Does anyone have a list of rifles with good reviews or personal experience with rifles that can be used for hunting deer? I've only used a Shotgun in Indiana, but would love to get a new rifle that I can actually use everywhere.

I'm not sure this helps much:

Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger, have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches, and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms and special antlerless seasons. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf. Full metal jacketed bullets are illegal.

What rifle depends on how far you want to shoot and how much money you want to spend. Many options available. h.h.

From IDNR website:

Legal Firearms

Shotguns, handguns, rifles with legal cartridges, muzzleloading long guns and muzzleloading handguns are legal during the firearms and special antlerless seasons. Only muzzleloading firearms are legal during the muzzleloader season.

Hunters may carry more than one type of legal firearm when hunting during the firearms and special antlerless seasons only. Shotguns must be 10-, 12-, 16-, 20- or 28-gauge or .410 bore loaded with slugs or saboted bullets. Rifled slug barrels are permitted. Combination rifle-shotguns are allowed.

Muzzleloading firearms must be .44 caliber or larger, loaded with a single bullet of at least .357 caliber. Saboted bullets are allowed, provided the bullet is .357 caliber or larger. A muzzleloading firearm must be capable of being loaded from only the muzzle. Multiple-barrel muzzleloading long guns are allowed.

Rifles with cartridges that fire a bullet of .357-inch diameter or larger, have a minimum case length of 1.16 inches, and have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches are legal to use only during the deer firearms and special antlerless seasons. Some cartridges legal for deer hunting include the .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf. Full metal jacketed bullets are illegal.

Handguns, other than muzzleloading, must have a barrel at least 4 inches long and must fire a bullet of .243-inch diameter or larger. The handgun cartridge case, without the bullet, must be at least 1.16 inches long. Full metal-jacketed bullets are not permitted. The handgun must not be a rifle that has a barrel less than 18 inches or be designed or redesigned to be fired from the shoulder.

Handguns are not permitted on any military areas.

Some handgun cartridges that are legal for deer hunting include .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .35 Remington and .357 Herrett.

Some handgun cartridges that are illegal for deer hunting are .38 Special, .38 Smith and Wesson, .38 Colt New Police, .38/200, .38 Long Colt, .38 Super, .38 ACP, .38 Colt Auto, .45 ACP, .45 Automatic and .45 Auto Rim. All .25/.20, .32/.20 and .30 carbine ammunition is prohibited.

Muzzleloading handguns are allowed. The muzzleloading handgun must be single shot, .50 caliber or larger, loaded with bullets at least .44 caliber and have a barrel at least 12 inches long, measured from the base of the breech plug excluding tangs and other projections to the end of the barrel, including the muzzle crown.

Carrying Handguns

While hunting, an individual may carry a handgun without a handgun license in accordance with Indiana Code 35-47-2-1 at iga.IN.gov.

It is not legal to take a deer with a handgun except during the firearms, special antlerless, and muzzleloader seasons and in compliance with DNR regulations.

100 yards max... and not handguns, just rifles.

I've seen this one, but is a single shot. http://www.basspro.com/H&R-1871-HandiRifle/product/10218606/

I've also seen it with a nikon 3-9x40 scope from a private seller for $450, I offered $400.

Bean, thanks for putting up the details from the IDNR website.

In addition to factory cartridges listed there are several legal “wildcats” that have been developed over the last few years. For example, the .358 Hoosier is one of the more popular wildcats. (I admit to some bias.) There is a long thread about it on this forum as well as other forums:

http://www.hoosierhunting.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/41/161.html

Also, quite a few deer hunters use existing factory cartridge cases that normally contain a bullet with a diameter of .357 inches or greater, but have a case length greater than 1.80 inches. They shorten the case to 1.80 inches, reload the case with the appropriate bullet, and fire the resulting cartridge in a factory-chambered rifle. This works quite well in some cases. For example, the .35 Remington factory case needs to be shortened only a little more than 1/10 of an inch to be legal. Results in terms of bullet velocity and accuracy are typically comparable to factory ammunition.

Good info so far!!!

Stinger, At that distance I'd get a .44 mag. h.h.

Or this? Marlin Model 1895 Lever Action Rifle .45-70 Gov 22" Barrel 4 Rounds Walnut Stock Blued Finish 70460

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/7-G1895?td_source=search

I think it might be a toss up.

Not legal in a rifle, is in a handgun. h.h.

indiana legal rifles...Both the .450 Bushmaster and the .460 S & W Mag are legal here.

http://ultimatefirearms.com/gamebreaker.php

some serious firepower that fits IN ridiculous regulations.

Like alluded to there is no list .... we have a short list of parameters the caliber must fall within. As long as it fits within those parameters it is legal .... factory cartridge, modified factory cartridge or wildcat.

Stinger for the money an h&r with a decent scope is hard to beat. I know guys have took deer with the 44 I personally use a 500 s&w and it's a hoss if recoil bothers you do not buy the 500 but the deer do not move they all drop right there. The guy that use to hunt with us had a 41 rem mag in a lever gun and talk about a tack driver with awesome knock down power and no recoil.

For me this is what I use:

Thompson Center Contender Handgun (.243)
Savage Smokeless Muzzleloader
Marlin 1894 (.357)
Marlin 1894 (.44 mag)
Smith & Wesson 629 ( 44mag )
Remington 1100 fully rifled slug gun


My personal choice is either of the Marlins. They are easily handled in a ground blind or up in a tree stand. Both guns have killed deer out to about 125 yds. Most of the shots are well close to 75 yds and every deer dropped in its tracks or went a short distance. If I need to shoot longer distances, My Savage Muzzleloader is sighted in to 225 yds.


I looked into a custom wild cat, but for me, I didnt see the need for one.