Legal caliber hunting rifle suggestions

[Hookeye]

AR can be a PITA toting it around.
That pistol grip, the balance..............just awkward (if used to more traditional deer hunting platforms).
I run one occassionally for yotes. Pretty handy there. Still feels like crap lugging it around though.

 

[jspy5]

[QUOTE





Me? Next year I'll be hunting with an AR pistol in 300 Blackout. IMO this is easiest, most 'turnkey' option under current regulations and it is very easy to hunt suppressed this way.[/QUOTE]


I used a 300 Blackout AR pistol this year and have to wonder how effective a subsonic round with a suppressor would be. Is there enough velocity and if so, what would be the maximum range ?

 

[SteveM4A1]

Me? Next year I'll be hunting with an AR pistol in 300 Blackout. IMO this is easiest, most 'turnkey' option under current regulations and it is very easy to hunt suppressed this way.

I used a 300 Blackout AR pistol this year and have to wonder how effective a subsonic round with a suppressor would be. Is there enough velocity and if so, what would be the maximum range ?

Depends on the ammo. There are subsonic options out there, most notably the Lehigh Defense Maximum Expansion. I personally wouldn't hesitate to use this round out to around 75 yards or so.

 

[sportsman223]

The cost savings of replacing barrel on a TC is way more cheaper than a gun in same caliber, lots of used stuff out there and most new is under 300.00 hell even a custom tube is a little over 400 try buying a rifle in that price range. As far as fit/feel the same it would except for balance, one trigger job instead of several. One scope for two barrels same bases just one set of rings
Price buying two rifles and setting them both up and see for your self

 

[Fire Lord]

I shot a doe at 150 yards 3 years ago. She was quartering towards me. I broke the shoulder, passed through the heart and lung, and out the other side. I used a 12 gauge Mossberg 695, 3" winchester super x. She ran 30 yards and was done. If you are using a smoothbore, I feel your pain. Upgrade to a rifled barrel. You'll be able to reach out and touch.

 

[SSGSAD]

With this said, I've looked up the current DNR regulations on rifles:
Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger, have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches, and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms and special antlerless seasons. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf. Full metal jacketed bullets are illegal.

The .38 spl., is NOT legal .....


According to my Speer #10, the .38 spl., is only 1.155" long .....

 

[Hookeye]

The cost savings of replacing barrel on a TC is way more cheaper than a gun in same caliber, lots of used stuff out there and most new is under 300.00 hell even a custom tube is a little over 400 try buying a rifle in that price range. As far as fit/feel the same it would except for balance, one trigger job instead of several. One scope for two barrels same bases just one set of rings
Price buying two rifles and setting them both up and see for your self

TC doesn't make much these days. Prices have consequently gone silly.
Easy open G1 frames sell at 275. Carbine .35 rem bbls over 300.

I sell a few bbls, grips, stocks off and on...........am familiar with the market.

And a CVA Scout is $300.

How much to convert a Savage ? Can go with a Wildcat that shoves 'em over 2700 FPS.............and that's the limit on Encore frames by most accounts.

TC barrels don't always work well from one frame to the next. TC will fit them for you. Or you can buy locking bolts and play the game. Don't want that interruptor issue popping up at the worst time.
Last I checked EABCO was a 6 month wait on a bbl.

BTW, I have two Contender barrels. Each on its own frame.

Set it and forget it. Works pretty well.

Never used their multiple mount for scope deal. Ugly as sin it was.

 

[Hookeye]

IIRC .44 Special case is 1.16"

BTW, some cartridges may fit a spec but not be legal.........as in handgun...........think they call out the .30 Carbine as a "no go" (plus a few others).

 

[Hookeye]

Have never been enamored with the Handi Rifle. But thought they could be had in .35 Rem at one point.
Heard they ceased production?
If so, what is the market on those?
Seen them in 357 and .44 mag. Lower end stuff............they tend to pop up on the used market often.

Xmas bills. Post deer season. The time to buy deer guns is in a month or so.

Want to convert your Contender deer rifle to a squirrel rig? A new .22 bbl is $300+.
And a new Ruger American rimfire is?

How much is a .22 lr barrel for an Encore now? (dunno, haven't checked, not into Encores).
Manufactured for only a short while IIRC.

