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Squirrel gun?
- Thread starter tryinhard
- Start date
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Sure you can use a .45 for squirrels. ...unless your state doesn't allow it.
Just aim for the head.
Use whatever charge shoots the most accurately from your rifle. Light loads are fine. It won't take much powder to kill a squirrel if you can hit it in the head. Keep shots as close as you need to be sure of a good hit. :thumbsup:
Just aim for the head.
Use whatever charge shoots the most accurately from your rifle. Light loads are fine. It won't take much powder to kill a squirrel if you can hit it in the head. Keep shots as close as you need to be sure of a good hit. :thumbsup:
hanshi
Cannon
A .32 makes a fine squirrel/rabbit rifle. Even body hits, in my experience, do no more damage than a .22LR HP. Still, head shots are the way to go. A .45 will explode a squirrel with a body hit. With an accurate, light load you'll still have a usable squirrel even when the ball strays back to the neck or shoulders.
Your .45 will work nicely with head shots.
If you keep the powder charge at 25-30 grains the muzzle velocity should be around 1200 fps or less.
That low velocity will usually just blow a hole thru a squirrel rather than blowing the squirrels body apart.
If you want to use these light powder loads you really should shoot a few targets to find out where it is hitting.
If you keep the powder charge at 25-30 grains the muzzle velocity should be around 1200 fps or less.
That low velocity will usually just blow a hole thru a squirrel rather than blowing the squirrels body apart.
If you want to use these light powder loads you really should shoot a few targets to find out where it is hitting.
Gordon Jabben
32 Cal.
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Hello Brian
As others have posted, a 45 will work but IMHO you would be a lot happier with a 32 for squirrels and I would keep looking for a trade. Another option might be to get a 32 barrel to fit your 45 gun. I have both for my rifle and really enjoy the 32 for small game and plinking and use it 99% of the time.
Good luck on your squirrel hunting.
As others have posted, a 45 will work but IMHO you would be a lot happier with a 32 for squirrels and I would keep looking for a trade. Another option might be to get a 32 barrel to fit your 45 gun. I have both for my rifle and really enjoy the 32 for small game and plinking and use it 99% of the time.
Good luck on your squirrel hunting.
I agree, though in the mean time get to where you can hit the squirrel (or the squirrel facsimile target) in the head. The .32 with a body shot does do a bit of meat damage as was mentioned in a previous post, so either way you should be doing head shots, eh? I do so with my .40.
LD
LD
blackpowder shooter
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2003
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- 107
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I am surprised no one mentioned " barking" the squirrel. Head shots are fine to, a little messy in the hunting pouch.
marsh trapper
40 Cal.
i agree with the previous post you should see about getting a 32 cal barrel for your gun... best of both worlds :hmm: .....that being said i have a 32 cal frontier made by pedersoli and it is a great small game rifle
tryin hard, I live in ark and here 40 cal and below is legal for squirrels , the 45 would only be legal during deer season. check missouris laws I believe they are similar to ark on cal restrictions. a 32 or 36 would be legal for sure not sure about a 40 and larger in mo. check your g and f rules before you do anything to be safe and avoid spending your hard earned dollars needlessly yours hounddog here in ark
Lonegun1894
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2005
- Messages
- 1,531
- Reaction score
- 17
I used to use my .50 with 20grs FFFg and it worked fine back when it was all I had, so your .45 should be fine IF legal. I now have a .54 smoothbore for shot and a .32 rifle for ball and both of those are great too.
I recently bought a new .32 cal Traditions "Crocket", which isn't too expensive. It is made in Spain, 1:48 twist. I had mine at the range two weekends ago to sight it in. (I was using 30 gr of 2f from a bean-bag rest.)
Out of the box, it was shooting about 1.5" to the right at 25 ft. I tapped the rear sight a smidge, and the rifle is now dead on. The way it's now sighted in, make the squirrel's head a lollipop on the top of the front sight.
"Barking" squirrels was mentioned above. They are curious animals. If he is hiding behind a tree trunk, bark and he will likely peek his head around the trunk.
I have used a commercial squirrel call or two quarter coins, struck together on their edges. But, I have the best luck making a "click" or "cluck" sound - my mouth 50% open, lower jaw and tongue way back, and sucking my tongue. They can't resist it!
Out of the box, it was shooting about 1.5" to the right at 25 ft. I tapped the rear sight a smidge, and the rifle is now dead on. The way it's now sighted in, make the squirrel's head a lollipop on the top of the front sight.
"Barking" squirrels was mentioned above. They are curious animals. If he is hiding behind a tree trunk, bark and he will likely peek his head around the trunk.
I have used a commercial squirrel call or two quarter coins, struck together on their edges. But, I have the best luck making a "click" or "cluck" sound - my mouth 50% open, lower jaw and tongue way back, and sucking my tongue. They can't resist it!
hanshi
Cannon
reddog97 said:
Gee, no wonder it never worked for me! :hmm:
rafterob
62 Cal.
You have to bark like a hound dog, not a poodle.
hanshi
Cannon
So barking in French won't do it?
Skychief
69 Cal.
Why, oh WHY, do I hang out with you guys? :youcrazy:
Skychief. :haha:
Skychief. :haha:
Lonegun1894
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2005
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- 1,531
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- 17
Because great minds think alike, and apparently A LOT of us gather here. :bow: :hatsoff:
And the last time I had to get a psych eval (job requirement) the head shrinker said I am "perfectly normal", so I figure that applies to all of us since we seem to get along so well and share the same obse, um, craz, nah, that's not it either, uh, uh, hobby. Yeah, that's it, a hobby!
And the last time I had to get a psych eval (job requirement) the head shrinker said I am "perfectly normal", so I figure that applies to all of us since we seem to get along so well and share the same obse, um, craz, nah, that's not it either, uh, uh, hobby. Yeah, that's it, a hobby!
