2016 centerfire deer rifle push?

[avboiler11]

I know "gun season" is still ongoing, but...for those that follow such things, what are the chances of another push for legalizing modern centerfire rifle cartridges for whitetail next year after its failure at approval this year?

In the post-mortem of this year's failure, would an intermediate step of maintaining the 1.80" max case length but reducing the minimum bullet diameter to 6mm, along with a magazine capacity limit of 10 rounds for deer (Kentucky has a 10rd mag limit), have a better chance of succeeding? This would open up capable yet lower-powder capacity cartridges like 6BR, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, and 7.62x39 and 300 BLK, among others.

 

[Squirt239]

I don't see it happening. There are more hunters than I expected that are completely against it.

Personally, 30-30 would be my go to.

 

[Hookeye]

If the harvest numbers and bank accounts look good, I doubt the DNR to make any changes.

 

[Woobie]

This was turned down earlier this year. If I'm not mistaken, they only convene for rule changes biennially. So if something were to change, it wouldn't be until the 2017 season.

 

[BigMatt]

I don't see it happening. There are more hunters than I expected that are completely against it.

Personally, 30-30 would be my go to.

Man, I would love to take one with my 32WS or 30-30.

 

[Max Volume]

I would like to take a deer with my Winchester 1894 38-55 made in 1895 but can not be for the change. Having to hunt the heavily populated areas in the north like J-P, Willow Slough and LaSalle and experiencing bullets flying by me on several occasions it would be a serious danger. I've heard Kingsbury is just as bad. I no longer hunt due to having to be on public land. Bow season isn't too bad though. I have talked to gun shop employees who would stand to make money off the change but they too don't think it should happen for safety reasons. Hunters get tunnel vision and don't thing of anything but the deer and not what is around or beyond it.

 

[AGarbers]

I don't see this happening. I have a safe-queen Marlin .35 Remington I would like to use without needing to case trim. While it's totally legal in a pistol, something about using it in a rifle makes it evil.

So, if you want a Indiana deer-legal rifle that doesn't have a rainbow-like trajectory, you need to pony up the cash for an AR-15 upper in one of the four variants of the .358 WSSM, or a bolt-action or AR-10 made for the .358 Hoosier.

One of the makers of the .358 WSSM claims that the round has the same energy and ballistics as the .35 Whelen, which is built from a 30-06 case and is suitable for hunting grizzly bear. Last time I priced an upper, it was $1400 plus extra for the custom ammo.

The .358 Hoosier is just a shortened .358 Winchester, which is built from an expanded .308 case. The developer of the .358 Hoosier takes his elk hunting out west. Last time I checked, a .358 Hoosier ran $800 or more plus extra for the custom ammo.

I see this as a rich man/poor man situation. If you have the cash to spare, you can have a long-range, high-power, Indiana-legal deer rifle. If you want to use grandpa's hand-me-down, medium range 30-30, you got to pound sand.

It is very frustrating, so I just stick with my reasonably cheap 20-gauge slug gun.

 

[Leadeye]

I never have hunted places outside the woods, ranges there make 44mag/45lc good cartridges. Not that I would not enjoy going out and hunting with some of my older guns like 30-40 or 32 Winchester.

 

[ru44mag]

I never have hunted places outside the woods, ranges there make 44mag/45lc good cartridges. Not that I would not enjoy going out and hunting with some of my older guns like 30-40 or 32 Winchester.

I feel the same way. 20" barrel 44 mag is really perfect for me because I like hunting wooded areas. Don't get me wrong, if it was legal I would take my Rem 700 30-06 with the 3x9x40 Leupold. But I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for politicians to have any sense.

 

[dugsagun]

We need to get a petition going After deer season to either 1: increase max case length of "rifle rounds" or 2: reduce minimum diameter of "rifle rounds", as you mention . If we use their terminology , we stand a better chance of getting something changed. So pick one and be prepared to walk through snow for signatures! Luckily we don't have to do that anymore, thank you internet. Get a petition going here after the season is over. We could say that the current standard for rifles is too confusing and needs to simply be -Amended-, by having rifles and handguns have the same minimum caliber. I would vote for that this years request. It sounds like a small change that could put in, anyway. Then in 2017 , we ask for case length to be lengthened to 2.1"(short action stuff)THEN in 2018, we ask for case length to be 2.5"(standard length stuff). TTHHEENN in 2019, we could ask for case length to be thrown in the garbage, where it belongs. If the worry wort's want to have a shotgun only area around indianapolis, we could accommodate them.

 

[Spear Dane]

Because of our idiotic deer laws I have a .50 Beowulf for a deer rifle instead of something in the .30 range. But it's cool cause a Rhino or wildebeast might attack, you just never know.

 

[Hookeye]

I don't see this happening. I have a safe-queen Marlin .35 Remington I would like to use without needing to case trim. While it's totally legal in a pistol, something about using it in a rifle makes it evil.

