OT - What is the largest gauge legal in the USA?

[Ysabel Kid]

I already took aussie's post belowa little off the beaten path:

http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=20501

But it got me to thinking - what is the largest gauge self-contained shotgun cartridge (versus a muzzle-loader) legal in the USA? I seem to recall that sometime early in the last century anything largest than a 10-gauge was banned for hunting purposes. But I don't remember for sure. Something also bouncing around the ol' noodle about anything larger than a 10 gauge being classified as a "destructive device".

Anyone know anything for sure?

[Gun Smith]

I don't know why, but I think it is 10 Gauge too.

[Chuck 100 yd]

10ga for waterfowl ,for upland birds the states have their own laws. IIRC

[Barcelona Rick]

I am pretty sure it is 10ga.....there is a group that discusses this ever now and again in The Double Gun Journal asking people to write their Congressman to change the law to allow bigger gauges.....my great-grandpa was a market hunter/hunting guide on the Missouri River back in the late 1890's thru the early 1930's (actually he was about half outlaw) and he used a drift boat and punt gun. Daddy told the story of riding in the wooden boat letting the river current carry them into a large group of ducks that were on the water. When they got close his grandpa lit the punt gun off and boom.....several dozen dead ducks for sale. Dad was just a kid but he remembers that the gun was a heavy pipe about 2" bore that was loaded with a large amount of coarse blackpowder and old shoeing nails, tacks, lead shot etc. He said it made a heck of a noise and really rang his ears. If I could figure out how to scan and print a photo I would post a picture of great-grandpa with a right new very early Winchester pump shotgun (maybe a 1893) standing past knee deep in mallards.....nothing ever went to waste with him. Dad always said life was pretty tough on the upper end of the Missouri..

jumbeaux

[1886]

I have always heard it was 10ga. God Bless, 1886.

[rhead]

Ditto on the 10 gauge, but I cannot recall ever seeing it in a Manuel. Never really looked since my shotgun hunting is pretty seldom. I also seem to recall that the reg was to help stop the market hunting.

[papabear]

I know in New York its a 10 gauge.

[mklwhite]

In Arkansas the hunting regs it only mentions shot size as limiters (it says "any shotgun" in a couple of places when restricting shot size) not gauge size.

[Nath]

In old Blighty I think a bore max permissable is 1 7/8". To cater for punt guns etc.

Nath.

[greyowl]

It is the 10 gauge. That's federal law. 1920's I think, but I'd need to look it up to be sure.

[BAGTIC]

The federal 10 gauge limit is for migratory bird hunting not for general possession.

[Buck Elliott]

The federal 10 gauge limit is for migratory bird hunting not for general possession.

BINGO!

[buckeyeshooter]

I shoot a 10 for waterfowl, turkey and deer hunting. Its the largest legal shotgun for hunting in Ohio.

[Doc Hudson]

The federal 10 gauge limit is for migratory bird hunting not for general possession.

The guage limit is not about making it illegal to OWN 8-bores, 4-bores, or 2-bores, You can own and shoot as many as you can afford and as many as your shoulder cans stand, You just can't hunt with them.

At least you can't hunt any Federally regulated watefowl anywhere with anything bigger than a 10 guage.

I can't peak for other states, but I know for a fact that it is illegal to hunt anything in Alabama or Mississippi with any shotgun larger than a 10-bore.

FWIW, I was thinking that market hunting was Federally banned in 1914.

Nath wrote

In old Blighty I think a bore max permissable is 1 7/8". To cater for punt guns etc.

I was going to ask if those things were still legal over there. I remember reading an article about thos cannon-breech 1 3/4" Punt guns many years ago. The article even included How=to-build diagram for the Punt Gun and the boat to use them.

[gamekeeper]

Take look at the video, impressive!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-blo ... 9766/posts - Cached

[Borregos]

WOW
They must have had a heck of a job picking the shot out of the birds

[1886]

The federal 10 gauge limit is for migratory bird hunting not for general possession.

Excellent clarification. Regards, 1886.

[Ysabel Kid]

Take look at the video, impressive!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-blo ... 9766/posts - Cached

I need me one of those!

[Cliff]

I used to see a few Benelli double barreled, Box locks with matching carrying case in 8 guage new for sale at several stores just outside of Chicago. This was back in the 60's but before the GCA-68. Prices were reasonable but ammo was very pricey and hard to find. The most common approach for ammo was to buy Winchester cases meant for clinker breaking in kilns. They have a belted base, like the 375 H&H. It was to prevent them being shot in a regular shot gun as they fired a solid lead slug to break loose clinkers in coal fired kilns. You could turn the belts off on a fired case and trim and load them up. Worked well as I remember. As mentioned you can possess most any guage shotgun, are limited to a 10 guage in most areas for hunting. ATB