damn straight. and not to insult any leo's or wardens (if/when we cross paths) but it seems as if each one has extrordinay powers to read minds/predict, the future, and are members of the supreme court and able to interpret the absolute meaning of written law and be judge/jury and dispense judgement and ruling on the spot. and no two of them can ever agree on the same thing. J.K. don't taze me and confiscate my guns/gear bro's
Yeah, it's clear as mud. Fed law requires a rifle - stocked gun - to have a 16" barrel to be a legal rifle without requiring registration as a Class III item. Class III rifles are unlawful to use as "hunting weapons". Therefore, it appears that a pistol grip hand gun that doesn't exceed 26" overall with a barrel length less than 16" is authorized. That makes very little sense since you can buy pistol barrels for a TC in multiple rifle calibers, .308, .243, etc. and use them on a shotgun/pistol/rimfire rifle only WMA open for small game season. My experience in other states hunting regulations has been they outline hunting implements according to caliber and gauge and further define them in three catagories: rifle, shotgun and pistol which eliminates these misunderstandings. Example: Pistols authorized for hunting small game species with pistol calibers .22 -.45 with barrel length not exceeding 15" and pistols authorized for big hunting game species with all calibers .32 caliber or larger with barrel length not exceeding 15". Rifles authorized for hunting small game species with any rim fire rifle with a minimum barrel length of 16" and rifles authorized for hunting big game species with any center fire caliber with a minimum barrel length of 16". Shotguns follow the same logic... I personally don't like when the government restricts us, BUT in this case you at least know what you can legally hunt with without having to hire an attorney to get a legal definition. My two cents....
just got my answer from FWC online and am more confused now than before, you be the judges.
MY QUESTION: "does barrel length or having a pistol grip determine if a gun is a rifle or pistol? thank you."
THEIR ANSWER: "pistol (or any gun)is determined by it's overall length. "short barreled rifle" means a rifle having one or more barrels less than 16" in length and any weapon made from a rifle ( whether by alteration,modification,or otherwise)if such weapon as modified has an overall length of less than 26 inches. I hope this helps" LOL ARE THEY KIDDING? I think that defines what a short barreled rifle is but not what a pistol is, 26" with a 15" bbl seems like a damn big pistol to me. your thoughts?Nacho, I think that is their way of saying "You bring to the woods what "YOU THINK" is legal and if you run into one of our FWC LEO's they will make a determination on the spot. P.S. - We can't foresee what the LEO's attitude toward you, your weapon, the weather, his job or life in general will be at that time." LOL
ok when talking to the ATF about putting a custom stock on my traditions buckhunter Bp pistol,They had to research if it. to see if it would be classified it as a short barreled rifle but because its a bp no. So the grip/stock made some type of difference
I'm gonna get a 300 win mag cut the bbl to 15 -3/4" and put a pistol grip on it. hows that for a hand gun?LOL that bullet shouldn't travel too far.J.K. 2 mag, shotgun or muzzle loader are fine with me.if someone wants to use a contender or rem xp or savage bolt pistol that's fine by me as long as it's a true pistol caliber 44mag,454casul,480,500 S&W, for safety reasons. but then we get into, whats the true definition of a pistol caliber, whole other can of worms.
