States that allow smokless MLs

[earnhard3]

I have searched and found a few states, but is there an up to date website that has states broken down that allow smokless MLs during muzzleloader season? I would still check prior to hunting. However I cant even find a list.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I don't believe anyone has taken the time to do that research, let alone keep up with any changes. One just has to identify the laws in their specific state, or the states which they may want to hunt.
Some states have considered it, but quite frankly, the video in post #17 in the post Wad... No Wad has been seen by many in DNR law enforcement, including here in MI. Note: Seen long before the video was posted here on MM. The MI-DNR has been approached, but after the DNR law enforcement had seen the video and 3,800fps, they are 100% against smokeless propellants in muzzleloaders during the dedicated muzzleloader seasons in all three zones. I dare say that will never change here in MI. However, a smokeless muzzleloader can be used during the general firearms season within designated rifle zones.

 

[toytruck]

Virginia allows smokeless muzzleloaders several years now.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

They are legal in Maryland.

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Legal in Iowa, .44 - .775 caliber

 

[Boreal]

Smokeless is not legal in New Jersey...but what is?

 

[Matthew323]

Here is my 2 cents worth on the subject.

If you are going to invest serious money in smokeless muzzleloading, then put aside your cartridge rifles and commit yourself to hunting with the SML full time. If your state does not allow SML's during the m-l season, then lobby seriously for it. Hunt neighboring state's m-l seasons if you can afford to. PROMOTE SML, and do it SAFELY!!!

As an example, almost NONE of the turkey kills posted here this spring on MM were taken with a muzzleloader. Almost every image shows a cartridge shotgun.

Just because it is not the m-l season, DOESN'T MEAN YOU CANNOT BE HUNTING WITH YOUR M-L!!!!!!!!!!!!@!!)[<_=÷

The ONLY WAY OUR HOBBY/SPORT/WAY OF LIFE IS GOING TO GROW IS IF EVERYONE IN IT STARTS COMMITTING TO IT LIKE THE BOW HUNTERS DO.

We have no national lobbying program.

No one that stands up for the rights of ALL MUZZLOADERS.

It is the Traditionalists versus Inlines.

Patched ball versus conicals.

Percussion versus Flintlocks.

Factory versus Semi-Custom versus Custom.

There are TOO MANY cliques or factions in muzzleloading today.

Our percentage of the outdoors market is so small that NO ONE IS TRULY LISTENING TO US!!! ( 1/1000th of 1%?)

As an entire group, we have to start wiseing up, or the sport will dwindle like it did when cartridge guns first came onto the scene, and completely pushed m-l aside. Our numbers have been slowly shrinking for 3 decades.

 

[earnhard3]

Legal in Iowa, .44 - .775 caliber

Even in December for the muzzleloader season?

 

[ported45]

Indiana-
"Legal muzzleloaders can be used to hunt deer during the firearms, youth, reduction zone (in zones where local ordinances allow the use of a firearm), muzzleloader, and special antlerless seasons. Only muzzleloading firearms (including muzzleloading handguns) are legal during the muzzleloader season.

Muzzleloading firearms must be .44 caliber or larger, loaded with a single bullet of at least .357 caliber. Saboted bullets are allowed, provided the bullet is .357 caliber or larger. A muzzleloading firearm must be capable of being loaded from only the muzzle. Multiple-barrel muzzleloading long guns are allowed.

Muzzleloading handguns are allowed. The muzzleloading handgun must be single shot, .50 caliber or larger, loaded with bullets at least .44 caliber and have a barrel at least 12 inches long, measured from the base of the breech plug excluding tangs and other projections to the end of the barrel, including the muzzle crown."

We have no powder restrictions. However, the muzzleloader has to meet the above criteria no matter what season in which it is used.

 

[jsteurrys]

Legal in NYS.

 

[sdporter]

Here is my 2 cents worth on the subject.

If you are going to invest serious money in smokeless muzzleloading, then put aside your cartridge rifles and commit yourself to hunting with the SML full time. If your state does not allow SML's during the m-l season, then lobby seriously for it. Hunt neighboring state's m-l seasons if you can afford to. PROMOTE SML, and do it SAFELY!!!

