Squirrel guns

[1971fx]

Plenty of them in Butts Corner NY

 

[bushytail]

Got these years ago with my 58 cal/24 ga trade gun. Some people call them pine squirrels and some call them red squirrels. I like to keep my shots 20 yrds and under. I use 60 gr of 2f with 90 gr volume of 5 & 6 shot. 7 1/2 shot works well for the pine/red squirrels. They’re a lot of fun to hunt. But, you gotta shoot few for a meal. Not much meat on them. With a smooth bore you can load up with ball to hunt big game too.

 

[oldwood]

Have used .32 , .36 , and .40. for small game , squirrels. My favorite is the versatile .40. The ball can be slowed down where it doesn't vaporize large amounts of tissue ,and remains accurate. On head shots , and rib shots ,little meat is wasted. Once shot a bothersome screeching squirrel at the end of a deer hunting day with a .54 cal. longrifle. The head was cleanly vaporized as if cut off by a knife. If the shot wasn't well executed we wouldn't have had a squirrel for the pot. .36 , and .40 , good.........oldwood

 

[1971fx]

Red and gray

 

[M. De Land]

I’m thinking about getting a flintlock squirrel gun and I’d like so ideas on cal. and gun style.

 

[M. De Land]

I’m thinking about getting a flintlock squirrel gun and I’d like so ideas on cal. and gun style.

You might even consider a smooth bore in these small calibers. I have a cousin who introduced me to muzzle loading some 55 years ago now who swears that a properly tuned smooth bore will shoot as accurately as any rifle out to 50 -75 yards or so which is well withing squirrel shooting range even on long shots. I don't own a smooth bore so am only relating what he tells me and he usually is right about his opinions that are based on actual shooting both game and targets.

 

[Critter Getter]

Here is a .32 cal Tip Curtis. Greg

 

[1971fx]

Finally got a closeup

 

[hanshi]

While I recommend and use the .32 and .36 a .40, where legal, can be made to work for squirrel up to deer. Smoothbores are nice and I like mine. But the only thing I'd use shot on would be turkey. I've never liked the results I've experienced using shot for squirrel hunting. First choice is the .32 and .36 with the .40 coming in third. For the one caliber hunter a .40 does make sense.

 

[Rodneystiffler]

While I recommend and use the .32 and .36 a .40, where legal, can be made to work for squirrel up to deer. Smoothbores are nice and I like mine. But the only thing I'd use shot on would be turkey. I've never liked the results I've experienced using shot for squirrel hunting. First choice is the .32 and .36 with the .40 coming in third. For the one caliber hunter a .40 does make sense.

I decided on a .40 today that's the largest allowed here for squirrels and it sounds like it should be really good for targets.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I take one of my .40’s and use .380 or .375 RBs, and heavy denim patching, 28gr fffg. It’s nice easy shooting…

 

[david w]

I decided on a .40 today that's the largest allowed here for squirrels and it sounds like it should be really good for targets.

I can hunt deer in Arkansas with a .40, but squirrel is .36 max.

 

[Bassdog1]

I have hunted a lot of Squirrels with 32 and 36 but am having a 40 caliber flintlock built and will definitely be trying it out in the squirrel woods this fall. I have found that as long as I learn to shoot any caliber accurately out to about 30 yards with a light powder charge and taking head shots only I harvest as many squirrels as I need. Not saying that I never miss but I generally come home with two or three each trip. Squirrels are thick in my area both reds and grays and I rarely even hear of anyone hunting them other than myself and my son. I average 6-8 shots a day if I get out early and hunt 4-5 hours. Squirrel hunting with a muzzle loader is one of the best ways of improving shooting and stalking skills and I do it as often as I can. I agree with Hanshi as far as using shot as I dont like picking it out of meat.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I’m thinking about getting a flintlock squirrel gun and I’d like so ideas on cal. and gun style.

Where I am there is a lot of good squirreling, but there are some houses near by no matter where I go. Shooting upwards into a tree at a squirrel with even a small round ball typically used for squirrels is not that good an idea. I do confess that I've taken four squirrels with my .54. One was head shot at a squirrel on the ground, and the other three were an experiment in "barking" the squirrel by shooting the branch just under the critter.

My third barking of a squirrel was my last, as my hunting buddy asked me "Hey were does that ball go, after it goes through that small branch?"



So I only use shot from smoothbores these days.

My 20 gauge India origin trade gun works just fine,

BUT it is a good deal heavier than a Pedersoli 20 gauge flintlock trade musket. It's about 1/2 the price though...,

LD

 

[Rodneystiffler]

Where I am there is a lot of good squirreling, but there are some houses near by no matter where I go. Shooting upwards into a tree at a squirrel with even a small round ball typically used for squirrels is not that good an idea. I do confess that I've taken four squirrels with my .54. One was head shot at a squirrel on the ground, and the other three were an experiment in "barking" the squirrel by shooting the branch just under the critter.
View attachment 128844

My third barking of a squirrel was my last, as my hunting buddy asked me "Hey were does that ball go, after it goes through that small branch?"



So I only use shot from smoothbores these days.

My 20 gauge India origin trade gun works just fine,

View attachment 128847

BUT it is a good deal heavier than a Pedersoli 20 gauge flintlock trade musket. It's about 1/2 the price though...,

LD

If they aren’t on the ground I won’t be shooting at them, I spend too much time up in trees myself as do a lot of others where I hunt.

 

[doubleset]

Plenty of them in Butts Corner NY

Seriously? Davenport?
I grew up in Oneonta, and we've been back there a couple of times over the past few years (my wife, a Chicago girl, loves the area) -- trying to fish, but really a bit too late in the season (late Sept.). A good friend of mine lived in West Davenport and his grandmother ran what was basically a general store there -- now gone. Otherwise, things haven't changed much -- except for I-88 and the baseball-oriented economy that has sprung up around Cooperstown and (parasitically) Oneonta.

I'd think of doing some squirrel hunting there, but it appears that NY gun laws have become so draconian that that would be pretty much impossible, even with muzzle loaders. Last year I tried to find a decent gunshop for BP in the area, but just couldn't.

Also, I have more squirrels in my "back yard" now than I ever saw around that area.

 

[david w]

If they aren’t on the ground I won’t be shooting at them, I spend too much time up in trees myself as do a lot of others where I hunt.

I will shoot them on the ground
I will shoot them in the air
I will shoot them anywhere!
I will shoot them with a gun
I will shoot them on the run
I will shoot them just for fun!

 

[doubleset]

I will shoot them on the ground
I will shoot them in the air
I will shoot them anywhere!
I will shoot them with a gun
I will shoot them on the run
I will shoot them just for fun!

Or you will be overrun!! ...

 

[Bassdog1]

I agree that you need to pick your shot when shooting them I look for shots where they are backed by the main part of the tree or large limb to stop the ball.

 

[hanshi]

I'm convinced that if one can shoot a small limb under a squirrels head, one can just as well shoot the head. I can also verify that any caliber up to and including the .58 (prb) can make a decent squirrel rifle. Years ago when I owned a .58 I cleanly killed a fox squirrel while deer hunting with a deer load and a prb. I aimed at the neck, hit the neck and he fell to the ground. That big ball made a barely noticeable slit upon entry and another one at exit. The load was NOT powderpuff but a full power load.