for 1970-1655, others in IN

Ran across this(I'm not in IN). The Indiana Natural Resources Commission required deer hunters to use cartridges no longer than 1.625 inches to limit hunting use to pistol sized cartridges, like .357 and .44 magnum. They could be used in rifles like the Marlin lever actions, which are not bad deer cartridges. They also couldn't use less than .35 caliber. Wildcat cartridges designers made up some cartridges to meet those rules, such as necking up the 25 Winchester SSM to 35 caliber and adjusting the length to 1.625. It had more power than a 35 Remington, about 500 Feet per second faster. In 2011 the INNRC increased the length to 1.8 inches, possibly to make the 460 S & W legal. The wildcatters came out with other cartridges to meet the new rules. One example is the .35 Indiana, which shortens the 35 Remington case from 1.92 to 1.8 inches, chambers that in a bolt action rifle which allows it to be loaded to higher pressure and develop about 400 Feet per second faster than a 35 Remington.

Another wildcat for bolt action rifles is to shorten the .358 Winchester case to 1.8 inches which makes it only slightly slower than a .358 Winchester and more than 500 feet per second faster than a 35 Remington. They call this one the .358 Hoosier.

I don't know any other states with that exact set of rules. SC used to allow only shotguns with buckshot. Some states still do.

KEH

DNR has rules proposal in discussion now that if implemented, would be in place for the 2015 deer season. I am not sure I would like to see the rifle size opened up. Too many irresponsible people as it is.

Here is a direct copy and paste from the DNR proposal:


TITLE 312 NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION
Proposed Rule LSA Document #14-453
(4) A rifle must fire a cartridge that meets the following specifications:
(A) Fire a bullet of three hundred fifty-seven thousandths (.357) two hundred forty- three thousandths (.243) of an inch diameter or larger.
(B) Have a minimum case length of one and sixteen-hundredths (1.16) inches.
(C) Have a maximum case length of one and eight-tenths (1.8) inches.
Full metal jacketed bullets are unlawful.

(My comments added for (C): in the proposal, the maximum case length has a line thru it, striking it out from the current description)

Looks to me like the Indiana DNR is trying to pacify the (very) few whiners who want to hunt with their pet cartridges and the end result being a set a rules that half the people cannot understand and the other half takes advantage of. Ohio is good at screwing up too but the centerfire fire arm rules are easy enough to read and understand. Ya the wildcaters and a few other whine but so be it. Here are our deer centerfire handgun and rifle firearm regs.

(iii) A handgun with the following criteria:

(a) Chambered for .357 caliber magnum or larger.

(b) Using a straight walled cartridge.

(c) Single barrel not less than five inches in length, as measured from the front of the cylinder or chamber to the end of the barrel.

(iv) A rifle with the following criteria:

(a) 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 and Wesson, .454 Casull, .460 Smith and Wesson, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110, .475 Linebaugh, .500 Smith and Wesson."

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person hunting deer to use in any rifle or possess any rifle cartridge which is necked down.