I usually am really good at keeping up with hunting rules and regulation changes. But somehow I missed that Illinois will allow single shot rifles for firearm deer season beginning in 2023. We will be allowed to use bottle neck cartridges of 30 caliber or larger but the case length cannot exceed 1 and 2/5ths inches. Or straight walled cartridges of 30 cal or larger.

For you folks in states that have such a regulation, or any of you who hunt with rifles what would your recommendations be? No serious plans to switch to a rifle yet, but just getting information.

Stick with sabot slug and rifled barrel or a muzzleloader.

.45-70

Currently shooting sabots and happy with the performance. Just never know when and what ammo will be the next shortage. Just investigating options.

350 legend

I’ve used both a 45-70 and 450 bushmaster. I Like them both, but ammo is crazy expensive, especially for the 450. I’ve heard very good things about the 350 legend. It seems to be a very smooth shooting gun, and very accurate. I know plenty of people that swear by their 350s. I used to use slugs and sabots, but after using a straight wall, there was no going back.

Illinois used to have a case length limit. Not sure if is still the case.

How do they do past a 100 yards?

45/70 lead bullet no damage like case bullets

A good rifle shooting .45-70 is an easy 200 yard gun.
Zeroed differently it can be a 300 yard gun.
That is using Hornady LeverRevolution ammunition.

Complete list from the State website.

Type Case AKA Year Org RFL Muzzel Effective Max Rate Notes/Cautions/Test Load
/Caliber Made TST TST Energy Range Range
BBL BBL ft lbs Yards Yards
LEN LEN
Bottle Neck
.300 AAC Blackout 7.62x35mm 2009 16" 16" 1377 150 3500 E Hornady Black Vmax 110 grain
.300 Whisper 1990 16" 16" 1237 120 3500 E Black Hills Triple Shock 110 grain
.32-40 Winchester .32-40 Ballard 1884 20" 20" 786 50 3000 L 155 grain lead bullet
.357 Sig 9x22mm 1994 4" 16" 824 50 2400 L Federal Premium 125 grain JHP
7.92 x 33 mm Kurz 8x33mm Polte 1942 16.5" 16.5" 1391 150 3500 E Good luck finding non full metal jacket loads
38-40 Winchester 38-40 WCF, 38 WCF 1874 5.5" 24" 783 50 2400 L Buffalo Bore Heavy 180 grain, Cowboy loads too light
.429 Desert Eagle 2018 6" 1407 175 2500 E 240 grain bullet (NO RIFLE DATA)
.44-40 Winchester .44 WCF 1873 20" 20" 537 50 2000 L 200 grain lead bullet
Straight Wall
9x23 mm Winchester 9x23mm Comp 1995 5" 552 50 3400 L Buffalo Bore 147 grain JHP ( NO RIFLE DATA)
9mm Winchester Magnum 9x29mm 1970's 6" 12" 836 50 3700 L Reeds Ammunition 147 grain XTP (NO RIFLE DATA)
10mm S&W 10x25mm 1983 4.6" 16" 745 50 1760 L Winchester 175 grain Silvertip
.30 Carbine 7.62x30mm 1942 18" 18" 967 50 2600 L Remington Core Loct 110 grain SP
.327 Federal Magnum 2008 5.5" 16" 1018 50 2600 L American Eagle 100 grain JSP
.350 Legend 9x43mm 2019 20" 20" 1879 275 3800 E Federal Fusion 160 grain Bonded
.351 Winchester SL .351SL 1906 20" 20" 1080 75 3500 M Jamison 180 grain JFN
.356 TSW 1996 5" 654 50 2200 L Underwood 115 grain JHP/ NO RIFLE DATA
.357 S&W Magnum 9x33mmR 1934 4" 16" 1168 50 2700 M Federal 125 grain JHP
.357 Remington Maximum 1983 14" 16.25" 1667 200 2700 E Hornady 158 grain XTP
.375 Winchester 1970 20" 20" 2150 300 4000 E Winchester 220 grain PP
38-55 Winchester 38-55 Ballard 1876 26" 26" 987 200 2000 E Winchester 225 grain JSP
.40 S&W 10x22mm, 10mm Kurz 1990 4" 16" 714 50 2100 L Cor Bon 150 grain JHP
.405 Winchester .405WCF 1904 24" 24" 3224 550 3600 O Hornady Custom 300 grain
.41 Magnum 10.4x33mmR 1964 6.5" 16" 1357 125 2400 E Speer 210 grain HP
.44 Special 10.9x29mmR 1907 6" 16" 657 50 1900 L Cor Bon 165 grain JHP
.44 S&W Magnum 10.9x33mmR 1954 7.5" 16" 1397 175 2500 E Federal 240 grain Hydro Shock
.444 Marlin 10.9x57mmR 1964 24" 24" 3182 400 2550 E Hornady 265 grain Intrelock
.45 Raptor 2014 16" 16" 3330 300 3400 E Underwood 240 grain XTP JHP
.45 Wincherter Magnum 1977 5" 1307 150 2500 M Underwood 230 grain XTP JHP (NO RIFLE DATA)
.450 Bushmaster 2007 20" 20" 2687 350 3000 E Hornady 250 grain FTX
.450 Nitro Express .450 N.E. 3 1/4" 1898 24" 24" 4927 1200 4200 O Hornady 480 grain DGS
.45_70 Government 45-70 Springfield 1873 24" 24" 2886 500 3500 E Hornady 325 grain FTX
.454 Casull 1959 7.5" 20" 2580 250 3000 E Hornady 240 Grain XTP
.457 Wild West Guns 2001 16.5" 22" 3732 1000 3600 O Hodgon Handload Specs 350 Grain RN
.460 S&W Magnum 2005 8.375" 22" 3672 300 3000 E Hornady 200 grain FTX
.475 Linebaugh 1988 5.5" 22" 1999 350 3000 E Hornady 400 grain XTP Mag
.480 Ruger 2003 7.5" 22" 1734 250 3100 E Hornady 325 grain XTP Mag
.50 Action Express 1988 6" 16" 2236 300 3700 E Speer 325 grain GDHP
.50 Beowulf 12.7x44mm 2001 16" 16" 2437 300 3500 E Alexander Arms 350 grain Hornady XTP Mag
.50-70 50-70 Sharps 1866 28" 28" 1644 600 3400 O Ten X Cowboy 500 grain RNFP
.500 S&W Magnum 12.7x41mmSR 2003 8.375 18" 3536 400 3600 E Hornady 350 grain XTP Mag
.500 Nitro Express 3" .500 N.E. 3' or 3 1/4" 1890 24" 24" 5132 1500 4400 O Hornady 570 grain DGX
Rifle Only Needs 16" Barrel for Minimum Muzzle Energy
9mm Parabellum 9mm Luger, 9x19mm 1901 3.5" 16" 524 50 2700 L Speer SB 124 grain GDHP +P (Rifle Only)
.45 ACP 11.43x23mm 1904 5" 16" 588 50 2000 L Hornady 185 grain FTX (Rifle only)
.45 Long Colt 11.3x33mmR 1873 6" 16" 562 50 2100 L Federal 225 grain lead HP (Rifle only)

