Which Handgun will you use this gun season?

[Nimrod]

.308 Encore. Nothing fancy,but she shoots! Totally factory except I put a MCarbo spring kit in it.

I just snagged a .308 Encore barrel the other day, I'm anxious to get it running.

 

[Critter Picker]

Mine likes H4895 and 165 Nosler BT can't give exact load data. I'm 400 miles from home in a ground blind right now.

 

[Nimrod]

Mine likes H4895 and 165 Nosler BT can't give exact load data. I'm 400 miles from home in a ground blind right now.

I have some of those loaded right now, just have to get the gun put together and come up with an optic.

 

[Fish4Food]

What the heck happened to that G20?

Geez.

 

[CMP70306]

Please be aware of checking your regulations!

You can handgun hunt in PA. But your concealed carry permit doesn't cover hunting.
You need a Sportsman's permit.
And with that permit, for hunting, your pistol is treated as a rifle.
Aka not loaded in/on a vehicle.
And semi auto pistols are not allowed.

That's not true, your license to carry firearms covers all "firearms" which per the law includes all semi auto handguns, revolvers, SBRs, SBSs and some AOW but does not include rifles or shotguns. Hunting/Fishing is listed as a possible reason for carrying on the LTCF application and you are covered for that purpose as well.

The sportsman's permit is a specific exception that allows you to carry a concealed firearm only while in the act of hunting, trapping or fishing. It is not all inclusive like a LTCF, applies only during those specific activities, lowers the applicant age to 18 and can be acquired through the county treasurer rather than issued by the sheriff.

Basically the Sportsman's permit allows 18 year olds to carry while hunting but the LTCF covers everything the Sportsman's permit does plus all the additional benefits. The ambiguity comes from the PGC for years stating that "the majority of hunting arms are not covered by the LTCF". They were referring to rifles and shotguns not being covered by the LTCF but intentionally left it vague for their own benefit.

The new wording is even more vague especially since semi auto handguns aren't legal for hunting in the state.

They should just say what they mean, carrying a handgun is fine during big game firearms seasons but doing so in any other season may result in increased scrutiny from Game Wardens.

Honestly that wording is such a travesty that I'm going to write to the PGC and ask them if Kamala Harris wrote that unintelligible line.

 

[mjshell]

My choice will depend on the wind & which stand I'm in. If I'm in the woods it'll be the Max, small field the Reece, powerline the 257AI or 6.5 JDJ. And then I'm not a hardcore handgun hunter, I'll have one of my carbines with me most of the time

 

[41Magnum]

Took this one Tuesday morning with my T/C G2 45 cal. Muzzleloader handgun. 3 deer in as many years with this handgun. Part of his left side is broke off. After skinning him out he had bruising all along his left side, I believe that he was hit by a car instead of fighting another buck.

 

[std7mag]

That's not true, your license to carry firearms covers all "firearms" which per the law includes all semi auto handguns, revolvers, SBRs, SBSs and some AOW but does not include rifles or shotguns. Hunting/Fishing is listed as a possible reason for carrying on the LTCF application and you are covered for that purpose as well.

The sportsman's permit is a specific exception that allows you to carry a concealed firearm only while in the act of hunting, trapping or fishing. It is not all inclusive like a LTCF, applies only during those specific activities, lowers the applicant age to 18 and can be acquired through the county treasurer rather than issued by the sheriff.

Basically the Sportsman's permit allows 18 year olds to carry while hunting but the LTCF covers everything the Sportsman's permit does plus all the additional benefits. The ambiguity comes from the PGC for years stating that "the majority of hunting arms are not covered by the LTCF". They were referring to rifles and shotguns not being covered by the LTCF but intentionally left it vague for their own benefit.

The new wording is even more vague especially since semi auto handguns aren't legal for hunting in the state.

View attachment 616508

They should just say what they mean, carrying a handgun is fine during big game firearms seasons but doing so in any other season may result in increased scrutiny from Game Wardens.

Honestly that wording is such a travesty that I'm going to write to the PGC and ask them if Kamala Harris wrote that unintelligible line.

That's not true, your license to carry firearms covers all "firearms" which per the law includes all semi auto handguns, revolvers, SBRs, SBSs and some AOW but does not include rifles or shotguns. Hunting/Fishing is listed as a possible reason for carrying on the LTCF application and you are covered for that purpose as well.

The sportsman's permit is a specific exception that allows you to carry a concealed firearm only while in the act of hunting, trapping or fishing. It is not all inclusive like a LTCF, applies only during those specific activities, lowers the applicant age to 18 and can be acquired through the county treasurer rather than issued by the sheriff.

Basically the Sportsman's permit allows 18 year olds to carry while hunting but the LTCF covers everything the Sportsman's permit does plus all the additional benefits. The ambiguity comes from the PGC for years stating that "the majority of hunting arms are not covered by the LTCF". They were referring to rifles and shotguns not being covered by the LTCF but intentionally left it vague for their own benefit.

The new wording is even more vague especially since semi auto handguns aren't legal for hunting in the state.

View attachment 616508

They should just say what they mean, carrying a handgun is fine during big game firearms seasons but doing so in any other season may result in increased scrutiny from Game Wardens.

Honestly that wording is such a travesty that I'm going to write to the PGC and ask them if Kamala Harris wrote that unintelligible line.

Umm, if I'm reading it correctly.
Your attachment reiterated what I already said.

 

[CMP70306]

Umm, if I'm reading it correctly.
Your attachment reiterated what I already said.

It doesn't, and the wording is atrocious. The point of it is that the sportsman's permit only allows you to carry concealed while actively hunting, trapping or fishing, it does not cover any other circumstances. A LTCF allows you to carry a concealed firearm at all times regardless if you are hunting or not. A sportsman's permit grants no special privileges that your license to carry doesn't already cover with the sole exception being that an 18 to 20 year old can get a sportsman's permit but not a LTCF.

I believe what they are trying to say in the digest, as poorly worded as it is, is that while your LTCF does not have restrictions on what you can carry if you are using your LTCF to carry a handgun for hunting it is subject to PGC regulations.

Basically if you are hunting with a handgun it needs to be a manual one per the regulations and if you are carrying a semi auto you better not be hunting with it as it is for self defense only.