Straight-Wall Cartridge States: Deer Rifle Rules in All 50 States

Which states limit deer rifles to straight-wall cartridges, which do not allow rifles at all, and what every state allows, from each state wildlife agency's 2026 regulations.

Straight-wall only

Delaware and Ohio

Statewide rule for deer rifles. Delaware applies it south of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.

No rifles for deer

Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island

Shotguns, muzzleloaders and archery only.

Straight-wall rules in part of a state

Pennsylvania: straight-walled centerfire cartridges only in the Special Regulations Areas (Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties). Statewide, only manually operated rifles are legal; Philadelphia County is bows and crossbows only.
Maryland: straight-walled cartridge rifles and handguns in a list of 12 counties, parts of Worcester County and part of Frederick County.
New Hampshire: in listed towns of Belknap, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham and Strafford counties, rifles only in straight-walled pistol cartridges .357 or larger.
Arkansas: during the alternative firearms season, non-semiautomatic straight-wall cartridges .30 caliber or larger.
Iowa: straight-wall and necked-down rifles from .350 to .500 caliber in the youth, disabled and shotgun seasons.

What changed for 2026

Michigan: the Limited Firearms Deer Zone was eliminated. All legal firearms, including bottleneck cartridges, are allowed throughout the Lower Peninsula.
Minnesota: the shotgun-only zone was eliminated. Rifles are allowed statewide except in counties that adopt a shotgun-only ordinance.
Tennessee: straight-walled cartridges became legal during gun season starting Aug. 1, 2026.
Illinois: from Jan. 1, 2027, centerfire rifles change from single-round to 3-round capacity.