As an example, almost NONE of the turkey kills posted here this spring on MM were taken with a muzzleloader. Almost every image shows a cartridge shotgun.

Just because it is not the m-l season, DOESN'T MEAN YOU CANNOT BE HUNTING WITH YOUR M-L!!!!!!!!!!!!@!!)[<_=÷

The ONLY WAY OUR HOBBY/SPORT/WAY OF LIFE IS GOING TO GROW IS IF EVERYONE IN IT STARTS COMMITTING TO IT LIKE THE BOW HUNTERS DO.

We have no national lobbying program.

No one that stands up for the rights of ALL MUZZLOADERS.

It is the Traditionalists versus Inlines.

Patched ball versus conicals.

Percussion versus Flintlocks.

Factory versus Semi-Custom versus Custom.

There are TOO MANY cliques or factions in muzzleloading today.

Our percentage of the outdoors market is so small that NO ONE IS TRULY LISTENING TO US!!! ( 1/1000th of 1%?)

As an entire group, we have to start wiseing up, or the sport will dwindle like it did when cartridge guns first came onto the scene, and completely pushed m-l aside. Our numbers have been slowly shrinking for 3 decades.

We have seen a huge increase in ML hunters here in UT. At least judging by the number of hunters I see in the field. When I first started 36 years ago, the Hunt was in first week of November, right in the thick of the Mule Deer rut in our area. You could go out all day and only see maybe one or two hunters. Now that they’ve moved it to the last week in September, you damn near have to take your own rock to sit on. People everywhere. 99% of them are ML HUNTERS and basically none of them are ML SHOOTERS. I shoot my ML’s more than anybody I know in our area. The ONLY time I see another ML at the range is a few days before the opener....
side note: SML NOT ALLOWED in Utah. The proclamation used to read and I surmise here: “nitro cellulose based powders not allowed” they have since changed the wording with the advent of BH209 to just say “BP or BP substitutes, no smokeless propellants”

 

[jims]

OK in Ohio

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Even in December for the muzzleloader season?

Yes

MUZZLELOADERS: Flintlock or percussion
cap muzzleloading rifles or muskets between .44
and .775 caliber shooting single projectiles; muzzleloading
pistols .44 caliber or larger. Muzzleloaders
equipped with electronic ignition are
not allowed. In-line and disk-type muzzleloaders
are allowed. Riflescopes may also be used.

 

[45-70]

Indiana-
"Legal muzzleloaders can be used to hunt deer during the firearms, youth, reduction zone (in zones where local ordinances allow the use of a firearm), muzzleloader, and special antlerless seasons. Only muzzleloading firearms (including muzzleloading handguns) are legal during the muzzleloader season.

Muzzleloading firearms must be .44 caliber or larger, loaded with a single bullet of at least .357 caliber. Saboted bullets are allowed, provided the bullet is .357 caliber or larger. A muzzleloading firearm must be capable of being loaded from only the muzzle. Multiple-barrel muzzleloading long guns are allowed.

Muzzleloading handguns are allowed. The muzzleloading handgun must be single shot, .50 caliber or larger, loaded with bullets at least .44 caliber and have a barrel at least 12 inches long, measured from the base of the breech plug excluding tangs and other projections to the end of the barrel, including the muzzle crown."

We have no powder restrictions. However, the muzzleloader has to meet the above criteria no matter what season in which it is used.

Home of National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association

 

[ported45]

Home of National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association

And they allow a .410 with slugs during rifle season...go figure. I would rather a .40 muzzleloader be legal that a 90 grain .410 slug!

 

[GM54-120]

Our only restrictions

40cal or large
Expanding type bullet (NO FMJ)
Single projectile

Other than that its all legal. That is statewide for our so called ML season. There are some lottery hunts with i think cap and ball only. We have over 40 special hunts on conservation land so its hard to keep up with the regs for each one.

 

[Ninering62]

Here is my 2 cents worth on the subject.

If you are going to invest serious money in smokeless muzzleloading, then put aside your cartridge rifles and commit yourself to hunting with the SML full time. If your state does not allow SML's during the m-l season, then lobby seriously for it. Hunt neighboring state's m-l seasons if you can afford to. PROMOTE SML, and do it SAFELY!!!