350 legend is good out to 200 yards

My 50-140 sharps would work!

That is a long list to choose from but my personal choice would be the .444 Marlin in a vintage JM. Mine took my first deer and many years later also took my best buck to date. 3 shot clover leafs at 100 yds from a lever gun is completely ridiculous but also common and mine has no problem doing it.

Do you load your ammo? How much do you like to shoot?

When they allowed us to use pistol cal rifles it was great for me. First I'm value oriented 2nd I like shooting more than 3 rounds a year to check zero with my deer guns.

A box of 50 357 mag bullets was 25 vs a box of 5 20g slugs were around 8 to 12. Recoil is much less and I have killed deer farther with the 357 carbine than I have with a shotgun. I also enjoy shooting my deer guns. Let's face it shooting 100 slugs in a session at different ranges is not what many would consider fun or cheap.
But it's both fun and cheap with our 357 carbines.

What your using works very well. But if you want to enjoy and shoot you deer gun more, shoot with less recoil cost and even gain some range then I would recommend something like a 350 legend if you buy your ammo or a 357 maximum if you load your own.

With this new law the case length limit is only on bottle neck cartridges and the limit is 1 and 2/5 inches.

Thanks for the info.
I dont reload except for a few shotgun loads. But Illinois nixed reloads with this law by stating it has to be a factory load with a published ballistics table

Thanks I should have put the link in my original post. I think it sayed in there that the list may not contain all legal options.

I've taken a couple of bears with a Ruger carbine in 44 Magnum. Also have a 45-70. Both are very effective cartridges.