Open Carry

[Zowert]

I have a relative in town from Alaska, he lives way out in the sticks. He told me the UPS driver that delivers to his remote little town drives around with a Glock 23 on his hip. I said there is no freakin way this is true, UPS would never allow that, but my uncle swears by it. He’s been known to tell some tall tales about big game hunting and whatnot, however I don’t see why he would make this up.

The area he lives in is very active with wolves and other potentially aggressive wildlife. So having a pistol with you whether you’re allowed to or not makes sense. If I had to choose between my job and getting eaten alive by wolves, I’d choose my life every time.

I’m just wondering if there is anyone here that works up in Alaska and has heard of drivers packing heat out in the wilderness. I don’t want to give you the specific area in Alaska my uncle lives in because if this is true I don’t want that driver to get in trouble. Again, I HIGHLY doubt UPS would allow a driver to carry a firearm under any circumstances. I’m also very skeptical of what my uncle has been telling me. Maybe there is someone here that delivers to very remote and hostile areas that can chime in?

 

[over9five]

I'm not surprised he'd carry. It's in the boonies, I'm sure his management team probably has a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

 

[PT Car Washer]

I have a relative in town from Alaska, he lives way out in the sticks. He told me the UPS driver that delivers to his remote little town drives around with a Glock 23 on his hip. I said there is no freakin way this is true, UPS would never allow that, but my uncle swears by it. He’s been known to tell some tall tales about big game hunting and whatnot, however I don’t see why he would make this up.

The area he lives in is very active with wolves and other potentially aggressive wildlife. So having a pistol with you whether you’re allowed to or not makes sense. If I had to choose between my job and getting eaten alive by wolves, I’d choose my life every time.

I’m just wondering if there is anyone here that works up in Alaska and has heard of drivers packing heat out in the wilderness. I don’t want to give you the specific area in Alaska my uncle lives in because if this is true I don’t want that driver to get in trouble. Again, I HIGHLY doubt UPS would allow a driver to carry a firearm under any circumstances. I’m also very skeptical of what my uncle has been telling me. Maybe there is someone here that delivers to very remote and hostile areas that can chime in?

Don't live in Alaska but I can see where UPS would allow caring a firearm out in the sticks.

 

[sailfish]

I packed heat almost every single day as a driver but no one ever knew it. Lots of depressed, rural and formerly industrial stuff but nothing close to Alaska in terms of remoteness. I can imagine lots of drivers up there do and if it's remote enough it's probably some little satellite operation where no one ever sees him anyway.

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

I packed heat almost every single day as a driver but no one ever knew it.

 

[Emergency Conditions]

UPS up here absolutely has the same policies on firearms as anywhere else so the driver could definitely get terminated for doing so...that said we do have very remote areas and a number of tiny centers with limited oversight so he could probably get away with concealed carry if he's careful enough. Open carry is ridiculously reckless though and is practically begging to get fired.

 

[PreTrippin’]

Satellite centers in the lower 48 don’t see sups visit for months at a time much less see one on route. Can’t imagine what it’s like in AK. Probably get the latest management nonsense in the form of a letter from a sled dog team.

 

[Sacrificial Lamb]

I’m just wondering if there is anyone here that works up in Alaska and has heard of drivers packing heat out in the wilderness

I’m certain some do and will. Here some drivers I know for a fact carry since we deliver in areas where the boys from the hood are always hard and you talk that trash they’ll pull your car. Rather be judged by twelve than carried by six comes to mind. Tbh, I wanted to come to UPS because this guy I worked with told me his son was being harassed while out delivering by some guys and a driver that went to help him with some stops saw that and he went back to the package car and grabbed a machete, lol, and at Amazon they weren’t about that and supposedly the union rep told him he had a right to defend himself. I know it’s anecdotal and I know now we can’t carry, let alone fight, lol, but I would not be surprised if a few exercise their 2nd amendment right especially in the times we’re living in now. Again I rather have my life and be fired than dead.

 

[Sacrificial Lamb]

@AKCoverMan

 

[Sacrificial Lamb]

View attachment 431262

Tbh, I’d want to carry, but I don’t think I can legally own a firearm, and do not want to go through the other means of obtaining one, lol. I’m too much of a square now, lol. I started delivering for Amazon during the riots and I was so nervous since I saw a video of them looting the prime van, and I was in a really really rough neighborhood, so much so that that hospital in that neighborhood is known for advancing medical care for gun shot wounds I believe.