So, if you want a Indiana deer-legal rifle that doesn't have a rainbow-like trajectory, you need to pony up the cash for an AR-15 upper in one of the four variants of the .358 WSSM, or a bolt-action or AR-10 made for the .358 Hoosier.

One of the makers of the .358 WSSM claims that the round has the same energy and ballistics as the .35 Whelen, which is built from a 30-06 case and is suitable for hunting grizzly bear. Last time I priced an upper, it was $1400 plus extra for the custom ammo.

The .358 Hoosier is just a shortened .358 Winchester, which is built from an expanded .308 case. The developer of the .358 Hoosier takes his elk hunting out west. Last time I checked, a .358 Hoosier ran $800 or more plus extra for the custom ammo.

I see this as a rich man/poor man situation. If you have the cash to spare, you can have a long-range, high-power, Indiana-legal deer rifle. If you want to use grandpa's hand-me-down, medium range 30-30, you got to pound sand.

It is very frustrating, so I just stick with my reasonably cheap 20-gauge slug gun.

Boolsheet. Buy a freakin .35 Rem and trim. Or get a .357 mag. They even made some H&R in .35 Rem.
Not a reloader? BK Bullet Casting can do the trimmed rounds.

And again, for the whatever time..........rifles are easier to use than handguns, even at distance. The chances of somebody hoppin out of a truck and peeling shots from an EER scoped handgun at brown dots in the distance is pretty darn slim.

Go reg rifle and watch the idiots crawl out of the woodwork (as if reg deer hunting doesn't have enough of that, at least it kinda sorta limits the range of their antics).
Reg rifle and no FMJ................if that was the ruling I bet their'd be a pile of morons using old military ammo in Mosins................look at how many are too stupid to figure out the rules we have now!

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

I wish there would be a push to allow buck shot instead of slugs only. Some of the areas I hunt are thick woods and would be perfect buckshot area. I think it's silly that it's not acceptable.

 

[Hookeye]

If I was on the creek where I hunt now, buckshot might make sense.

 

[foamkiller]

One thing to keep in mind..............since the DNR does not allow bonus permits on state property(seems they are trying to save their deer) I would wonder if they would allow high powers on any state property hunt.

 

[MRP2003]

I think it is ridiculous that we cannot use the same rifles as Kentucky or Michigan. There are too many people that have all of these false perceptions of what will happen. Some of the same objections came out when xbows were being ruled on being allowed during regular bow season. I am glad that passed. Even though I use a compound bow, I now have a couple more buddies to hunt with now as they probably would not have bought a compound bow. If it makes some people happy to put limitations such as magazine limits or not using a semi-auto or make it single shot, then I am ok with all of those.

I would love a 358 hoosier rifle but I don't want to have to deal with really expensive ammunition or reloading.

To give the OP a reply on his question, they will not even consider it this coming year. You really want to get it passed, start now by organizing a network to hit all the areas that need addressed. You will need to start educating the public now. Get in front of the people who can help influence the decision makers. Make sure you get to as many of the banquets that are geared around hunting and guns as possible. Set up a non-profit where people can donate time and/or money for the cause.

 

[Matt52]

Under the current regulations we can have a 358 Hoosier AR10 with a 25 round mag. However a .270 single shot Encore no go.............makes sense right? Oh well I guess I need a new project who makes good AR10 uppers and lowers Im gonna stick it to the man!

 

[patience0830]

I wish there would be a push to allow buck shot instead of slugs only. Some of the areas I hunt are thick woods and would be perfect buckshot area. I think it's silly that it's not acceptable.

Buckshot is not a substitute for making a good shot through an opening in the brush. It's a poor excuse for a deer hunting round. Loses energy faster than slugs. Deflects worse on brush. If you can't collect a deer with an accurate slug gun, buckshot is not gonna solve your problem.

 

[BigMatt]

... The chances of somebody hoppin out of a truck and peeling shots from an EER scoped handgun at brown dots in the distance is pretty darn slim.

Go reg rifle and watch the idiots crawl out of the woodwork (as if reg deer hunting doesn't have enough of that, at least it kinda sorta limits the range of their antics).
Reg rifle and no FMJ................if that was the ruling I bet their'd be a pile of morons using old military ammo in Mosins................look at how many are too stupid to figure out the rules we have now!

I was wondering why you think the morons here are different from the morons in any of the deer legal states. Why do you think if we legalize rifle hunting here, we will have a huge problem with people getting shot from long distance with high powered rifles? This doesn't happen in any other state so what makes Indiana Morons so different from morons in rifle-legal states?

BTW, from what I understand, the reason for shotgun only in Indiana was to limit the harvest, not to provide safety from bean-field-snipers.

 

[devious169]

Best way to push for rifles is to attend your local dnr meetings and present your case for rifle hunting. Last one I went to the bow hunters were not having rifles. I'm a bow hunter myself and love hunting with my rifles as well. Seems ky will still be getting my money for rifle season. Oh well Indiana 's loss of revenue.