Thoughts on .40 Cal for squirrels?

[Nick M]

What are some of your guys thoughts on .40 Cal in flintlock longrifle with PRB for squirrels and other small game?

 

[coloradoclyde]

My thoughts?........I wish I had one for just that purpose....

 

[robinsroost]

I think you had better hit them in the head or there won't be much left to take home...... robin. :hmm:

 

[Katahdin]

Draw a real fine bead,just in front of their nose,when the ball goes by it takes all the air away, they suffocate,no lost meat.Steady hand and breath...Least that is what Hermie told me in deer camp,on how he shoots rabbits with a 54 cal....

 

[BrownBear]

I think you had better hit them in the head or there won't be much left to take home....

Same thoughts, unless you get your powder charges way down low. I'm shooting 30, 32 and 36 caliber for snowshoe hare (as well as reduced loads in 50, 54, 58 and 62 cal), and if your shots drop down even into the neck at velocities higher than 22 LR, you'll lose the whole front half of the animal to blood shot. I'm using 10 grains of 3f in my 30 and 15 grains in both my 32 and 36 (30-35 grains in all the bigger stuff). But I'm planning on cutting the 30 even lower, and the 32 and 36 down to 10. Even at 22 velocities, hitting with the smaller ones is like hitting with an already-expanded 22LR or worse.

Here's another angle on the question for you:

Knowing that you can drag down the powder charges on almost anything to use it for small game, are there other things you can do with hot charges in the same caliber? By that I mean, if you snort the 40 up toward max, is it suitable in your mind or legal in your state to use it for deer?

I'm having a Leman Squirrel Rifle built, and it's in my choice of 40 or 45 caliber. Pondering that question of high power capabilities along with low power, I've settled on 45 caliber for my "squirrel" rifle. I'll certainly be using 15 grains or so for snowshoe hare with no demerits for being so "big" on small game. But when I snort it up toward top loads, it will be both capable and legal for deer here. Not so with a 40 or the smaller ones I already own.

 

[wattlebuster]

Any of the small calibers be it 32 36 or 40 will ruin/bloodshot a lot of the meat if you dont make a headshot which most times I dont :idunno: I like a 40 just simply cause my fat fingers can handle the ball better an you can use a 3/8ths ramrod. I dont like handling anything smaller. Just my personal preference though.

 

[Swamp Rat]

Here in SC 40cal is the largest cal you can use for squirrels and 36cal the smallest for deer on WMA land. I built mine for squirrels and when a hog comes by I can pop it too.

 

[nchawkeye]

Works just fine, 30grs of FFF Goex is my load...

I always take headshots, whether using a .22 or a flintlock...

 

[wvbuckbuster]

What wattlebuster said!

 

[rushlake1]

over kill unless you powder down.

plus do u really wanna arc those heaver rbs skyward...they gotta land somewhere.

 

[coloradoclyde]

over kill unless you powder down.

plus do u really wanna arc those heaver rbs skyward...they gotta land somewhere.

Two simple solutions......
1. aim for the head.
2. shoot squirrel on ground or with backstop.

This has been a public safety message..... :grin:

 

[hanshi]

The .40 can make a great squirrel rifle. Loads have to be watched carefully; this is why I prefer smaller calibers for the job.

In my .40 .30 grains of 3F gives 1427fps; 40 grains gives over 1700fps; head shots are required to prevent hamburger. I used 30 grains of 3F in my .32 Crockett and the squirrels hit mid-ship showed no more damage than a .22LRHP would have caused. Head shot squirrels are simply easier and less messy to clean.

 

[nhmoose]

Dead us dead. hit in head there is 0 overkill whatever that is.

22lr in the chest wrecks meat, only in the front where there is not much anyway. My .40 at 30 grains 3fffg does less when I hit forward on the shoulders and neck than 22lr

 

[buzp]

I've shot a few with my .40 cal. percussion. good results using round ball and 40 grains fff. have not destroyed any, but have ruined front quarter when the shot was a bit off.