Deer rifle rules by state

State	Rule type	What is allowed
Alabama	Rifles allowed	Rifles and handguns using centerfire, mushrooming ammunition during gun deer season. No minimum rifle caliber. Details and source Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller with buckshot, slugs or single round ball. Muzzleloaders .40 caliber or larger and pre-charged pneumatic air guns .30 caliber or larger. Fully automatic firearms prohibited. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Alaska	Rifles allowed	Rifles and pistols using centerfire cartridges, shotguns or muzzleloaders. Rimfire firearms are not legal for big game. Details and source The only rimfire exception is for swimming caribou in Units 23 and 26. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Arizona	Rifles allowed	General hunts: any firearm as prescribed in Commission rule R12-4-304. Details and source Muzzleloader hunts are limited to muzzleloading weapons, crossbows or bows; archery-only hunts to bows and arrows. Deer hunting requires a permit-tag from the draw for most hunts. Firearm specifics are set in rule R12-4-304. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Arkansas	Rifles allowed	Modern gun season: rifles and handguns except rimfire and centerfire under .22 caliber. Alternative firearms season: non-semiautomatic straight-wall .30 caliber or larger. Details and source Handguns need a barrel of at least 4 inches. Alternative firearms season also allows muzzleloading rifles .40 caliber or larger with an 18-inch barrel and large bore air rifles .40 caliber or larger; shotguns with slugs are not allowed in that season. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
California	Rifles allowed	Centerfire rifles with softnose or expanding projectiles. Nonlead ammunition required statewide. Details and source Centerfire pistols and revolvers with softnose or expanding projectiles may also be used for deer. Shotguns may hold no more than three shells and fire single slugs. Nonlead ammunition has been required for all hunting with a firearm since July 1, 2019. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Colorado	Caliber or cartridge limits	Centerfire rifles .24 caliber or larger with expanding bullets of at least 70 grains. Semiautomatics limited to 6 rounds. Details and source The 1,000 foot-pound energy rule applies to elk and moose, not deer. Handguns need a barrel of at least 4 inches and a .24 caliber or larger expanding bullet with at least 550 foot-pounds at 50 yards. Fully automatic rifles prohibited. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Connecticut	Private land only	Centerfire rifles 6mm (.243) or larger on private land of at least 10 acres with landowner consent. State land: shotguns and muzzleloaders only. Details and source Revolvers .357 caliber or larger under the same private land conditions, with a Revolver Deer Endorsement. On state land, shotguns 12, 16 or 20 gauge holding no more than 3 shells, plus muzzleloaders. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Delaware	Straight-wall only	Straight-wall cartridges .30 to .50 caliber only, not north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Details and source Case length 1.25 to 1.82 inches (1.29 inches minimum for .38 caliber). Legal in the November and January general firearm (shotgun) seasons and the January handgun and straight-walled pistol-caliber rifle season. No more than three cartridges in the chamber and magazine combined. Some public lands restrict these rifles. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Florida	Rifles allowed	Rifles allowed. Rimfire cartridges prohibited for deer. Details and source Centerfire semiautomatic rifles with magazines holding more than five rounds prohibited. Nonexpanding full metal case ammunition prohibited for deer. Muzzleloaders firing single bullets must be .30 caliber or larger. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Georgia	Rifles allowed	Centerfire only, .22 caliber or larger, with expanding bullets, during the firearms season. Details and source All weapons legal in the archery and primitive weapons seasons may also be used during the firearms season. Counties with extended seasons are listed in the 2026-27 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Hawaii	Energy minimum	Without dogs, rifles must have a muzzle energy of at least 1,200 foot-pounds. Details and source With dogs, where permitted, any rifle with at least a .22 Magnum load or any centerfire cartridge. Muzzleloading rifles must be .45 caliber or larger. Breech loaders may not be used during muzzleloader-only hunts. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Idaho	Rifles allowed	Rimfire rifles and rimfire handguns are prohibited for big game. No minimum caliber. Details and source Firearms weighing more than 16 pounds are prohibited. Shotgun shot smaller than 00 buck is prohibited. Some units and wildlife management areas are limited to short-range weapons. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Illinois	Caliber or cartridge limits	Single-shot rifles: straight-walled .30 caliber or larger, or bottleneck .30 caliber or larger with a case no longer than 1.4 inches. Details and source Legal since Jan. 1, 2023. Cartridges must be factory loads with at least 500 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. Full-metal jacket bullets are prohibited. From Jan. 1, 2027, centerfire rifles and centerfire handguns other than revolvers change from a single-round to a 3-round capacity. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Indiana	Rifles allowed	Centerfire rifles with a bullet diameter of at least .219 inch, on public and private land. Details and source Full-metal jacketed bullets are illegal. A hunter may carry no more than 10 of each cartridge type. Handguns need a barrel of at least 4 inches, a bullet diameter of at least .234 inch and a case length of at least 1.16 inch, except 10 mm Auto and .40 S&W. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Iowa	Caliber or cartridge limits	Straight-wall and necked-down rifles .350 to .500 caliber, in the youth, disabled and shotgun seasons. Details and source Expanding bullet of at least .350 and no greater than .500 inch, with at least 500 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. Examples: .35 Whelen, .350 Legend, .45-70 Govt, .500 S&W. Handguns with a barrel of at least 4 inches are allowed in the same seasons. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Kansas	Rifles allowed	Centerfire rifles and handguns that are not fully automatic, with solid lead or expanding bullets. Details and source Shotguns of any gauge firing slugs. Muzzleloader permit holders may only use muzzleloading (.40 inch bullet or larger) or archery equipment. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Kentucky	Rifles allowed	Any caliber centerfire rifle or handgun. Magazines limited to 10 rounds. Details and source Full metal jacketed and tracer ammunition prohibited. No fully automatic firearms. Shotguns no larger than 10 gauge with slugs only. Firearms deer hunting is prohibited on some state-owned or managed WMAs. