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Illinois HB 4386--passed rifles

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Newhunter1

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Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that a centerfire rifle may be used to harvest deer during the firearm open season set by the Director of Natural Resources annually. Provides that all straight walled rifle rounds are legal ammunition for a centerfire rifle.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Wildlife Code. Defines "centerfire" and "single shot". Allows a person to take deer with a single shot centerfire rifle during the open season set by the Director of Natural Resources. Limits legal handguns and rifles to centerfire handguns that are either single shot or revolvers and centerfire rifles that are single shot. Limits legal ammunition for a centerfire handgun or rifle to a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, or a straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger, both of which must be available as a factory load with the published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle. Provides that it is unlawful while deer hunting: (1) to possess or be in close proximity to a rifle that is not centerfire; or (2) be in possession of or in close proximity to a magazine that is capable of making a rifle not a single shot.

What exactly does this mean? A straight walled cartridge out of a centerfire rifle and...single shot? So while I don't have a rifle...my almost 90 year old father in law won't be able to hunt with his 30-06 that is a 3 round magazine fed rifle? Not a .308 with a 3 round mag?
 
At least it's a step in the right direction. I never did understand why I could hunt with a 200 yard capable Smoke pole, but not with a 30 cal rifle. According to their definition of single shot, as long as he is not in "close proximity" to a magazine, he will be ok.....

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legal handguns and rifles are limited to include any centerfire handguns that are either a single shot or revolver and centerfire rifles that are single shot of .30 caliber or larger with a minimum barrel length of 4 inches. The only legal ammunition for a centerfire handgun or rifle is a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding one and two-fifths inches, or a straight-walled centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger, both of which must be available as a factory load with the published ballistic tables of the manufacturer showing a capability of at least 500 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle.

So it looks like a legal rifle is a single shot center shot rifle that is a single shot. I have a .308 with a 3 round mag. Is there any one round magazines or a magazine block where I can reload if necessary without the round falling to the ground....especially if there is not a mag inserted.
 
Just read about 90% of the law and I didn't see anywhere it was for private or public land. Of course it is illinois...so there is that.
 
I was just curious, in Indiana you can only use a straight wall cartridge on public land, but on private land you can use most rifle cartridges.
 
So I guess my next question is can you use a lever action or a bolt action with a straight wall cartridge, or is the single shot for both straight wall and bottleneck cartridges?
 
TK161BOONER said:
So I guess my next question is can you use a lever action or a bolt action with a straight wall cartridge, or is the single shot for both straight wall and bottleneck cartridges?
Click to expand...

In order to use one of those, I'd have to buy another gun. While I'd love to buy another gun...I cannot rationalize any excuse to my wife in order to clear those funds. I did see that Henry Rifles sells a 45-70 single shot for 570.00. Just don't have disposable funds...especailly since gas is over 4.00 a gallon.

Spending 500-600 dollars to get a new "single" shot rifle vs. getting a magazine sled for my .308 is no price comparison.
 
Ohio did the same thing a few years ago. I still use a muzzleloader for gun season but most people switched to the various straight walled calibers. .45-70, .350 Legend, and .450 Bushmaster seem to be the most popular choices.


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I see CVA makes several single shot rifles in 45-70, .450 and .350. Any others? I’d really love to have a straight walled cartridge with the range of a .308 or 30-06. I think the .444 marlin can reach out and touch a target.
 
Newhunter1 said:
I see CVA makes several single shot rifles in 45-70, .450 and .350. Any others? I’d really love to have a straight walled cartridge with the range of a .308 or 30-06. I think the .444 marlin can reach out and touch a target.
Click to expand...

.444 is limited like a slug.. .35 whelen is what you want. Here in south Mississippi they passed this years back as a “primitive weapon”… It has to be a single shot weapon as in crack barrel single round capacity.


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Nice to know they passed this though since I planned to extend my week archery hunt into the first gun weekend for a second tag. Be interesting to take something besides a smoke pole in Illinois


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SippiHuntin said:
.444 is limited like a slug.. .35 whelen is what you want. Here in south Mississippi they passed this years back as a “primitive weapon”… It has to be a single shot weapon as in crack barrel single round capacity.


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Click to expand...

Dang, it's been a while since i bought rifle ammo. .35 whelen ammo is 60-88.00 for a box of 20. That's crazy.
 
Newhunter1 said:
I see CVA makes several single shot rifles in 45-70, .450 and .350. Any others? I’d really love to have a straight walled cartridge with the range of a .308 or 30-06. I think the .444 marlin can reach out and touch a target.
Click to expand...
TC Encore and Contender. I've got an Encore, with .30-06 and .50ML barrels for it. I also have an old Handi-Rifle with .444 and .30-06 barrels. The .444 Handi-Rifle counts for most of my recent deer. Short blood trails, can't go wrong.

Rung steel out to 200 with it, never shot more than about 60 yards at a deer. With a 100yd zero I hit an 18" gong just fine with no holdover. Using factory 264gr LeverEvolution.

Mike Bellm of
https://www.bellmtcs.com/ is a wizard gunsmith with TCs in particular and single shots in general.

Warning, TCs can be addictive. Especially if you handload, dig wildcats, and drink beer while browsing Gunbroker.

ETA: Range is highly dependent on what load you use. Hornady LeverEvolution is probably the best bet for stretching your distance with these cartridges. If I'm hunting up close, or going after bear, I like the heaviest lead boolets I can get to fly accurately.
 
Ok...this bill has been passed from the House and should be in the Illinois Senate. I'd like to follow this bill as it goes through the Senate process, but I don't know where to begin nor do I know what's the name of the bill in the senate. Can someone help me out?
 
So the bill is assigned to Executive and Rule 2-10 Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Established As April 8, 2022

I shot my 350 and while only at 15 yards, it was one hole. I'll get out to sight it in at 150 in a couple of weeks.
 
Newhunter1 said:
I shot my 350 and while only at 15 yards, it was one hole. I'll get out to sight it in at 150 in a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...

Do a bit of reading on "mean point blank range". By plugging your specific data into a ballistic calculator you can determine your ideal zero distance and range. For example, with a certain load out of a 14.5" M4, a 50-yard zero will get everything within 12" of point of aim, out to 300 yards. With another load, a 47-yard zero accomlishes the same.
 
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