SB 737 allow Hunting with Semi automatic Rifles in PA – Rep Saccone 2015-2016

[flabbydan]

You guy's are always full of sunshine and rainbows.

No--just realistic.

[unclejumbo]

Prediction: Game Commission will not approve for big game. If allowed at all, it will be something stupid like coyotes only, out of the woods by 10 A.M.

The Game Commission has been fairly aggressive with trying to attract new hunters. Just look at the wailing over crossbows but they did it anyway. I imagine semis will follow the same path. I think initially you'll be able to take your semi out for squirrels, groundhogs and coyotes. Then, after a couple of years, there will be some regulations made for big game. I'm hoping they won't get too stupid and limit the capacity to 3 rounds. If they're going to do a limit, 10 is good because it covers rifles like the Garand, SKS and FN49 and most commercial "hunting" semi autos. For more modern variants, 10 rounders are readily available thanks to ban states.

If this gets signed, it's one more nail in the coffin for the argument that such rifles are unusual, dangerous and not in common use.

[daschnoz]

Prediction: Game Commission will not approve for big game. If allowed at all, it will be something stupid like coyotes only, out of the woods by 10 A.M.

Prediction: Wolf will neither sign it nor veto it - and it will become law in 10 days anyway.

Reason:
If he signs it, he pisses of his uber-leftist base. If he vetos it, he pisses off very well armed citizens quite a few hunters. By letting it simply pass into law, he can make both sides happy. Come election time, he can talk out of both sides of his mouth. To his base "I didn't sign it." To the armed citizens hunters "I gave you semi-auto hunting". Both would be true statements - 1/2 true with an omission.

As for the PGC: I think we're going to see semi-autos in the woods soon. Perhaps not for big game, perhaps with mag restrictions, but they're coming. 49/50 states can't be wrong. The PGC can't ignore hunters forever if it wants to remain an entity.

[ExFlyinguy]

Well House Bill 263 PASSED the house 160-25 on concurrence vote on Oct 27, 2016
Congratulation to all that help get this passed!

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...type=B&bn=0263


Next step is on to Governor Wolf's desk for signature

Which Wolf is expected to sign into law as semi-auto rifles for hunting is not a problem in the other 49 states.

Really legal in 49 other states? Wolf would be a fool to veto against this one.

IF Wolf veto HB 263 “as written now” FOAC would choke him with his campaign promise, so would lot of others and would cost him votes as lots of union guys hunt (Go read post #24 in this thread as to WHY)

Whenever union leadership give union dues money to anti-gun groups they do us a great PR favor, especially when we pass out the documentation on union job sites during hunting season right before election day, along with a FOAC pro gun voters guide, is very effective, so expect Governor Wolf sign HB 263

https://foac-pac.org/Voter-Guide

Again all that was changed in HB 263 is the removal of legislative prohibition in the law against PGC making the decision.


the PA Game Commission Board Of Commissioners now gets to decide on all aspects on the use of semi-auto rifles (where, when, season, specie, magazine capacity, etc ) just as they get do with other hunting tools in PA.

A BIG THANK YOU to all of you that have come to HBG to lobby with us, all that wrote letters, made phone calls, and sent emails.

You should be proud of yourself, as you are the few in PA that made the difference to FINALLY get this Freedom to choose in PA changed for the future of hunting in PA to grow...

Thank you( and others) for all of the updates and the motivation to get me to write and call my elected officials!

[ExFlyinguy]

Baby steps forward are still steps forward

[knight0334]

The Game Commission has been fairly aggressive with trying to attract new hunters. Just look at the wailing over crossbows but they did it anyway. I imagine semis will follow the same path. I think initially you'll be able to take your semi out for squirrels, groundhogs and coyotes. Then, after a couple of years, there will be some regulations made for big game. I'm hoping they won't get too stupid and limit the capacity to 3 rounds. If they're going to do a limit, 10 is good because it covers rifles like the Garand, SKS and FN49 and most commercial "hunting" semi autos. For more modern variants, 10 rounders are readily available thanks to ban states.

If this gets signed, it's one more nail in the coffin for the argument that such rifles are unusual, dangerous and not in common use.

I'd expect a mag limit of 5rds which is more typical of the states that do have semi-auto hunting and hunting mag limits.

5rnd en bloc clips are available for the Garand.

[WhiteFeather]

Our research shows that of the 49 states that allow semi-auto firearms for hunting (i.e. predators, elk, moose, deer, antelope, bear and small game hunting) that 17 out of 49 states had some magazine capacity restrictions for hunting, out of those 10 states had 5 round limitations (one was less at 3 rounds) ( this including NJ)

Even with states with magazine capacity in semi-auto firearm its based on the honor system, they don't require the magazine to be blocked or pinned for hunting.

several of those states with magazine capacity where part of overall gun control lobbying efforts in those states to restrict all gun owners in those states. Not directly aimed at hunters, except in anti-gun politics, they only had the votes to do so much to date, instead of banning them altogether .




What is also part of this was the original HB 263 was changing PA from one of the only two remaining state Not to allow Hunting with Air or Gas Powered Weapon

Read about original effort on HB 263 here, so the PGC will have to draw regulations about their use as well

HB 263 Hunting with Air or Gas Powered Weapon – Rep Gabler 15-2016 legislative effort
http://forum.pafoa.org/showthread.php?t=279447

[Yellowfin]

If signed, how soon can the PGC act upon it, i.e. what might the first available season be?

[Gunsnwater]

Well House Bill 263 PASSED the house 160-25 on concurrence vote on Oct 27, 2016
Congratulation to all that help get this passed!

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...type=B&bn=0263


Next step is on to Governor Wolf's desk for signature

Which Wolf is expected to sign into law as semi-auto rifles for hunting is not a problem in the other 49 states.

Really legal in 49 other states? Wolf would be a fool to veto against this one.

IF Wolf veto HB 263 “as written now” FOAC would choke him with his campaign promise, so would lot of others and would cost him votes as lots of union guys hunt (Go read post #24 in this thread as to WHY)

Whenever union leadership give union dues money to anti-gun groups they do us a great PR favor, especially when we pass out the documentation on union job sites during hunting season right before election day, along with a FOAC pro gun voters guide, is very effective, so expect Governor Wolf sign HB 263

https://foac-pac.org/Voter-Guide

Again all that was changed in HB 263 is the removal of legislative prohibition in the law against PGC making the decision.


the PA Game Commission Board Of Commissioners now gets to decide on all aspects on the use of semi-auto rifles (where, when, season, specie, magazine capacity, etc ) just as they get do with other hunting tools in PA.

A BIG THANK YOU to all of you that have come to HBG to lobby with us, all that wrote letters, made phone calls, and sent emails.

You should be proud of yourself, as you are the few in PA that made the difference to FINALLY get this Freedom to choose in PA changed for the future of hunting in PA to grow...

My oh my, it finally passed. This makes the second great day in Pennsylvania, the other being the helmet law repeal. Thanks for the help in staying on top of this.

[19dscoutsout]

Do we have any info on whether or not the pgc will actually allow this? I can see Wolf signing the bill so It looks like he supports us on the surface but then behind closed telling the pgc not to let us use semis to hunt while he is in office.