Which firearm whould you choose?

In IND you can only hund deer with the following. What would you choose?

  • Black powder rifle

    Votes: 16 15.5%

  • Shotgun with slugs

    Votes: 33 32.0%

  • Pistol caliber rifle (ex. Marlin 44 mag)

    Votes: 50 48.5%

  • Bow and arrows

    Votes: 4 3.9%
  • Total voters
    103
  • Poll closed .
D

dosjoel

New member
IND law requires deer hunters to only use rifles that fire pistol caliber. Otherwise it is bow, black powder or shotgun. After voting please share some particulars as to the type and caliber you would choose
 
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List of approved caliber rifles

Here is a list of some of the cartridges that will be allowed (in rifles of these calibers).

1. .41 Magnum

2. .357 Magnum

3. .44 Magnum

4. .45 Colt

5. .480 Ruger

6. .41 Special

7. ,44 Special

8. .44, 40 Winchester

9. . 454 Casull

10. . 475 Linebaugh
 
I'm waiting for Iowa to adopt the pistol caliber carbines. No way would I hunt with a shotty givin the choice. BTW, there are safety reasons for not allowing full power rifles.
 
you would think it would be a safety issue. here in Illinois we cant even use rifles in pistol calber. handguns bow , bp and shotgun are the choices, but, you can hunt yotes with anything.
 
Two of the pistol rounds you list are available from Hornady's with their LEVERevolution bullets. Their 44 MAG out of a longer rifle barrel has some legs to it.
 
It's a numbers game....Deer seasons are short with high numbers of hunters in the same timbers. Also, the main hunting style is "party" hunting. Coyote hunting season is long (is it ever closed there?), fewer hunters hunting much more ground and the ground is for the most part more open.

Now about the lever gun vs. shotty. Todays shotguns have just as much, if not more, range than pistol caliber carbines. There is no reason that a person shouldn't be allowed to use a .357/.41/.44 lever gun when using a shotty firing sabot slugs is legal. I'm waiting with fingers crossed........
 
"Timber" to me implies relatively short distances. If around 100 yards or less is the deal, the .44 Maggie in whatever rifle suits you oughta work just fine. I'd want some version on which I could mount a scope, given my old eyes. :)
 
there are a few restrictions during firearm deer season i think, no night hunting comes to mind. but they'r isnt any caliber restictions , so if i can use a 308 to hunt yotes in the same woods i deer hunt in i dont see the difference. but this is nobama's home state. they dont trust us with guns too much. lol
 
12gauge 1 oz slugs make a hell of a hole and the ballistics to a 100 yards are just as good if not better than most pistol rounds. plus a box of 5 is only like 2.80.
 
ddeyo-youre lucky that slugs are around 3 bucks.
Around here, slugs are easily $5+ for 5rds.

I wouldnt be caught dead with anything except a shotgun or a .22 :)
 
there are safety reasons for not allowing full power rifles.
Click to expand...

Not really. A miss with a shotgun slug is just as dangerous as a miss with a rifle. A deflected shot with a shotgun slug is more dangerous than a deflected shot with a rifle. The slug tends to have more energy left after striking something and bouncing.

After the DNR study came out that determined shotgun slug ricochets are more dangerous than rifle ricochets, our fine state took the half-keistered step of allowing pistol-caliber rifles. The way the trend is going I wouldn't be surprised to see regular rifles allowed within a few years.
 
I'd choose...

-The rifled sabot in a rifled shotgun barrel
-The SUV
-The high-paid tax attorney/accountant
-The very small 9mm and 45acp 10-round handgun
-The "For Sale" sign on your private gun at a gun show

All "loopholes" through stupid laws, rules and regulations.

50 years ago, a person could use a rifle for deer hunting, drive a cheap 8-cylinder car, do my own taxes, build and sell a 1000-round pistol (physics permitting), and buy a gun through the mail without a background check anywhere in the USA.

Have the related laws actually made anything better?

The so-called "loophole" is merely the human being excercising our inherent ability to innovate, adapt and overcome stupid laws.

As far as reality goes, I would choose a Rem 870 with a rifled barrel, a Ruger Redhawk in .44 mag, a Marlin 1894 in .44 mag, a T/C Encore w/ 209x50 barrel and a Oneida Eagle bow. All of the above. I wouls also add a nice Savage Scout in .308 with a Leupold EER scope because it gets me 3 deer seasons in 2 zones that cover the entire state here in Minnesota. YMMV.
 
Personally I would hunt as many seasons as I possibly could. With new ML technology and some of the slug guns available I wouldn’t be afraid to use them as well or feel hindered by them in any way. As far as your pistol calibers go check out this link:

http://357maximum.com/
 
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I have a '92 Winchester in .45 Colt, and I'd not hesitate to use it for hunting deer. It's my saddle gun when I'm bear hunting and such, but it'd kill a deer easily enough.

Range would be similar to most muzzleloaders, with quicker follow up shots.

Shotguns are generally limited to two rounds in the chamber, and most aren't all that accurate (although they can be). Because of the weight of slugs and the pattern of shot, they don't work well for longer range shots.

I've never hunting in Indiana, so I don't know how far shots are generally taken. Even so, I think a pistol caliber rifle would work as well or better than the others.

Of course, given the chance I'd do as suggested above; just hunt with each in their respective seasons. If limited to one, then I'd go with the rifle chambered in a pistol cartridge.

Personally, I'd use a .44 mag, or .45 Colt loaded heavy. I use 300 gr bullets in mine, pushed to about 1700 fps in the rifle.

Daryl
 
I didnt think a 45 colt would be that efective at 200 yards Daryl. anything that far out is bp country with me.
 
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