Squirrel caliber.

[kevin beers]

I have a percussion cva mountain rifle. I would like to upgrade the lock and get a barrel made for it. It was my brothers gun so it has sentimental value. I'm wondering what caliber would be good for squirrel hunting ?i think the barrel is probably around 32 in long.any input would be appreciated.

 

[Micah Clark]

You'll need to match the external width of the new barrel to the original ... I am building a .32 rifle with a Rice barrel in 13/16ths by 42.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Personal preference IMO...
I've usede rifle calibers from 32-50 and shotguns from 41-75 caliber...

My preference is 45 caliber rifled...because it works for me...others like different calibers.

My advice would be ....find a caliber you can hit the target accurately with that doesn't take 100 grans of powder and go with that.

 

[mooman76]

I'd keep it as is and get another rifle for a squirrel gun. If it's in good shape the CVA Mountain rifle was the best they ever made and it would be a shame to gut it plus you will probably end up spending as much as getting another gun anyway. It will also end up being heavy for a squirrel gun by the time you get finished.

 

[kevin beers]

The spring is bad in the lock for like the third time.and the barrel is rusted and pitted. My brother said it needs rebarreled it's in poor condition . I figured since it needs rebarreled anyway I don't have a squirrel rifle.thought 45 cal might be too big for squirrels. Like the L R locks.

 

[coloradoclyde]

It will also end up being heavy for a squirrel gun by the time you get finished.

Excellent point.... :thumbsup:

 

[coloradoclyde]

The spring is bad in the lock for like the third time.and the barrel is rusted and pitted. My brother said it needs rebarreled it's in poor condition . I figured since it needs rebarreled anyway I don't have a squirrel rifle.thought 45 cal might be too big for squirrels. Like the L R locks.

Your bad spring for the third time has me curious.. :hmm: I think you may have other problems....

If you need to replace both the lock and the barrel on a CVA I think you would be better of starting fresh....And getting yourself a nice long squirrel gun.

Cva's can be great guns, but if you have to start replacing the bulk of the parts.......it's time to move on....You don't call the vet for a dead pig....

 

[jethro224]

The spring is bad in the lock for like the third time.and the barrel is rusted and pitted. My brother said it needs rebarreled it's in poor condition . I figured since it needs rebarreled anyway I don't have a squirrel rifle.thought 45 cal might be too big for squirrels. Like the L R locks.

Are the springs breaking? If that's the case you might have another problem like something interfering with the spring.
Have you considered getting the original barrel reamed out to a smoothbore? That would save a lot of $ over a new barrel.
BTW, Deer Creek has replacement barrels.

 

[jamesthomas]

The spring is bad in the lock for like the third time.and the barrel is rusted and pitted. My brother said it needs rebarreled it's in poor condition . I figured since it needs rebarreled anyway I don't have a squirrel rifle.thought 45 cal might be too big for squirrels. Like the L R locks.

Are the springs breaking? If that's the case you might have another problem like something interfering with the spring.
Have you considered getting the original barrel reamed out to a smoothbore? That would save a lot of $ over a new barrel.
BTW, Deer Creek has replacement barrels.

This!, if you can get the barrel bored out to a 20ga. (.62 cal.) and you can have a nice squirrel gun using shot and a nice deer rifle using Round Ball.

 

[Vaino]

The caliber of a rifle for squirrel hunting is determined by how good a shot you are. MY first squirrel rifle was my .50 cal, TC Hawken which demanded that only head hits be made....if you want any meat on the table.

My next squirrel rifle was a .45 flint LR and it has through the years been responsible for 100s of "headless squirrels" which yielded maximum amounts of meat. The smaller cals like .32 or .36 might allow a body hit, but I like to harvest 6 pieces of meat per squirrel.

Calibers smaller than .45 are popular, but they're comparable to a .22 which I didn't like shooting....I want to feel that I'm shooting an actual gun, not a BB gun.

But....whatever one uses on squirrels is an individual choice, including using shot in a smoothbore. Happy hunting......Fred

 

[faste350]

where are you in western PA?

 

[faste350]

The spring is bad in the lock for like the third time.and the barrel is rusted and pitted. My brother said it needs rebarreled it's in poor condition . I figured since it needs rebarreled anyway I don't have a squirrel rifle.thought 45 cal might be too big for squirrels. Like the L R locks.

just so you know, PA regulations for small game is 40 cal or smaller.

 

[BrownBear]

I'm wondering what caliber would be good for squirrel hunting ?

Whichever is the most accurate, in a gun that you hold and shoot well offhand.

I'm shooting snowshoe hare rather than squirrel, but I can point out some practical insights. I have rifles in 30, 32 and 36 caliber. Wish I had a 40 as well, but just haven't got there yet.

In my experience, the smaller they get, the more you have to pay attention to details to wring out the most accuracy. Might be my guns, might be fact. Dunno. But I can sure open up my groups with little variations in powder charge, lube amount on patches, seating pressure, bore condition.

I love and shoot the 30 cal the most, but I'm going to play heck when I finally break the ramrod or lose my jag. They're not something you can buy off the shelf. The 32 and the 36 are pretty standard and easy to buy stuff for. I suspect the same for the 40.

In your boots, I'd do everything I could to get near guns owned by others who are willing to let you shoot them. All will be squirrel getters, but it will be the details that make one better than another for you.

 

[swathdiver]

I have a percussion cva mountain rifle. I would like to upgrade the lock and get a barrel made for it. It was my brothers gun so it has sentimental value. I'm wondering what caliber would be good for squirrel hunting ?i think the barrel is probably around 32 in long.any input would be appreciated.

If you're MR is .45 or .50 calibers it's barrel will be 15/16" across the flats. If a .54 or .58, 1" across the flats. They do indeed have 32" barrels.

Last time I checked Deer Creek only had .50 and .54 barrels, last year.

Several places have barrels that can be made to fit your MR and of course the L&R locks, replacing both will set you back around $400 total unless you find an original .45 cal barrel online; they do pop up every so often.

Yes, you can buy a straight .45 cal MR or some other rifle for that money but sentiment pays little regard to price, usually!

 

[TJ97tim]

2ND ^

 

[hanshi]

Squirrel rifles, IMHO, mean either .32 or .36. The suggestion posted above concerning boring the old barrel out to 24 or 20 gauge sounds like a winner. Add a .32 - .36 longrifle to your herd and don't look back.