I plan to purchase a remington 700 in .338 ultra mag for elk and bear hunting in the future . But now i use a Browning Bar semi-auto in .338 winchester mag.I have a 18" barrel and use peep sights for Deer and Black bear hunting at close range hear in NY.I know semi-autos are not legal in PA and was wondering what other states banned the use of semi-autos for big game hunting.
Posts: 869 | Location: Bellerose,NY USA | Registered: 27 July 2001
Not sure but I think PA is the only one that does? Everwhere I've hunted the caliber was usually the only restriction in Rifle hunting. BAR .338 Win Mag-Gee just got to hurt!!
The semi-auto ban for hunting big game in PA is not new. It has been around for at least 50 yrs. There is no such restriction for shotguns when hunting small game, waterfowl or turkeys. They do limit you to three rounds when using the shotguns for such game however. Shotguns other than semi- auto with slugs are legal for big game and the nagazine does not have to be plugged to three rounds. This is the only state that I know of that bans semi's for big game.
Posts: 740 | Location: CT/AZ USA | Registered: 14 February 2001
It's legal in Colorado. Only restriction we have on rifles for big game is a minimum of 24 caliber firing at least an 80 gr bullet. Action type doesn't come into the equation as long as it isn't full auto.
Mac
Posts: 1638 | Location: Colorado by birth, Navy by choice | Registered: 04 February 2001
PA's ban on semiauto rifles for big game is one of the most idiotic game laws I've ever heard of. There is simply no logical reason why it exists. There's no safety issue, no game conservation issue, no ethics issue, no issue at all. Just some dumb, insular thinking.
Wisconsin fields as many or more whitetail hunters every year, and I've yet to hear of a single fatality that is directly attributable to the fact that the rifle in question was semi-automatic.
Buy your BAR in confidence, and don't give your hunting $ to Pennsylvania, since they don't seem to want them.
Posts: 2206 | Location: USA | Registered: 31 August 2002
quote:Originally posted by ksduckhunter: PA's ban on semiauto rifles for big game is one of the most idiotic game laws I've ever heard of. There is simply no logical reason why it exists. There's no safety issue, no game conservation issue, no ethics issue, no issue at all. Just some dumb, insular thinking.
If you have ever hunted in PA, then you know that on opening day of deer season there is 1.3 million hunters in the woods. Compare that to Kansas or Wisconsin, and then think about all the "elmer fudds" that only shoot once a year being out there with a semi-auto and a spray and pray mentality. Depending on what county your in, opening day in PA sounds more like a USMC fire base in 1968 viet Nam than a state Game Land, and that's with pumps, levers, and bolts! I'm sure that wasn't the reason the rule was enacted, but i'm glad it's there. There are way too many Yahoo's hunting in this state.
Posts: 1984 | Location: The Three Lower Counties (Delaware USA) | Registered: 13 September 2001
Pa.Frank Sorry but you opened yourself up to this one- If there are so many Yahoo's that can't or will not abide by the laws -IE: shooting at any thing that moves then why don't the Game Warden's do something about it -Do you as a hunter report these fools? I had to report Two dipsh-ts this year I ID- shooting across the road at deer-well traveled road mind you!!! If we don't police ourselves we can't be surprise when we lose our right to hunt!!!
Semi-auto rifles are not the problem in Pennsylvania! Its the bozos that shoot them irresponsibly. Anybody who believes otherwise is full of it!!!
If there are 1.3 million hunters looking for deer in Pennsylvania on opening day, the first order of business should be to realign your deer seasons to correspond to a safe number of hunters. This may result in a need for several seasons, but, its better than banning semi-auto rifles.
The rate of fire for a semi-auto versus a pump is so close that it is irrelevant. Not to mention the potential use of a revolver for deer. The rate of fire in that case is identical for the first six shots. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania decided to succumb to the anti-gun crowd and enact a feel good law rather than using common sense.
As to the legality of other states, Nebraska allows the use of a semi-auto rifles. However, the magazine capacity is regulated to six rounds. I am unaware of any other state that restricts them.
quote:Originally posted by ksduckhunter: PA's ban on semiauto rifles for big game is one of the most idiotic game laws I've ever heard of. There is simply no logical reason why it exists. There's no safety issue, no game conservation issue, no ethics issue, no issue at all. Just some dumb, insular thinking.
If you have ever hunted in PA, then you know that on opening day of deer season there is 1.3 million hunters in the woods. Compare that to Kansas or Wisconsin, and then think about all the "elmer fudds" that only shoot once a year being out there with a semi-auto and a spray and pray mentality. Depending on what county your in, opening day in PA sounds more like a USMC fire base in 1968 viet Nam than a state Game Land, and that's with pumps, levers, and bolts! I'm sure that wasn't the reason the rule was enacted, but i'm glad it's there. There are way too many Yahoo's hunting in this state.
As Gunnerdog already said, your problem is not the rifles, it's all of you.
He nailed the crux of the issue with the true statement that the rate of fire from a pump rifle is virtually identical that that of a semi-auto.
You're simply reacting with the inward looking mentality of someone who can't possibly admit his state is the only one wrong on this issue.
But whatever, it will be a long while (never if I can helpt it) that I would live east of the Mighty Mo.
Posts: 2206 | Location: USA | Registered: 31 August 2002
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If we don't police ourselves we can't be surprise when we lose our right to hunt!!!