Legal big game cartridges
Legal Big Game Rifle & Pistol Cartridges & Shotgun Shells
M.S.A 97B.031
At Least .23 caliber and case length of at least 1.285 inches
Legal Big Game Rifle Cartridges
* 6mm PPC
* 6mm Bench Rest Remington
* 240 Weatherby Magnum
* 240 Belted
* 242 Nitro
* 243 Winchester
* 243 WSSM
* 6mm Remington (244 Remington)
* 6mm Lee Navy
* 244 H & Magnum
* 25-20 Winchester (WCF)
* 25-25 Stevens
* 25-35 Winchester
* 25-36 Marlin
* 25 WSSM
* 25 STW
* 250 Savage (250-3000 Savage)
* 256 Newton
* 256 Winchester Magnum
* 257 Roberts
* 25 Remington
* 25-06 Remington
* 257 Weatherby Magnum
* 6.5mm TCU
* 6.5x50 Japanese Arisaka
* 6.5x52mm Carcano
* 6.5x53mm R
* 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer
* 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser
* 6.5 Grenel
* 6.5 Remington Magnum
* 260 Remington
* 264 Winchester Magnum
* 6.8x43mm Remington SPC
* 270 Winchester
* 270 WSM
* 270 Weatherby Magnum
* 275 H & H Magnum
* 280 Ross
* 280 Remington / 7mm Express Remington
* 7mm-08 Remington
* 7-30 Waters
* 7mm BR Remington
* 7mm TCU
* 7mm Mauser (7x57mm)
* 7.35mm Italian Carcano
* 7x61mm Sharpe & Hart Super
* 7x64mm Brenneke
* 7x65mm Argentina
* 7x72mm Rimmed
* 7.5x55mm Swiss Schmidt- Rubin
* 7.5x54 French MAS
* 7.62x39mm Russian
* 7.62x54mm Rimmed
* 7.65x53mm Mauser
* 7.9x57mm JR
* 7.73mm Vom Hofe
* 7.7x58mm Japanese Ariska
* 7mm STW
* 7mm WSM
* 7mm Weatherby Magnum
* 7mm Remington Magnum
* 284 Winchester
* 30 Newton
* 30 Remington
* 30 Herrett
* 30 M1 Carbine
* 30-30 Winchester
* 307 Winchester
* 308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO)
* 30-06 Springfield
* 30-40 Krag
* 300 Savage
* 300 Whisper
* 300 WSM
* 300 Remington SA Ultra Mag
* 300 Weatherby Magnum
* 300 Winchester Magnum
* 300 H&H Magnum
* 308 Norma Magnum
* 318 W-R
* 32 Remington
* 32 Winchester Self Loading
* 32-20 Winchester
* 32-40 Winchester
* 32 Winchester Special
* 325 WSM
* 33 Winchester
* 338 Remington Ultra Mag
* 338 Winchester Magnum
* 303 Savage
* 303 British
* 8mm Mauser (7.92 Mauser)
* 8mm Remington Magnum
* 8x51mm Lebel
* 8x58mm R Krag
* 8x15x46mm R
* 8x50mm R
* 9.3x72mm R
* 9.3x74 mm R
* 10.75x63mm
* 11mm Mauser
* 11mm Spanish
* 32 Winchester
* 32-20 Winchester
* 325 WSM
* 338 Winchester Magnum
* 340 Weatherby Magnum
* 348 Winchester
* 350 Remington Magnum
* 351 Winchester Self Loading (WSL)
* 35 Remington
* 35 Winchester
* 35 Whelen
* 356 Winchester
* 358 Winchester
* 350 Remington Magnum
* 358 Norma Magnum
* 375 Holland & Holland Magnum (H & H)
* 375 Weatherby Magnum
* 378 Weatherby Magnum
* 375 Winchester
* 38-40 Winchester
* 38-55 Winchester & Ballard
* 38-56 Winchester
* 38-72 Winchester
* 40-60 Winchester
* 40-72 Winchester
* 40-82 Winchester
* 401 Winchester Self Loading
* 405 Winchester
* 416 Rigby
* 416 Remington Magnum
* 416 Weatherby Magnum
* 44-40 Winchester
* 450 Nitro Express
* 450-400 3 1/4"
* 444 Marlin
* 45-70 U.S. Government
