I cant figure out if deer hunting with a smoothbore BP pistol in Ohio would be legal

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zaboomafoozarg

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I'm entertaining the notion of someday getting a Howdah or some other smoothbore BP pistol to load with either a ball or shot, doing some hunting that way, but I can't figure out if it would be legal or not. I don't want to invest that much into just a target shooter, lol

They say no muzzleloading pistols, or so I hear, but I was told that a smoothbore doesnt count as a pistol? or something like that. and I've heard tell of others doing it.

Can anyone with some more expertise possibly chime in? Thanks :D
 
According to the online Ohio muzzle loader deer hunting regulations, these are the allowed weapons:

Statewide Muzzleloader Season:

Longbow, crossbow (draw weight limitations same as for archery season), muzzleloading rifle .38 caliber or larger, or muzzleloading shotgun of 10-gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel.

http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/hunting_deer.aspx#equipment
Click to expand...

Every state has a legal definition of what constitutes a rifle or long gun and what constitutes a handgun.
That's usually dependent on the length of the barrel.
Your hunting regulations don't provide that information so you must ask an Ohio conservation law enforcement officer what the regulations specify.
Very few states have barrel length regulations that deviate from the Federal definition of what barrel length constitutes a handgun vs. a rifle or long gun.
Whether the bore is rifled or not doesn't usually affect whether a muzzle loading gun is a pistol or not.
If your state doesn't allow pistols to hunt deer then regarding the use of the Howdah you may be out of luck.
The question is how long does a barrel need to be in order to be considered a rifle or long gun and not a handgun?
There could be a minimum stock length requirement too.
My state of CT has a state law that says that a gun with a 12 inch barrel and longer is legally considered to be a rifle. That deviates from the Federal definition which is about 16 inches.
Ask your state conservation law enforcement experts if you don't want to get into trouble.
Besides what's defined in state gun laws, sometimes there are also specific hunting laws or regulations that specify how long a muzzle loading pistol barrel needs to be in order to legally hunt deer with it.
In some states that's a minimum of 10 inches.
There are muzzle loading pistols that have barrels that are 16 inches long, i.e.-Pedersoli Bounty Hunter.
Again, call the authorities in your state to ask.
They want folks to buy deer permits and to hunt within the laws. So they will help you out with the proper information.
Talk to more than one officer to verify what he tells you if you doubt him.
There's often conservation offices throughout the state.
Start at headquarters or district HQ's and call around.
It should be easy enough to ask because as a taxpayer they work for you. :)
 
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Not to mention, many states define any muzzleloading, black powder firearm, (when using a historic reproduction of an antique ignition system) as an "antique". So your Howdah or my flintlocks, pistol or longarm, rifled or not, made yesterday, are "antiques" under my state's laws. So as long as you complied with the ML regs, and here ML pistols are allowed for deer with a minimum charge of 40 grains of powder, you would be ok. Single ball in each barrel for deer. Upland birds and small game no worries either.

Just depends on the state.

LD
 
I live in SW Ohio and I can tell you the deer are as thick as NYC rats and as big as Mexican Cows.

Like most in Ohio, I don't actively hunt but we all passively hunt. I have found the best method of passively hunting deer in Ohio...is with my car.

While far more expensive than a hunting license and the correct firearm...you can do it while on a cell phone! At least that's how my daughters do it. Dial up a BFF, pay no attention to the road and end up with Bambi wedged under the front end of my Acura RL.

No need to worry about smooth bore, hunting season...no regulations at all.
 
It clearly states you can not use a muzzleloading handgun to hunt for deer in Ohio.
Check the section: A Deer Hunter Cannot Do Any Of The Following
 
Off the record, according to the game officer in SE Ohio, you can use anything from a slingshot to a cannon on feral hogs. As long as it's off season for other game. Evidently the mid-east to north-east Ohio areas are having some problems with them and the south-east wants to nip it in the bud.
 
I went to http://handgunlaw.us/ to check on Ohio handgun barrel length but I didn't see it listed. I did see a handgun barrel length listed for another state, so maybe Ohio simply follows the Federal reg's. Unless you find out otherwise, any gun barrel that is shorter than a Federally defined rifle (or long gun) is probably considered to be a pistol under your state law.
You may be able to search the state statutes yourself. I tried through a link at handgunlaw but the search engine results came up empty.
I also saw that Ohio has a regulation that restricts which guns can be placed on the gun rack of a car/truck. It listed both the minimum barrel and stock length.
 
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"...what defines a muzzleloading handgun?..." If you load the powder and shot into the muzzle, it's a muzzle loader. Loading a cylinder, like you do a percussion revolver, isn't.
Howdah pistols were invented to shoot displeased tigers trying to join hunters, literally in a howdah, the platform on an elephant's back, in India. No such thing as a .50 cal howdah pistol. Usually .60 plus. Think in terms of a shotgun with no stock or forend.
 
I believe Ohio law for deer gun season allows for handguns with a barrel length of 5" minimum and must use straight walled cartridges of 357 or larger.
 
You need to go to your local Fish and Game office and ask a warden.

F&G laws can be complicated AND somewhat subjective It's really just best to go ask the officers who will be enforcing these laws.

It does sound like you are out of luck to me though IF you are going to deer. You didn't say what it was you wanted to hunt.
 
