Ohio to announce PCR for Deer

[shaman]

Ohio is set to announce that Pistol Cartridge Rifles will be legal for deer season. Frankly, this is about 20 years too late for me. Even though I'm a Buckeye, I've already sunk a wad into 200 acres of good hunting land in KY, Zone 1.

However, I'm probably going to get an invite for hunting Ohio, and I'd like to ask for your opinions on what makes best sense.

Proposed hunting rifles are chambered for the following calibers: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Special, .375 Super Magnum, .375 Winchester, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith & Wesson, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110 and .500 Smith & Wesson.

First off, I'd like your ideas for a rifle, assuming any bullet , jacketed or otherwise.
Then I'd like your opinion on a rifle assuming cast bullets

Thanks ahead of time for your opinions.

[AJMD429]

Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag with Winchester 240 gr JSP works fine... . Punches an 'in' and a slightly-bigger 'out' hole, so anywhere through the thorax stops them breathing rapidly. Even a badly placed shot bleeds them out fairly quickly.

45 Colt is nearly identical, and both with ordinary modern loads are easy enough for good hits out to 125 yards, maybe more if you practice and know ranging really well (or mark the trails by your stands). 357 Magnum maybe better to limit to 2/3 that distance and more need to use a 'fairly solid' or 'heavy' bullet.

357 Max too long for most actions but great for breakopen rifles or pistols. Probably better than 357 Mag but the latter works.

444 Marlin and 45-70 are kinda overpowered for whitetail, but if you like them, they are reasonable and give you a bit more range due to higher initial velocity. Still use sort of 'stubby' bullets usually, so don't go too far with an ordinary miss, but an accidental high-angle discharge could kill someone very far away.

The wording was intended to eliminate 'pointy' high-ballistic-coefficient bullets, which certainly can travel too far to be safe, with even a slight overshoot of the target, but instead of spelling out 'high-b.c.' in the law, they tried to use 'straight-walled case of at least 0.xxx diameter'. As usual, legislative gibberish. Indiana stated something like minimum 0.243" diameter, and a minimum and maximum case length.

Part of it was to make something non-ambiguous that a DNR officer could easily check in-the-field.

I hope to get a 500 S&W Spike Driver (levergun) by the end of the year, and will likely christen it via deer hunting, though the round is way overpowered for whitetail.

[Griff]

We recently did this: http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=59053

Tho' I gotta say... there ARE some decidedly UN-pistol calibers listed in there!

[Ragnor]

Marlin 336, Rebored to 38/55, 3 groove, 200 grain Sierra, I moly coat my bullets for this. 1680 Accurate powder. I use Lee reloading data for the 375 Winchester. I load a little below max for my rifle. My chrony said a little over 2500 fps. Has worked very well for me for hunting. I receive great hunting accuracy from my Marlin carbine. Another load that Lee has is a 200 gr 444 Marlin load with I think 1680 powder. I use 200 gr XTP's. Awesome running deer load. The manual I think gives a velocity of 2700 fps. I use this in a Marlin 336 JES rebore also. I named that rifle Thor. Try it out, you will know why. No rifle in my area sounds like it. People say it produces an awesome fireball, if your into that.

[Centennial]

I suggest what's in CARTRIDGES OF THE WORLD reference book for Ohio G&F. That list is ridiculously short.

[BrentD]

I suggest what's in CARTRIDGES OF THE WORLD reference book for Ohio G&F. That list is ridiculously short.

It is short, but so be it. I'm trying to figure out what pistol ever came chambered in .38-55, not to mention the big .45s and 50s

[Blaine]

With some of the other choices, it's amazing that the 30wcf is not listed. Bureaucrats
(I'd use my 444 Marlin, or .44 Mag Marlin, or .375 BB AE 94)

[Richardx]

I want a pistol in .45/110--and a cart to carry it in!

[Grizz]

Marshall Stanton, maker of Beartoothbullets, told me that he did agricultural protection (?depredation?), shooting a LOT of deer, I suppose hundreds and hundreds, with his 357 rifle. He said he only ever had to use a second shot on one animal. And I believe him, he's never lied about anything as far as I know.

