Safe light squirrel loads for 45 cal

[NorthFork]

I drug my old 45 Cal Seneca out of the safe today. I've shot paper with it many many years ago. Would like to take it squirrel hunting. However a 45 Cal prb can carry lethal energy quite aways downrange. What would be the max amount of powder you would consider to in order to be safe? I'm thinking 30ish grains of fffg. Only looking to kill squirrels and rabbits so excess velocities won't accomplish much beyond ruining meat and POSSIBLY being dangerous downrange to others.

 

[Britsmoothy]

All I will add is don't go below 20gn to avoid the ball bouncing back at you!

 

[Ajijaak17]

That was my load with a .45 H&A Underhammer I used to have. It worked really good and didn’t seem to do a whole lot of damage if I hit a squirrel in the body instead of the head. I can’t really say how far the ball would go if part of the tree didn’t stop it.

 

[hanshi]

In my .50 a charge of 30 grains of 2F is dead-on accurate at 25 yds. That would be my .50 squirrel load should I ever decide to use that rifle. Never tried a bang-plop load in my .45.

 

[BJHabermehl]

Got watch your states laws. In pa 40 is the maximum rifle caliber allowed for small game. That being said before this was law I took a number of squirrels with a 45 using 25 gr of fffg. Messed up a squirrel no more than a rim fire with hp ammo. A chest shot just resulted in a hole you could see through. Front and back legs were edible. BJH

 

[Hermit Tim]

Thanks for posting this question. I've been thinking the same thing. I lucked up several years ago and bought a Jukar .45 Kentucky, factory built in the seventies, I think, that had never been fired. Was told it was a wall-hanger for the original owner. Been in the safe for five or six years now, still unfired, and in brand spankin' new condition. Been thinking about light loads with it for some small game fun. But I don't want to ruin any meat either so I am going to try a 25 grain load first and adjust from there. Good luck with your quest...

 

[Carbon 6]

I shoot 55 grains grains of powder with 45, Accuracy is most important to me since I shoot my squirrels in the head, and I don't skyline my shots. 25 grains is what I use in 44 revolver to hunt squirrels. I would be very hesitant to shoot less powder than that.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Maybe this is why the smooth rifle was so popular.