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Louisiana	Rifles allowed	Centerfire .22 caliber or larger. Rimfire smaller than .30 caliber prohibited. Handguns allowed. Details and source Primitive firearms season: muzzleloading rifles or pistols .44 caliber minimum, shotguns 10 gauge or smaller, and single-shot breech-loading rifles or pistols .35 caliber or larger with metallic cartridges. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Maine	Rifles allowed	Rifles allowed with no minimum caliber. .17 and .22 rimfire prohibited for deer, except .22 Magnum. Details and source Autoloaders must be limited to 5 cartridges in the magazine. Tracer and explosive bullets prohibited. Some cities and towns restrict firearm discharge by local ordinance. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Maryland	Limited in some areas	Rifles allowed; under .30 caliber they need at least 1,200 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. In listed counties, rifles and handguns with straight-walled cartridges may be used. Details and source Counties listed for straight-walled cartridge rifles and handguns: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Charles, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Talbot, and specific areas of Worcester. A described portion of Frederick County west of the Monocacy River also allows straight-walled cartridge rifles. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Massachusetts	No rifles	Rifles and handguns are not allowed for deer. Shotguns in the shotgun season, muzzleloaders in the primitive firearms season. Details and source Shotguns up to 10 gauge, rifled barrels allowed. Primitive firearms season: shoulder-fired muzzleloaders .44 to .775 caliber with a barrel of 18 inches or more, single projectile only. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Michigan	Rifles allowed	Limited Firearms Deer Zone eliminated for 2026. All legal firearms, including bottleneck cartridges, allowed throughout the Lower Peninsula. Details and source Change approved by the Natural Resources Commission in May 2026. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Minnesota	Limited in some areas	Shotgun-only zone eliminated for 2026. Rifles allowed statewide except in counties with a shotgun-only ordinance. Details and source Counties with a shotgun-only ordinance as of May 5, 2026: Brown, Clay (part), Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Houston, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Nobles, Pope, Rock, Watonwan and Wilkin (part). More counties may adopt one; check with the county. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Mississippi	Rifles allowed	No caliber or magazine capacity restrictions on firearms during gun seasons. Details and source Primitive weapon season: single-shot, breech-loading metallic cartridge rifles .35 caliber or larger, and single or double-barreled muzzleloading rifles of at least .38 caliber. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Missouri	Rifles allowed	Centerfire rifles and handguns with expanding bullets in the youth, November and antlerless portions. No centerfire rifles in the alternative methods portion. Details and source Self-loading firearms holding more than 11 cartridges in the magazine and chamber combined are prohibited. Shotguns with slugs only. Full hard metal case bullets and buckshot are prohibited. Local ordinances may prohibit additional methods. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Montana	Limited in some areas	No rifle or handgun caliber limit and no magazine limit. Some hunting districts have weapons restriction areas. Details and source Rifles, handguns, shotguns with 0, 00 or slugs, and muzzleloaders are lawful for game animals. In weapons restriction areas, hunting may be limited to archery, shotgun, traditional handgun or muzzleloader; traditional handguns must chamber a straight-wall cartridge not originally developed for rifles. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Nebraska	Energy minimum	Rifles of at least .22 caliber delivering at least 900 foot-pounds of energy at 100 yards. Details and source Handguns: .357 Magnum or .45 Colt, at least 400 foot-pounds at 50 yards. Shotguns 20 gauge or larger firing a single slug. Muzzleloading rifles .44 caliber or larger. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Nevada	Caliber or cartridge limits	Centerfire rifles .22 to .50 caliber, with a case no longer than 3 inches. Rimfire not legal for big game. Details and source Handguns must use a centerfire cartridge .22 caliber or larger with a barrel of at least 4 inches. Fully automatic firearms prohibited. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
New Hampshire	Limited in some areas	Rifles allowed; rimfire prohibited for deer. In listed towns of five counties, rifles only in straight-walled pistol cartridges .357 or larger. Details and source Semiautomatic rifles may be loaded with no more than six cartridges. The town restrictions apply in Belknap, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham and Strafford counties, where deer may be hunted only with bow, crossbow, shotgun, air rifle, muzzleloading rifle, straight-walled pistol cartridge rifles .357 or larger, and handguns .327 Federal Magnum or .357 Magnum and larger. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
New Jersey	No rifles	No centerfire rifles for deer. Shotguns 10 to 20 gauge and muzzleloading rifles .44 caliber or larger. Details and source Legal firearms are bows, muzzleloaders and shotguns, by season. Shotguns hold no more than three shells. Muzzleloading rifles must be single-shot, .44 caliber or larger, with black powder or equivalents only. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
New Mexico	Rifles allowed	Centerfire firearms .22 caliber or larger. Rifles and shotguns must be designed to be fired from the shoulder. Details and source Big-game sporting arms also include muzzleloaders .45 caliber or larger and shotguns .410 or larger firing a single slug. Each hunt code authorizes specific arm types. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
New York	Limited in some areas	Rifles allowed in most of the state. Not allowed in Erie (most), Monroe, Dutchess, Putnam and Rockland counties, and bow or crossbow only in Westchester, Suffolk and part of Albany. Details and source From the DEC 2026-27 legal implements map. Rifles also may not be used in the part of Chautauqua County north of Route 20, the City of Binghamton, and the cities of Lockport, Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda. Nassau County, New York City and other listed areas are closed to big game hunting. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
North Carolina	Limited in some areas	Rifles allowed, except fully automatic. Local laws prohibit or restrict rifles in some counties. Details and source Handguns may be used during the gun season with no barrel length or caliber restriction. Shotguns no larger than 10 gauge. During the blackpowder season only blackpowder shotguns, rifles and handguns. County restrictions are listed in the Local Laws section of the North Carolina regulations digest. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
