Are the Handi's or H@R's legal for use in Mississippi ?

[Country Boy]

I have a hunt planned in Dec. and I was going to use my ml but I understand you can use a single shot cartridge rifle .38 cal or larger if it has a hammer. Now the question is it legal to use a 45-70 loaded with smokeless powder or does it have to be black powder ? I don't reload. But might buy one if it's legal but I don't want to spend the money if it isn't. Some have told me you can use a smokless powder round others have said the opposite. What is the rule ?

[quickdtoo]

Smokeless in any of the NEF/H&Rs .38-55 and bigger are fine...

Tim

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,109588.msg1098327205.html#msg1098327205

[patton50]

http://www.mdwfp.com/Level2/Wildlife/hunting_regs.asp#PRIMITIVE%20WEAPONS


PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.38 caliber or larger) of a kind and type manufactured prior to 1900, and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons. Sidearms are not allowed during primitive weapon season.

[Clayboy]

This law is what got me started with the handi's.  My wife bought me one for christmas (2005).  I made my first hunt with it new years eve and shot a beautiful 8 point.  The rest is history. 

Clay

[ro]

country boy, yes you can hunt with a nef handi rifle here in mississippi during primitive season, we have two primitive weapon seasons each year, most guys are shooting the nef 45-70 rifle, i shoot the 500 s&w, 38 caliber and larger nef are legal, 38-55,44 mag,444, 45 long colt. 45/70, 500 S&W MAG., you can shoot factory loaded ammo, scopes are also legal on the nef rifles in primitive season, we have a long season if you deer hunt all seasons this past year sept-30-2006 thur feb-15-2007, what part of the state are you going to hunting in?

[ken2222]

You gotta have a lot of freezer space for a season THAT long...

[ro]

ken2222, yes you are right -big garden,long deer season,turkey season, and fishing year round, i have three freezers!

[LEO]

They have been legal the past two years, however next season (07-08 season) regulations have not been set yet.  So to answer your qestion yes they are currently legal but check the regs when they come out July or so to be sure they are still legal, because as we all know regulations often change from year to year.  My father in-law got in a discussion with me that something was legal and I told him no it wasn't, he got his reg book out to show me and he was still using a 2003 book so stay current to stay out of trouble.  Good luck on your hunt

[Country Boy]

 Row, I'm going to hunt  Dec. 12-15 with Black Creek outfitters near Lexington, Ms. I hope it is a good place as I've been saving a long time to make the trip.( This will be my first out of state hunt for whitetails)
   You guys may be right about the metalic smokless powder cartridges. The regulations I've been looking at are from the 2005-06 outdoor digest and it says the metalic cartridiges must be loaded with bp or a substitute. I sure hope I'm wrong, it will save me a lot of trouble and expense and when you live on Social security every penny counts.

[Sourdough]

Sounds like an Encore would be legal also.  Had a Tennessee gun shop commit that he could not supply Encores fast enough to the Mississippi boys.  This might explain his commit.

[quickdtoo]

The Encore is NOT legal and is specifically excluded in the regs..

This an approved list that we have for the new public notice on the breechloading sigle shot rifles, kind or type manufactured before 1900 with an exposed hammer, .38 cal or larger.

This list is by no means exclusive. This is just a list comprised of commonly available rifles.

SINGLE SHOT BREECHLOADING RIFLES WHICH ARE PRIMATIVE WEAPONS:

Sharps rifles or replicas
Reminton Rollingblock rifles or replicas
Ballard rifles
Maynard rifles or replicas
Burnside carbines
Frank Wesson rifles
Remington Hepburn rifles
M1873-1888 Springfield (trapdoor) Rifles and Carbines and replicas
Snider (British) rifles or replicas
Wesson & Harrington 1871 Rifles
New England Firearms or Harrington & Richardson Handi Rifles
Winchester M1885 Hi Wall or Lo Wall rifles or replicas (Also Browning B78 or 1885)

SINGLE SHOT BREECHLOADING RIFLES WHICH ARE NOT PRIMATIVE WEAPONS!!!!

Ruger Number 1 and Number 3 (no exposed hammer)
Thompson Center Contender or Encore Carbines (designed after 1900)
Mossberg SSi Single Shot Rifle (no exposed hammer and designed after 1900)

http://www.mdwfp.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10913

Primitive breech loading cartridge firearms may be loaded with smokeless or black powder:

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.38 caliber or larger) of a kind and type manufactured prior to 1900, and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons. Sidearms are not allowed during primitive weapon season.

http://www.mdwfp.com/Level2/Wildlife/hunting_regs.asp

[McLernon]

You folks are fortunate to have such game laws. Here in southern Ontario we have only a four day controlled deer hunt with shotguns and muzzle loaders. You must enter a draw to get a deer tag. If you draw a tag you can purchase a second for an additional fee. This was started just recently to increase the harvest as deer populations are increasing. With all the deer we have it seems reasonable that a law such as is the subject of this thread would be an ideal way of increasing the harvest and better controlling the deer population. But we have to keep our heads down because of the anti-gun lobby, so it is unlikely that such a progressive law will ever be passed in Ontario. What a pity

Mc  

[Country Boy]

Thank you very much for the clarification. I finally went to the web site and and it does say smokless rounds can be used ! Now to place my order. Could anyone comment about the hunting around Lexington,Ms. ?

[ro]

countryboy, quickdtoo is right t/c encores are not legal, nef above 38 cal are legal with factory ammo, most guys are shooting 45/70 cal rifles, if you look on a map or internet maps lexington.ms is in the central part of the state,west of I-55, north of jackson,ms south of memphis,tenn. lexington is on the hwy 12 ext off I-55, to the west, i have never hunted in lexington, i am in notheast miss about 125 miles ne from lexington,ms good luck on your ms hunt if you any ?? send back or e-mail me, as far the law changing next season it will not, 1000's of 45/70 handi rifle sold here in the state the past two years, bad thing out of state license 350.00, in state 32.00.

[Country Boy]

Thanks ro, I called the Ms. department of liscense bureau and they told me a 3 day permit would be about 130.00.