08/15/2026
**ILLINOIS DEER HUNTERS GET MORE RIFLE OPTIONS — BUT THERE’S A 3-ROUND LIMIT**
Illinois deer hunters will see a significant change to firearm regulations beginning **January 1, 2027**.
Gov. JB Pritzker has signed **Senate Bill 2756**, ending the state’s requirement that centerfire rifles used for deer hunting be limited to single-shot operation.
Under the new law, hunters will be allowed to use qualifying **centerfire rifles capable of holding up to three rounds total in the magazine and chamber combined**.
That means a hunter could legally have:
• **2 rounds in the magazine + 1 in the chamber**, or
• **3 rounds in the magazine with an empty chamber**
If a rifle is normally capable of holding more than three rounds, it must be fitted with a **one-piece plug that cannot be removed without dismantling the firearm**, or otherwise modified so it cannot accept more than three rounds without being dismantled.
The change does **not** open the door to every centerfire cartridge. Illinois’ existing ammunition requirements remain in place. Legal centerfire handgun and rifle ammunition must meet the state's caliber, cartridge and muzzle-energy requirements, and full-metal-jacket ammunition remains prohibited for harvesting deer.
And hunters will want to pay attention to that three-round capacity rule.
Violating the applicable deer-hunting provisions is a **Class B misdemeanor** in Illinois. A conviction can carry **up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,500**, in addition to other possible consequences and court costs.
For Illinois hunters, though, the biggest story is that the state is finally moving beyond the single-shot rifle requirement. Beginning in 2027, hunters will have considerably more flexibility in the rifles they can take into the deer woods — as long as they stay within the three-round limit and existing ammunition restrictions.
**Illinois hunters: Is three rounds a reasonable limit, or should the state simply allow standard-capacity hunting rifles like many other states? Your thoughts on why three instead of the usual five or no limits at all?**
**Source: Illinois Senate Bill 2756 / Public Act 104-0627**
