Anybody ever use an AR pistol for deer season? In a caliber like a 350 legend, 450 bushmaster or 45 raptor? Pro's or Con's. Legal to shoulder it with the pistol brace? Accuracy ? Etc.

A couple guys I work with have 308 ar pistols and really like them. Here in Minnesota the ar pistols are legal in our shotgun zones. They shoot 200 yards easy I hear. I have heard some guys like the 300 blackout for deer hunting. Just something to look at if your going to look into getting one.

I have friends that shoot the 300 blackout and do very well with that round. as far as shouldering that brace, the only way youll be safe is to check with the C.O. where you hunt. if you shoulder it, it becomes a shoulder arm, and no longer a handgun, and requires a 16" barrel. (this is how a lot of LEO's interpret the law) depending on the officer, you could be charged with a federal crime. the minn DNR has been looking into this issue, and may outlaw this pistol/brace combo for deer here. 2 different C.O.'s have told me this, and warned me to bear that in mind before I buy.

I don't understand why. Is there a law about having to use a pistol where you are ??? Other than that, why sacrifice the velocity of a longer barrel and the accuracy of a proper stock ?

scuba,,,in the open country of Minnesota,. deer hunters are restricted to shotgun slugs or large caliber handguns only. no high powers due to the open and inhabited country side. the AR pistol, with the above mentioned brace, can be shot as a rifle, by shouldering the brace. the legality of that is what is in question. as I understand it, the intended purpose of the brace was to assist hunters who are in some way handicapped, but the brace is being misused as a shoulder stock by many hunters, and this abuse may cause the loss of the brace for those who are truly handicapped, here in Minnesota.

Thanks you for clearing that up. It sure had this old guy confuddled

Stay below 13.5" and according to ATF, it's okay to shoulder a Shockwave Blade.

There is no gray area when using the shockwave brace. It has to be fixed and not quick ajustment. And cartridge that fits a AR platform is legal in MN as the AR is concidered a handgun in the state.

we hunt a shotgun and pistol only township in WI.

several years ago the entire state of WI went rifle , previously there had been many counties or deer management zones that were shotgun and pistol only.

we my self and my father have built and successfully hunted now for a few years with AR pistols.

pre 2017 we kept the brace no longer than the buffer tube , my dad still runs his this way as he uses it because of shoulder and neck issues , he is also very recoil sensitive.he has some foam and wrap to get him a cheek weld on the brace but he does not shoulder it.

he has taken deer the last 2 years he had not taken a deer in probably 7 years prior. he shot an 870 and I would check zero for him pre season and he often didn't even take a shot .

he was rear ended on the way to deer camp 2015 and missed season and had shoulder surgery in 2016 that didn't go well and kept him home but 2017 and 2018 he shot nice deer opening day , both neck shots , both one shot and dead right there never took a step.

we are actually running 16 inch barrels on pistol lowers built from "Other" stripped receivers . I studied the applicable law both federal and Wisconsin and this fits in the federal definition of Firearm as they are longer than 26 inches but the WI definition of handgun as it states no maximum barrel length only a minimum. this was done for cost and velocity and also because when we leave that one township the upper may be attached to a rifle lower and used that way.

for those of you who are concerned that shouldering a brace may lead to braces not being allowed , that is plain stupid .
Not your fear of it that may happen that may well be justified , but it won't be because people shouldered them it will very plain and simple be government overreach.

riddle me this , you allow a handgun caliber say 308 Winchester in a handgun , but allowing that person to better control and fire just a single round hitting exactly what they were aiming VS forcing them to have LESS control over it and spray rounds at the target what is the greater danger you already allow them the caliber.

the only thing that forcing shotgun and pistol only does is make sure the user of anything besides a shotgun is over the age of 18 the minimum age to hunt with a pistol/handgun in WI

the prohibition of SBR is nothing more than unwarranted fear mongering. people in power in 1934 afraid of a concealable firearm with accuracy. wouldn't not spraying rounds be better ? I would rather one criminal hit the other leaving one less criminal and no bi-standards shot.

over 26 inches it doesn't even meet the definition of concealable.

this is where I should also point out that Green county WI used to be shotgun and pistol and that some people were concerned when the county went rifle. However the sheriff department saw a noticeable decrease in the number of buildings , farm equipment and vehicles shot. because people respected the range of the rifle and hit what they were aiming at. the number of shots to kill a deer went down.

the idea that shouldering an arm , with more control is more dangerous is ludicrous , and just unwarranted fear about something they understand nothing about.

Here is something I found posted on a .350 Legend page. They messaged the Iowa DNR about using 350 legend AR pistols for deer hunting.

the ATF has gone back and forth a bit on the shouldering of braces

last I heard as of April 2017 it is legal to shoulder a brace federally. this would likely change with a change in administration

link to the letter on sig brace https://www.sigsauer.com/press-releases/atf-clarifies-ruling-pistol-stabilizing-braces/

proving once again asking a cop or warden is not a good way to get the actual law since the letter saying shouldering was ok is dates April 2017 and Saami didn't accept the 350 legend as a cartridge till January of 2019

if asked you pushed it off your shoulder 0.001" before pulling the trigger , I know you felt that release of pressure before you squeezed the trigger so you could keep it legal no matter the admin.

arcman,,,its not a ATF agent that will be checking your weapon while youre in the field. itll be your iowa dnr. according to the response from the iowa dnr, that you posted above, their stance is clear, and that's obviously EXACTLY what their officers are taught to enforce. like I said above, check with the C.O. that youll be dealing with personally, before testing the theory of the legality of shouldering the brace.

the feds or the ATF doesn't make regulations for whats required or allowed in individual states, in regard to game laws. that's up to the individual states DNR. the iowa DNR's stance is made clear in the above post.