.223 squirrel gun

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Steven57

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Anyone loading 30,36,40gr Varminators for squirrel/rabbit to eat later? Or for that matter skunk, raccoon, possum, or fox (not to eat)?

I've got some great 55gr Vital Shok and Tactical, but I think that would be tough on a head shot to a squirrel.
 
The 223 with a 50gr or 55gr bullet hits extremely hard because of the high velocities. Using a much lighter bullet in the form of a 30gr or 36gr bullet would probably explode on the squirrel so there would probably be nothing left to eat.

IMO a 22LR, 22 Mag or 17 Mag is more than enough to take squirrels cleanly. (and leave enough to eat)
 
I sure as hell hope you arent shooting .223s at squirrels up in trees anywhere near where I live.
 
Just too much gun! I kill hogs with one regularly...but they are a lot larger and don't live in trees.
 
I used to make head shots on grey squirrels with a .30-06 up in the Ponderosa Pines in the Sierras when there weren't any deer to shoot. A head shot bleeds them out and doesn't destroy any meat, so if the bullet placement is good, it should work. Coming home with a limit of squirrels was better than coming home empty handed...

There weren't any people within miles of where I was hunting, so it was safe to do. They also don't hang in the tree when their head is gone....

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
At least someone knows to only head shot. I only head shot with a .22LR/WMR as there isn't much meat to start with. My squirrels are'nt smart enough to stay in the trees and the lighter bullets fragment when they hit anything so you're safe from stray bullets. I can reload .223 cheaper than I can buy .22WMR. Can't reload .22LR or .22WMR, so want to save those for a rainy day.

The old days they squirrel hunted with .32, .38, .44, .45 and still had meat to eat.
So, a light loaded .223 should do the trick as well I would think.
 
Steven57 said:
At least someone knows to only head shot. I only head shot with a .22LR/WMR as there isn't much meat to start with. My squirrels are'nt smart enough to stay in the trees and the lighter bullets fragment when they hit anything so you're safe from stray bullets. I can reload .223 cheaper than I can buy .22WMR. Can't reload .22LR or .22WMR, so want to save those for a rainy day.

The old days they squirrel hunted with .32, .38, .44, .45 and still had meat to eat.
So, a light loaded .223 should do the trick as well I would think.
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You know, that posts sounds a bit nasty! You asked for opinion and when you got them and disagreed you weren't very nice. If you already decided it was a good idea why did you bother asking us?
 
Wasn't meant to be nasty. I made the incorrect assumption that anyone that hunted squirrel knew that head shots were the only way to bag them if you wanted any meat to eat. I apologize if I hurt feelings.

As stated before, our forefathers didn't have .22 to hunt with and used bigger calibers to get the job done. I'll shoot them with my .45 Colt if the shot is right. I just thought the .223 shooting much flatter would be another possibility and the reloading price is right for me.
 
I have just developed my .223 squirrel load. It is a 39 gr. plated bullet meant for .22 magnum. A buddy has a reloading business and he uses them in 5x28 mm pistol ammo. I tried some using many powders and loads. The most accurate was 8.5 gr. of Unique at 2400 fps. I have cast my own 46 gr. bullets but can't seem to get them to shoot well.
 
Capt, have you seen North American Arms 30gr lead bullets? Think they could be made to work? Everything I have thought about is the Barnes Varminator 30-36-40 gr, but the NAA bullets are darn cheap.
 
I shot one with an 8mm Mauser once when I was a kid but never a .223. A pellet gun works quite well for me, I think the cheap pellets run around $14/1000 for .22 pellets.
 
Steven57 said:
Wasn't meant to be nasty. I made the incorrect assumption that anyone that hunted squirrel knew that head shots were the only way to bag them if you wanted any meat to eat. I apologize if I hurt feelings.

As stated before, our forefathers didn't have .22 to hunt with and used bigger calibers to get the job done. I'll shoot them with my .45 Colt if the shot is right. I just thought the .223 shooting much flatter would be another possibility and the reloading price is right for me.
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Really??? My Grandfather back in the early 1920's used a rifle chambered in 22 Short for squirrel hunting. He also used a 25-35 for deer even though the current younger generation feels anything less than a 300 Win Mag won't kill deer.

IMO using a 223 Rem for squirrel hunting is dangerous in most places squirrels can be found.