As an example, almost NONE of the turkey kills posted here this spring on MM were taken with a muzzleloader. Almost every image shows a cartridge shotgun.

Just because it is not the m-l season, DOESN'T MEAN YOU CANNOT BE HUNTING WITH YOUR M-L!!!!!!!!!!!!@!!)[<_=÷

The ONLY WAY OUR HOBBY/SPORT/WAY OF LIFE IS GOING TO GROW IS IF EVERYONE IN IT STARTS COMMITTING TO IT LIKE THE BOW HUNTERS DO.

We have no national lobbying program.

No one that stands up for the rights of ALL MUZZLOADERS.

It is the Traditionalists versus Inlines.

Patched ball versus conicals.

Percussion versus Flintlocks.

Factory versus Semi-Custom versus Custom.

There are TOO MANY cliques or factions in muzzleloading today.

Our percentage of the outdoors market is so small that NO ONE IS TRULY LISTENING TO US!!! ( 1/1000th of 1%?)

As an entire group, we have to start wiseing up, or the sport will dwindle like it did when cartridge guns first came onto the scene, and completely pushed m-l aside. Our numbers have been slowly shrinking for 3 decades.

Once again Bruce, you are spot on across the board & I'm so glad ya wrote it. Great post, well written as usual. Thank you

 

[GM54-120]

States that ban it really need to be more clear also. Some just say "approved black powder substitute". Well, smokeless was the original BP sub and there are several rifles its "approved" to use it in. Its been around since before 1900. So by that definition a Savage ML-II would be legal in states with that vaguely worded description. IIRC a couple states were specific and stated "nitro" in the restriction. This of course made BH209 illegal. Those states have since updated the regs to allow BH209 or smokeless.

States that are concerned about ultra high performance SMLs can just use a 50cal minimum. Very few of us will bother going back to sabots just to get smokeless and those that do will never reach 3000fps or even 2600fps with any degree of reliably. By the same token sabotless 50cal smokeless is a money pit that will never be a longer range contender unless you move up to 50BMG type bullets.

BH209 in a 45 can pretty much match 50cal ML-II book loads in speed so its a retarded restriction. A 40cal sabotless with BH209 can beat a ML-II when you figure in the better BC of the heavier 40cal bullets. You are basically shooting a 405Win +P load in a modern 40 custom build even with just 120grV of BH209.

 

[Matthew323]

Just my 3 cents worth.

Since joining MM, and educating myself on inlines to prepare myself for the Optima V2 pistol, I have also been learning all about the SML world.

Phone conversations with Levi Reed, and others, have convinced me that the FUTURE for sport shooting, and hunting, lies in the demise of the brass cartridge case.

By eliminating the cartridge case from the equation, one frees up an ENORMOUS potential in the ordinary single shot bolt action rifle.

The ability to shoot extremely accurately at very long ranges for a modest investment in cash is also a great benefit.

If you believe in true hunting ethics, as I was taught as a child, then a single shot rifle becomes an asset, not a hindrance.

The demise of the brass cartridge case will not come quietly. Too many manufacturers have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in the brass cartridge case to let go of it without a huge fight.

Only the military, law enforcement, criminals, and citizens defending themselves from violence REQUIRE, AND DEMAND; rapid, multiple, REPEATED SHOTS.

But, looked at from a logical point of view, it is the next evolution for a sporting rifle. Whether for target shooting at any distance, or hunting.

 

[eekjellander]

Guess I like shooting a muzzle loader with Black powder because of the restrictive yardage requirement involved I have to be precise yardage wise to be accurate . I also like shooting long (my range 800 yds) , and I am still trying but it is a challenge but I like that . If it was easy I probably would lose interest ,shooting with my 7-8 other club members (all center fire) shooters I enjoy screwing up their target shooting spotting (briefly)with the smoke ! And when you make the gongs ring they all admire what wacked the gong (a unique sound) compared to those little boolits they shoot @ 3000 FPS . I do not see much difference shooting smokeless muzzle loading with a centerfire , I could be wrong and since I don"t shoot one and don"t own one I probably am but the guys I shoot with would still beat me and my veneer site versus their Night force/March and a couple of other high end scopes . But I do like the hits /challenge ! Ed