Squirrel hunting with a .50

[lorren68]

Here is my problem, I want to hunt squirrel and other critters after deer season, but I only have a .50 cal muzzleloader. What load can I use without destroying the game? Or should I just use a modern .22?

 

[roundball]

FWIW, I've taken a few squirrels with throttled back .40 & .45cal balls with 30-40grns of powder...both tear up a lot of squirrel.
But...IMO, most of the usable worthwhile meat from a squirrel is on the hind quarters anyway.
So if I can get away with a head shot I will, but if I can't I won't hesitate to shoot one anywhere in front of the hind quarters where caliber doesn't matter to me...other's mileage may vary.

 

[lorren68]

Thanks Roundball I needed to hear that. I think I will try a light load in my hawken for squirrels after deer season.

 

[buford87]

I have shot squirrels with a .50 cal using a patched round ball and a .45 colt case full of FFg goex powder. I don't remember this load destroying a lot of meat but this was over 10 years ago I could be mistaken,anyway a half a squirrel is better than no squirrel................watch yer top knot..................

 

[lorren68]

I have shot squirrels with a .50 cal using a patched round ball and a .45 colt case full of FFg goex powder. I don't remember this load destroying a lot of meat but this was over 10 years ago I could be mistaken,anyway a half a squirrel is better than no squirrel................watch yer top knot..................

ROFLMAO I needed a good laugh today!!! On a side note my rifle has a patent breech, does anyone know the smallest load I can safely shoot without causing an air gap?

 

[roundball]

I have shot squirrels with a .50 cal using a patched round ball and a .45 colt case full of FFg goex powder. I don't remember this load destroying a lot of meat but this was over 10 years ago I could be mistaken,anyway a half a squirrel is better than no squirrel................watch yer top knot..................

ROFLMAO I needed a good laugh today!!! On a side note my rifle has a patent breech, does anyone know the smallest load I can safely shoot without causing an air gap?

T/C (and GM) patent breeches hold around 18-20grns Goex 3F...personally measured it on 2 spares I have.

It's a good question to ask but whether or not there's an air gap in those circumstances is not an issue...not enough powder to generate enough pressure to amount to anything...its commonplace to put 10-15grns 4F underneath a dry-ball and they just bloop out.

And on that note, you can actually use too little powder and accuracy will go south...30-40grns seems to be pretty minimal to also maintain good accuracy.

 

[lorren68]

Thanks for the info Roundball

 

[juancho]

On my .45 I use 20 grains and accuracy is one hole up to 35 yds, at 50 I shot a 5 shot group that can be covered with a quarter.That load does less damage than a .22lr holow point, more like a finger size hole thru.
If I go to 15 grains I can't hit the broadside of a barn from the inside.

 

[necchi]

Use a full load an Bark'm,, :idunno:

 

[hanshi]

Or use a powder-puff load and just knock the breath out of 'em. And before they can recover run 'em down and conk 'em on the noggin. :rotf:

 

[ny griz]

:rotf: LMAO.Griz

 

[lorren68]

LMAO!!!!!!!!!! I guess I could just throw my knife at em.

 

[ny griz]

:nono: Wasn't laughing at you lorren68.Just some of the comments.Griz

 

[lorren68]

I was laughing at what Hanshi said. Sorry if it came out wrong, he was talking about stunning them and then bashing hem with a stick, so I thought about just throwing the big bowie at them to konk them on the head. I thought it was funny :grin:

 

[Shine]

I just shootem in the top of thier head. Of course Its a big head. :grin: This was the first meat made with My Roy Stroh rifle. I was quite surprised to see a gray squirrel in northern maine. Let alone such a large one. Im kinda glad I used a .50 :shocked2:

 

[Roy]

I still can't believe how big that squirrel is... :shocked2:

That gun has a 13 1/2" LOP for size comparison..

 

[lorren68]

Arnold Swarzasquirrel. That thing could eat the squirrels aroung here. If the ones around here were that big I would use a full size load.

 

[hanshi]

He's a big dude, all right! Never ran across a gray that size in the woods, ever!

 

[Shine]

I've never seen a gray this far north. We have mostly conifer forests
all we had were the little red squirrels

 

[Stumpkiller]

I'm with Buford. I have an RCBS Blazer .45 Colt case (holds 42 gr FFg) and I use that with my .50 and .54 for squirrels. Try not to hit the shoulders or hips would be my recommendation. [What's gray and red and drips from trees?]

It's bang on at 25 yards with that squib load when sighted 1-1/2" high at 50 yards with 85 gr FFg, my deer load, which is dead on at 85 yards.

Must be proof of God.