Italian Firearms Group has started shipping the Kodiak Survivalist, a side-by-side double rifle chambered in .44 Remington Magnum. If you’ve been looking for a packable, capable rifle that doesn’t look like it was designed by a committee at a tactical trade show, this one deserves your attention.
What It Is
The Kodiak Survivalist is a double rifle — side-by-side barrels, two triggers, two shots ready to go. That’s not a gimmick. For backcountry hunters and anyone who spends time in bear country, the manual simplicity and immediate second-shot capability of a double rifle is a genuinely practical choice. There are no extractors to fail, no magazines to lose, and no cycling to fumble when something large is coming at you fast.
Davide Pedersoli built this one to be compact and light enough to actually carry. The 18″ barrels keep the overall length to 34.25″, and the whole package weighs 6.17 lbs. The 1:20″ twist with 6 grooves is sensible for .44 Magnum, a cartridge that doesn’t need a long barrel to do its job — it runs efficiently out of shorter tubes, which is exactly why it works well here.
The Specs
- Caliber: .44 Remington Magnum
- Barrel length: 18″
- Twist: 1:20″, 6 grooves
- Overall length: 34.25″
- Weight: 6.17 lbs
- Frame: Color-case hardened
- Stock: Oil-finished walnut
- Optics: Pre-drilled rib, optional Picatinny rail available
The color-case-hardened frame and oil-finished walnut aren’t just cosmetic choices — both age well and hold up better in field conditions than synthetic alternatives that look good in a display case. The optional Picatinny rail is a practical addition if you want a red dot or low-power optic for faster acquisition.
The Case For It
.44 Magnum out of an 18″ double rifle is a legitimate short-to-medium range option for deer, hogs, and bear defense. It’s not a 300-yard rifle, and nobody’s pretending it is. What it is: a light, fast-handling, reliable two-shot platform you’ll actually want to take into the field. The double rifle format also means zero legal complications in jurisdictions where semi-autos are restricted.
The Kodiak Survivalist is imported by IFG (Italian Firearms Group) out of Amarillo, Texas, the same importer behind Pedersoli, Tanfoglio, and F.A.I.R. in the U.S. market. MSRP has not yet been announced publicly. We’ll follow up when pricing and availability details are confirmed through IFG dealers.