.50 cal for squirrels

[Pioneer flinter]

I love to hunt squirrel and i have a dixie tenn. mnt. rifle in .50cal it is very accurate with 40 grains of ffg how destructive do you think this would be on squirrel thank you all

 

[BrownBear]

Comparing 30 grains in a 50 for snowshoe hare, it will be dandy for head shots. But if your shot drops down into the neck at all, you'll blood shoot the front shoulders like crazy.

Be sure to check and make sure 50's are legal for squirrel in your area. No sweat in AK for snowshoe, so I use reduced charges in my 54, 58 and 62 cals for them as well. Dandy marksmanship practice.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I have killed a pile of squirrels in the past with a .50. I loaded it down to the point it went more bloop then bang. My rifle was a TC Renegade that was almost a one hole shooter at 50yds.

At 25 yards a squirrel didn't stand a chance if I had something to rest on.

I would head shoot them and my ball would only cut a crescent out of their head, not blow it up.
I don't remember how much powder I used but think it was 20gr or less.

 

[nchawkeye]

No problem just head shoot them...I've used my .54 on occasion...

 

[Lonegun1894]

I used to use 20grs FFFg in my CVA .50 for rabbits and squirrel when it was all I had. Your load will work well, but like has been said, try to get in close enough to keep your shots on the head or you will start getting blood-shot meat. But if that load is accurate, no reason not to use it if it's legal. Unless you just need an excuse for another gun eventually, in which case, that .50 is as inadequate for squirrel as it could possibly be. It will disintegrate the squirrel, and may knock the tree it is in down which could injure or kill you when it falls. In extreme circumstances, the falling trees have been known to cause earth quakes, and your wife wouldn't want you to be responsible for the suffering of everyone within miles of you, would she? :rotf:

 

[Little Wattsy]

I love to hunt squirrel and i have a dixie tenn. mnt. rifle in .50cal it is very accurate with 40 grains of ffg how destructive do you think this would be on squirrel thank you all

The .50 was made just for squirl hunters that thought that they might run into a small deer from time to time... A perfect squirl gun, expecially if you can drive tacks at 25 yards with it.
:wink:

 

[Pioneer flinter]

thank you guys for all your input i thought it should work but i like to get others opinons.

 

[George T.]

I have done it more than once! If I had my choice I would use my 40 but a head shot with either gets the job done big time! Geo. T.

 

[Carl Fowler III]

Heard they used to bark squirrels back in the day....shoot the bark off the tree under their chest and shock em dead! Never tried this intentionally...but have had it happen by accident! :haha:

 

[fraungie]

I have the same rifle PA does not allolw us to use it on squirrel any more I bought a .36 I am still working out a load for. I used to shoot the 50 with 50 grains of 2f. I shot them in the head. You can also shoot them through the rib cage when they are broad side.Keep the ball low enough so you don't hit the back and stay behind the front leg. There is no meat on the rib area anyway and that .490 ball will tear up the ri section and put tjem down good luck.