rutnstrut
PMA Member
16" flat top?
16" flat top?
gunrunr
Life Member
18" flat top with a removeable muzzlebreak and free float handguard
So I’m tired of the inaccuracies of slugs in general but I’ve had it with the ol 870 but I enjoy the wkd gun season. I’m tempted to go with the Henry 45/70. I’d really just be extremely happy with something that can handle rough and tumble hiking and maintain accuracy to 100 yards with iron sights. I’m not a throw lead at it kind of hunter so the lever action doesn’t scare me away, I just want to have confidence in it. Is anyone making this move and is this gun the ticket?
muddy
Well-Known Member
I don't know if I'll gun hunt with it but I bought a Henry 45-70 with the hardened steel stock. Tack driver with a scope, might use it calling coyotes at the very least
Oct-Lull
Well-Known Member
I went with the Marlin all weather guide gun. Looks like it will do the trick.
Monsterbuck
Active Member
Love that gun.
300 yards is pretty doable in the 450. Have friends in Michigan with them. They passed the same law as Iowa a year or two before us. They have the multi-reticle yardage scopes specifically for that round.
GILLESPIE
Member
I've been hunting with a .50 beowulf ar pistol for the last two shotgun seasons. It's about a 150 yard gun with the 12" barrel and 1x eotech. Short and handy but not the easiest gun to shoot. Im planning on pinning a muzzle break making the barrel over 16" so i can add a stock and scope now that this law has passed. The LGS has been selling ruger (america?) bolt action .450 bushmasters for a fair price. I added some camo sponge work so it doesn't look so evil. The hardest part I have found about shooting these big heavy rounds is wind drift. A good stiff side wind and you would be surprised how far they drift at even 100 yards. The BDC reticles are great if they work for your chosen round but nothing makes up for practice and knowing your round/weapon of choice. I just hope people aren't jumping into these new rifles thinking they will automatically be able to make ethical kills at 250-300 yards. The 450 bushmaster with a 250gr hornady ftx will drift roughly 24"@250 and 36" @ 300 yards with a 15mph crosswind.
![102909-75bf5f5e0cd3b46277a60ab7e51b7174.jpg](http://[URL="https://www.iowawhitetail.com/forum/media/beo-small.110378/"][IMG]https://www.iowawhitetail.com/forum/data/xengallery/102/102909-75bf5f5e0cd3b46277a60ab7e51b7174.jpg)
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If there's one flatter than that, I haven't heard of it. Raptor needs to be handloaded at home, which, for many ain't that big of deal. I'd have no clue how to reload ammo as I've always been more of a bow guy and guns are just side entertainment.
I'm sure it's pretty simple though obviously. Raptor is on AR-10 platform, you buy brass and load em up. The ballistics are pretty incredible. Don't think you find a flatter round. If there is, Raptor is in top few for sure though. Another route to go that will get about the same results... There's a company, Trident, that makes high pressure AR-15's that can take +P hand loads on .450BM. Be back to reloading but the ballistics after that would be pretty close to .45 Raptor.
rutnstrut
PMA Member
I've been hunting with a .50 beowulf ar pistol for the last two shotgun seasons. It's about a 150 yard gun with the 12" barrel and 1x eotech. Short and handy but not the easiest gun to shoot. Im planning on pinning a muzzle break making the barrel over 16" so i can add a stock and scope now that this law has passed. The LGS has been selling ruger (america?) bolt action .450 bushmasters for a fair price. I added some camo sponge work so it doesn't look so evil. The hardest part I have found about shooting these big heavy rounds is wind drift. A good stiff side wind and you would be surprised how far they drift at even 100 yards. The BDC reticles are great if they work for your chosen round but nothing makes up for practice and knowing your round/weapon of choice. I just hope people aren't jumping into these new rifles thinking they will automatically be able to make ethical kills at 250-300 yards.
