SD Muzzleloader Regulations

No person may hunt, shoot, shoot at, wound, kill, or pursue any big game animal with any muzzle loading rifle which
discharges a projectile less than .44 caliber.

The regulation used to read something like: No person may hunt, shoot, shoot at, wound, kill, or pursue any big game animal with any muzzle loading rifle less than .44 caliber.

The old regulation allowed me to hunt with my 45 Omega loaded with 40 caliber bullets. A couple of deer, and a pronghorn fell to this load. Now, one must shoot 45 caliber bullets in the 45 caliber rifle. It seems it will soon be time for me to sell that wonderful shooting 45 Omega. Wow..it is accurate; the most accurate rifle i ever owned.

My question to the GF&Ps would be, does the sabot count as part of the projectile? Perhaps they are trying to say a 45 cal or larger but got the words twisted. Perhaps not..

It seems quite clear to me. In 2013, and prior, it read the rifle had to be 44 caliber or better. Now in 2014 it reads the projectile need be 44 caliber or better. My stash of 40 caliber bullet no longer can be used to hunt big game here.

Let me know if you want to unload that stash.

It is sort of a trap someone can fall into, I would say that the sabot is part of the projectile. Maybe it's time to sabotless in the Omaga. I would sure be doing some checking.

I wonder what their logic was behind changing the language. To me, there really isn't much difference between a .40 and a .45 caliber projectile.

David

To go sabot less would lose the advantage of the high speed, high ballistic coefficient 40 caliber bullet that allow long range shooting. It is not something i would be interested in. My 50 caliber rifles can shoot 45 caliber bullets just fine.

I had the check my state regs. They still read " single shot not less than .44 ­caliber" So Im sure the change in your state was deliberate. They usually dont change things without at least a prior warning, and usually notifications of pending ammendments 1-2 years prior here, and someone will usually post it on my states hunting site, so the angry mob can gather the pitchforks and torches. Pretty sketchy the way govt like to sneak in what they know would be met with open opposition, and I definitely wouldnt want to be the one to push the envelope and be among the first to be made an example of. That definitely stinks.. Sorry to hear. Its very curious, figuring in that the vast majority of centerfire shooters have been using something in a .30 cal for generations

Iowa is still the same, no muzzleloader less than .44 cal.

The regs on the SD website only have the 2013 book available for review

What, %#€¥#% , I mean .....what super smart, well educated, non-muzzleloader hunting expert changed that?

http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/docs/BigGameRegs.pdf

Note: Hunters filling big game tags that are not restricted to archery or muzzle-loaders may use any of the weapons described under “Legal Firearms” or “Archery”, or Crossbow, or any combination of these weapons.

This sounds like you can still use the 40cal projectile during rifle season IF it meets the FPE requirement. That should not be a problem if im reading it correctly.

LarryBud said:

Let me know if you want to unload that stash.

Click to expand...

Well, i kinda counted..not precisely, but.. There are about 600 sst, or shockwave bullets. Most are without sabot. Most were Midway blems, which shoot great. A bit more than 100 are with sabot, and most are for a 45, but a few are for a 50. There also seems to be about 900 of the baby blue Harvester sabot.. why i don't know.

GM54-120 said:

http://gfp.sd.gov/hunting/docs/BigGameRegs.pdf

Note: Hunters filling big game tags that are not restricted to archery or muzzle-loaders may use any of the weapons described under “Legal Firearms” or “Archery”, or Crossbow, or any combination of these weapons.

This sounds like you can still use the 40cal projectile during rifle season IF it meets the FPE requirement. That should not be a problem if im reading it correctly.

Click to expand...

In the Legal Firearms section of the 2014 SD Regulations it states a muzzle loader cannot use a projectile less than 44 caliber.

And the note right under that restriction says, "tags that are not restricted to archery or muzzle-loaders may use ANY of the WEAPONS described under “Legal Firearms”

Is a muzzleloader a form 4473 firearm under the law in SD? It appears to fall under weapons and ANY that meet the minimum FPE should be legal.

Sorry, i haven't a clue what form 4473 is....................OK, i checked. A muzzle loader does not require a form 4473 i think.

Wanna sell some SSTs, I may know a buyer....

IL has similar verbiage, last I looked. I can't quote it right now, but restrictive for 45 cal shooters.

BuckDoeHunter said:

Wanna sell some SSTs, I may know a buyer....

Click to expand...

When, and if the rifle sells.