Pistol calibre rifle?

[conty1]

Now the local range I go shoot my handgun at, allows 'pistol calibre rifles'. I sort of understand what that means but just want a formal confirmation so let me know whatever you know about that term.

And also, now that I have a couple of shotguns and a handgun, I am interested in buying a rifle. I would likely get a rifle that I can shoot at my local range with, but also something that I can hunt with. Cheap ammo would be nice.

Thanks,
Amit

[eljefe]

Sounds like your range is ok for a 45 Thompson?

'Pistols' in US might go upto 500 Linebaugh or 460 S&W?
Mehul / Mark, any help?
Till then, Hang in there Conty
Best
Axx

[conty1]

Thanks Asif... but wow... it must be like 1 AM in Noida now... Insomniac or just a night owl?

Amit

[eljefe]

bit of both Amit !

[Grumpy]

"'Pistols' in US might go upto 500 Linebaugh or 460 S&W?"

Yeah, they might - but there aren`t too many rifles that are chambered for them. I somehow doubt that ranges would be too impressed with rifles shooting such calibres.......including the .500 S&W.

`Pistol Calibre Rifles` are mostly lever action and single shot rifles like the H&R `Toppers` and Rossi `Pombas` chambered for the .357 mag and .44 mag.
As far as hunting is concerned you`re pretty well limited to the .44 mag. The extra barrel length allows for somewhat greater velocity than from a revolver but even so 100 yards ought to be considered absolute maximum range.
We have some ranges in the UK that are subject to the same restrictions which means that any such rifle is limited to short range vermin control or Rabbiting/Foxing because they don`t make enough energy to be legal for Deer hunting in the UK.

[mehulkamdar]

Amit,

My apologies first as I couldn;t take your call. Will call you tomorrow, certainly.

BTW are you looking for a semi auto PCR or a levergun?

Grumpy,

Hardly had the 500 S&W and the 460 come out than custom leverguns were offered for these chamberings. You now have Rossi leverguns in these calibres available off the shelf and there are rumours that Marlin are going to offer them as well. Amit and I have shot together at the range that he just mentioned. They do allow the 500, 460, 480 Ruger etc to be shot over there. Strange, becaue you cannot shoot a 223 rifle if you want to for some reason.

Cheers!

[eljefe]

There was a steel shooter in the 80's (forget his name) who preceeded the big bore handgunners by 2 decades.He had a T/C made in full house 458Win Mag cal and used it in matches.Of course the rams and chickens stood no chance...

[mehulkamdar]

Asif,

Gunsmiths like Lee Jurras and J D Jones and some others have been hot rodding the Contender and Encore frames for a long time chambering it even in 600 Nitro Express and 460 Weatherby. What the point is, only they and their clients know. That said, both these gentlemen have developed some Contender and Encore specific rounds which exploit the pistols' performance to a maximum. Check out www.sskindustries.com

Cheers!

[eljefe]

Yes Mehul, Jurras and JDJ have been prominent in big bore ballistics.
The JDJ whisper, mentioned by you in another post, is a nice rethink on an important application.
Best
Axx

[Grumpy]

If the range allows the use of the .460 and .500 S&W and the .480 Ruger from rifles the restriction is ridiculous.......it`ll allow Amit a much better hunting rifle calibre though. It might be some local ordinance that was drafted long before those big bruiser pistol calibres were developed.

[mehulkamdar]

Grumpy,

In Wisconsin, only one county, Shawano allows hunting deer with rifles. But every county allows you to use a Thompson Center Encore with 30-06, 270 or whatever other rifle calibre you would like to use. Does make you wonder about the laws until you hark back to the Pickwick papers and Dickens' immortal observations, "The law is an ass," and, "the law is an idiot."