Handgun Deer Hunting

[jrfrmn]

Can anyone tell me how many states allow deer hunting with a semi-auto handgun?

[Hairtrigger]

Ohio, provided what caliber you use and the barrel is long enough.
My Glock 20 will work, I have a 6" aftermarket barrel on it
Atleast it used to be leagl,, I don't pay that close of attention as I have guns that better fit the situation

[MS Hitman]

Unless that is the only handgun you have or just are real attached, I can think of better platforms for deer hunting as well. 

I do not think MS makes a distinction between handgun type except for "primitive" weapons season.

[mcwoodduck]

NC rules are that the gun has the power of a 357 Mag and a barrel length of 5.5 inches for big game.
If your using a bottle necked cartridge it has to be 2" over all loaded.  Your 357 sig is out because it's not long enough.
SO, if you have a Desert Eagle with the 6 inch barrel in 357, 44, or 50 your good.
If you want to test out your Sig P226 in 40 then no unless you have a custom 5.5" barrel for it.  9mm is out.
You can carry your auto as long as you have a rifle or shotgun with you as a finishing firearm.

Here in CA almost anything is allowed for hogs.

I would pick a critter and a state and look up the regulations on the website and see if you qualify with what you want to use.

[Lawful Larry]

Virginia has handgun hunting, but it only has a caliber restriction.  Now you may ask what is the smallest caliber and I will have to say that I don't  know.  I shoot a .44 mag, .45 Colt, .30-30 and a .375 JDJ.   The season is during gun season. 

I will take a wild guess and say that a .357 mag would be a minimum if I had to guess.

[telephoneman]

NC rules are that the gun has the power of a 357 Mag and a barrel length of 5.5 inches for big game.
If your using a bottle necked cartridge it has to be 2" over all loaded.  Your 357 sig is out because it's not long enough.
SO, if you have a Desert Eagle with the 6 inch barrel in 357, 44, or 50 your good.
If you want to test out your Sig P226 in 40 then no unless you have a custom 5.5" barrel for it.  9mm is out.
You can carry your auto as long as you have a rifle or shotgun with you as a finishing firearm.

If you don't mind, I would like to correct that. This info is from the NC WRC website. Your info was correct a couple years ago, but apparently not anymore

Pistols
 During the open hunting season for rabbits, squirrels, opossums,
raccoons, furbearing animals and legal nongame animals and
birds, these species may be taken with a pistol of .22-caliber
with a barrel not less than 5.5 inches in length.
 A hunter or trapper lawfully taking wildlife by another method
may use a pistol to dispatch the animal or bird taken, except as
noted below.
 Pistols may not be carried during the bow-and-arrow and
muzzleloader deer hunting seasons.
 Deer, bear and wild boar may be taken with a handgun during the
established gun hunting season provided that the handgun is not
less than .24-caliber.Muzzleloading pistols are not legal for hunting.
 It is unlawful to hunt or take wild turkeys with pistols.

[shooter]

Ny does.Check restrictions.I know my glock 20c is legal as long as i dont put laser sights on it.
Shooter

[omcforever]

  They let us hunt with 22 hornets here in SC. But I prefer the 17 HMR!

[handi243]

Mcwooduck you may need to check that law again it says that for small game it has to be 5.5" it does not say the what barrel size for big game just has to be larger than .24 caliber.

[nilescoyote]

Michigan you can as long as it has a bore dia. of .35 or larger and is a straight walled cartridge. Gun can have no more than 9 rounds TOTAL in it. This is in the lower part of the state. Up north, I believe the cartridges can be necked.

[David Carey]

WA state the only regulations for handguns are, 4"bbl and .24cal or larger center fire cartridge.

Dave

[irold]

Only manually operated ( read no semi-autos ) firearms in Pa.....rifle or handgun, a semi-auto shotgun is allowed however, plugged to 3 shots

[Bowhunter57]

Ohio's regulations state that a handgun must have a 5" barrel minimum, .357Mag. caliber or larger and the cartridge must have a straight wall.

Under these regs there are several handguns that will qualify: 1911 45acp, SA XD Tactical 45acp, 10mm, Desert Eagle in all the calibers that the produce, Magnum Research's BFR in 444 Marlin or 45-70 Govt., Ruger 480, 454 Casull, to name a few....as long as the barrel is 5" long. No restrictions on magazine capacity.

Good hunting, Bowhunter57

[mrloring]

Only manually operated ( read no semi-autos ) firearms in Pa.....rifle or handgun, a semi-auto shotgun is allowed however, plugged to 3 shots

In Pa semi shotguns are only legal for small game, but pump shotguns DO NOT need to be plugged for deer season.

Deer and Bear: Regular Seasons - 1) Manually operated centerfire
rifles, handguns and shotguns with all lead bullet or ball, or bullet
designed to expand on impact; 2) muzzleloading long guns of any
type, 44 caliber or larger, or a muzzleloading handgun 50 caliber or
larger;

Small Game: Arms & Ammunition: 1) Manually operated and autoloading shotguns with a capacity of no more than 3 shells in
the chamber and magazine combined; 2) Manually operated rifles and handguns less than 23 caliber; 3) Muzzleloading
rifles and handguns 40 caliber or less and shotguns

[Tom W.]

When did Pennsylvania remove the "flintlock only" restriction?

[CivicSi]

You can hunt in PA with a Semi auto shotgun in certain areas.

Special Regulations Areas: (all of Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties) Muzzleloading long guns, bow and arrow, manual or auto-loading shotguns, 20 gauge or larger, slugs or buckshot only; crossbows and .410 shotguns with slugs. Buckshot may not be used in Allegheny County. Only crossbows, bows and arrows are permitted in Philadelphia County. Crossbows may be used in the two-week statewide concurrent antlered and antlerless deer season.

[okie john]

WA state the only regulations for handguns are, 4"bbl and .24cal or larger center fire cartridge.

Dave

True, but there are also firearms restrictions areas where you have to use a revolver. It might be like that in other states as well.


Okie John

[irold]

mrloring , my mistake , your right .   Guess I'm gonna have to start carrying my regs book around with me.

[mrloring]

When did Pennsylvania remove the "flintlock only" restriction?

Short answer they didn't, the regulations that I posted are for general firearms season.  They have in the past few years changed Flintlock regs to allow different sights, projectiles, and crossbows. Pennsylvania is strange in that you can use a crossbow in muzzleloader season but NOT archery season, except for a few exceptions.

Long answer the added an early ML season in which you can use any muzzleloader.

Muzzleloader Seasons: October Antlerless Deer Season - Any
single-barrel muzzleloading long gun with flintlock, in-line or percussion
ignition 44 caliber or larger, or 50 caliber or larger handgun.
Scope sights permitted.

Late Flintlock Season - Flintlock ignition, single-barrel long guns
manufactured prior to 1800, or a similar reproduction of an original
muzzleloading single-barrel long gun 44 caliber or larger, or 50 caliber
or larger handgun, using a single projectile. It is unlawful to use
telescopic sights. Crossbows are permitted during the muzzleloader
seasons. Hunters using crossbows during the early muzzleloader
season or late flintlock season would need to have a muzzleloader
stamp in addition to their general hunting license and appropriate
WMU antlerless deer license. However, late season flintlock hunters
using a crossbow would be permitted to take an antlered deer or
an antlerless deer anywhere in the state with their unused antlered
deer tag, just like other late season flintlock hunters.

[mrloring]

mrloring , my mistake , your right .   Guess I'm gonna have to start carrying my regs book around with me.

To bad you can't carry them in your license holder anymore.  I know the shotgun regs because my brother uses his when we are hunting in thick cover.