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Marlin 1894 for Indiana Deer Hunting???

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Marlin 1894 for Indiana Deer Hunting???

Old 08-26-2009, 08:48 PM
  #21  
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Indiana's laws seem stranger than Kalifornia's!!!!

Do you happen to know the theory behind this particular law?
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Old 08-27-2009, 11:46 AM
  #22  
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Default Indiana Laws

Indiana is an unfriendly state to gun owners. I alsmot went to jail, and all I was doing was delivering the Sig P-226's to the Evansville Police Department. The only reason I stayed out of jail was because the dealer I was delivering them to was the son of the police chief. Or I would have been up the river without a paddle. Tom.
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Old 08-30-2009, 03:02 PM
  #23  
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I have a marlin 41 rem mag 1894 and it's a honey of a lil lever action. Amazingly it shoots farely flat out to about 150yds. It carries about 950 ft lbs of energy out of the muzzle. BTW I think that 1000lb rule is for hitting things in the butt instead of the ole pumper. Just sayin.
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Old 09-01-2009, 04:53 PM
  #24  
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Ditto! I've taken several deer with 44mag, I was using a mod-29 S&w w/ 8 3/8" barrel though. So with a rifle, it would be better range wise.
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Old 12-03-2009, 07:21 AM
  #25  
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The last two guys are right on the money! I shoot hand load 45 long colt out of a 92 lever gun and LOVE the results. You don't need to hand load, but it helps. Hornady, double tap and buffalo bullets are darn good choices for any lever gun.

Get comfortable with the gun and have a good time with it!
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Old 12-03-2009, 07:25 AM
  #26  
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I use a Marlin 1894 Cowboy Limited Addition in the 41 magnum. My favorite pistol cartridge. Best little brush gun for deer and hogs alike. Just my 2 cents
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Old 12-06-2009, 01:54 PM
  #27  
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I think that the rule of 1000 ftlbs of energy applies more to smaller calibers where the energy figure is achieved with higher velocities. Even if a .44 or .45 caliber bullet expands only a small amount, it still punches a larger hole. I might be oversimplifying,but if you do like Head0001 says and you compare the .45 colt with the .45-70, don't you wind up with a .45 caliber hole that goes completely through the deer? I don't think that it's so much how much energy the bullet has, but rather how much of that energy is expended in the animal. A .45 caliber bullet with a large metplat is going to transfer the energy it has to the deer's body. To get a true energy figure shouldn't you subtract the remaining energy when the projectile exits from the energy before the hit, I bet that a .45 slows down a lot more in the animal than a bullet from a 30-06.
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Old 12-06-2009, 03:20 PM
  #28  
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I previously mis-stated that Indiana law called for straight-walled pistol cartridges. I was wrong, as was the source I got this from. There is a caliber restriction (.358 or bigger) and a max length restriction. Google "358 BFG" if you want an idea the creative flexibility this allows.

44mag is great to 200 yds on the upper end with FTX bullets, but I'd opt for the Ruger M77 bolt. I've shot one, know someone who intentionally shot a buck between the eyes at 100 yds or so this year with it.

While strange on the surface, I think this is a smart law. I originally switched to ML-only hunting back in the day because my shotgun was inaccurate and I felt horrible making a few bad shots on deer as a result. Like a lot of people I was not in a position at the time to buy a fancy new gun with rifled barrel but I could get an accurate ML for a little over $100.

I am a fan of anything that allows more accuracy and more humane harvest of deer without comprimising safety. Even if you look at the 358 BFG, the ballistically best cartridge I have seen legal under the current Indiana law, you'll see that it is a relatively short-range weapon and is not going to result in bullet carry like the .30-class or smaller rounds, or the longer-case .358 variants. The combination of restricted length and relatively large diameter of bullet effectively limits the ballistics and power of the rounds being used while allowing more accurate short-range weapons.

Now we can get kids started with a better experience than a heavy recoiling and inaccurate 20-gauge or 12-gauge. When my daughter is old enough to hunt, she'll have either a ML or a light-loaded 44Mag in her hands.
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Old 12-16-2009, 08:33 PM
  #29  
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I would consider the 444 instead of the 44 mag. I have a 44 mag pistol and like it, but I really would prefer a bit more reach. I have all kinds of chamberings and in all honesty have been a bit stricken with the 45-70. With the new loadings from buffalo bore, grizzly and others, it really is a nice 0-200 yard option. Just an idea.
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Old 12-18-2009, 03:24 AM
  #30  
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The last two posters missed the part about case length limitation set at 1.625".

Also, thanks to spaniel for the tip on that 358 bfg. I had previously noticed the wssm cases being just barely longer than our limit, and thought it would be a good idea to shorten one and neck it up. It didn't seem financially feasible for an individual to come up with equipment to produce a round like that though. It's nice to see someone already did the work.

Another option is a long-barreled handgun. Cartridge restrictions for handguns are that it must fire a bullet at least .243" diameter, and have a case length of at least 1.16"; with no maximum case length set. The barrel length isn't really specified or restricted either, except that it must be at least 4". There are a couple of bolt action handguns available with (I think) 14"-16" barrels and chambered in true rifle cartridges. With a good bipod and scope, that would probably be the best bet for a long range setup that's legal in Indiana.
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