squirrel hunting with a 45 cal???

[marada321]

hello, i'm wondering if my 45 cal TC Hawken with a light charge is to much to squirrel hunt with as far as damage???

 

[Lonegun1894]

I used to use my .50 CVA when it was all I had and it worked for everything from squirrels on up to deer and hogs. The way I see it is that you have two options if using it for small game hunting. Either load light loads and KNOW where the ball will hit since it probably wont be the same as your full power hunting load, or just use your standard hunting loads and take headshots only. Considering the size of a squirrel head, that .45 ball will certainly handle the task. :thumbsup:

 

[armymedic.2]

To put it in perspective. Before i had a 36 or 62 ......i used my 54. 30 grains of ffg knocked a clean hole where the ball hit. No extra damage.

My 36 with 40 fffg will literally tear a squirrel in half sometimes. 30fffg does a nice job


Keep the velocity in check and you will have no problems.

My 54 hit the same to 20 yards. My buddies 45 downloaded hits quite different.

 

[nchawkeye]

Nope, I used a .45 flinter for over 10 years for everything from squirrels to deer...I sighted in dead on at 25 yards with 45grs of powder and bumped it up to 75grs for deer...

I have also used my .54 with 50 grs of FFF on squirrels...

Of course, I only take head shots, so caliber really doesn't matter... :hatsoff:

 

[roundball]

hello, i'm wondering if my 45 cal TC Hawken with a light charge is to much to squirrel hunt with as far as damage???

Not at all...I've taken squirrels with my own T/C Hawken .45cal, using throttled back powder charges of 30grns and 40grns Goex 3F...zeroed dead on for 25yds.

 

[marada321]

thanks folks , for the info.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I've taken them with a .54 as well as taking rabbit. You have to hit them in the head when using a deer load, but as stated if you reduce your powder, you should be fine.

LD