what states have a weight limit on a hunting rifle

[ QUOTE ]
I know Idaho is 16lbs.max loaded ready to fire.

[/ QUOTE ]including bipod, sling, etc. But I wouldn't let 'em weigh it w/cartridges in mag and/or chamber....
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I know Idaho is 16lbs.max loaded ready to fire.

[/ QUOTE ]including bipod, sling, etc. But I wouldn't let 'em weigh it w/cartridges in mag and/or chamber....

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you and do you get away with it? What does the regualtion say about it?
Thanks!
 
The question that should be asked is, "What is the risk that a Fish & Game officer will even bother to check? It seems to me that these guys are checking for hunting licenses that are valid, whether or not deer tags are in order, and so forth. Besides, how many super-heavy bench rest rifles that weigh more than 16 pounds total would be used? But, maybe I am wrong....maybe there are more of these types of rifles than I would imagine. Are there? I know that I haven't seen anyone use one. My single-shot BR weighs in at 14 pounds, and that is with a 2 1/2 pound 8 x 40 scope.

If I had a rifle that weighed 16 pounds and were husky enough to drag it around for LR shooting, the last thing I would be concerned about would be getting checked by a game warden, unless the fine were so great that I would think twice about using the rifle. If the animals didn't wish to present themselves, I could always do some bench presses with the thing.
 
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What is the logic in a state putting a maximum weight limit on a hunting rifle?

It is an effort to eliminate the 50 cal for hunting because they think they are bad and have to
much range. (They have not seen some of the guys on this web site shoot with 338s).

Most 50s weigh at least that much or more.

It is just another back door way to regulate what we want to hunt with.

J E CUSTOM
 
The question that should be asked is, "What is the risk that a Fish & Game officer will even bother to check?

It kind of depends.

Some ***** walks through your shooting spot with a strange looking rifle set up and the next thing ya know there's a fish cop asking questions. (Another reason to set up more than a mile from a road even when you gun is @ 12 lbs. Who needs the hassel?

As far as rifles being inspected at weigh stations, I've never heard of it.

Thus when I set up on a logging road so something similar the rifle is setup on the bipod with a rain/dust cover completely covering it. The 30" fluted barrel w/the brake seems to attract attention.

If someone comes drifting along and a discussion ensues, the rifle is not discussed.
 
A few years back, when we were going to hunt Idaho, I talked a few times with one of the Fish and Wildlife guys in the area where we planned to hunt.

Two of the things we talked about, besides game, populations, etc. etc. were the weight of the gun and the law about electronics in the scope.

I asked him about what would happen if I used a NF scope but removed the battery. His reply was that typically it would be left up to the discretion of the officer that would be involved in an inspection of the scope, if that would even happen. He said that as far as he was personally concerned, that he would fine me even if the scope had no battery as the "electronics" were still there.

When asked about the weight of the gun he hesitated and I asked him if the law was put in because of the 50 cals and he said that he didn't make the law but that was his personal understanding. He also said that if I had an otherwise legal gun that was not a 50 BMG that he wouldn't be concerned about the gun as long as it could be carried in a normal manner. He went on to say, kinda off the record, that the only type of gun he would be concerned with when looking at the weight limit would be a 50 BMG or an obviously purpose built bench type of gun and not one configured in a normal hunting fashion.

I took my chances and hunted several times with the scope and no battery and also with a gun that weighed over 16# and was never checked, not even at a checking station along the highway. They were only interested in the animals, legal licenses and tags and never once said anything about guns.

Now the scope with an iluminated reticle is not an issue but the weight of the gun still could be.

However, given what the officer originally told me, you would be taking your chances depending upon who the particular officer was that checked you.

I will say however, that outside of the discussion about scopes and weights, the Fish and Wildlife officer I talked with was extremely helpful and gave me a LOT of information and went out of his way to answer any questions and provide me with any help I needed.
 
Maybe they are starting at the top and working their way down. The .50, then the .458, then the .416, then the .375, then the .338. It'll probably end with the BB gun. Believe me, I am not laughing, although the jokesters in Congress such as Nancy Pelosi (how did this lunatic get elected as Speaker of the House ??---) and Harry Reid will continue their ceaseless campaign. Oh yeah, forgot about our newest member of the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, Obama's darling.
 
I'm from the uk and wondered what the weight limit was all about? over here we have some of the stupidest laws in the world but this is a new one to me.

we can shoot roe deer in scotland with a .223 but cross the border into england and suddenly the same deer are much harder to kill so by law the minimum calibre we can use is .243? go figure?
 
A few years back, when we were going to hunt Idaho, I talked a few times with one of the Fish and Wildlife guys in the area where we planned to hunt.

Two of the things we talked about, besides game, populations, etc. etc. were the weight of the gun and the law about electronics in the scope.

I asked him about what would happen if I used a NF scope but removed the battery. His reply was that typically it would be left up to the discretion of the officer that would be involved in an inspection of the scope, if that would even happen. He said that as far as he was personally concerned, that he would fine me even if the scope had no battery as the "electronics" were still there.

When asked about the weight of the gun he hesitated and I asked him if the law was put in because of the 50 cals and he said that he didn't make the law but that was his personal understanding. He also said that if I had an otherwise legal gun that was not a 50 BMG that he wouldn't be concerned about the gun as long as it could be carried in a normal manner. He went on to say, kinda off the record, that the only type of gun he would be concerned with when looking at the weight limit would be a 50 BMG or an obviously purpose built bench type of gun and not one configured in a normal hunting fashion.

I took my chances and hunted several times with the scope and no battery and also with a gun that weighed over 16# and was never checked, not even at a checking station along the highway. They were only interested in the animals, legal licenses and tags and never once said anything about guns.

Now the scope with an iluminated reticle is not an issue but the weight of the gun still could be.

However, given what the officer originally told me, you would be taking your chances depending upon who the particular officer was that checked you.

I will say however, that outside of the discussion about scopes and weights, the Fish and Wildlife officer I talked with was extremely helpful and gave me a LOT of information and went out of his way to answer any questions and provide me with any help I needed.

I'm pretty sure that Idaho is OK with illuminated reticles. They ban range-finding rifle scopes from my understanding.
 
The law was to limit 50BMG's. There was a group of people that got caught shooting at game out to about a mile and they wounded numerous animals and never went to check if they hit them.
 
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