Legal rifle calibers by state
 

Since this topic has come up a few times recently I decided to look up and read all the states hunting regs and see what calibers were legal in each state. I even added a few places up north.

If you live in a state and think I got it wrong feel free to correct me. I would like to know where the information came from though.

Over half the states and provinces allow .22 caliber centerfires for big game hunting.

Alabama- centerfire
Alaska- centerfire
Alberta- .23 and up centerfire
Arizona- centerfire
Arkansas- .22 and up centerfire
California- centerfire
Colorado- .24 and up, 70grn or larger bullet/ minimum of 1000ft/lbs at 100 yards
Connecticut- .243 and up if legal in your area
Delaware- shotgun/muzzle loader
Florida- centerfire
Georgia- .22 and up centerfire
Hawaii- Any rifle with at least 1200 ft/lbs of ME. This would start at around .223 I think
Idaho- Centerfire (cannot weigh more than 16 lbs?)
Illinois- Shotgun/ML/Pistol only
Indiana- Rifles with pistol calibers/shotgun/ML/Pistols
Iowa- .24 or larger centerfire only for antlerless season in part of the state.
Kansas- .23 or larger centerfire (actually says larger than .23 so maybe .24 is the mininum)
kentucky- centerfire
Louisiana- .22 and up centerfire
Maine- .22 magnum rimfire and up!
Manitoba- Centerfire, but it says .23 and below not recommended. Does not say illegal though.
Maryland- ME of at least 1200 ft/lbs
Mass- Shotgun/ML
Michigan- centerfire in certain areas
Minnesota- .24 and up centerfire
Mississippi- No restrictions that I could find
Missouri- centerfire
Montana- No restrictions
Nebraska- Rifles with 900 ft/lbs or more at 100 yards
Nevada- .22 centerfire and up
New Hampshire- centerfire
New Jersey- shotgun only
New Mexico- centerfire
New York- centerfire
North Carolina- No restrictions
North Dakota- .22-.49 centerfire
Nova Scotia- .23 and up
Ohio- Shotgun/ML
Oklahoma- centerfire with 55 grn or heavier bullet
Ontario- centerfire
Oregon- .22 centerfire and up
Pennsylvania- centerfire
Quebec- 6mm/.243 and up
Rhode Island- shotgun/ML
Saskatchewan- .24 and up
South Carolina- centerfire
South Dakota- rifles with 1,000 ft/lbs or more ME
Tennessee- centerfire
Texas- centerfire
Utah- centerfire
vermont- No restriction
Virginia- .23 centerfire and up
Washington- .24 centerfire and up
West Virginia- .25 rimfire and up and all centerfire
Wisconsin- .22 centerfire and up
Wyoming- .23 centerfire and up


Paul

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

Lot of unethical weapons allowed there!

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

is this gun enough? Here we go again.

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

To each his own. If a person can ethically kill their game with their weapon of choosing I will not argue. just don't risk hurting an animal due to stupidity. Know your limits in range and shot selection/angles. And no matter how tempting, don't stretch your limits.

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

great post !

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

Vermont - centerfire only, no rimfire ammo for big game.

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

its kinda funny you can't find one for mississippi.

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

When I say I couldn't find one or there is no restriction I simply mean no where in the regs I read does it list a minimum calibe restriction for large game or deer hunting.

It is very possible I could have missed it though. Some of these regs are a pain in the butt to read and understand, and others are extremely vague. Then other states are very detailed. One state actually listed every caliber that was lega, and every caliber that wasn't! No getting around that one I guess;).

I will have to re read vermonts and see if I can find it. Can you give me a clue as to were it is listed?

I looked again and couldn't find it, the only restrictions I could find listed were for moose.

Paul

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

Mississippi.. No limits other than you can't use any centerfire rifles after dark.

WEAPONS AND LOADS
Legal weapons for hunting from one-half (1/2) hour after sunset to one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise are restricted to handguns or rifles using no larger than .22 standard rimfire cartridges (no 22 magnums) and shotguns with shot no larger than No. 6. When hunting migratory birds, a shotgun must be "plugged" so that it can hold no more than three (3) shells at one loading. The hunting of turkeys during the spring gobbler season shall be restricted to shotguns only and with no shot larger than number two, compound, recurve and long bows. However, any quadriplegic may hunt turkey with a rifle.
PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.38 caliber or larger) of a kind and type manufactured prior to 1900, and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons. Sidearms are not allowed during primitive weapon season.

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

I want to shoot a giant big woods Maine buck with a 22 mag.

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

you can shoot a big maine woods buck with a 22 mag if you want but i have trouble gettin them with a 30/30 with a double lung shot!!!

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

Though I would never do it, alot of deer have been killed with a 22mag!!!, I knew an old man "that is dead now" that is all he ever hunted with and killed a bunch with it!. I asked him , why dont you use a real rifle " when I was a kid", he replied, a 22mag is a real rifle! you just need to know where to aim!, he didnt even have a scope on it, just used the iron sights!. He was by far, one of the best shooters Ive ever seen!.

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

specifics for OHIO gun laws.

