Long Range Centerfire Pistols

[oneshotkill]

I have a friend that is interested in getting what he calls a platform pistol (I have no idea what they are actually called) in .243 for hunting.  Basically a long range centerfire hunting pistol. Stuff like the Weatherby CFP, or Remington XP-100.  He wants me to see what i can find out about them because I have a whole lot more gun contacts then him.  So my question is, do any of you have any experience with any of these?  Is there any others besides the Weatherby and the Remington? What would you recommend?  Thanks!  Any info is very much appreciated.

[addicted]

Do you mean like a thompson c.?

[CP]

T.C Contender – very accurate, comes in several calibers. 

[oneshotkill]

That is what I first thought of and recommended.  Basically he is in an area where it is illegal to hunt with a centerfire rifle but a pistol is legal so he is looking for a pistol that is as rifle like as possible that he can hunt with it.  He wants a long barrel somewhere around 16 inches.

[CP]

I’m not sure of the legality of using rifle caliber handguns in firearm restricted areas.  As written, the regulation only allows revolvers:

In firearm restriction areas, hunters may hunt only
during the season allowed by their tag.
Archery tag holders may hunt during
archery seasons with archery equipment.
Muzzleloader tag holders may hunt during
muzzleloader seasons with muzzleloader
equipment except in the GMU 652
restriction area outlined for King County.
Modern firearm tag holders may hunt
during modern firearm seasons with bows
and arrows, crossbows, muzzleloaders,
or revolver-type handguns meeting
equipment restrictions, or legal shotguns
firing slugs or buckshot.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

That is what I first thought of and recommended.  Basically he is in an area where it is illegal to hunt with a centerfire rifle but a pistol is legal so he is looking for a pistol that is as rifle like as possible that he can hunt with it.  He wants a long barrel somewhere around 16 inches.

A handgun that shoots a RIFLE caliber , would not be legal. 

[Bofire]

 :)Depends, what state is your friend in?

[coyotewallace]

just spoke to WDFW about this. they told me any handgun with a min. of a 4" barrel and no less then .24 cal is leagal to hunt the firearm restriction areas

[44 Flattop]

A handgun that shoots a RIFLE caliber , would not be legal. 

A handgun is a handgun no matter what caliber it fires.  I've hunted with 30-30 T/C's, among another couple dozen other rifle calibers including wildcats. 

The old T/C was not capable of handling the breech thrust of a .243, but the new Encore is.  A .243, 300 mag, 7mm mag are all legal for game in Washington State, you just hunt during rifle season, something I've done for 30+ years. 

[Bofire]

I vote to delete this post!!   That is one of the worst written peices of regulation I have ever read. BUT if they mess with it, it will get worse! What the heck is a "revolver type" what is the point of restricting areas to certain guns, cartridges, if there is no difference in projectile flight distance or velocity??
Carl

[addicted]

Dan wesson .445 super mage will kill anything within 200 no problem.

[CP]

Deleting the post won’t make the law go away, it’s written in WAC 232-28-248.  And just because WDFW employee X says any handgun is OK, doesn’t mean that officer Y won’t cite you for it. 

A break action, rifle caliber, single shot is not a “revolver-type handgun” by anyone’s definition.  But do what you want and good luck to you.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

A handgun that shoots a RIFLE caliber , would not be legal. 

A handgun is a handgun no matter what caliber it fires.  I've hunted with 30-30 T/C's, among another couple dozen other rifle calibers including wildcats. 

The old T/C was not capable of handling the breech thrust of a .243, but the new Encore is.  A .243, 300 mag, 7mm mag are all legal for game in Washington State, you just hunt during rifle season, something I've done for 30+ years.

Deleting the post won’t make the law go away, it’s written in WAC 232-28-248.  And just because WDFW employee X says any handgun is OK, doesn’t mean that officer Y won’t cite you for it. 

A break action, rifle caliber, single shot is not a “revolver-type handgun” by anyone’s definition.  But do what you want and good luck to you.

I also used to hunt with a T/C in 30/30, and had a very long discussion with officer Jim Suda many years ago, he was nice enough to give me a warning because I was merely carrying it while fishing, as usual, I suppose it would be up to the officers personal interpretation of the law, but the reason for restrictions is about the travel distance of the projectile to protect the surrounding people/property (etc) and as the OP began with..

.  Basically a long range centerfire hunting pistol.

therefore the law clearly states...

Archery tag holders may only hunt during established archery seasons with archery equipment as defined under WAC 232-12-054. Muzzleloader tag holders may only hunt during established muzzleloader seasons with muzzleloader equipment as defined under WAC 232-12-051. Modern firearm tag holders may hunt during established modern firearm seasons with bows and arrows; crossbows; muzzleloaders; revolver-type handguns; or shotguns, so long as the equipment used meets the department's regulations for that equipment and ammunition.

It does not say "handgun" or "Any Handgun" but "revolver-type handguns" unfortunately this seems to exclude semi-autos also, but who hunts with a .40 ? (.45. 9mm whatever) 

op

[coyotewallace]

CP & STIKNSTRINGBOW,
I agree completely..I will say a few things if I were going to hunt one of these areas it would be with a Revolver, 4" barrel + and .24 cal. +
very good point on just casue WDFW says one thing does NOT mean that a game warden will not charge you..(I would in this case if I caught you with anything but a revolver,bows
and arrows, crossbows or muzzleloader)

this is one of those laws that needs to be re-written

needs no be more cartridge specific as well

I would be good with something along the lines of any handgun firing a straight walled cartridge with no less then a 4" barrel and having 357 Mag energy or greater at the muzzle for these areas

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Also, in response to

The old T/C was not capable of handling the breech thrust of a .243, but the new Encore is.  A .243, 300 mag, 7mm mag are all legal for game in Washington State, you just hunt during rifle season, something I've done for 30+ years.

I used to hunt with a "handgun" (30/30 T/C) and it was a legal Handgun to hunt with, the regs were a little different back then, (minimum caliber, MV, etc..) it was NOT legal to hunt with in a firearm restricted area according to the mentioned officer,
legal to hunt with, yes,
 legal to hunt with in firearm restricted area, no