New options with the rifle rules for deer hunting.

[Hookeye]

The rifle stuff of last couple of yrs has not changed (.35 cal min, 1.16 to 1.80" case length).
Can be used on private or public.


This yr, on private ground folks have some added choices........... one may use .24 or .30 cal rifles with a min case length of 1.16".
10 round max possession limit when afield.

In 4 yrs things should get more simple.

 

[oldpink]

I thought all M77 were tang safety, they didn't change until the Mk2.
Now is yours a flat bolt?

Just the iteration of the M77 that immediately preceded the MK2 circa 1988.
I gather that the first iteration of the M77 had a round receiver top drilled and tapped for separate scope bases, while mine (tang safety) has the flat top receiver with integral scope bases.
It also has a very nice trigger, at least for a factory rifle.

 

[Vamptepes]

I'm debating on trying out one of my 91/30's or my m44 just because. If not I'll stick with the shotgun.

 

[Paul30]

A rifle uses slower burning powder, a shotgun uses pistol type fast burning. Shotgun slugs weigh about 430 gr vs a rifle bullet weight of about 150 gr depending on caliber. The bottom line is a shotgun would pound your shoulder and in many cases bloody your head with a scope if you didn't use a shotgun scope on it. The shotgun slug is less accurate, so the odds of a more accurate shot with less pain is more likely with a rifle. Some develop "flinching" for a good reason, it hurts when fired. The older people get, the more that matters. There is a reason the other 49 states choose to hunt with a rifle when they could use a shotgun, it is a superior firearm for hunting. Longer shots go without saying, but even a closer shot is worth using one because they are just a pleasure to shoot. You can also put a silencer on it now in Indiana, so that makes it even more of a pleasure to shoot without hearing protection.

 

[Hookeye]

A rifle uses slower burning powder, a shotgun uses pistol type fast burning. Shotgun slugs weigh about 430 gr vs a rifle bullet weight of about 150 gr depending on caliber. The bottom line is a shotgun would pound your shoulder and in many cases bloody your head with a scope if you didn't use a shotgun scope on it. The shotgun slug is less accurate, so the odds of a more accurate shot with less pain is more likely with a rifle. Some develop "flinching" for a good reason, it hurts when fired. The older people get, the more that matters. There is a reason the other 49 states choose to hunt with a rifle when they could use a shotgun, it is a superior firearm for hunting. Longer shots go without saying, but even a closer shot is worth using one because they are just a pleasure to shoot. You can also put a silencer on it now in Indiana, so that makes it even more of a pleasure to shoot without hearing protection.

Four 870's, one 1100, three Mossberg 500's and one 835.
All scoped. Never bonked me. And not a friggin' one wore a shotgun scope.
Regular rifle scopes.
You just gotta mount them right, and not use crap that has less than 3" of eye relief.
And maybe, know how to shoot

Have seen way too many people try to employ some very screwed up systems.

 

[oldpink]

Four 870's, one 1100, three Mossberg 500's and one 835.
All scoped. Never bonked me. And not a friggin' one wore a shotgun scope.
Regular rifle scopes.
You just gotta mount them right, and not use crap that has less than 3" of eye relief.
And maybe, know how to shoot

Have seen way too many people try to employ some very screwed up systems.

You're right, but just one caveat, which is that you probably wouldn't exactly get a warm fuzzy feeling about shooting a 3" rifled slug with that setup from the bench.
Of course, 3" slugs, rifled or sabot, are neither optimum nor necessary.

 

[SheepDog4Life]

I've hunted with a scoped Mossberg 835 for close to 20 years. Depending upon which sabot round I used, I could get 3" or a little better 100 yd groups, so I was confident out to that distance and only recall one occasion when I had and passed on a shot longer than that. So, for me, switching is not about extending the range so much as 3x the accuracy for 1/3 the cost (even more savings if you reload). Oh, yes, and saving my shoulder, lol.

$2.50 - $3 for every trigger pull always bothered me. Most years, 3-5 rounds confirmed zero held from the year prior. One year I got the bright idea to upgrade scopes with the inherent re-zero and checking at 25/50/100 yds. 20+ rounds later, my wallet and shoulder convinced me that was the last time I'd try that particular foolishness... though a few years later, I decided to search for the "best" rifled slug for my rig. Two boxes of five different brands. Yes, I re-learned the "shoulder lesson". Not fun. (the answer was Brenecke K.O.)

 

[Patient Zer0]

I'm going to use my grandfathers old Winchester 94 golden spike commemorative rifle that he left me when he died a few years ago. I always loved that rifle and I'll hunt with the last box of ammo he ever bought for it. I think he still had 11-12 rounds in there.

 

[Hookeye]

You're right, but just one caveat, which is that you probably wouldn't exactly get a warm fuzzy feeling about shooting a 3" rifled slug with that setup from the bench.
Of course, 3" slugs, rifled or sabot, are neither optimum nor necessary.

Actually, the 835 having a 3.5" chamber mandated 3" slugs. 2 3/4" foster and a couple of different sabot, wouldn't work for sheite.
3" sabot didn't either. Polished the bore, cantilever didn't converge with bore (at start of testing).
End result was 3" foster doing OK, nothing great.

And I shot 90 friggin' slugs from the bench, in 2 days (back to back).

Scope? a 3-9X VX2 I had laying around.

Never got bonked.