* 458 SOCOM
* 458 Winchester Magnum
* 460 Weatherby Magnum
* 465 Nitro Express
* 470 Nitro Express
* .50 Beowulf
* 50 Browning (50BMG)
* 50-75 Government
* 50-95 Winchester
* 50-100 Winchester
* 500 NE 3"
* 577 NE 3"
* 577 Snider
* 585 Nyati
* 700 Nitro Express
* 10 gauge Shotgun slug
* 12 gauge shotgun slug
* 16 gauge Shotgun slug
* 20 gauge Shotgun slug
* .410 gauge Shotgun slug
Muzzle-loader portion of 97B031
5. the muzzle-loader used is incapable of being loaded at the breech
6. the smooth bore muzzle-loader used is of at least .45 inches: and
7. the rifled muzzle-loader used is a caliber of at least .40 inches
Legal Big Game Pistol Cartridges
* 10 mm Automatic (shorter than 1.285" case but legal by statute 97B.031 subd.7c)
* 357 Herrett
* 357 Magnum
* 357 Remington Max
* 41 Remington Magnum
* 44 Remington Magnum
* 44 Auto Mag
* 440 Corbin Magnum
* 45 Colt (45 Long Colt)
* 45 Winchester Mag (legal by statute exemption, case is shorter than 1.285)
* 454 Casull
* 475 Linebaugh
* 460 S&W Magnum
* 480 Ruger
* 50 Action Express (legal by statute exemption, case is shorter than 1.285)
* 50 Alaskan
* 50-110
* 500 Smith & Wesson Magnum
Illegal Cartridges
* Caliber is either too small in diameter and or case length is too short.
Illegal Rimfire Cartridges
* 17 HMR
* 17 HMR Hornady Mach 2
* 22 Short Rimfire
* 22 Long rimfire
* 22 Long Rifle Rimfire
* 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR)
Illegal Centerfire Rifle Cartridges
* 17 Remington
* 204 Ruger
* 218 Bee
* 5.45 x 18mm Soviet
* 5.7 x 28mm FN
* 22 Hornet
* 22 PPC
* 220 Swift
* 222 Remington
* 222 Remington Magnum
* 223 Remington (5.56 NATO)
* 223 WSSM
* 22-250 Remington
* 224 Weatherby Magnum
* 225 Winchester
* 256 Winchester
* 7.62x25mm Russian Torarev
Illegal Centerfire Pistol Cartridges
* 221 Fireball
* 22 Remington Jet
* 25 Auto (.25ACP)
* 30 Luger ( 7.65mm)
* 32 Short Colt
* 32 Long Colt
* 32 Smith & Wesson
* 32 Smith & Wesson Long
* 32 Auto (.32ACP)
* 38 Short Colt
* 38 Long Colt
* 38 Smith & Wesson
* 380 Automatic
* 38 AMU
* 38 Special
* 38 Super Automatic
* 9mm x 18mm Makarov
* 9mm Luger
* 9mm Ultra
* 9mm Winchester Magnum
* 357 /.44 Bain & Davis
* 357 Sig Auto
* 40 Smith & Wesson Automatic
* 400 Corbon
* 44 Smith & Wesson Special
* 45 Auto (.45ACP)
* 45 Auto rim
* 45 Schofield
* 460 Rowland
Note: Bold print typically/originally a handgun cartridge.
The information on this list was compiled from the following sources:
* DNR list dated Sept. 15, 1982
* DNR list dated May 21, 2001
* Cartridges of the World 7th Edition
* NRA Firearms Fact Book 3rd Edition
* Sierra Bullets Technician Phone Line
* Winchester Ammunition 2005 Product Guide
Not all legal or illegal cartridges are included as there are many more obsolete or foreign cartridges as well as wildcat cartridges not listed.
Revised September 7, 2005
Ross M . Opsahl
Regional Training Officer/Conservation Officer
651-686-7998
Link to DNR page