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Alaskan carry laws

7K views 31 replies 16 participants last post by  Herknav 
#1 ·
I'd like to see if anyone can clarify Alaska's carry laws. Particularly as it applies to an out of state residence.

As I read it, you do not need a permit in Alaska for either concealed or open carry. It appears they offer a concealed license for those who want reciprocity with other states. Is that correct.

My question is, does that statute apply to out of state residents. I see nothing in it that specifies for Alaskan residents only.

I have a friend that will be traveling to Alaska in the near future, and wants to know what his options are in bringing a hangun. He is not comfortable carrying concealed or open in some of the places he will be, without more info.

I indicated that he has time to get a Utah permit, which I believe would remove this issue. However, he lives in one of the 2 states that have no concealed permits, so he's not sure he can find a class to get the training he needs.

Any first hand knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
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#2 ·
Go to carryconcealed.net

It looks like Alaska honors all out of stat carry permits except Vermont, Wisconsin and Illinois.

He can always apply for a Pennsylvania non-resident permit. It looks like Alaska honors a non-resident permit.

You should check this out in more detail as I am not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV.:smile:
 
#7 ·
As mentioned before there is no permit required to carry concealed or openly. If you are stopped by an LEO you must inform him/her that you are carrying. The places off limits to CCWs are court houses, federal buildings, K-12 schools, and bars.
 
#8 ·
I just moved from Juneau. The law in in Alaska is: if you can legally own a hand gun you may carry it concealed. Your actual state of residence has no bearing on this, and you are not required to have a CHL from your state or any other.

The main reason for this is bears. It's hard to tell someone that they can't have the means to defend themselves from a bear. All of Alaska is bear country, Black, Brown and Polar in the far north.

Their are basically 2 ways to bring a handgun into Alaska. On a non stop flight from the lower 48 or take the ferry that doesn't stop in Canada up to Alaska. There is no way to drive through Canada with a handgun.... not legally anyways and the Canadians are very serious about this issue. Get caught and you will do time in a Canadian prison.
 
#9 ·
I just moved from Juneau. The law in in Alaska is: if you can legally own a hand gun you may carry it concealed. Your actual state of residence has no bearing on this, and you are not required to have a CHL from your state or any other.
This is the crux of my question. As you've described, that's how I read the law. Open or concealed was legal for anyone. Did not specify a resident. It appears to me that the only reason for getting an Alaska CCW is to have reciprocity in other states.

That sound right to you?
 
#25 ·
I don't mean any disrepect to you or the officer in question, but cops are not lawyers and 12 years being an officer doesn't amount to much fact finding in my experience. You need to check the laws yourself and not rely on what a single officer explains to you is his or her version of the law. I have never met a police officer in my entire life that knew all of the weapons statutes in their juristiction. It's very difficult for them, the laws change all-the-time, and they have a lot more than that to worry about. It is our responsibility to know the law and I have spent years fine-tuning my knowledge on this very issue and specifically because of that reason.

Here is a list of all of the Alaska firearm statutes.
http://www.dps.alaska.gov/Statewide/PermitsLicensing/docs/achp/ACHPRegs.pdf

I am not a lawyer but I did read all of them. Not anywhere does it state that you cannot be in the presence of alcohol with your firearm at a restaurant or anywhere else for that matter. What is does say is that you cannot be consuming alcoholic beverages while carrying and that it must be concealed where alcohol is served for on-premises consumption. However, I may open or conceal carry into Oaken Keg and walk out with two bottles of rum, get in the car, and head home, and be perfectly legal in Alaska.

Below is a summary of the CCW laws authored by a state attorney that offers more confirmation. Your friend is incorrect, IMO. If you or he need further documentation, I would recommend contacting the state's Attorney General's office to get further clarification.

http://tk-o.com/tko/pdf/CCRev18.pdf
 
#26 ·
Thanks Flintlock. I was upset enough about the Denali National Park thing (I have to check in my guns if I come in by train, and leave them with Park Rangers), not being able to be with others who were drinking (I do not at all) would've made me lower Alaska from "really deeply cool," to "deeply cool" on my own, personal, mental rankings.
 
#31 ·
Alaska residents and non-residents do not need a permit to carry concealed or open. If you wish to obtain an Alaska CCW permit, you must be a resident for 90 days.
 
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