[chris_8126]

With the new rule change possibly going into effect what would be the best caliber to hunt deer for more wide open shots.
The requirements are caliber .357 or larger and max case length 1.8 inches

 

[Red Pepper]

The rules are already in effect. Some excellent choices are .357 Maximum, .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, and .500 S&W. The .460 S&W is too long, unfortunately. You can use the pointed Hornady bullets to extend your range a bit.

 

[MMichaelAK]

.45 Colt in a TC or Ruger Blackhawk load. That in a lever gn would work well too.

 

[Bird Dog II]

1.8" Yikes, are inline muzzle loaders inplay?

 

[M1894]

The .357 Herrett is 1.750" in case length, and about 100 fps faster than the .357 Maximum.

Too bad that the length allowable isn't just .12" longer, then you could use the .35 Rem..

 

[Davers]

A .44 Magnum or .454 Casull provide enough power for the average range, which is usually < 100 yards.

 

[GMFWoodchuck]

There is a thread about a 358 WSSM wildcat. This may be of interest....

 

[Old Grump]

Any of the allowed calibers will work out to a hundred yards but I'm with MMichaelAK, 45 colt. Partly because it makes a great companion gun to a great revolver, partly because it makes a nice combo for cowboy matches and because its big enough for bear and way more than big enough for deer without knocking the sinuses clean like the 454 Casull will do. Mostly because I am a dinosaur who likes the nostalgia of shooting old fashioned bullets our of old fashioned guns.

 

[T.R.]

Years ago, I was stationed at Travis AF Base in northern California. This is an older photo taken during a hunt in Napa County, California. The coastal blacktail buck never knew what hit him; my 44 MAG carbine really did a number on his chest organs. Distance was about 80 yards or so.

My ammo featured Hornady's 200 grain hollow tip.

44 MAG ammo has improved since then. Hornady now offers 225 grain flex tip that flattens trajectory considerably. Shots of 125 yards are entirely feasible. But the 44 MAG is still a revolver cartridge that has range limitations that must be respected.

Good hunting to you.

TR

 

[Bigfoot]

460 should be legal. Case length is 1.8 ".

Don

 

[Red Pepper]

1.8 inches is too long; Here are the regulations from the DNR website:

Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger; have a mini mum case length of 1.16 inches; and have a maximum case length of 1.625 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearm sea son. 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, and .500 S&W.

 

[Bigfoot]

The new rule allows 1.8" cases, up from 1.625".

Don

 

[Bigfoot]

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm under rule changes.

Don

 

[.300WinMag]

Take .450" off of a 444 Marlin, use pointed bullets. Should be good to 200 yards.

 

[jaybirdjtski]

Amazing what bureaucrats can think up that passes as real work! Fish and Game used to drive old Elmer Keith crazy, too. Acc. to his biography, some F&G officials tried to set up his son. A well-time death threat did the trick to get them to drop charges. Ahhh....the good old days when you could get away with that, before CNN.

 

[shane256]

You know... I have to be skeptical of some rules changes... particularly if they are changed very often. Like in my home state... they allowed inline muzzle loaders for primitive weapons season. Everybody ran out and bought one. A year or two later, they allowed telescopic sights on muzzle loaders. Everybody ran out and bought one. A year or two later, they allow .45-70 single-shot rifles (Encore, etc.) for primitive weapons seapons. Lots of people ditched their inlines and ran out to buy .45-70 single-shot rifles. Two years later, they allow any single-shot rifle cartridge .35cal or larger. People sell off their .45-70 barrels and buy .35 Whelens. It's almost like someone, somewhere making rules has a side-deal with rifle makers or something.

 

[berudd]

You know... I have to be skeptical of some rules changes... particularly if they are changed very often. Like in my home state... they allowed inline muzzle loaders for primitive weapons season. Everybody ran out and bought one. A year or two later, they allowed telescopic sights on muzzle loaders. Everybody ran out and bought one. A year or two later, they allow .45-70 single-shot rifles (Encore, etc.) for primitive weapons seapons. Lots of people ditched their inlines and ran out to buy .45-70 single-shot rifles. Two years later, they allow any single-shot rifle cartridge .35cal or larger. People sell off their .45-70 barrels and buy .35 Whelens. It's almost like someone, somewhere making rules has a side-deal with rifle makers or something.

Just wait. Next year it will be only flintlocks, open sights and real blackpowder.

 

[jwleeper]

As I understand, if approved, the proposed rule change will not go into effect until next year. The change would allow a case .175" longer than the regulations in effect now.

 

[broom_jm]

If/when Indiana implements these new rules, one of which increases the maximum cartridge length for deer-hunting rifles from 1.625" to 1.800", you can expect some of the following to occur:

1) The 460 S&W, chambered in a T/C Encore rifle, will be used by many of the "progressive" hunters in the Hoosier state. The 357 Herrett will become somewhat popular, as well.

2) Wildcats based on many cases, including the 444 Marlin, 460 S&W, 450 Bushmaster, and others (as originally designed, or shortened/necked down) will proliferate. A shortened 375JDJ, as fired from a 24" Encore, would easily be effective on deer out to 250 yards. I personally might explore the 338ME case, shortened .090" and opened to shoot .358" diameter bullets.

3) Those wishing to push the envelope will start with 300 and 325 WSM cases, shortening them to 1.800" and expanding the case mouths to .358". These will give velocities exceeding the 358 Winchester and approaching 35 Whelen numbers.

In this extreme example, you now have a medium to long-range cartridge for deer-hunting. This is in contrast to the logic used by the Indiana DNR to support their "PCR" (pistol-chambered rifle) regulations. That their logic is flawed is clear to most experienced hunters and hopefully these regulations will be done away with entirely, instead of just increasing the length a ridiculous .175"!

Ironically, most deer will be harvested well within the lethal range of a 44 magnum or 357 Maximum. For those hunters who are used to, or at the very least appreciate, high-velocity, long-range cartridges, we will continue working within these absurd regulations to find the best possible performance for our deer-hunting rifles. At least these small, if dubious, changes allow young shooters to carry rifles while deer-hunting in the Hoosier state, and not endure the horrendous recoil of a 12 gauge slug-gun, or maintenance hassles of a muzzle-loader. If nothing else, maybe these changes will help ensure the hunting heritage for all of us hunting the cut corn and bean fields of Indiana.

 

[broom_jm]

You know... I have to be skeptical of some rules changes... particularly if they are changed very often. Like in my home state... they allowed inline muzzle loaders for primitive weapons season. Everybody ran out and bought one. A year or two later, they allowed telescopic sights on muzzle loaders. Everybody ran out and bought one. A year or two later, they allow .45-70 single-shot rifles (Encore, etc.) for primitive weapons seapons. Lots of people ditched their inlines and ran out to buy .45-70 single-shot rifles. Two years later, they allow any single-shot rifle cartridge .35cal or larger. People sell off their .45-70 barrels and buy .35 Whelens. It's almost like someone, somewhere making rules has a side-deal with rifle makers or something.

Very astute observation. Combine these proposed changes with the fact that there was a record ~$250 million dollars spent on lobbying in the state of Indiana this year, and it would not surprise me at all if palms aren't being greased specifically to generate the kind of commerce you suggest.