Illinois Rifle Season for Deer 2023

[mcnanysa]

The following bottle neck cartridges fit the new law according to SAAMI dimensional data (at least .30 cal, cartridge length less than 1.4") :
.300 AAC Blackout
.32-20 Winchester
.38-40 Winchester
.44-40 Winchester

Perhaps someone else could run down some factory published ballistics and see if these cartridges completely fit the law?

 

[ajvinyard]

Factory loads of at least 500ft lbs at the muzzle. That eliminates some of the 300 blackout loads, the heavy bullets don't qualify according to Hornady sight.

 

[RCMSTER]

The following bottle neck cartridges fit the new law according to SAAMI dimensional data (at least .30 cal, cartridge length less than 1.4") :
.300 AAC Blackout
.32-20 Winchester
.38-40 Winchester
.44-40 Winchester

Perhaps someone else could run down some factory published ballistics and see if these cartridges completely fit the law?

I'm not sure them are very good options. I think I'd stick with my 700 ultimate muzzleloader over any of them, any day of the week.

 

[hesse]

X

Huh? That's weird. I used a 25-06 last year in Michigan. The outfitter where I was at was using a 257 weatherly, and several others at the camp were using long action cartridges, so perhaps I misunderstood your comment.

So south of m. 46 is shot gun or straight wall . North is open to rifles

 

[RCMSTER]

X

So south of m. 46 is shot gun or straight wall . North is open to rifles

Thanks for the clarification. I hunt with an outfitter in the UP. I love it up there.

 

[DartonJager]

I dunno. Them Browning A-bolt shotguns are mighty nice, except they're hard to come by, and pretty pricey when you do.

I know I bought one LOOOONG ago (guessing 2003-2004) after Browning discontinued production the first time. Paid $565 TMD. Took three+ years of WTB adds EVERYWHERE I could find before a guy out of the blue contacted me.
Beautiful firearm and shoots great with also long discontinued Federal Barnes Tipped Expanders.
Buck below was my longest off hand shot ever 166 yards. 300 grain .50 caliber all copper Barnes Tipped Expander literally dropped him on the spot. Recovered slug was a text book perfect mushroom suitable for a picture in a Barnes add. Weighed 296 grains.
Was carefully still hunting my way to my evening stand IIRC 11th day of IN's gun season and spotted him casually walking behind a doe in a small opening in a heavily wooded funnel.
Longest shot I ever made with that gun was on a big doe at 245 LRF confirmed yards. She also didn't take a step.
As I'm now down to my last 50 or so of the Federal Barnes Tipped Expanders and the new version produced by Barnes is $25 a box I might use my $600+ in Discover Card cash to fund a bolt gun in 450 BM and the brass. I also have enough in Cabela's points to buy the dies, powder and bullets right now but I had better act fast before they all go. I already have a more than enough Remington 7 1/2 primers.

 

[DartonJager]

No it states 1 and 2/5" or 1.4" long case length.

Absolutely correct you are.
I know of NO cartridges with a 1.4" case length that will perform as well as let alone out perform a 12ga 2.75" or 3" or 20 gauge 3" sabot shell fired out slug rifle with a fully rifled barrel.
In the right well practiced hands (like mine) under the correct conditions with the correct saboted slug ammo my Browning A-Bolt Slug hunter and my Marlin 512 Slugmaster are no BS honest 250 yard deer guns. Please do not ask me how much $$$ I spent finding the correct ammo to be competent out to 250 yards. Back when I did this sabot ammo was over $2 a round.

My longest ever kill with my A-Bolt was a LRF confirmed 245 yards, my 512 was 235 yards. Cant tell you accurately how many deer I killed between 150 and 220 yards with both guns but its double digits for both.
Heck my longest shot with my 12ga Wingmaster shooting 12ga 2.75" 1oz Active Foster slugs was 144 yards back in the early 90's.

I can honestly say the only man that I have ever met that shot more 12ga Foster and Sabot ammo than I was Mr. Doug Henderson. No one else I have ever met has shot even 1/10th as many 12 ga Foster and sabot shells as I have. At one time I had shot every Sabot shell sold by: Winchester, Remington, Federal, Lightfield, and Hornady. Won't allow myself to even consider adding up all the $$$ I sent down range in 12ga Sabot ammo.

 

[MW204]

Yeah ok ...............................You got me

I thought it was the Bean Buzzle or something like that, what was that name?

 

[ButterBean]

I thought it was the Bean Buzzle or something like that, what was that name?

Beanmoor

 

[IndianaMatt]

It's been a good thing in Indiana but I do miss the challenge of slug gun hunting

I have truly enjoyed the ability to use a rifle in Indiana. I shot my buck last fall with a 30-06 at about 30 feet. My daughter used a 6.5 grendel to harvest her first buck at a whopping 85 yards.

The limitations on cartridge and single shot restriction I don't think much will change for Illinois. We have modern muzzleloaders with about the same capabilities.

I kind of like the single shot restriction. I mean all fall I fired 2 shots in the field and harvested 2 deer. My 10 year old daughter shot once in the woods and harvested one deer. The single shot aspect will force hunters to take quality shots. I get so tired of hearing bang bang bang bang over and over. That's not hunting that's shooting!

 

[Rick Richard]

Well like I have said before "There is Illinois than there is Chicago" As long as you have this separation, than you will never have any progressive firearm laws in that state.

 

[Justice1327]

Well like I have said before "There is Illinois than there is Chicago" As long as you have this separation, than you will never have any progressive firearm laws in that state.

Yeah, I think Illinois, California and New York should split up into north and south states respectfully.

 

[Heym500]

Friend just bought single shot 458 lott.

 

[Glenn Tullius]

Absolutely correct you are.
I know of NO cartridges with a 1.4" case length that will perform as well as let alone out perform a 12ga 2.75" or 3" or 20 gauge 3" sabot shell fired out slug rifle with a fully rifled barrel.
In the right well practiced hands (like mine) under the correct conditions with the correct saboted slug ammo my Browning A-Bolt Slug hunter and my Marlin 512 Slugmaster are no BS honest 250 yard deer guns. Please do not ask me how much $$$ I spent finding the correct ammo to be competent out to 250 yards. Back when I did this sabot ammo was over $2 a round.

My longest ever kill with my A-Bolt was a LRF confirmed 245 yards, my 512 was 235 yards. Cant tell you accurately how many deer I killed between 150 and 220 yards with both guns but its double digits for both.
Heck my longest shot with my 12ga Wingmaster shooting 12ga 2.75" 1oz Active Foster slugs was 144 yards back in the early 90's.

I can honestly say the only man that I have ever met that shot more 12ga Foster and Sabot ammo than I was Mr. Doug Henderson. No one else I have ever met has shot even 1/10th as many 12 ga Foster and sabot shells as I have. At one time I had shot every Sabot shell sold by: Winchester, Remington, Federal, Lightfield, and Hornady. Won't allow myself to even consider adding up all the $$$ I sent down range in 12ga Sabot ammo.

I shot all those and the Brenneke's as well in my 20ga! Good job! Settled on those hi speed Winchesters. Just bought 2 boxes at a gun show for $25 recently. First ones I've seen in 3 years!