North Dakota	Rifles allowed	Centerfire rifles of .22 caliber or larger, designed to be fired from the shoulder. Details and source Muzzleloading rifles .45 caliber or larger. Handguns at least .35 caliber with a barrel of at least 4 inches. Full-metal jacketed bullets prohibited. Some posted and wildlife management areas are closed to centerfire rifles. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Ohio	Straight-wall only	Straight-walled cartridge rifles .357 to .50 caliber only. Details and source During the gun and youth gun seasons. Handguns must have a barrel of at least 5 inches and fire straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger. Shotguns and straight-walled rifles may hold no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Oklahoma	Rifles allowed	Centerfire rifles and handguns firing at least a 55-grain soft-nosed or hollow-point bullet. Details and source No minimum rifle caliber is set. Muzzleloader season: muzzleloading rifles or pistols .40 caliber or larger, or muzzleloading shotguns 20 gauge or larger firing a single slug. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Oregon	Rifles allowed	Centerfire rifles and handguns of .22 caliber or larger. .22 rimfire prohibited. Details and source Semiautomatic rifles with a magazine capacity greater than five cartridges prohibited. The .24 caliber minimum applies to elk, bighorn sheep and mountain goat, not deer. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Pennsylvania	Limited in some areas	Manually operated centerfire rifles only (pump, lever, bolt or single-shot); no semiautomatic rifles. Straight-walled cartridges only in the Special Regulations Areas. Details and source Regular firearms season: manually operated centerfire rifles and handguns with all-lead bullets or bullets designed to expand, semiautomatic centerfire shotguns firing single projectiles, muzzleloaders .44 caliber or larger. Special Regulations Areas (Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties): manually operated rifles and handguns chambered for straight-walled centerfire cartridges. Philadelphia County: bows and crossbows only. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Rhode Island	No rifles	Shotguns (10, 12, 16 or 20 gauge) and muzzleloaders .45 caliber or larger. Rifles and handguns are not among the legal deer firearms. Details and source Shotguns plugged to hold no more than five shells, single projectile only; buckshot banned. Some islands and areas are archery only. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
South Carolina	Rifles allowed	Centerfire weapons are big game weapons. On WMAs, .22 or smaller rimfire is prohibited for big game. Details and source On WMAs, armor-piercing, tracer, incendiary and full metal bullets are prohibited for big game, and buckshot is prohibited during still gun hunts for deer in Game Zones 3 and 4. Statewide, deer may not be hunted with a firearm within 300 yards of a residence without permission. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
South Dakota	Energy minimum	Rifle ammunition rated for at least 1,000 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle, with soft-point or expanding bullets. Details and source Handgun ammunition at least 500 foot-pounds at the muzzle. Shotgun slugs at least half an ounce; buckshot prohibited. Muzzleloading rifles .44 caliber or larger. Centerfire rifles are prohibited on some Game Production Areas, including Lechtenberg GPA in Hand County. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Tennessee	Rifles allowed	Centerfire rifles and handguns, plus single-shot straight-wall rifles .35 caliber or larger. Rimfire not legal for deer. Details and source Full metal jacketed ammunition prohibited. Starting Aug. 1, 2026, straight-walled cartridges are legal during gun season. Wildlife Management Areas may have additional restrictions. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Texas	Rifles allowed	Any legal firearm except rimfire. No cartridge type or magazine limits. Details and source Rimfire ammunition of any caliber may not be used for white-tailed deer or mule deer. Muzzleloader deer seasons are restricted to muzzleloading firearms. No limit on the number of cartridges a legal firearm may hold. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Utah	Rifles allowed	Rifles must fire centerfire cartridges with expanding bullets. No minimum rifle caliber. Details and source Handguns at least .24 caliber, centerfire, expanding bullet. Shotguns 20 gauge or larger with slugs or 00 or larger buckshot. Muzzleloaders at least .40 caliber. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Vermont	Rifles allowed	Rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader or handgun allowed in the regular season. No caliber limit. Details and source Autoloading rifles limited to 6 cartridges in the magazine, except .22 rimfire. Handguns may be used wherever a rifle may be used. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Virginia	Limited in some areas	Rifles .23 caliber or larger. Some counties and cities restrict rifles by local ordinance. Details and source Pistols must also produce at least 350 foot-pounds of energy. DWR keeps the list of local firearms ordinances at dwr.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations/local-ordinances/. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Washington	Caliber or cartridge limits	Centerfire rifles .24 caliber (6mm) or larger. Rimfire not legal for big game. Firearm restriction areas in many counties. Details and source Handguns need a barrel of at least 4 inches and a .24 caliber or larger centerfire cartridge. Shotguns 20 gauge or larger with slugs or size #1 or larger buckshot. In firearm restriction areas, modern firearm hunters may use only bows, crossbows, muzzleloaders, revolver-type handguns, semiautomatic handguns .40 (10mm) or larger, or shotguns; the areas by county are listed on page 80 of the pamphlet. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
West Virginia	Rifles allowed	Rifles allowed. Prohibited: rimfire rifles under .25 caliber and fully automatic firearms. Details and source Shotguns may not use ammunition with more than one solid ball. Air rifles under .45 caliber or with bullets under 200 grains are prohibited. Green Bottom WMA is limited to bows, crossbows and muzzleloaders. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Wisconsin	Rifles allowed	Rifles are a legal weapon statewide. Deer ammunition must be a single projectile of expanding design. Details and source Rifles need an overall length of at least 26 inches and a barrel of at least 16 inches. Machine guns and fully automatic weapons prohibited. Muzzleloaders may be used statewide during any firearm deer season; during the muzzleloader-only season only muzzle-loaded firearms are legal. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Wyoming	Caliber or cartridge limits	Centerfire rifles of at least .22 caliber (not .22 Hornet), with a cartridge at least 2 inches long and a bullet of at least 60 grains. Details and source Other cartridges must be at least .35 caliber and 1.5 inches long. Expanding point bullets required. Muzzleloaders at least .40 caliber with at least 50 grains of black powder or equivalent. Shotguns with 00 or larger buckshot or slugs. Official source. Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Which states require straight-wall cartridges for deer?

