Why is the 8 bore illegal for waterfowl/migratory game?

[Dennis]

Just to throw my own 2 cents in here: First I agree that the 8 bore would be a great goose gun. My belief though as to why it is outlawed is because market hunters years ago shot indiscriminately into flocks of waterfowl sitting on the water and killed many but wounded others. I doubt any of us would condone this as a sporting way to hunt. The government then outlawed the bigger bores and had to stop somewhere so it stopped at the 10 bore. I believe had the hunters of yesteryear used any shotgun in a more sporting manner there would have not been any law passed restricting the size of the shotgun to a specific area of bore size. One more thing; one of the above writers mentioned the restriction of shotshell length over 3 1/2 inches. To my knowledge anyone can use any length shotshell they choose or that the manufacturers will produce. There is no limit on length except for recoil to the shooter. I have shot a Remington autoloader in a 3 1/2 inch shell and won't shoot another. I enjoy shooting a Beretta 10 gauge side by side and have shot rifles up to 470 Nitro including 416 Rigby and 375 H&H. I enjoyed shooting all of them but the 3 1/2 inch shotgun is not enjoyable for me to shoot. The 12 gauge 3 inch shotshell is my limit. Having said that I still find I am pretty darned effective with the 2 1/2 inch shell.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Dennis V. Nix

One more thing; one of the above writers mentioned the restriction of shotshell length over 3 1/2 inches. To my knowledge anyone can use any length shotshell they choose or that the manufacturers will produce. There is no limit on length except for recoil to the shooter. I have shot a Remington autoloader in a 3 1/2 inch shell and won't shoot another. I enjoy shooting a Beretta 10 gauge side by side and have shot rifles up to 470 Nitro including 416 Rigby and 375 H&H. I enjoyed shooting all of them but the 3 1/2 inch shotgun is not enjoyable for me to shoot. The 12 gauge 3 inch shotshell is my limit. Having said that I still find I am pretty darned effective with the 2 1/2 inch shell.

When I worked for NH Fish & Game several years ago I recall a restriction on shotshell length was introduced to prevent even longer 10ga shells than 3.5". My recall is the proposal was adopted and codified as law in the CFR somewhere. Perhaps it was a proposal that did not become law but there was initiative to do it.

I am still looking for a federal restriction but there are some states using a shotshell length restriction of 3 1/2 inches:

http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/kar/301/002/222.htm

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/...andAnimals.pdf