He sells a 185gr hard cast LBT style bullet and I get 1700+ fps (can't find my notes, it's probably higher), out of a winchester 94. That carbine seems to like 110gr white box as well as 158gr 'normal' and 185gr bullets equally.

I shot a couple of deer with a 4" Smith 357 loaded with Keith's semi bullet and I wasn't too impressed with it on one deer that had a thick skull. Another dropped dead from a bullet thru the ear canal. Mixed results.

To my mind it's a little light. We made lots of meat in Alaska with a 44 magnum handgun and carbine and I can certify that it's the real deal deer taker. I don't recall any mixed results with the 44. It just flat flattened them.

It's worth shooting each before you decide something if you can

Grizz

[Canuck Bob]

I sure love my 444 but kinda agree with the Doc and Grizz. A little 44 Mag or 45 Colt would be a dandy lever. Is the older semi-auto Ruger 44 Mag legal? I had one once and that is a real handy thick cover deer rifle if you like those self loading contraptions. One of the things I admire about big bore rifles is that they hit hard and then they hit the dirt. I've experienced the severe pucker caused by the passing of a deer bullet in my direction because someone did not consider the range of the rifle. From all the talk on forums Ohio deer are going to be in trouble this year!! With the response I could see not wanting 300 Mags roaring in every other field!

The 444 makes a good longer range rifle based on your listed choices. It will do the job as far as a guy can hit. It is a real hard hitter and I would not hesitate to use Rem factory stuff on deer, not moose however.

[66GTO]

.44 Rem. Mag., 240 gr. Hornady XTP hollow point pushed by a max load of 2400 or Lil Gun out of a Marlin 1894 works for me on whitetail and hogs. Drops them where they stand and are pretty accurate. No experience with cast bullets.

[Bullard4075]

While the 357 mag/168 Keith/2400 worked for me for years and years (don't ever remember a failure) the 44 Special is now my go to gun.
Most all the needed power and less recoil.

[buckeyeshooter]

I'll be using a 45/70.

[mikld]

If you want a more "modern" rifle, that can easily be scoped, look at Ruger's .357 Magnum, and .44 Magnum bolt action rifles, 77/357 and 77/44. Personally I like my '92 clone in .44 Magnum loaded with a Ranch Dog 265 gr. RNFP and a medium + charge of 2400.

[M. M. Wright]

I use a 45-90 that has the old slow twist rifling so will only stabilize a 300/350 grain bullet. Winchester model 1886, fm, ob,cb. You'd be better off with 45-70 as they usually stabilize a longer bullet as well making them suitable for those pesky Ohio rhinos.

[buckeyeshooter]

You know those Rhinos can be big. My biggest was an 11 point (not all that much in the antler score) that weighed 231 pounds field dressed at my friends barn on the scale.

[Buck Elliott]

I'm happy to see that Ohio has included both the .45 Colt and the .45 Long Colt... That may prevent confusion among the less gun-savvy Game Officers..

Too bad they didn't include "ballistic equivalents" in their list, but I see where that would only further confuse the untutored game cops...

[6pt-sika]

I suggest what's in CARTRIDGES OF THE WORLD reference book for Ohio G&F. That list is ridiculously short.

It is short, but so be it. I'm trying to figure out what pistol ever came chambered in .38-55, not to mention the big .45s and 50s

TC chambered the Contender in 375 WIN , so in my always biased opinion it's the same thing .

TC also chambered the Contender for the 45-70 .

Magnum Research chambered the BFR for the 45-70 and 444 Marlin .

[Centennial]

........... and I'd like to ask for your opinions on what makes best sense.

Proposed hunting rifles are chambered for the following calibers: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Special, .375 Super Magnum, .375 Winchester, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith & Wesson, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110 and .500 Smith & Wesson.

