The limit on barrel length is 12 inches (see below)

If you want to deer hunt, my suggestion is a 6" or 8" barrel. You get the maximum velocity out of a round with the longer barrel and they will be a bit more accurate. A 4 inch barrel works reasonably well out to about 25 yards and a 2" barrel is good for gunfights in an elevator. If I were going to try to take down a deer, personally, I would go with a minimum of a 6" barrel.



Sec. 26-82a. Private land revolver permit to hunt deer. Requirements. The commissioner shall issue, upon payment of a five-dollar fee, to the owner of ten or more acres of private land or a resident of this state, who has the consent of the owner of ten or more acres of private land, a private land revolver permit that allows the use of a revolver, as defined in section 29-27, to hunt deer from November first to December thirty-first, inclusive, pursuant to the bag limit established for a private land deer permit under subsection (a) of section 26-86a. Any person authorized to hunt deer by revolver pursuant to this section shall use a cartridge of .357 caliber or larger for such purpose.



Sec. 29-27. "Pistol" and "revolver" defined. The term "pistol" and the term "revolver", as used in sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, mean any firearm having a barrel less than twelve inches in length.

Just curious, why would a single shot not have been considered in this regulation???

Thank you very much for the information. I really appreciate it.

Update on my earlier entry.....

I spoke too soon. I honestly thought that the law originated from the Wildlife Division. Many times we are left out of the loop and only find out what the final laws/regulations are at the last minute.

As with us, this also happens to our Wildlife Division.

I have learned that the Wildlife Division had nothing to do with developing the controlling statute that permitted revolvers for deer hunting. The regulations were developed after they were handed the new law, which completed excluded the word "pistols" from the original version of the proposed legislation. From what I have been told, those debating the legislation wanted to ensure that deer hunters were not going to be using semi-automatic pistols. By removing the word "pistol", the legislation that passed completed excluded the most effective and accurate deer hunting handguns in the world in the opinion of many hunters, the single shot, break action pistols such as the TC Contender and Encore.

Most of our Wildlife biologists are hunters too and I am sure they would all agree that this should be changed, but the regulation can't be changed because it is controlled by state statute. Unfortunately in today's political environment when it comes to gun control vs gun rights, any mention of changing a law to "loosen" up the types of firers used would probably face an uphill battle.

Based on what I have learned, those in favor of changing the regulation would first need to change the statute. That's something that you would need to approach your state legislators about and gain their support for such a change. You might be able to get someone to sponsor a change for single shot, break action pistols as they don't have "large capacity" magazines and don't look like assault weapons. Gun control supporters may even support such a change as it would be allowing the use of a single shot weapon.

I apologize for any confusion!