While some people are into swapping parts, like the idea of a "kit"...............I have never fallen for that sales pitch.
Much nicer to have multiple rigs, each set up for a specific purpose.

Yeah folks can slap a slug bbl on an 870 and go deer hunting. It works.
But when I slug gunned deer I ran rifled bores, on rigs with trigger jobs, high comb stocks and receivers drilled and tapped for proper scope mounting. Dedicated slug guns.

That perfect fit makes tough shots easy.

 

[Spear Dane]

If you pick a slug and optic and practice with it there is no reason (other than your own skill) a shotgun can not make a 100 yard kill. That said...I bought a 50 Beowulf...cause 50 cal. I have not had a chance to use it though as i did not receive it in time.

 

[MRP2003]

I shoot a 44mag and love it. Ammo is relatively cheap. It is very accurate out to 125 yards and it has very little kick. Mine is a Marlin.
A 12G with today's sabots are also very deadly out to 100 yards.
If you really think that you will be taking shots further than 150 yards, consider a ML and plan on practicing a lot.

I think it comes down to personal choice and your ability to shoot accurately

Really wished IN would have passed the proposal for centerfire rifles. It makes choice of caliber so much easier as almost everything works great

 

[Hookeye]

FWIW my old M500 smoothbores were accurate and deadly to 150 yards.
Rifled bores cut groups down, and extended range a bit. The sabot slugs might range through the target on line to a higher %.
Fosters can do silly things sometimes.
Rifled bore shotgun, tested to known good. I'd call that a 150 yard rig easy. Had two 870's like that.
Did go old school one yr, with Police model smoothbore.
That poor thing was NOT a 100 yard rig. Testing showed its limit to be 75 yards (was using specific slug, was willingly limited by whatever the test showed- ammo switch was not an option). Of course the 8 pointer gets nuked at 25 yards LOL.

Have not tried any of the new 3 pellet magnum types on MZ's. Knew back in the old days my Knights were 150 yarders w reg MMP sabots and Rem JHP 240gr. Pinwheel deer at 150. Little hole in and out. Dead, but sometimes not much red from shot to drop.

Funny, my farthest shot to date on a deer, was beyond 150........with a sidehammer w roundball. Drilled it.

 

[Hookeye]

Lots of folks are not as capable as their gear (not good shooters).
Many have OK gear but have compatability issues.
Some use junk stuff or an accessory that hurts capability.
Kills me to see somebody slap junk rings, or scope..........on a good rig.
Or refuse to shoot ammo that is known to be decent for most........some folks just have to be different. Even if that makes things bad.

Even employing a filter, some of these guys that have gear issues, get multiple chances at decent deer.

I never could afford to screw around like that. Vacation time, access to good ground, seeing nice deer repeatedly.
When a good deer shows I sure as heck don't want anything to reduce my chances.

Yet some folks use crap, yr after yr. And they take nice deer. They lose some too.

Eye opener, the night before gun season. Folks driving 50K trucks wanting their see through ringed scoped beat to hell M500 bore sighted......yup............not even gonna shoot it before hunting. BSA or Tasco scope, maybe with turret covers on, on a sidemount from 1972.

Same type wants a new sight on their Bear Whitetail bow (1st gen) and they have different length, size arrows in the quiver (quiver usually mounted upside down). Usually 3 types of broadheads.

But in this world of PC nonsense we aren't allowed to address such gross errors. And as a retailer you have to smile and just do what the customer asks.

I truly feel sorry for the deer in those clowns areas.

 

[Hookeye]

Sorry for the rant.
Within the regs we have there are tons of idiots.
Opening up the regs will just invite more, or extend the range of the current moron crop's stupidity.
Am content to leave things were they are, and reduce doe tags.

 

[Hookeye]

If you pick a slug and optic and practice with it there is no reason (other than your own skill) a shotgun can not make a 100 yard kill. That said...I bought a 50 Beowulf...cause 50 cal. I have not had a chance to use it though as i did not receive it in time.

Yup, and should the state ever go .243 1.16 or longer on deer ...............I'll pick an oddball just to have fun as well.
.256 Win.

Anemic, but up close it should do the trick.

It is fun using something that didn't come from a chain store