Shot size fer squrrils...?

[Mike Brooks]

I use #4's for squirrel, and pheasants too. The extra weight makes up for less speed.
Glad you like the gun Jim, I knew you would. :thumbsup:

 

[Dave K]

Paul, that may be me about the olive oiled and drained cushions. You know, it has been so long ago that I did the patterning, I can't remember except to tell you it had NO holes in it and I was testing at 40yds. same as my breech loaders. When happy with my loads, the info went into the "book". I also carry index cards with load info in the shooting bag, same as I do for the rifles as well.I am shooting 1oz. of shot in the guns that are 16ga. or over and 7/8oz. of shot on the 18 and 20ga. guns. As far as leading, yes I get leading and who won't without a plastic shot cup. I just have this thing about refusing to any sort of shot cup. My testing at one time, did not give me good results. I usually ended up with a slug of shot and no pattern and I was not happy with that. Others may have different results with plastic/paper wads than I did. Actually, for me and the olive oiled 1/4" cushions, they are so light for my guns, I have never, ever seen a hole in the pattern, with a proper developed load or loads. Fouling is not soft, it doesn't exist. Yes, there is black slurry you might say of goop, but it doesn't affect the powder, the loading, or the continuse shooting that I do dove hunting or trap shooting. My guns are all cyl. bored. Jug choking sounds like a nice thing. Hard to find a guy though that will do a SxS. Single barrel guns doesn't seem to be a problem getting someone to jug choke them.

 

[Runner]

I use number 5's when I have them. Decent patterns and they do well picking limb chicken off limbs high in the oaks. 6's work well out to 30 yards or so. I have mixed 4's and 6's in the past also. After the leaves are down I switch to 6's. We get to hunt them most of the year, so the methods and preferences change as the seasons and conditions change.

I use one Nitro brand over powder wad. It has to be started with a short starter, and it is close to a quarter inch thick. It goes thru the choke just fine, and the patterns I get are hard to beat. 90-120 will roll turkey at over 40 yards. I don't shoot any of the target games with the shotgun. In my gun, the lubed wads create holes in the pattern. Luckily, I can shoot all day without needing lubed wads because I use Pyrodex in the 12.
I purchased a shot snake that throws three different charge weights. I don't know what the actual pellet load is on the middle setting, but that is what I use over about 70 grains of RS. This is the only application that I know of where Pyrodex is better than black. The gun hits 12 inches higher with the Pyrodex than it does with 3f black at 30 yards. It requires no lube or swabbing unless you shoot a lot of shots. Half a lubed cushion wad improves the pattern with 7.5's, but until you get that small, my gun has no use for them.
90-120 is the heaviest turkey load the gun will handle well. Since it is very light, that load hurts to shoot.
Using 3f black, the gun has had the barrel bent to get the pattern close to point of aim. It fouls badly and needs either swabbing or lubed wads. The needed lube blows the pattern unless I up the shot count by a healthy margin. I will try the over powder card method with Pyrodex some time to see how my gun reacts with it. After all the work, my gun still shoots low with real black and dead on with Pyrodex, so this gun pretty much decided on the pwder it wanted all by itself! If I could shoot a roundball for deer, most of my other guns would be gathering dust these days. I may try the Lyman slug designed to pass thru a choke in a trap wad.
The nitro cards I am using were made for reloading paper shot shells. I got several thousand of them a few years back, but once they are gone, I am back to experimenting again myself! The results are so good that until I run out, I would be crazy to mess with my present system.

 

[cptleo1]

5's seem to produce the most even patterns for me.

The squirrels never even twitch.

My choice , hands down.

 

A single .445 RB works real good too. Bark the little buggers. :thumbsup:

 

[PaulN/KS]

Shoot Cooner,
Be a .600 ball out of the smoothbore or a .530 outta my rifles...that ain't "barkin" them,more like limbing... :grin:

Thanks for all the input fellas... :thumbsup:

 

[appaloosabob]

Hey There
Just use a round ball and bark them :shocked2:

I use #6 in my 69 caliber cap gun.
Seems to knock them out farily well.
I do use my .50 cal flint rifle and bark them out also.

Take care
Bob Oehler

 

[rich pierce]

I'm with Runner and the rest- 5's.