Took two deer with it, one at 90 yards, one past 150.
No missed shots either.

Will admit that while the surface of my shoulder looked good, deep down it was d*mn sore.
Laughed when I pulled my 541T-HB up and felt the pain.

 

[Hookeye]

I was 5' 11" and 175# back then. No real compression of flesh to allow the gun to move more than it should.
Solid frame and proper form and gun setup, moved with it.
Never got bonked.

Do remember folks buying Simmons Pro Hunter and Tasco stuff.................2.5" eye relief. That may have contributed to some of their scars.

 

[Hookeye]

All my other slug guns shot 2 3/4" stuff. WW fosters in the smooth bore (except the one season with 870 P, had a pile of Activs to try).
My rifled bore 870's ran 2 3/4" WW Hi Impact Supremes exclusively.
When Winchester dropped that slug, I sold my last serious slug gun.
The 870 P was purchased in 2006 for just some fun. Not the best smoothbore I had accuracy wise.
Ended up nuking my deer close and after season sold the gun.

 

[Hookeye]

One can add a soft pistol case between their shoulder and the gun for a slight pad increase, which should replicate wearing a coat come mid November.
That might take the edge off the boomer.
Buds and I used to shoot slug guns in summer, wearing T shirts.

That might have fallen under "youthful exuberance".

 

[Hookeye]

I sold a bud that %$#@ cantilever bbl. Think Lightfield came out with 3.5" slugs soon after, and he running those (to his satisfaction).
Ran that 835 for geese w Nitro steel BBB 3.5".
Cut another coworker a deal.
Back to Remington............Galyans sold Bismuth 3" #2s for 17.99 a box (10 rounds).
That worked way better on the honkers, and the gun was way nicer too.
Haven't owned a Mossberg since.

The shotgun I took the most deer with was an 870 rifled bore (reg sights), high comb.
I drilled and tapped the receiver on my bud's mill, mounted a Leupold 4x compact rather low on it.
Pretty decent rig.

But being a 12 had some size.

D&T a rifled LW 20............might be more "rifle like".

 

[Hookeye]

I know with my allergies changing..........getting hammered at the bench................just the thought of it...............starts a headache.
Liked my .300 winmag BDL.............but only on good days.
Think all these yrs later a 7 mag is about my limit for tolerance (had one, sold it to get the .300)

Do remember my buds crescent buttplate Marlin .45-70. I hated that thing.

 

[Hookeye]

The new Remington recoil pads are a little nicer recoil wise, but feel and look...........I like the old vented Pachmayr Magnum type of factory pad.
Works good enough for me.
Redid an 1100 to Magnum with new pad (R3?). It was more cushy, but made the gun feel odd to me (past exp). It didn't look as good either IMHO.
Bet a 7600 synth carbine in .30-06 would be a dandy Indiana deer rifle.
Prices had gone up before the reg change. Now with it............bet there's not a deal to be had in state.

 

[Paul30]

You know you can use the edit feature if you want to revise a post. I know a few who have taken a shot to the head from a scope using a hot slug in their shotgun. Eye relief is eye relief, your eye will be the right distance from the scope or it will not work. You can't just say I'll mount it so I am 5 inches away, it will not work. A rifle can also use a muzzle brake, but it usually isn't required since the recoil is far less than the shotgun. A silencer is usually a great muzzle brake too, as well as engineered hearing protection. I used the B.O.S.S. on a browning once and changed it to the conventional recoil B.O.S.S. immediately it was so loud. I can hand load my hunting rounds to my desire so I can dial in a very accurate load. All in all, I look forward to seeing the results after this season.

How does the BOSS system work?

 

[Hookeye]

I know how to revise a post, chose not to (a lengthy post often gets passed over, where multiple smaller ones get read).
Also know how to mount a friggin' scope.
And think the Boss and other look like sheite.

 

[billyboyr6]

My father in law passed not long ago and left us an 60's Winchester lever action in 30-30 and i plan on taking that rifle and his memory hunting with me this year.

He always bragged about having that rifle but in the 14 years i knew him i dont think that it had even seen the light of day. Im gonna change that. Ive already had it out and been shooting it. Its a fun rifle.

 

[Hookeye]

Best of luck in getting the ol' gal out and filling tags!

 

[craigkim]

I know with my allergies changing..........getting hammered at the bench................just the thought of it...............starts a headache.
Liked my .300 winmag BDL.............but only on good days.
Think all these yrs later a 7 mag is about my limit for tolerance (had one, sold it to get the .300)

Do remember my buds crescent buttplate Marlin .45-70. I hated that thing.

Had a friend from out of state hand me his 7mm Rem mag to shoot and tell me, "be careful it's got a lot of recoil!" I said, "oh, I expect it has less than my 12 gauge deer gun with slugs!" He sorta looked at me like "why the hell would you shoot slugs out of a shotgun?" "Because.... Indiana." It WAS pretty tame in comparison.

I always dreaded shooting that thing to confirm zero each year. Bugs, allergies, shoulder sore, sweating,.... Headache.

I got myself with the scope just a little one time. Where I sit, I have deer coming from any direction, so Ive shot left handed, twisted all around behind me, leaning out, etc. I didnt have the butt on my shoulder quite right and it slipped as I fired. Deer was dead, but I had a little scuff over my eye. I wear my hat to my eyebrows so that saved me.

Unfortunately the 458 isnt exactly a walk in the park to shoot, but its better.