Update on Iowa handgun laws for deer hunting

[selmerfan]

If you followed this thread http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?276636-Moving-back-to-Iowa-let-s-hear-your-thoughts-on-chambering , I wanted to give an update on what I found out today after the Iowa DNR code-writing committee met to discuss T/C handguns and deer hunting in Iowa. The language in question was "no long barrel modifications" and I wanted to know if a 17" MGM barrel in .357 Maximum was legal or was a 17" barrel a "long barrel modification". Here's the answer. As long as the chambering is within the permitted chamberings as defined in the regulations and the T/C does NOT have the shoulder stock installed and CAN be fired with only one hand, the 17" barrel is legal. This (theoretically)prevents the use of 24" barrels with a handgun grip installed because of the length and weight of the barrel. However, it's perfectly legal to USE two hands to fire the handgun. They are abiding by the federal definition of pistol/handgun, which is a weapon without a shoulder which can be fired with one hand. So, unfortunately, no rifles. :( But my Encore with 17" .357 Max barrel is legal.

[runfiverun]

can they make things any less clear? or more difficult.

the feds are trying to ban certain 223 ammunition because it can be used in a hand gun, yet a shouldered case isn't considered hand gun ammunition?
w.t.hell?

[selmerfan]

I don't think federal law gives a rip about the chambering. It defines the physical attributes of a "handgun", that is, it can be fired with one hand and doesn't have a shoulder stock. Iowa deer hunting laws care about the chambering:

Handguns: Center-fire handguns .357 caliber
or larger, shooting straight wall ammunition
with an expanding-type bullet. Minimum barrel
length for all handguns is 4 inches. No shoulder
stock or long barrel modifications are allowed.
Only the following center-fire cartridges may
be used: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .375
Winchester, .38 Super, .40 S&W, .401 Powermag,
10 mm Auto, .41 Remington Magnum, .41
Action Express, .44 S&W Special, .44 Remington
Magnum, .44 Automag, .444 Marlin, .445
Super Mag, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Super Mag,
.45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Silhouette, .451
Detonics, .454 Casull, .45-70 Govt., .460
Rowland, .460 S&W Mag, .475 Widley Magnum,
.475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action
Express, .50 Linebaugh, .50 Beowulf and .500
S&W Mag.

So there is a limitation on which chamberings are legal. There are some oddballs on there, and some that weren't originally designed for handguns, such as the .45-70 Gov't, but are commonly used in T/C actions. As long as I can hold my TC Encore in one hand and fire it and it doesn't have a shoulder stock, it is a handgun for the purposes of this regulation. No bottleneck chamberings allowed, unfortunately, as I have one heck of a good .260 Rem barrel from MGM that has hammered some MN deer over the last 4 seasons.

[quilbilly]

And I thought my 14" T/C barrel was a little too heavy to be comfortable.

[trapper9260]

Here is the regs. for deer hunting .
http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting.aspx

[Blammer]

I can fire a 24" TC handgun with one hand, I may hit the ground right in front of me, but I can fire it. :)

Isn't that what shooting sticks are for? :D

[selmerfan]

trapper, I know the regs. The reg in question is the "no long barrel modifications". It's not well-defined for the T/C handguns, so I brought up the question. The Iowa DNR code writing committee met yesterday to define it. What I am reporting is the result of that meeting.