Travel to Alaska

[pf32450]

New to USA Carry and conceled carry. Have a question about traveling by vehicle with handgun from lower US to Alaska through Canada. Is this even possible given Canada's stand on handguns. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. By the way great BB

[johnsteele]

New to USA Carry and conceled carry. Have a question about traveling by vehicle with handgun from lower US to Alaska through Canada. Is this even possible given Canada's stand on handguns. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. By the way great BB

I believe the short answer to your question is

NO

You can get to Alaska without going overland through Canada by taking one of the Alaska Marine Highway ferries from Seattle. You'd have to check with them to find out how to carry/check firearms on board their ferries --- I am assuming it possible but I've never used the ferry.

[Caribou]

You can only get to S.E. Alaska on the ferry. From Bellingham, WA you can take the ferry through S.E. Alaska, from Haines or Skagway you must drive through Canada to reach the rest of the State. I drive through Canada most years. In May 2011 I parked the car and went in to discuss this very question with a Canadian customs agent. He gave me a hand full of forms to fill out. He told me that if I was moving to the contiguous 48 States that I could take my guns in my vehicle. I would have to have my guns listed with the Canadian Government, I would have to get pre-approval from Canada, it would only be approved for a one way trip, the approval would only be good for a 60 or 90 day window (I forget which), and that with all that accomplished the agent at the border could void my permit if, for any reason, he thought my transport of weapons inappropriate.
Although I have never done it I understand it is legal to mail guns to yourself. If you have a friend in Alaska mail the gun to yourself C/O the friend. Your friend should not open the package. If he does it could considered that you were shipping the weapon to him and that is illegal. Do not label the box as having a gun, this invites theft. Put it in a larger box, it will be harder to steal. Send it registered and insured, give yourself the best chance of seeing your gun again. You may also use UPS. I understand that you have to tell them that you are shipping a gun but they are prohibited from labeling such on the box. Welcome to Alaska.

Oops! You can only ship long guns and gun parts through the mail. A concealable gun must be shipped by common carrier.