You will be fine hunting small game (squirrels etc.) groundhogs, Coyotes and wild hogs. We hunt squirrels with 1858's and 1851's.
But not a bad idea to touch base with your local wildlife officer. I do find you can get different answers from everyone you ask on
some questions. As long as you aren't in deer gun season you are good to go according to our local officer.
 
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maybe Ohio simply follows the Federal reg's. Unless you find out otherwise, any gun barrel that is shorter than a Federally defined rifle (or long gun) is probably considered to be a pistol under your state law.
Click to expand...

Except the Federal regs exempt muzzleloaders (so Ohio may be referring to BP revolvers ??). Due to the Fed definitions, short barreled muzzleloading shotguns are exempt from prohibited status..., and a smooth bored 20 gauge Howdah would be that right?

What if the pistol had a detachable shoulder stock? They aren't prohibited for black powder firearms either, and prior to revolvers having them, many single shot pistols had them. In fact the Springfield Model 1855 pistol/carbine in .58 was one such.

1855 Images

So maybe somebody could fit a detaching stock to your howdah?

LD
 
add a sholder stock

and since its an antique write a letter to your game enforcement division head,send pictures,if they rite you back and say its OK,then carry the letter in your gun case as proof for other officers,I think the power issue of not enough ft lbs energy, range,(most people no nothing of blackpowder shooting) well my 2010 deer is very dead,and went straight down,you might add in your letter that your howdah hunter was designed to take 600 lb tigers,and worked very well:D
 
CABELLAS MAKES a STOCK??? :what: EGAD NOW I MUST HAVE ONE!

Oh and Andrewstorm makes an excellent point..., it was made to drop adult tigers - should convince a reasonable person..., hope you can find one..., a reasonable person at the DNR that is. But Seriously too I think with the stock it becomes a double barreled smooth bore, firing a single lead ball per barrel.

LD
 
I see, so, those waco's who pummel baby seals to death can walk around with an oversized club, and thats okay, but a smoothbore muzzle loading pistol violates the law !!!

Stupid rulzzzz

Sincerely,

ElvinWarrior... aka... David
 
I don't know about Ohio, but out here in California, with all the damned eco-laws and tree-huggar laws on the books... No kind of hunting is allowed anymore...

What you are allowed to do, is trap the deer, in a certified, liscensed, registered and approved California Department of Wildlife and Recreation Humane non-lethal, non-posionous, non-injurious, plastic coated, padded trap (Available online from various suppliers starting at on or about $7,842.76) Transport the animal home, using an approved wildlife transport service, to a certified, registered, and liscensed backyard wildlife reserve pen. Keep and care for it as a pet, and patiently wait for it do die of old age. You may then, after death by natural causes, use the carcass for what you will.

or, you can file form 8686-13-C, declaring that the animal has a terminal illness and is in extream pain and suffering, then, euthanize the animal for humane purposes...

I use "Betsy" for my humane euthanasia proceedures... Here she is... I fire both barrels, one sguarely through the temple, the other towards the back of the head. They drop instantly, painlessly.

PDBF_proto_top.jpg

:) :) :) :)

P.S., I have found, that fattening up the deer, for three months prior to euthanizing with a high protien deer-chow from Purina to be especially helpfull in tenderizing the harvest !!!

P.P.S.S., In case any of you are wondering, the pistol in the photo is currently available from "Middlesex Village Trading Company", and is a flintlock 20Ga smoothbore. At $425.00 it is about $200.00 less than the Howdahs out there, and in my oppinion, a much nicer, funner gun !!! (For one thing it is entirely Nickel Plated !!!) The following link will take you to the page. For politically correct purposes, the purveyors of these kinds of smooth bore pistols and short barreled muskets generally refer to the bore diameters in Caliber, not in Gauge, but, keep in mind that a .61-64 Caliber is equivalent to a 20 Gauge Shotgun.

http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/PDBF.SHTML

They also carry a caplock case-hardened double barreled smoooth bore, 20 Ga pistol, alot like the Howdah for $375.00.

http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/PDBC.SHTML

And, if your in the mood to own the only in production double barreled flintlock shotgun, they have that one too, it's a bit pricier, comming in at $725.00, but jeesh, thats half the price of a really nice rolling block or trapdoor !!! And if your into small game and bird hunting, it's a "Must Have This !!!"

http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/MDBF.shtml

MDBF_full.jpg

Sincerely... aka... David, "EW"
 
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ElvenWarrior, California is a joke nowadays. "California legal" basically means something that isn't sharp, shoots, top opening, side opening, less than 2", fully automatic (this includes washer/dryer combos), inconveniences the user when they need to defend themselves from an armed attacker, or capable of holding more than 5 bullets. and that's only the tip of the iceberg.
 
BusyHands,

Ya I know, I'm seriously thinking about going up Alaska way, making Sara Palin and her family my neighbors, homestead about 20 acres of perma-frost tundra, shoot bears, shoot deer, make my own black powder, and maybee open up a franchise of the Lodi Ohio "Log Cabin" Black Powder gun shop right next to my lil ol log cabin I live in... Been thinkin on it pretty seriously actually, I ordered a full catalog from an Ahmish "non-electric" specialty hardware store out in Kidron Ohio, known as Lehman's Hardware, just to check out the pricing on things like, wood/coal cook stoves, wood/coal heating stoves, wood/coal water heaters, kerosene powered refrigerators, kerosense lamps, and all that kind of what-have-you's and stuffs.

http://www.lehmans.com/store/catalog?Args=

260x.jpg

Sincerely,

ElvinWarrior... aka.. David, "EW"
 
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