Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Has Indiana passed legislation allowing high powered rifles?

I have a .35 rem (trimmed).
Also have a couple .243 win.
Pops has .308 and other stuff I could run (did pop one with .44 Ruger auto few yrs back).

Eh, I'd rather thump 'em with an arrow. If gun season gets pushed back eventually that just means better bowhunting.

Actually, what pisses me off as an Indiana hunter is that your statement in bold is incorrect. All of those cartridges are perfectly legal in a handgun. It amazes me there is so much backlash about "high power" rifles but there seems to be zero problems with a "high powered" handgun!


Handguns, other than muzzleloading, must have a barrel at least 4 inches long and must fire a bullet of .243-inch diameter or larger. The handgun cartridge case, without the bullet, must be at least 1.16 inches long. Full metal-jacketed bullets are not permitted. The handgun must not be a rifle that has a barrel less than 18 inches or be designed or redesigned to be fired from the shoulder.


I would suggest the politicians and DNR simply apply the existing language defining case length and caliber for handguns to rifles.

Scott

Don't forget the lack of any restrictions if after coyote's or groundhogs.

I'm guessing the wierdness is due to it being a test. The DNR wanted to change the rules last year, but squeaky wheels got that stopped. So, some folks got a hold of a some supportive legislators and got this passed. It's a baby step, but a step in the right direction. I bet all rifles will be legal on private land in 2021.

Looks like I need to buy my oldest a 243 Win now!

Exactly, since a measure failed with DNR that would have created parity between handguns and rifles a more measured step was taken. I was glad to see DNR took the time to come up with a sensible interpretation and accept any 6mm or 30 caliber cartridge. Very popular cartridges are now legal on private land.

I could use the following at some time next year with the rule change:
Rem 700 35 Rem (1.8)
Marlin 336 35 Rem (1.8), open sights
Parker Hale Super Safari 30-06
CLR with Forbes upgrade 30-06
Sako FN action 300 H&H
Husqvarna 46 300 Savage (project in the starting stages and may not be ready in time)

I will likely load the 30-06 and 300 H&H to 300 Savage levels using Walters loads he published. Should be fun!

The lack of restrictions on yote and chuck rifles is due to the facts of.....

less hunter congestion

anybody worth a flying flip pursuing such critters is running varmint bullets.

I bet some dipsticks will use varmint loads on deer (since .243 win legal this yr) and blow on a shoulder, have a grand time in recovery. Or some dipstick will assemble a load using match bullets and whistle one through.
Probably each declaring things super cool, and odd effects due to the power levels given such new and awesome shooting contraptions.

Will be rocking a .243 win myself. Have a few lbs of 4350. Haven't decided on a bullet, don't think I need anything super premium. Hell, might be running reg WW factory 100's if my #1 likes em.

95 grain Ballistic Tip. Done.

95gr BT a possibility.
Have had a few .243's that rather liked the 70 gr BT (and the chucks hated 'em).

I've heard of deer being smacked pretty well by the 70, but I haven't tried it. But I can tell you the 95 is a deer killer. Big hog killer for that matter.

I will most likely try the 70 nbts in my 6x45 this year

SWJ, you are 100% correct about using those chamberings in handguns. I am not talking about handguns. If they are legal in a handgun, they should be legal in a rifle. It pisses me off that I can't use my rifle chambered in 260 Rem. but a handgun hunter can use one legally in his Savage Striker chambered in 260. Our legislators don't have a fuggin clue what they are doing. And before you start again, I have no problem with handgun hunters. The stupidity of the ruling is what pisses me off.

Agree, nothing against handgun hunters and not implying they aren't safe. Just doesn't make sense that two firearms can be chambered for the same cartridge but the one with more barrel length is too unsafe to use! Must think "highpower" handguns are safer because fewer people use them?

Most "people" think a handgun is less powerful than a rifle, thus have no concerns with rifle cartridges in a handgun.

Spoke with a legislator this morning, the legislation was passed because the NRC and DNR bailed out on the rifle season last year and the legislators in the southern part of the state wanted rifles to be legal. So for once, our legislators did some good in opening up additional opportunities to rifle hunt.

I agree that I think it's a good baby step. Now I just need to find an appropriate 30 Carbine to hunt with...

I'm thinking either 6mm Creedmoor (should have never sold my previous one) or a 6mm-06...

Do the 6-06! One of those and some 55gr Cutting Edge Raptors would shoot F L A T!

In reality I'm hoping to get Jr. a LH RAR in 243 and I'll use the 30-06. If that doesn't work out I have a 30-30 he's already pretty good with. I just posted the 30 Carbine thing as I was a bit surprised to see it listed.

Let's see if the pro-gay lobby protests the state for leaving out the .270.

The already legal in handgun..........


yeah, I bet there are few roadhunters toting specialty pistols.

Most HP handguns run EER scopes and they IMHO really limit shot selection.

The sheer number of high performance handgunners, compared to long gun users.......it's of no argument.

Nobody gives a flip about 7mm mag Encore pistols or similar because so few use them. Or if of number, employ them with responsibility.

The avg Hoosier deer hunter is a weekend warrior who isn't all that gun savvy IMHO. I worked in a gun shop a few yrs. Scary.

All this new law does is have a bunch of folks bringing in .243's and .308 and .30-06 the night before the opener wanting them boresighted.

I can not believe the 270 was left out. The rifle that has taken more deer than any other.

Remember, they got the HP rifle thing to pass by having "limits".

If all goes well expect it to open up in 4 yrs to allow .270 win.


Initially they listed 5 kinda sorta cartridges without proper names (legislature). The DNR further clarified it as .24 and .30 cal, 1.16 min case length.

If it goes well, both sides claim success. If some idiots muck it up with accidents, then neither side will catch blame since the law wasn't based solely on their work.