Illinois Deer Rifle Caliber

[King Medallion]

This year we in Illinois are allowed you use rifles in single shot only. There is a long list of calibers to which are legal. naturally, the one I want to use is not on the list.

https://dnr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dnr/hunting/documents/ilsingleshotrifle.pdf

I want to use my Uberti 1876 in 45/60. So I sent an email to the DNR asking if it was legal, giving dimension, caliber, fps, blah blah. Should be a simple question. The response this morning is this:

Legal Ammunition • For shotguns and muzzleloading firearms, the minimum size of the projectile shall be .44 caliber. A wad or sleeve is not considered a projectile or a part of the projectile. • For handguns and single shot centerfire rifles, a bottleneck centerfire cartridge of .30 caliber or larger with a case length not exceeding 1.4 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. There is no case length limit for straight-walled cartridges. • Non-expanding, military-style full metal jacket bullets cannot be used to harvest white-tailed deer; only soft point or expanding bullets (including copper/copper-alloy rounds designed for hunting) are legal ammunition.

I responded with: Thanks for the response, but what I really was looking for is a "yes it's legal ot No it's not". Is that too much to ask for?

 

[bearcreek]

I responded with: Thanks for the response, but what I really was looking for is a "yes it's legal ot No it's not". Is that too much to ask for?

Yes, it is too much to ask. They give very specific, very easy to understand requirements. If your chosen cartridge meets those requirements, it's legal. If it doesn't, it's not. Why would the DNR dedicate time to answering a question to which they already clearly spelled out the answer?

 

[bearcreek]

Just for the hell of it, I did your leg work for you. No, your cartridge is not legal. The case is longer than one and two fifths inches.

FAQs: Single-shot rifles and deer hunting in Illinois

Effective January 1, 2023, a new Illinois law will allow hunters to use centerfire, single-shot rifles in certain calibers for deer hunting. Administrative rules are still being developed to accommodate the new law. For additional information, please

dnr.illinois.gov

Edit: Disregard. The length requirement is for bottlenecked cartridges. It is legal. Meets minimum caliber and energy requirements.

 

[King Medallion]

Then why is the 45/70 legal?

 

[bearcreek]

Then why is the 45/70 legal?

Well, I'm eating my foot. That length requirement is only for bottlenecked cartridges.

 

[King Medallion]

Lol, cool!

 

[Chuck R.]

"Technically" the .45-60 case is "tapered" VS. straight walled.

But since they let the .40-65 slide and it is a bottle necked case at 2.1" length, I'd be amazed if anyone had an issue with a .45-60 as it's definitely "in the spirit" of the law as goofy as it is..

 

[King Medallion]

I thought that too. Splitting hairs.

 

[HKGuns]

Deer hunting is getting increasingly and intentionally complicated.

 

[Beck]

Illinois is being overrun by whitetail. I've never seen so many. They're like rats. The state isn't managing the population well. A couple months ago I was driving down the highway at night at full speed when three huge whitetail were suddenly right there... in my lane. By some miracle I dodged this way and that, and missed them all. I was waiting for the thud or for one to come flying through my windshield. I was lucky. There are car-deer accidents in the news all the time. The state of Illinois should make it as easy as falling off a log to hunt these varmints.

 

[bearcreek]

Illinois is being overrun by whitetail. I've never seen so many. They're like rats. The state isn't managing the population well. A couple months ago I was driving down the highway at night at full speed when three huge whitetail were suddenly right there... in my lane. By some miracle I dodged this way and that, and missed them all. I was waiting for the thud or for one to come flying through my windshield. I was lucky. There are car-deer accidents in the news all the time. The state of Illinois should make it as easy as falling off a log to hunt these varmints.

Sounds like there are too many cars and highways in Illinois.

 

[bearcreek]

Deer hunting is getting increasingly and intentionally complicated.

This rule isn't complicated though. It's very simple and certainly an improvement over the shotguns and muzzleloaders that were previously the options.

 

[balin]

Any sensible government employee is not going to make a decision on legality. It is way out side his pay grade. He just opens himself up for trouble by doing so. That is something judge's decided. Lawyers give opinions.

 

[Ru4real]

… 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.

Which factory has 45-60 available with published tables? Answer that, and you will be legal.

 

[PapaG]

Then why is the 45/70 legal?

While the case is a little tapered, the walls are straight. Not really parallel, but straight. Like my 444, also legal.

 

[bearcreek]

"Technically" the .45-60 case is "tapered" VS. straight walled.

The case walls are still straight, even if they aren't parallel.

 

[Chuck R.]

Which factory has 45-60 available with published tables? Answer that, and you will be legal.

Well this is close:

Ten-X Cowboy Ammo 45-60 WCF 300 Grain Flat Point Box of 20

Cartridges for cowboy action shooting sports, hunting, long-range rifle competition. Safe and effective for use in first generation guns. Generally...

www.midwayusa.com

Cartridges for cowboy action shooting sports, hunting, long-range rifle competition. Safe and effective for use in first generation guns. Generally more accurate and cleaner than the original factory loads. Made from the highest quality components available.

Technical Information

• Caliber: 45-60 WCF
• Bullet Weight: 300 Grains
• Bullet Style: Flat Point
• Case Type: Brass

Ballistics Information:

• Muzzle Velocity: 1450 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 1400 ft. lbs.

 

[King Medallion]

This rule isn't complicated though. It's very simple and certainly an improvement over the shotguns and muzzleloaders that were previously the options.

I think what will happen is like when handguns where first allowed, late January season. When after a few years they realized we hunters weren't going to shoot up everything with our evil pistols, it became a regular option during the regular shotgun season. I hope this happens again with rifles. I think I will probably just go with my Crazy Horse 94 in 38-55. Easy enough to stick a wooden dowel in the mag tub to make it a single shot.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I see “opinions” of the 45-60 being straight walled, tapered, and bottleneck.

Don’t know which to believe myself. My own opinion is that the 45-60 has a shoulder so is bottleneck.

 

[3Crows]

Who currently loads this commercially? It is clearly stated the round must be a commercial load and with published ballistics. I take that to mean currently, not 100 years ago.

 

[bearcreek]

Who currently loads this commercially? It is clearly stated the round must be a commercial load and with published ballistics. I take that to mean currently, not 100 years ago.

45-60 ammunition at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

It doesn't state that the load you're using must be a factory load, only that it must be "available as a factory load". That's a subtle, but significant difference. They're doing that to make it simple for a game warden to look and see if a cartridge meets the minimum requirements.

 

[3Crows]

45-60 ammunition at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

It doesn't state that the load you're using must be a factory load, only that it must be "available as a factory load". That's a subtle, but significant difference. They're doing that to make it simple for a game warden to look and see if a cartridge meets the minimum requirements.

I do not know if I would read it that way, maybe you ar right.

" 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"

 

[halfmoonclip]

Good grief. I'd hate to be a hunter, or a game warden, in Illinois. The fact that some standard tube fed lever guns can be plugged into single shots makes sense, I guess.
We are getting 'straight wall' hunting nearer our urban areas, instead of shotgun only. A moot point for me; my 'hunting rifle' was always a .44 Mag carbine.
Moon

 

[Chuck R.]

I do not know if I would read it that way, maybe you ar right.

" 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"

At least for right now, Ten-X loads it and has the MV and energy posted.

IF I was that worried about it, I'd buy 1 box of Ten-X, email them for that data, and carry a copy of the data with me in case I was checked.