promote 7.62x39 as bear protection...not even for hunting. I wouldn't trust any handgun either aside from being an emergency side arm strapped on my side, or under my pillow in the tent. If a bear is on your ass you won't have time to dump the magazine...you'll be lucky to get one aimed shot off. I prefer a large caliber rifle - .338 and up. My personal bear gun is a 45/70 loaded hot with hard cast bullets. 12 gauge with brennekke slugs would be an excellent choice and far superior to what you have now, plus you could get some deterrent shells as well - cracker rounds, rubber slugs etc.. I would also bring a flare gun along. They generally work very well at chasing brownies off...just don't set the woods on fire :b

 

[barrelroll]

Are you shipping the stuff from the lower 48 to Alaska or just from I'm guessing a heliport to a mine site? When I lived in bush Alaska I shipped all my stuff by Rubbermaid tote through the USPS. I think it was around a dollar a pound with a 70 pound max to ship it to an off the road system village in 2009. I wonder if palletizing stuff would have been cheaper. I'm not sure how they would have held up to an air drop, they held up great to the USPS and getting thrown out of bush planes when it was -20 out.

I carried a Remington 870 12 gauge when I was up there. They are anvils of a gun and hold up great to the Alaska weather. I always had a round of buck shot first followed by slugs. It was kinda funny how the white guys were usually armed for bears and the Eskimos weren't concerned. We'd be out duck/ bird hunting and they'd have a 12 gauge with bird shot and nothing else or wouldn't even bring a pistol when they went 50 miles down river for groceries.

 

[Capt Nemo]

We'll be shipping everything up there. Have to check with the pumpkin boys (Schneider National), on getting everything up there.

Well, Coleman just sped up the solar panel purchase. They came out with a 80 W panel system to replace the 55 W system they had. The panels are longer and wouldn't fit in the boxes. Ran out and bought the old systems ASAP! Now I'm sitting on 220 W of panel and can run the 200 W inverter direct.

 

[Hoser John]

Wish you safety, health and wealth-kudos-John

 

[wildminer]

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/images/hiRes/41185.jpg Go with the stainless model. Marlin Guide gun in 45/70 imo.

 

[Capt Nemo]

Went to the zoo yesterday and checked the bears out. They had a grizzly, and a Kodiak. Didn't see anything that 7.62x39 couldn't stop. I honestly thought they'd be bigger! The only bear that I'd want a bigger gun for was the polar bear.

On the way back, I picked up the wood for the 2 holer for the poop tent.

 

[Bonaro]

No, that's exactly what you need! Keeping the bullet in the animal transfers maximum energy to target. Mass damage is what's going to stop the bear, not over penetration. The damage with 8M3 is great enough that a limb shot would immobilize that body part. The 7.62x39 also has the same power as the .44 magnum at 1600 ftlbs. And I am not looking at a 1 shot kill on an attacking bear, I'm looking at dumping the entire magazine into it until it drops. And if I had full auto, I'd use it!

Your plan is valid presuming you would have the time necessary to unload a full mag into a charging and pissed off bear. Unfortunately, you dont get to plan the way these things will play out.
The is a bear that was making a pest of himself the last time I was in AK... One shot, one kill

 

[Capt Nemo]

I'm not too worried as we're above the treeline and will more than likely see the bear before it becomes a surprise problem. I think the biggest problem might be wolves going after the sheep, as there's a well worn game trail in the aerial photos that's not too far away from camp. I've dealt with a pack of wolf hybrids before.