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Just a heads up... The gun youve legally been hunting with in past seasons is not legal anymore. Theyve added/hid new language that changes the legal description of a handgun legal to hunt with in Iowa... Ar-15 pistols and any other pistol with anything protruding behind the grip are now outlawed. Like I said in a previous post its tough to tell just how critical each and every DNR officer will be since most all handguns have something thats sticks out behind the grip be it a hammer, grip safety, or beavertail. But I am 100% positive that AR pistols are for at least this year not legal to hunt deer with as for any other handguns being legal or illegal well as usual the DNR wont make that clear theyll just keep it vague so they can use it how they feel fit for each and every situation
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GILLESPIE
Member
My beowulf pistol will soon be a rifle, but I dont see any wording changes to the handgun hunting regs for 2017-18. No shoulder stock, which when talking an AR-15 pistol, the buffer tube is not considered a stock. This is why they are registered as a pistol if you buy a complete gun. I also have a SIG arm brace for this gun but did/do not want the hassle of dealing with it if I were to run into a DNR officer while hunting. One of the many grey areas of our hunting/gun laws that alot of times ends up being up to the discretion of ill informed officers. Along the same lines with an AR as once a rifle always a rifle, but a pistol can be built into a rifle, and back to a pistol? Who knows? Grey areas for sure. Mine is getting a muzzle break pinned/welded as to be permanent, 17" barrel, so i can put it on a lower with an adjustable stock to make a much more comfortable gun to shoot. I may be wrong but i think the ruger american in 450 bushmaster may have a 14 or so inch barrel with a threaded on muzzle break to make it 16.2" barrel. I dont know how they can do this without it being permanent. Again, i could be wrong about that as i didnt measure but it looks pretty short.
Handguns/Rifles: Center-fire handguns .357
caliber or larger, and rifles shooting straight wall
ammunition with an expanding-type bullet. Minimum
barrel length for all handguns is 4 inches.
No shoulder stock or long barrel modifications
are allowed in late muzzleloader season.
Hunters age 16 and under may not use any
handguns. Hunters ages 17 through 20 must be
accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse
who is at least 21 years old to use a handgun.
The following center-fire cartridges may be
used, along with others not identified in this list
that meet the straight-walled cartridge criteria
in the next section below: .357 Magnum, .357
Maximum, .375 Winchester, .38 Super, .40 S&W,
.401 Powermag, 10 mm Auto, .41 Remington
Magnum, .41 Action Express, .44 S&W Special,
.44 Remington Magnum, .44 Automag, .444
Marlin, .445 Super Mag, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45
Super Mag, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Silhouette,
.450 Bushmaster, .451 Detonics, .454
Casull, .45-70 Govt., .460 Rowland, .460 S&W
Mag, .475 Widley Magnum, .475 Linebaugh,
.480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .50 Linebaugh,
.50 Beowulf and .500 S&W Mag.
Allowable Straight-walled Cartridge Criteria:
■■ Center-fired straight-walled rimless cartridges
chambered for handgun use with bullets from
0.357” to 0.500” diameter and a case length
from 0.850” to 1.800.”
■■ Center-fired straight-walled rimmed cartridges
chambered for handgun use with bullets from
0.357” to 0.500” diameter with a case length
from 1.285” to 1.800.”
Handguns/Rifles: Center-fire handguns .357
caliber or larger, and rifles shooting straight wall
ammunition with an expanding-type bullet. Minimum
barrel length for all handguns is 4 inches.
No shoulder stock or long barrel modifications
are allowed in late muzzleloader season.
Hunters age 16 and under may not use any
handguns. Hunters ages 17 through 20 must be
accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse
who is at least 21 years old to use a handgun.
The following center-fire cartridges may be
used, along with others not identified in this list
that meet the straight-walled cartridge criteria
in the next section below: .357 Magnum, .357
Maximum, .375 Winchester, .38 Super, .40 S&W,
.401 Powermag, 10 mm Auto, .41 Remington
Magnum, .41 Action Express, .44 S&W Special,
.44 Remington Magnum, .44 Automag, .444
Marlin, .445 Super Mag, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45
Super Mag, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Silhouette,
.450 Bushmaster, .451 Detonics, .454
Casull, .45-70 Govt., .460 Rowland, .460 S&W
Mag, .475 Widley Magnum, .475 Linebaugh,
.480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .50 Linebaugh,
.50 Beowulf and .500 S&W Mag.
Allowable Straight-walled Cartridge Criteria:
■■ Center-fired straight-walled rimless cartridges
chambered for handgun use with bullets from
0.357” to 0.500” diameter and a case length
from 0.850” to 1.800.”
■■ Center-fired straight-walled rimmed cartridges
chambered for handgun use with bullets from
0.357” to 0.500” diameter with a case length
from 1.285” to 1.800.”
rutnstrut
PMA Member
Ya convenient huh... They change the law and dont bother to add it to the published regulations. Trust me its in the Iowa code, it doesnt matter how its set up if its an AR pistol it isnt legal anymore. But feel free to call your local CO or email the DNR on their web page, thats where I got my answers
