10mm carbine for whitetail in MN Is not allowed, yet 10mm pistols are fine

[Kenk]

With deer season fast approaching, I decided to contact the MN DNR regarding taking a deer with my 10mm carbine. During shotgun season, you are also allowed to use certain caliber pistols, 10mm being one of them, however, my carbine being a shoulder fired weapon is not allowed. What the heck is the rational behind that one : (

[John A.]

Sounds like your dept fish and game is literally as stupid as every other states'. 

Unfortunately.

[Rooster41]

You could use it in the "rifle zone".  At this time MN doesnt allow "straight walled cartridges" which are most commonly pistol calibers to be used in rifles in the "shotgun zone". I keep hearing the DNR is trying to get that changed but it not at the top of the priority list for the State Legislature to make the law change. There has to be a change to the statute for it to be good. Our neighbors to the south in Iowa have been using straight walled cartridges for the past 5-6 years now. But, I get it. I can use a pistol with rifle rounds but I can't use a rifle with pistol rounds. There are plenty of people down here that hunt with their AR pistols. I have a 30-30 and 35 Remington Thompson Contender pistol I can use down here. But I cant use my Marlin CS 1894 357 Mag down here.

[Kenk]

Thanks, High power rifles are allowed in northern MN, but not where I?m located. It?s just odd that a 10mm pistol is legal for shotgun season, yet the same caliber is not when used in a shoulder fired weapon. In all reality, the only difference is 1-2 hundred fps faster

[challer61]

What 10mm carbine do you have? Do you think an APC10 with brace would pass?

[Rooster41]

Yes that would be ok because it falls under the definition of a "pistol". 

Kenk going back to your first post, rifles have never been allowed down here in the shotgun zone. The law defining the shotgun zone is very antiquated. I want to say 7-8 years ago it was expanded north a bit. Where we hunted in Douglas County was only like 5 or so miles north of the line. During the week when others went back home I would hop around public lands. I had to be mindful that I wasnt going into the shotgun zone.  I don't think it really has to do with velocity.

There have been bills introduced to the legislature totally eliminating the "shotgun" zone since 2020 from what I have found. If you were not aware the "certain pistol calibers" was changed a few years back to anything 22 caliber and centerfire. By statute you could hunt with a 25 Auto.

I would like to see the shotgun zone to include straight walled cartridges. Im on the fence about allowing any rifle down here. It is very open country. My concern would be people dont practice shooting their rifles are now taking 3-400 yard shots and wounding deer or not paying attention to what is beyond the target. On the other hand, people of been using AR pistols for years now and you rarely hear stories about bullets hitting house or on hunting forums or FB pages of people finding wounded or days old dead deer. Also, rifles are ok for predator hunting.

[sqlbullet]

I wish they would define the various hunting seasons in terms of technology and not in terms of "pistol/rifle/shotgun".

For instance, where do rail guns fit?  I see Ian at Forgotten Weapons running shooting courses with them.  They aren't quite there yet, but they are coming.

Some thoughts:

Chemical Energy Storage (gunpowder, batteries, etc)
    Stalking season
       Minimum energy at muzzle:  400 lbs-ft
       Minimum energy at 100 yards:  350 lbs-ft
       Maximum energy at muzzle:  1700 lbs-ft
       Minimum bullet diameter: .300"

    General Season
       Minimum energy at muzzle:  950 lbs-ft
       Minimum energy at 200 yards:  350 lbs-ft
       Maximum energy at muzzle:  (as mandated by population density)
       Minimum bullet diameter: .243"

Elastic Energy Storage (bow, slingshots, air-rifle, etc)
     I am not knowledgeable about bow hunting to know how to classify the various options in a "generic" way. May something about maximum decibels of sound, limited effective ballistic range, while still maintaining sufficient lethal effectiveness within that range.
....


The point is, this type of classification preserves the spirit of the pistol/rifle/shotgun/archery seasons in a meaningful way without creating boundaries that inhibit innovation.  Wanna hunt in the "stalk" hunt with your 1903 springfield?  Download that 30-06!  Wanna hunt with one gun in both chemical energy seasons?  Get a 30 Carbine!

I get there is lots of room for discussion about the standards, but the idea is not to create lines that are insanely arbitrary.  Today's "Pistol" season is really about using a chemical energy weapon that requires stalking skills and better marksmanship.  Today's rifle season is more about generally taking game, often in a social context with less emphasis on stalking and up-close shots.

Of course, I don't hunt, so I might not be entitle to an opinion

[Kenk]

This would be done with my HP 1095TS, in all reality, it?s no different than hunting with my P220 Elite - 10mm, except for adding an additional 1-2 hundred fps, and potentially taking the deer at 50 yards instead of 10-20 yards. It just seems kind of silly to me.