Delaware and Ohio limit deer rifles to straight-walled cartridges. Several other states require them only in certain areas, including the Special Regulations Areas in Pennsylvania, listed counties in Maryland and listed towns in New Hampshire.

Which states do not allow rifles for deer hunting?

Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island do not allow rifles for deer, other than muzzleloading rifles. Hunters use shotguns, muzzleloaders and archery equipment.

What is a straight-wall cartridge?

A cartridge whose case has nearly the same diameter from the base to the mouth, with no shoulder or bottleneck. Examples named in state rules include the .350 Legend, .360 Buckhammer, .450 Bushmaster, .44 Magnum and .45-70 Government.

Did any states change their deer rifle rules for 2026?

Yes. Michigan eliminated its Limited Firearms Deer Zone, Minnesota eliminated its shotgun-only zone except in counties that adopt an ordinance, and Tennessee made straight-walled cartridges legal during gun season starting Aug. 1, 2026. Illinois moves from single-shot to 3-round capacity for centerfire rifles on Jan. 1, 2027.

Sources: the 2026 hunting regulations of each state wildlife agency, linked in each row. 50 states verified; last checked on Oct. 24, 2026.

Season dates for Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Texas are on each state page, and side by side on the deer season dates by state page.

New hunters can check which states require a course on the hunter safety course requirements page.

Counties, cities, public lands and special hunts can add their own firearm limits. Check the state regulations and local ordinances for where you hunt.