BTW, it takes a lot more than what you can say to "hurt" my feelings. I'm old and from a generation where words don't bother me much but those words can enlighten you on someones personality especially when they imply you are stupid for thinking not everyone can make a perfect head shot on a squirrel every time. A bullet traveling at an excess of 3000 fps can be very dangerous a mile away when shot up trees at a little squirrel that can be killed with a pellet rifle.
 
I Agree shooting in the air is not wise. I also never said that I would shoot in the air.
 
IMO using a 223 Rem for squirrel hunting is dangerous in most places squirrels can be found.
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LOL. The first image that popped into my head was a golf course.

I must say the largest amount of squirrels I have watched for the longest amount of time were in a perfect spot if you were ever wanting to shoot one with a centerfire. Right below a deer feeder.
 
I load a 50gr cast bullet. With 2.5gr of Bullseye they get ~1,250fps to duplicate the velocity of the .22lr.
Though technically illegal to use (centerfire), it will do the job on squirrels. BTW, my rifle (cast bullet use... a Rem Mod-7 in .223) is very, very accurate with cast bullets.
However, velocities need to be kept below 2,200fps.
With 7.2gr of Unique, I get 2,000fps and 1" groups at 100yds. At 8.2gr for 2,300fps, I get "shotgun patterns" at 50yds.

I have two .22 moulds, I recommend the Lyman .225415 or the RCBS 55gr FNGC with gas-checks installed.
Expect to be able to duplicate .22mag performance. Enough for 'pigs', but way, way underpowered for "HAWGS". I've seen wild hogs run to over 500lbs... Most I've killed ran 150-200lbs. For these, a .30/30 or .35Rem or .45/70 was prefered where we hunt them (thick creek/river bottoms).
On the WMA's in small-game season, the 50cal m/l gets the nod as they are legal (even for squirrels.... go figure! only an Atlanta bureaucrat would come up with that !!!).
 
Yeah, like what he just said ^^^^^

At first, I was confused by the OP's original intent, thinking that maybe he was considering reduced loads ala post #10 (even though 2400 fps still seems pretty hot). But reading on, he is talking full power loads. I have to agree that that seems way too much for squirrels. They are not varmints and ethically should be hunted with the intent to be eaten.

All that being said, I've thought about developing a reduced load with lighter .224 projectiles to approximate .22 Mag performance. I had saved a link in my favorites where someone had developed reduced loads using Blue Dot. I tried to open it before I replied and the site has disappeared.

Seeing as I have a very capable .22 sitting in the safe, I never went through the trouble to develop a load. As the OP noted, in times past hunters might have only had one gun which they used for everything. Fortunately, those times have passed.

Laphroaig
 
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You might try a 410 shot gun. Much more practical and you don't have bullets raining down on wherever they may fall.

I squirrels body will not stop a 223 round.
 
Yes, I was talking reduced loads. Frangibles will disintegrate when they hit anything.
Could use a shotgun as well, but as a kid taking my first squirrel with .410 single shot full choke, 5 shots, each a hit, then stepping on him to finish him off kinda left a lasting image in my head, if you catch my drift.

I have plenty of guns as do many, but if I'm running out the door I may only get to take one.

I wasn't trying to "start" anything other than gather knowledge from others that may have tried it.

If I can hit the same hole with one gun and can't hit the barn with another, then I'd take the gun I'm good with. Wouldn't you?
 
Steven57 said:
I Agree shooting in the air is not wise. I also never said that I would shoot in the air.
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Well maybe you should have said that, <deleted>. You never know what you are dealing with anymore today. Plus the HUGE influx of scared noobees who bought their first gun post the SH panic.
 
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Well, I learned today that asking questions in the forum is just like reloading. Be precise or get your head blown off. I'll try to do better. Lord knows one of my kids already thinks I'm a bafoon. But he's a teenager.
 
Interesting. I've found that my Daisy usually does the trick. With BBs. If I sense I've got a really ornery one, I'll load up with a pellet. On a really bad day with really tall trees I'll haul out the big gun, the Model 60. But only way out where it's safe.
 
If you're going to use full power 223 to shoot squirrels in the head I have a ton of doubt as to you being able to tell what bullet was used.
Any 223 round is going to mostly remove the head of a squirrel
 
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