 

[laffingman67]

Be careful with that in Ohio, Bob. A buddy of mine was huntin tree rats with his .32 and the game warden told him he wasn't supposed to be hunting with a gun capable of killing a deer. :nono:

I use #5 in mine!

 

[brubincam]

a deer can be killed with a well placed shot from a 22...it is used for squirrels all over.... : :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Some states prohibit the use of any rifle to hunt squirrels. Check your regs. If rifles are not prohibited, then that " game warden " should be reported to his boss. He has no business NOT knowing his regulations, much less interfering with a man's hunt to tell him such nonsense. In Illinois, we now can no longer shoot rabbits with rifles, I am told. I would assume that prohibition also includes handguns.

 

[appaloosabob]

Hi Halfmoon:
In Ohio the regs are a little vague as to caliber and small game. :hmm: I hunt on my own land and have a very good relationship with the warden in my area. He knows me quite well. I have asked this question to a few wardens since some of my hunting buddies use a 36 caliber flint for squirls and one other uses a 50 like me. Ohio law says something like 45 caliber for deer. But we all know that a 36 can bring one down also. I don't know if I would go off my own land to squrril with my 50 rifle but I do not think there is a specific law aginst it in Ohio. :grin:

Happy Shooting
Bob O>

 

[Dave K]

Ohio's min. for deer is 38cal. Now the question that I have to ask the state is, does a gun that shoots a .375 ball a 38cal. or a 37 1/2 cal.? Anyrate, I have squirrel hunted with my local game warden. When I hunted with him I did carry my 38cal. He never gave it a thought, at least out loud to me. I think the state would have to show intent if not spelled out in the book. I have shot groundhogs with a 30-06 and hunted squirrels with a bow and I was using broadheads. Carrying the impliments that can take big game does not mean you are hunting with them to take big game, unless the rule books spell it out in your state. I would call the game officers in your state, if in doubt, and then ask them to put it writing to you and sign it. If not covered in the rule book.

 

[appaloosabob]

Thanks for clearing up the min caliber for deer in Ohio. I know my .50 cal. flint was O.K. and the other is a .69 cal. I deer hunt with a friend who uses a .45 cal flint and He know his was O.K. also.

And I find the big problem is not all the laws are clear in the booklet of hunting reg's or the internet site for Ohio. :surrender:
I can not find any mention of smooth bore M/L shooting a ball. It seems when ever there is a greay area I try to steer clear. I am originaly from NJ and it's the unwritten code that
#1. If you have to ask it probably is illigal :nono:
#2 If it's not illigal but is borderline next yeart there will be a law aginst it. :cursing:



Again Thanks
BobO> :hatsoff:

 

[slowpokebr549]

I use mixed 6 and 4, 1 1/8 oz over 80 grains of fff. I came up with the overshot wad thing all by myself. I am really tickled to see others came to the same conclusion. I wish I had been reading this sight when I got that twelve gauge. It would of saved me a lot of trial and error. I have never tried putting holes in them though, may have to try that.

 

[Slamfire]

I don't want to hurt anyone's feelin's but if you need bigger shot than #6 yore squirrels are way too far off. :shake: Now if'n you are developin' a turkey load, that's a whole 'nother thing. :applause:

 

[slowpokebr549]

No offense taken,buuuuuuuttt,in my stretch of timber here in Missouri,I am often shooting at big ole red squirrels.Those fellers are the size of a weinie dog and can really soke up shot. Not to mention they are waaaaayyy up in the top of big pecan trees. I have had some running gun battles with them before.Hence the mixed shot and the Jack Russel.

 

[Bearbait2]

Mr. slowpokebr549,
Unless that is a miniature powder horn and rifle, those are some might fine Squirrels! :thumbsup:
Our Red Squirrels are probably less than 1/2 the size.
Best Wishes

 

[Rebel]

Is that a smoothbore in the pic? If so, what kind is it, and what ga.?

 

[slowpokebr549]

I wasn't kidding about the running gun battles with red squirrels.We have huge pecan groves around here and that makes for some big ole reds.That is my twelve gauge pictured. It is a CVA trapper that I reworkded the stock on. It is a modified choke and I have taken squirrel,quail, rabbits and turkey with it. It has become my favorite in the last few years. That was Maxine my last Jack Russel out of that line. That was her first hunt alone with me and she treed, killed, and retrieved like a champ. Man was she proud of those squirrels. She fought off any other dogs that tried to get in that picture.