Flintlock rifles in Alaska

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I'm planning a June trip to the Anchorage, Alaska area and I'm researching any flintlock rifle use in the area. What if anything did they use? Are there any museums where I might see any artifacts? Thanks in advance.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
During the flintlock days, there were 2 sources of flintlock guns, the Russians, and the Hudson's Bay Company. The Russians brought military muskets as well as snaplock hunting guns that were used to hunt sea otters. The HBC supplied typical trade guns. The only museum specimens I am aware of are in Sitka, which was a Russian outpost. I am sure there are some examples in museums in Anchorage but I have no specific information to help guide you.

dave

 

[curator]

I'm planning a June trip to the Anchorage, Alaska area and I'm researching any flintlock rifle use in the area. What if anything did they use? Are there any museums where I might see any artifacts? Thanks in advance.

There is an excellent museum in Anchorage with very well-done exhibits. I was there a few years ago, so I am sure some exhibits have changed. I do not recall any flintlocks specifically, but their collection of Native American artifacts is outstanding.

 

[Gene L]

Can you bring black powder into Alaska?

 

[SDSmlf]

Can you bring black powder into Alaska?

Not by air.

 

[Louisk]

Can you bring black powder into Alaska?

Great Northern Guns in Anchorage sells black powder.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Really? No (commercial) flying with real BP in your baggage? Is that a US thing, or does it apply world-wide?

 

[DickS]

There is an excellent museum at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. Quite a number of guns on display. Of course Fairbanks isn't all that close to Anchorage. There is also a gun collection on display in Ketchikan. Once again, not close to Anchorage...

 

[DickS]

Flying with black powder in checked luggage...
When I lived on Baffin Island in the Canadian Eastern Arctic, I knew a chap who shot a bit of black powder. He carried it in his luggage. I never happened to be on the same flight. Don't know what I would have done if he was checking in on the same flight.

Really? No (commercial) flying with real BP in your baggage? Is that a US thing, or does it apply world-wide?

.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
The museum in Ketchikan is owned by Pat Moor and is a very interesting little place with a good firearm collection and old cars. However, the collection does not focus at all on Alaska history and is just an eclectic collection of guns. It used to be that you could put black powder in cartridge casings set up like black powder cartridges and check them in with your luggage. I don't know if that has changed.

dave

 

[SDSmlf]

Flying with black powder in checked luggage...
When I lived on Baffin Island in the Canadian Eastern Arctic, I knew a chap who shot a bit of black powder. He carried it in his luggage. I never happened to be on the same flight. Don't know what I would have done if he was checking in on the same flight.

.

Traveling with black powder on a plane has been illegal for years.

 

[fleener]

You can not fly with BP on a commercial aircraft in the USA. It is considered an explosive by air. For ground transportation you can reclassify it to a flammable solid for sporting purposes.

It has never been legal to load BP in cartridges for the sole purpose of flying with them to get around the regulations. I know people have done it, but it was not legal.

I am currently hoping to get my Special Permit from the USDOT renewed. It allows me to fly with BP on bush plane (which is a commercial aircraft) in Alaska. The FAA is not really wanting to grant the renewal.

I just retired in May after over 32 years with the USDOT as a Hazardous Materials Program Manager/Special Agent for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Fleener

 

[SDSmlf]

You can not fly with BP on a commercial aircraft in the USA. It is considered an explosive by air. For ground transportation you can reclassify it to a flammable solid for sporting purposes.

It has never been legal to load BP in cartridges for the sole purpose of flying with them to get around the regulations. I know people have done it, but it was not legal.

I am currently hoping to get my Special Permit from the USDOT renewed. It allows me to fly with BP on bush plane (which is a commercial aircraft) in Alaska. The FAA is not really wanting to grant the renewal.

I just retired in May after over 32 years with the USDOT as a Hazardous Materials Program Manager/Special Agent for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Fleener

Researched traveling and hunting with a flintlock in Namibia a few years ago, but ultimately, ended up using an ‘unmentionable’. Some of the suggestions I received from the PH while discussing using a flintlock included having documentation for TSA and customs of how I was getting my BP at my final destination, and not to include a cartridge rifle or cartridges in my luggage. It was no secret that some were using cartridges to carry BP on planes and was told by the PH that some muzzleloader hunters were getting questioned about the ammunition for their second gun if was not also a muzzleloader.

 

[juancho]

I am sure that explosives are flown to the Canadian north for mining purposes. It could be argue that most mining explosives are "less" dangerous to transport than black powder. But what about detonators and primers ? Modern explosives are notorious for being stable and hard to detonate without some serious blasting caps. How do those get there? They ought to be more dangerous to transport than black powder, right? There must be a way .... I hope

 

[SDSmlf]

I am sure that explosives are flown to the Canadian north for mining purposes. It could be argue that most mining explosives are "less" dangerous to transport than black powder. But what about detonators and primers ? Modern explosives are notorious for being stable and hard to detonate without some serious blasting caps. How do those get there? They ought to be more dangerous to transport than black powder, right? There must be a way .... I hope

Buy your BP locally in Alaska.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Great Northern Guns had black powder as of last month. Ketchikan is a long way from Anchorage so a visit to the museum would be a very expensive side trip.

Here's a photo of two old geezers shooting a caplock in my front yard in Southeast Alaska.

 

[DickS]

I recall a 737 coming through Frobisher Bay with a load of dynamite for the mine at Nanisivik, on northern Baffin Island.
There was a polar bear hunter who wanted to use a muzzleloading rifle. He got caught with his powder horn and possibles bag when checking in for his flight north, lost his powder. I got a panic phone call from the outfitter who had organized the hunt, did I have any black powder. Was able to help him out. This powder had not been near an airplane.

 

[BrownBear]

Easy to understand now why Alaska flinters are scarce, and cap shooters get a little starchy when folks criticize them for using subs. Sure you can get it in Anchorage, but the rest of Alaska calls the place Los Anchorage or NRA City, as in "Not Really Alaska." Most towns out in real Alaska require wings to access.

 

[Louisk]

Best thing about Anchorage is that it's not too far from Alaska. I don't care for the place and don't go there much but always try to get a little real black powder when I do go. I save it for my flintlock pistol and my future rifle and smoothbore. and probably will keep on shooting substitutes in my caplocks. I have seen some flintlocks taken on fly-out hunts. Charter flights are a bit more flexible on hazmat than scheduled but one should certainly check with the transporter before planning to haul black powder.