Box magazine capacity for big game

Liberty97045 · Oct 13, 2012

I know that there is a magazine restriction of 5-round max on semi auto for Oregon big game. I just bought a Ruger Gunsite Scout which is bolt action with a detachable 10-round box magazine. The regs appear to only apply to semi auto. The 5-round magazine is ridiculously expensive so if I can get by with the 10 . . .

Thoughts?

Sgt Nambu · Oct 13, 2012

Check out the legality of inserting a padded wooden (or whatever) plug under the follower of your 10 rnd mag. That is what I did for my M-1A ten round mag. I hunted with the rifle but it was never checked out by a LEO. There is a recent thread on this site about same question on an SKS with more discussion. Good luck!

Mark W. · Oct 13, 2012

the 5rd restriction is for Semi auto only
A Winchester model 94 carbine in 30-30 holds 7 rounds as does the Marlin 336 in 30-30 two of the most common deer hunting rifles in the state.

lots of bolt action rifles hold 5 rounds in the mag which means with one in the chamber they hold 6 so again not an issue unless the rifle is semi auto.

orygun · Oct 13, 2012

There is no magazine restriction on any rifle except a semi-automatic. Also, the semi-auto restriction is a 5 round mag, so the 6th one in the chamber is legal, too.

Greenbug · Oct 14, 2012

orygun said:
There is no magazine restriction on any rifle except a semi-automatic. Also, the semi-auto restriction is a 5 round mag, so the 6th one in the chamber is legal, too.

That made me think... I always thought that the semi-auto could hold no more than 5 rounds to be legal for hunting in Oregon. I checked the regs, and you are right. It says "Semi-Automatic rifles with a magazine capacity greater than five cartridges prohibited." (page 30 2012 Oregon big game hunting regulations)

I wonder if this applies to semi-auto handguns/shotguns also since the verbage clearly only identifies semi-auto rifles in the magazine capacity restriction?

orygun · Oct 14, 2012

Greenbug said:
I wonder if this applies to semi-auto handguns/shotguns also since the verbage clearly only identifies semi-auto rifles in the magazine capacity restriction?

I would "assume" so. If I were to handgun hunt, I doubt it would be with an auto-loader. If I did, I would fashion up a block to limit the mag capacity.

Greenbug · Oct 14, 2012

orygun said:
I would "assume" so. If I were to handgun hunt, I doubt it would be with an auto-loader. If I did, I would fashion up a block to limit the mag capacity.

That is what I "assumed" also, I still have a 1911 mag that I blocked to only hold 4 rounds for huntng Blacktails in thick brush. Maybe I'll take my block out and cut it down a little to get the 5th round in now that I understand that the limit is on magazine capacity rather than gun capacity.... With the verbage they use in the regulations, I think it's kind of a "loophole" for semi-auto handgun/shotgun big game hunters.

longcolt · Oct 14, 2012

Not sure that a game warden would not give you a ration of crapola if you had a bolt action or other rifle full of ammo. I put three in my 30-06 and the same with other hunting rifles, marlins, etc. You will never get more that two shots at big game anyway. Very unlikely. So stick with the 3-5 rule and avoid any altercation with the Dept of wildlife officials, why donate your rifle to their cause.

Always carry a few extra rounds in my pocket or vest in case I have to spend the night in the woods because I can't read my compass or GPS.

A full magazine makes for a very nose heavy rifle in some cases that you have to carry all day. Not fun.

Mark W. · Oct 14, 2012

longcolt said:
Not sure that a game warden would not give you a ration of crapola if you had a bolt action or other rifle full of ammo. I put three in my 30-06 and the same with other hunting rifles, marlins, etc. You will never get more that two shots at big game anyway. Very unlikely. So stick with the 3-5 rule and avoid any altercation with the Dept of wildlife officials, why donate your rifle to their cause.

Always carry a few extra rounds in my pocket or vest in case I have to spend the night in the woods because I can't read my compass or GPS.

A full magazine makes for a very nose heavy rifle in some cases that you have to carry all day. Not fun.

HUH? No game warden (oregon doesn't have game wardens we have OSP officers in the Fish and Game Division) is going to give anyone any crap about a manually operated rifle with any number of rounds in the magazine. There is no rule regulation or law against it so on what basis would they even care?

As to a full mag causing a barrel to feel heavy GOOD traditional muzzle loaders have MUCH heavier barrels and forward balance then all but Varmit wieght centerfire barrels and they tend to balance the best of any firearm I have ever shot. The hold is steady as it takes more effort to change the direction of the extra weight.