First off, I'd like your ideas for a rifle, assuming any bullet , jacketed or otherwise.
Then I'd like your opinion on a rifle assuming cast bullets

Thanks ahead of time for your opinions.

First pick the action or rifle model you want, have or like.
Then pick a cartridge that is popular to find loaded or components for.
I'd stick with plain old cast bullets.
I guess all shooting will be under 200 yards, maybe under 100 yards?

Not mentioned is Civil War era cartridges. Can a Spencer 56-56 or 56-50 center fire be used?

[wecsoger]

They're talking straight wall cartridges, but there's nothing in the ORC yet so I can't look it up. However, as much as you'd like to use an obsolete round, the law is the law. If you get checked by ODNR there's now way you can 'splain your way out of it.

I can't see many shots going past 200 yards and the huge majority will be well inside 100. Good bits of south and eastern OH is straight up Appalachia, with the hills to match. Out in the farm fields there may be some long range shots, but we're still a pretty populated state. Hate to think some Cletus gets buck fever and winds up putting a round through a farm house. Or someone's half million John Deere combine.

I've got a .44 mag lever and a .45-70. Good full metal jacketed round in the former or a medium cast load in the latter should be all I need.

Do you know how many Bambi's we have in this state? Too %^$#@# many! I'm hoping this change will get some more guys (and gals!) out in the fields. One more in the freezer or sausage casing is one less that I may wind up smacking on the roadway.

[Griff]

I'm happy to see that Ohio has included both the .45 Colt and the .45 Long Colt... That may prevent confusion among the less gun-savvy Game Officers..
Too bad they didn't include "ballistic equivalents" in their list, but I see where that would only further confuse the untutored game cops...

Obviously the list was written by a bureaucrat, as a politician (lawyer) would 've included something he, or his lawyer cronies could argue over!

[Merle]

Ohio is set to announce that Pistol Cartridge Rifles will be legal for deer season. Frankly, this is about 20 years too late for me. Even though I'm a Buckeye, I've already sunk a wad into 200 acres of good hunting land in KY, Zone 1.

However, I'm probably going to get an invite for hunting Ohio, and I'd like to ask for your opinions on what makes best sense.

Proposed hunting rifles are chambered for the following calibers: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Special, .375 Super Magnum, .375 Winchester, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith & Wesson, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110 and .500 Smith & Wesson.

First off, I'd like your ideas for a rifle, assuming any bullet , jacketed or otherwise.
Then I'd like your opinion on a rifle assuming cast bullets

Thanks ahead of time for your opinions.

There are some pretty darn big "pistol" caliber listed there! I sure would like to see a 50-110 handgun, as long as I didn't have to shoot it! Perhaps they should label it "straight wall cartridges" instead.

Of the ones listed I would pick the 44 mag, as it has the biggest selection of ammo & I personally consider it to be the pick of that litter. I chose WW white box 240 gr JSP for mine. Plenty accurate and hits hard.

[shaman]

Thanks all for your answers.

Of all of them listed, I'd probably like the 38-55 or 375 Winnie the best, but I doubt I'll be adding one to the collection soon. If I was sure to be hunting Ohio regularly, that would probably be the way I'd go.

I already have a 357 Mag Marlin lever. I'm going to be experimenting with it over the next few months. That will certainly be a possibility. It has been my bummin' around rifle for the past year. I carry it mostly in case I run into coyote. However, I'm starting to cast for myself and I now have a few molds that would be dandy for deer.

I'm seeing the a rifle in 44 Magnum is probably going to be best overall choice, and it was on my wishlist before this came up. I don't know if semi-auto will be allowed, but I will keep my eyes open. I've been shooting it in pistols for 30 some years. I've already got the brass and dies.

[markinalpine]

I'm only throwing this in for grins.
It is a straight walled cartridge for a revolver!

600revolver.jpg

Mark

[JNG]

I posted this a bit ago. But now I am thrilled that I can use my Sharps carbine to hunt. (wife had a fit when I bought it as a retirement gift to myself) After 30 years saving low-lifes I earned it.
Joe