 

[DOK]

UPS up here absolutely has the same policies on firearms as anywhere else so the driver could definitely get terminated for doing so...that said we do have very remote areas and a number of tiny centers with limited oversight so he could probably get away with concealed carry if he's careful enough. Open carry is ridiculously reckless though and is practically begging to get fired.

We had a guy in the 80’s and early 90’s that brought his shotgun (in a case) on the truck during small game season. Used his lunch break to hunt small game.

 

[Appvol]

Satellite centers in the lower 48 don’t see sups visit for months at a time much less see one on route. Can’t imagine what it’s like in AK. Probably get the latest management nonsense in the form of a letter from a sled dog team.

I can 100% agree with this. It’s been so long since I have been to the center I don’t know half the drivers we have. Couldn’t tell you the last time a saw my center manager.

 

[bbsam]

If he’s going to open carry anyway, I think he’s be better off with a .357 or 10mm or larger for bear or moose protection.

 

[Zowert]

If he’s going to open carry anyway, I think he’s be better off with a .357 or 10mm or larger for bear or moose protection.

I was thinking about this too, a .40 S&W is good against humans but not so much against bears, especially grizzly bears which Alaska definitely has. If I were him I’d go with nothing less than a .357 mag.

 

[burrheadd]

If he’s going to open carry anyway, I think he’s be better off with a .357 or 10mm or larger for bear or moose protection.

it go big or go home

 

[Zowert]

Talking to my uncle about it a little more, he says he chats with this driver often (and probably annoys the crap out of him). During the summer he will show up to his village in a normal brown, sounds like a P500. Unc will see him almost every day during the warmer months, he brings various supplies, medication and even stuff from Amazon. UPS and the Postal Service are the only carriers you’ll see in this part of Alaska. No FedEx, DHL, Amazon, etc.

During the winter my uncle will only see the UPS guy (he knows him by name but I don’t want to drop it here) once maybe twice a week. He shows up in a 4x4 pick up with snow tires and a UPS canopy on back. I showed him a picture of the 4x4 that’s used in Colorado and he said it’s different, not as bulky. Also interesting, USPS rides out to their village on a snowmobile to deliver their mail every other day during the winter. When the weather gets really bad they won’t see anyone, sometimes for weeks.

Back to the gun. I asked why he doesn’t conceal it and was told he probably does during the summer (if he’s even carrying) because my uncle never sees it on him then. It’s only during the winter he will have a pistol on his belt. Weird? Maybe not, he wears such a heavy coat that concealing it makes it harder to draw. Makes sense. Also, this driver had a very close encounter with a bear while eating his lunch one day. Didn’t go into detail about it but said it was aggressive enough to where he tossed his food and booked it. After that he started carrying a short barreled pistol grip 12 gauge shotgun in the cab, then switched to having a Glock on his person. Probably for good reason.

I can’t tell you if all this is true, it’s just what I’m being told. I don’t find it too unbelievable. Looking at some pictures of my uncle’s cabin and the surrounding village, I’m surprised UPS even operates in the area. It is straight up wilderness, like wolves and grizzly bear territory. Wait, I can’t believe anyone even lives out there. It’s mostly Native Americans, my uncle is one of only two white guys out there. Near by is a USGS station that’s only occupied during the fall and winter, which UPS delivers to often.

Yeah that’s about it.

 

[SorryLazyPOS]

It’s a flashlight

 

[UnionStrong]

I was thinking about this too, a .40 S&W is good against humans but not so much against bears, especially grizzly bears which Alaska definitely has. If I were him I’d go with nothing less than a .357 mag.

Used to be minimum .44 mag, now it’s S&W .500

 

[Zowert]

Used to be minimum .44 mag, now it’s S&W .500

I have a buddy from college thats a climatologist. He works up in northern Canada in Grizzly Bear territory. When they go out in the field to do research they always have 12 gauge shotguns with them. A 12 gauge slug is their preferred protection against those monsters.

 

[UnionStrong]

I have a buddy from college thats a climatologist. He works up in northern Canada in Grizzly Bear territory. When they go out in the field to do research they always have 12 gauge shotguns with them. A 12 gauge slug is their preferred protection against those monsters.

That too. Lol in addition to the .500.