I have taken as many as 5 shots at a Blacktail deer in the past. East facing slope open iron sights very near the end of civil twilight. I hit it on the 3rd and put it down with the 5th shot.

44 years of hunting never had to spend the night in the woods.

YMMV

orygun · Oct 14, 2012

longcolt said:
Not sure that a game warden would not give you a ration of crapola if you had a bolt action or other rifle full of ammo. I put three in my 30-06 and the same with other hunting rifles, marlins, etc. You will never get more that two shots at big game anyway. Very unlikely. So stick with the 3-5 rule and avoid any altercation with the Dept of wildlife officials, why donate your rifle to their cause.

When discussing magazine restrictions of weapons, the law has nothing to do with how many you put in it, it's all about how many it can hold.

longcolt · Oct 15, 2012

If you plug some of the lever rifles that have tube magazines full of ammo they do indeed become nose heavy when you carry them all day in the woods up one drainage and down the next.

To have to take five shots at a deer makes me suspect a need for more practice or you may be taking shots at moving targets. The woods is not a war zone and my hunting friends who have hunted Oregon since the 1940's make their shots count and only shoot when they have a good target. Most hunters I know rarely shoot over one shot. They make the first shot count.

Just my personal opinion. I have a personal friend that like to fling arrows in the woods when bow hunting. He will shoot at a deers azzzzz, ears, feet, and hope something brings them down. But then thats not responsible hunting since you can and will wound and animal that will not be recovered.

I only shoot when I have a solid target at a respectable range. Just the way I was taught, kind of old school I know.

Mark W. · Oct 15, 2012

longcolt said:
If you plug some of the lever rifles that have tube magazines full of ammo they do indeed become nose heavy when you carry them all day in the woods up one drainage and down the next.

To have to take five shots at a deer makes me suspect a need for more practice or you may be taking shots at moving targets. The woods is not a war zone and my hunting friends who have hunted Oregon since the 1940's make their shots count and only shoot when they have a good target. Most hunters I know rarely shoot over one shot. They make the first shot count.

Just my personal opinion. I have a personal friend that like to fling arrows in the woods when bow hunting. He will shoot at a deers azzzzz, ears, feet, and hope something brings them down. But then thats not responsible hunting since you can and will wound and animal that will not be recovered.

I only shoot when I have a solid target at a respectable range. Just the way I was taught, kind of old school I know.

Well in the 44 years I have been deer hunting in Oregon I have seen a lot of different things. The deer that took five shots to bring down was approx 75 paces away the shot was taken with a rifle I had never shot before (loaned to me for a afternoon evening hunt I had no idea I was going on until a few min before it happened) With ammo that was bought at a garage sale (from what I was told later) standing aiming down about 10 degrees with open Iron Sights at near dark lighting conditions (due to the east facing slope in a canyon it was still very much legal shooting time)

Had I had a properly sighted in scoped rifle with an illuminated reticle So that I could have seen my point of aim. I have no doubt that the first shot I aimed at his head I would have had a lot better chance of hitting him. As it was the Muzzle flash was enough to rob me of almost all my night vision making seeing the sights for follow up shots very difficult.

Should I have not taken the shot at all. Maybe but then I go hunting to put meat in the freezer and the results of this hunt met that goal.

Liberty97045 · Oct 16, 2012

orygun said:
There is no magazine restriction on any rifle except a semi-automatic. Also, the semi-auto restriction is a 5 round mag, so the 6th one in the chamber is legal, too.

I received a reply from ODFW on this. The restriction applies only to semi-auto.

Also so there is no confusion, my interest is so that I don't have to buy special magazine and not because I need 10 rounds. I have never had to shoot more than twice at game and all my second shots were follow ups to hits.

orygun · Oct 16, 2012

If I were hunting with a Gunsite Scout I would want the shorter mag, preferably one that's even shorter than the 5 round mag. Where that sucker sticks out of the rifle is right where I often times want to put my hand when carrying the gun. Also, it's just another protrusion to get caught up on brush. Does anyone make a 3 round mag for that gun?

Liberty97045 · Oct 17, 2012

orygun said:
If I were hunting with a Gunsite Scout I would want the shorter mag, preferably one that's even shorter than the 5 round mag. Where that sucker sticks out of the rifle is right where I often times want to put my hand when carrying the gun. Also, it's just another protrusion to get caught up on brush. Does anyone make a 3 round mag for that gun?

Ruger makes a poly 3-round