Anybody squirrel hunt with their 54

[Boomerang]

So does anybody take head shots or "bark" squirrels with their 54 calibers?

 

[necchi]

Yep, been there done that.
Just some advice, you need them to be on a pretty big branch if your going to "bark" the squirrel, otherwise they end up pretty much decapitated.

 

[BrownBear]

No squirrels around, but I use the heck out of mine on snowshoe hare. As I do with my 50, 58 and 62 cals. Depending on the individual gun 30-35 grains of 3f turns them into highly accurate head munchers.

 

[Crewdawg445]

I have, though as necchi mentioned above you better bark them or else you'll end up unfortunately with a waisted harvest. I myself, it's not personally my favorite caliber of choice but without a doubt it can be done.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I used to. 42 gr FFg (what it takes to fill an empty 45 Colt case) would be on at 25 yards.

I never had any luck barking them. Headshots work much better.

 

[mzloder]

Yup, I've done that.....and you darn sure better place that ball carefully! And, as I'm thinking about it, I'm not sure but what a .32 would tear them up pretty bad with a body shot.

I use a .45 ACP case as a measure, one case full of 2F with a .530 ball. That ball is still moving along pretty quickly, so, like I said, shoot straight!

 

[Crewdawg445]

Yes sir, I was going to mention with a reduced load. I've only barked two squirrel with one of my .54's, great feeling once you take one that way. However in my experience with this method at later times, they certainly don't like to hold still long enough to allow a good barking shot (don't blame the little rascals!)

 

[hanshi]

No, but I have taken them with a .58 I use to own. Hit them in the right place and it will do just fine.

 

[Wes/Tex]

So does anybody take head shots or "bark" squirrels with their 54 calibers?

"Barked" one with a .690" ball from my old M.1809/39 Potsdammer! He hugged the pine tree trunk and I aimed opposite where he was and let her rip! He did a double back flip and I sat there laughing my happy butt off. By the time I got my composure back and reloaded and wandered over to where he was stretched out...he jumped and shook has head in that same "wanna-wanna-wanna" way of a Bugs Bummy cartoon and took off through the woods, bouncing off every other tree...totally lost it again! :rotf: Had to go elsewhere for supper but he's my second best ever limb chicken story! :wink: :haha:

 

[mancill]

I tried it once and it tore that cat squirrel up pretty good. Now I use a 32 and have more to eat.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Forget "barking".... even if it works it's a sloppy shot. Aim for the head...
Head shots make you a better hunter...

 

[Cbriggs57]

Head-shot a black squirrel with my 50 Pennsylvania Hunter. Prb, 90 gr Pyrodex, offhand, at about twenty yards. I was, um, going back to the spot where I'd missed a big doe the day be fore. At the same distance. Funny how a guy can miss a whole deer at the same distance he can head-shoot a li'l ol' squirrel. And that's how that season went.

 

[robinsroost]

I was sitting in a ladder stand, during deer season, holding my .50 caliber percussion hawken replica. A small to medium size fox squirrel found me and announced to all of the local residents, my location, my choice of clothing, my family history, my physical description, and my apparent ability to procreate. He finally made it to the tree I was in and settled on a limb, at eye level, about 10' from me, and continued his tyrade. I had enjoyed about all of this that I could stand, so I thumb cocked the rifle, took aim at his nose and touched it off. I think the ball went in his mouth and came out at the tip of his tail. There not enough left to pick up with a stick. Keep yer powder dry.......robin :haha:

 

[Jim C]

If I had one and it was as dead nuts accurate as my 50 cal GPR, sure I would. I use the fifty all the time, but I only take noggin shots.

 

[Lonegun1894]

I used to use a .50 CVA all the time for head shooting them. Now have a .54 smoothbore GPR and it is great with shot for squirrel and PRB for hogs and deer.