Gun Season and Youth Deer Gun Season - 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, or .410 gauge shotgun using one ball or one rifled slug per barrel (rifled shotgun barrels are permitted when using shotgun slug ammunition); or muzzleloading rifle .38 caliber or larger; or handgun with 5-in. minimum length barrel, using straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger, or longbow, crossbow (draw weight limitations same as for Archery Season). Shotguns cannot be capable of holding more than three shells

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

I deleted cause of wrong info! Paul is right!!

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

Rebel, can you point me to or quote me where it states a minimum caliber in the handbook or regulations? Not arguing with you, I just can't seem to find it anywhere.

Paul

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

You're right....My bad......... .17cal and all .22's have to be Centerfire cartridges:)

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

How long did it take you to find all that?

RE: Legal rifle calibers by state
 

I don't know exactly, but a lot longer than I had planned on;). It took me two days, but I was doing other stuff and worked 10 hours each day I think. To give you an indication I read every states hunting regs to find the info, and a few in Canada as well. Some were pretty easy and straight forward, others were a pain in the butt to find and were vague at best. That is why I said if someone knows I am wrong about a particular state I would love to know, but would also like to know where they found it so I know where to look.

Paul

Gun Types
 

Is a mini gun prohibited? lol....

Ny is about 2/3 CF and 1/3 shotgun/ML/HG only

New Jersey, shotgun or muzzle loader.

Wrong about Arkansas but here is the regulations right out of the hunting guide book for arkansas.

All modern guns may be used for deer hunting during modern
gun season with the following exceptions. You may not use:
• buckshot in a .410 shotgun.
• shot smaller than No. 4 buckshot in any shotgun.
• rimfire cartridges, military or full metal jacketed ammunition.
• any centerfire rifle or pistol smaller than .22 caliber.
• handguns with barrels shorter than 4 inches.

Great research done here! Thanks

Arkansas- .22 and up center fire

.220 Swift, .222, .223, .22-250

There are some towns in New Hampshire that are shotgun only.


Towns with Special Rules:

Deer hunting is allowed only by shotgun, muzzleloader, handguns in calibers .357, 10 mm, .41, .44, .45, or .480, or bow and arrow in the following towns:

Beknap:
Laconia,
Meredith Neck: the part from the Meredith-Center Harbor line to Pleasant Street south and east of Route 25.

Hillsborough:
Amherst; Bedford; Brookline; Goffstown; Hollis; Hudson; Litchfield; Manchester; Merrimack; Milford; Nashua and Pelham.

Merrimack:
Bow: southeast from the Concord-Bow boundary line along the west bank of the Merrimack River, then westerly along the Bow-Hooksett boundary line, then northerly along I-93, then westerly along Robinson Road, then northwest along Branch Londonderry Turnpike East, then southerly along Woodhill Road, then southwesterly along Dunbarton Center Road to the Bow-Dunbarton boundary line, then northwesterly along the Bow-Dunbarton boundary line to the Bow-Hopkinton boundary line, then easterly along the Bow-Hopkinton boundary line to the Bow-Concord boundary line to the west bank of the Merrimack River; Concord;
Hooksett: that part lying from the town line of Allenstown, on the westerly side of Route 3 to a point where the old Portsmouth Railroad crosses the highway, then south of the railroad to the town line of Candia;
Pembroke: that part lying westerly of the following line: starting at the Concord town line at Red Bridge on Sheep David Road, south to Burrough (Borough) Road, then easterly on Burrough (Borough) Road to Fourth Range Road, then southerly on Fourth Range Road to Route 28, then southwesterly on Route 28 to the Allenstown town line.

Rockingham: Atkinson; Auburn*; Brentwood; Chester*; Danville; Derry; East Kingston; Exeter; Fremont; Greenland*; Hampstead; Hampton; Hampton Falls; Kensington; Kingston; Londonderry; New Castle**; Newfields; Newington*; Newmarket; Newton; North Hampton; Plaistow; Portsmouth*; Rye; Salem; Sandown; Seabrook; South Hampton; Stratham*; Windham.

Strafford: Durham; Madbury; Lee; Dover; Rollinsford; Somersworth.

* Wild deer shall not be taken in these towns by use of any firearm other than a shotgun loaded with a single ball, muzzleloading rifle or bow and arrow.

** New Castle: Hunting prohibited except: shotgun fired over water, or landowner or a person with landowner permission using a shotgun where shot lands on their property or the water. <return to top of page>

my state dont care what you use. funny huh

Minnesota Firearms Coorwection
 

LEGAL FIREARMS FOR BIG GAME
• It is at least .220 caliber and has center fire ignition;
• It is loaded only with single projectile ammunition;
• The projectile used has a soft point or is an expanding bullet type;*
• The muzzleloader (long gun or handgun) used cannot be loaded at the breech (muzzleloading revolvers are not legal for taking big game);
• The smooth-bore muzzleloader used is at least .45 caliber and
• The rifled muzzleloader used is at least .40 caliber;
• Muzzleloaders with scopes are legal during the regular firearms deer seasons, but are not allowed during the muzzleloader season except by special permit for hunters with a medically certified visual impairment.

In addition. a large part of Minnesota is shotgun, handgun, muzzleloader only.
.

Geeze...Looks like a FINE blacktail buck.. CONGRATS...

Do you mind telling us where it was taken....?..

Are you the cute young female in the picture..??..

Huh? What are you talking about?

Mike