For years the use of conventional rifles cartridges has been prohibited in the “Limited Firearm Deer Zone” The reasoning was that limiting firearms in the mid-Southern portion of the state to Pistol, Shotguns, and Muzzleloaders it would increase safety in densely populated areas.
This may have been true when shotguns were only shooting plain lead slugs, pistols had short barrels and muzzleloaders shot round balls with percussion caps or Flintlocks.
The advent of in-line muzzleloaders, and the development of high performance sabot rounds for both muzzleloaders and shotguns has brought the performance of these firearms on par with some rifles.
Shooting a ballistic tipped 250 – 400 grain jacketed round with a great ballistic coefficient, powered by magnum loads modern black-powder substitutes, and reliably ignited by 209 primers has pretty much negated these supposed safety benefits. These new Muzzleloader projectiles and Shotgun shells with Sabot projectile can reach out and to long ranges approaching that of a rifle.
I have to question whether these original restrictions actually had any benefit anyway. Proper training and knowing your target and what is beyond is still the most important part of the safety equation. I personally tend to believe it was more of a “feel good” restriction by non-hunters than a real improvement to safety.
That being said, I applaud our State Legislature for a change that will affect the firearms available to be used in the Limited Firearm Zone beginning this Fall.
Southern Michigan hunters will now be able to carry a rifle chambered in:
- A .35 or larger caliber rifle loaded with straight-walled cartridges
- A case length of 1.16 inches minimum to 1.8 inches Maximum.
This allows the hunter to use of some of the more popular pistol hunting rounds such as the .357 Magnum and the .44 Magnum.
Rifles chambered in these rounds have been available for years and can be found in all types of guns from lever action Winchesters and Marlins to semi-auto models such as the classic Ruger DeerStalker, Deerfield carbine, or more recently the Deer Slayer or 99/44.
I recently picked up a Ruger M77/44 for this purpose.
Light and short, it sports a stainless action, 18 ½ inch barrel with a synthetic stock dressed up in G1 Vista camo pattern. With rifle loading for 240 Grain Hornady HP/XTP, it should deliver a respectable 1900 fps velocity and 1900 ft lbs of energy and I expect it to be a good 100-150 yard gun.
In addition to providing ease of handling and flexibility to the hunter, it could be of benefit young hunters, women, smaller stature people, or hunters that are sensitive to recoil.
The previous shotguns and muzzleloaders restrictions may have prevented some from choosing to hunt in Michigan, with some hunting in bordering states such as Indiana that already welcome rifles chambered in these cartridges. Allowing these hunters to stay in Michigan will keep their hunting dollars supporting our local economies.
Best of all it is a great reason to get another gun, but you already know that!