Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 1.800" hunting cartridges for restricted zones???

So, I may go hunting with a friend in Southern Michigan this fall. Some big deer in the area. Michigan regs state straight walled case no more than 1.8" long and 35 cal minimum Basically a pistol cartridge 357 or bigger. Looked at a 77/44 but read how awful they were and decided against it. Don't really dig slug guns or muzzle loaders. This is a good chunk of land with potential and may end up being a regular thing. What do you folks use for rifles in these areas? Thinking a 44 Mag pistol. Maybe a TC.

If you load, get Mike Bellm to cut you a long throated 357max for a TC, load some 180 or 200s out long, and don't look back. You can get plenty of energy to 250+, w/less recoil, blast, and noise....and duplicate good 35rem loads. JME

I hunted the swamps and hardwoods of southern Michigan for years with a Model 29 Smith & Wesson.

I have a stainless Taurus Tracker 44 Mag that I carry with me running bear hounds that would work. But, damn if that 357 Max idea don't sound fun. What length barrel?

Right now the hot ticket around here is the Ruger American Predator in .450 Bushmaster. Ruger will be releasing this thru all dealers soon. The original run was for Randy's Hunting Center in Bad Axe Michigan. Randy also went to Leupold and got a 3X9X40 VX2 with CDS to match the cartridge. They are doing good things with them.....

Do this. Or, there is a custom Savage 450 BM in the classifieds right now. Used to be mine and it's a frickin tack driver. Otherwise, Cabelas Grandville MI has a custom SS 450BM on a R700 for a decent price too.

Hornady ammo is great for it too

^ that.

I live in SW Michigan and am going this route.

Priced out an AR so chambered and this is a better deal. Plus I favor bolt guns.

I found some info on a 45 Raptor that would fit the bill too. Looks almost like a rimless 460 S&W. probably not much more than the bushmaster though. The bushmaster looks the way to go. Thanks all.

I have an H&R Handi rifle trapper in 44mag. 16" barrel.

Works great. Easy to carry through thick stuff. I mainly use it for still hunting, and it shines at that.

That Ruger looks like your Huckleberry SB. I'm just on the good side of M57 but that 450 Bushmaster looks awful tempting

^^^This^^^

He has several on Gunbroker...22" stainless or blue, 16" threaded barrel, right and left hand models: http://www.gunbroker.com/item/622193650

I sounded like an add for Randy's...lol. I have no affiliation and rarely hunt the restricted zone myself. I know several guys that have these and no one I know has matched the accuracy of the Hornady ammo with handloads. Have fun!

If it is private land you might want to hold off on deciding till June or so. Word is that MI might follow Indiana and allow standard rifle cartridges on private land. Indiana started with any 243 or 308 cartridge. They might expand it.

Interesting. I never paid a lot of attention to this as I always hunted the UP or northern lower. Either used an'06 or 280AI. The last few years I've been just on the north side of M-57 which is still rife zone but there's enough population near Grand Rapids that I can see that changing. That 450 Bushmaster in the Ruger bolt looks cool as hell. Bet it would be about perfect for bear hunting with hounds.

KenMi,That is interesting...I hadn't heard that.

We farm about 2800 acres and it has some great hunting spots. Hunting there is a fringe benefit of employment here. We limit access to employees.

My first gut instinct says I don't want cartridges above 2300 fps used in our situation. Our land is flatter than piss on a platter....with a fair scattering of houses. In other places I am sure the .308 family would be just fine.

Sad we have to think of liability first.....

It sounds like you are thinking of safety vs liability.

In my state, we have shotgun only rules for most of the state. On private land, I can use centerfire but space is tight. Since I will hunt a wooded plot for the first time next year, my .308 should be ok but I want to find a "short Range" load.

Surprised no one mentioned a Marlin 1894 in 357 Magnum.

Velicity close to a 35 Remington out of the carbine, and Hornady offers a flexitip (?) bullet for the 357.

Fast follow up shots, peep sights or a scope.

What's not to like?

Kind of both. They go hand in hand. Not sure I'd want to run a 243 in wide open land that is too populated. Thinking the use of elevated stands has helped as you are basically shooting into the ground. A nice lever gun in 357,44 or 45 Colt/454 would probably work well. Still thinking that bushmaster would be ideal. Good price too.

Predator hunting is legal in the whole state with any centerfire rifle. Nothing makes it less safe just because it is November.

I had one of these, fun little gun. I chronographed the 158 grain JSP ammo out of it, very close to a .30-30 in a 20" barrel.





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