.32 too much for squirrels? How about a .25?

[gizamo]

I'd post pics if they weren't so danged graphic. My experience with a .32 is about the same as a .22 Hornet on limb bacon. Even a neck shot ruins too much meat. I'm runnin just 22 grs of ffg and it tears them up.

Anyone shootin a .25 and willin' to share their experience?

 

[B.Habermehl]

I use a .36 and don't see any more destruction than a .22 hollow point. I really try to limit my shots to head shots. I really dont intend to brain tan any squirrel hides any how.

 

[vern faulkner]

I use a .32 about 80% of the time and a .36 the other 20%. I only take head shots. Never really noticed any meat loss from either one. Of course if you hit them farther back, that's another story. I really try to keep my shots to a maximum of 35 yards of so. Besides, I ain't never had any thing smaller than a .32

Vern

 

[J.D.]

I have used a 32 for years with little loss of meat. Even shots to the chest cavity have only given a 32 cal hole.

That said, there are a few folks on another forum who swear by 25 and 28 cal rifles, but they are custom made...the rifles, not the folks. :wink:

God bless

 

[user 17669]

My experience is pretty much like J.D. I usually grab my .32 ML instead of the .22. I find that the experience is more pleasurable for me. While we eat what I kill, it really is not about filling a limit of squirrels anymore.
That said, in my experience, a .32 shooting a PRB of the same weight as a .22LR at the same velocity is no more devastating than a .22 LR solid. I, too, prefer head shots, but even body hits are not particularly destructive of meat. Because of the open sights, shots are kept to a reasonable distance, 25-35 yards.

 

[Ron LaClair]

My old J. Brennan .32 flinter has accounted for a passel of fox squirrels over the years. I take mostly head shots but am not opposed to a body shot if that's all I can get. I load her with 30gr 3FFF behind a .310rb. This picture is from when me and the gun was both a lot younger...

 

[Vaino]

Heck, at one time the only MLer I had was a .50 which I used for deer and squirrels and now use a .45 and using these 2 calibers forces one to take only head shots on squirrels. When starting many yrs ago I used a .22 and never thought of anything but headshots. My .45 has killed 100s of squirrels and 99.9% have been headshots...really like the fact that I get a headstart w/ the skinning and don't like "messed up" meat" at all. Any caliber will work but just aim for the head....Fred

 

[Kentucky45]

I shoot a .32 perc. with 30gr FFF and a .310 round ball. I suppose I could load it down some from that but haven't found it necessary. Warning, squirrelin with a muzzle loader can be addictive.

 

[gizamo]

Same load in my Flintlock... :wink:

I caught this one in the neck. The distruction of meat was similiar to a .22 Hornet, not a hollow point long rifle.


Entry wound...

And the exit wound...

 

[user 17669]

I know one guy -- not a ML shooter -- who refuses to take head shots. He says that his favorite part of the squirrel is the brains. :hmm:

 

[BrownBear]

I'm runnin just 22 grs of ffg and it tears them up.

Coming back at your original question from a different angle, that's a pretty stout load in my book. I'm shooting snowshoe hare with a 32 rather than squirrels, and 22 grains of 2f is the rough equivalent of 20 grains of 3f. And yeah, 22 mag/22 hornet is a pretty good comparison with what happens on neck shots. I used to lose the whole front shoulders due to blood shot.

I dropped to 15 grains of 3f, and that was much better. With a little test shooting I discovered that my gun is just as happy shooting 10 grains, and I bet when I get to part hair with it this year, it's going to be my favorite hunting load. Still plenty of geewhiz for shots well past 25 yards with no sight adjustment in my gun.

 

[George]

I dropped to 15 grains of 3f, and that was much better.

I shoot a .30 caliber and find that 15 gr. FFFg is a very good load for squirrels out to 30 yards. I used to shoot 25 grains, but found I had almost the same point of aim at 15 grains and more than enough power.

Spence

 

[gizamo]

Spence,

You and BrownBear have convinced me to drop back on the powder. Give me a chance to work on targets with my favorite rifle... :wink:

I've never attempted just 10 grs in it. Should prove interesting.

 

[robtattoo]

You'd be surprised how low you can go & still git 'er done. My absolute favorite skwerl load is 8gn of FFF behind a .311 ball with a .015 patch. Headshot squirrels don't go anywhere & my point of impact at 25yds is within a ½" of POI with 20gn. I took 1 shot at a bunny, last year, with the same load & still got 2 holes in the head. I was kinda surprised actually!

 

[user 17669]

I shoot a .32 perc. with 30gr FFF and a .310 round ball. I suppose I could load it down some from that but haven't found it necessary. Warning, squirrelin with a muzzle loader can be addictive.

That does sound a little excessive to me. I only try for .22 LR performance. In my gun, 20 gr of 3F under a .310 PRB does the trick.

 

[Robby]

I shoot a .32 perc. with 30gr FFF and a .310 round ball. I suppose I could load it down some from that but haven't found it necessary. Warning, squirrelin with a muzzle loader can be addictive.

I use the same load with a .022 thick patch in a flinter, because "that is what the gun likes". It will put it right between the running lights, or through the heart if you like the brains, out to fifty yards, if I do my part.
Robby

 

[crowkiller]

I also use 10 grains 3f for squirrels in my 32cal.
In my 22cal. I use 6 grains 3f.

 

[Ontario Hawken]

Thanks for the load info. I am planning to get a .32 percussion rifle before this year's hair season...

 

[GBG]

BB, robtattoo or crowkiller, what is the sound level of those 8-10grn loads?

 

[Tinker2]

what is the sound level of those 8-10grn loads?

In my .36 caliber percussion gun with prb and 7 gr. FFFg in it, it sounds about the same with or with out the powder in it to me.



Tinker2