45 lc for squirrels?

[Jonah71]

At 8-10 years old I was doing head shots with a Stevens .22 bolt action single shot (most of the time with .22 shorts). At the time, I thought .22's were all anyone used for the little tree rats. And I'd also never seen a scope on a .22. If I still had the same eyes, I'd be using the same rounds. I honestly do not understand the need for anything larger.

 

[Eb1]

Jonah71,

My Papa had an old Remmy bolt that held like a bazillion .22 shorts. Seriously. The gun was as long as a Lee Enfield No3 mk1. My dad has it now, and has for many years, and that is what he used to hunt squills. It never had a scope, and you would hear the bullet hit the rat before you heard the gun go off. It was always a "PLOP ---- Blat" sound, and then a tree rat would fall.
I used a Glenfield .22 LR 9 shot. Like a Model 60 carbine with a fixed 4x. I get as many as dad would, but when I shot they would scatter for about 15 minutes. When he shot with that 10' barrel shooting shorts. Them squirrels would just pay zero attention to the noise. If we sat together he'd shoot all the close ones, and I'd shoot the ones that were off in a distance before we left to go home.

I would say a .22 short out of a bolt gun is about right for anything 15 lbs. and under at short distance. Distance being 50 yards and under. I shoot Super Colibri and CCI shorts out of my Heritage Rough Rider 6 1/2" SA revolver. They are quite, and take tree rats, snakes, rabbits, opossum, and the like with ease. I'd say the Super Colibri is about like a decent .22 cal pellet gun. I keep shots around 12-15 yards with them. Shorts out of the revolver are good to about 25-30 yards. I don't see the need to go larger than a .22 for smaller game. I not really judging anyone if it is legal in the state that someone is hunting in to use larger calibers. Heck. I would gladly take my .25-06 to the prairie to shoot ground squirrels. That I am thinking would be a fun day.

 

[mavracer]

Jonah71,
It's not that I need more than a 22 but the fact that I'm already carrying a 38 or larger handgun and would need to go get a 22.

 

[303tom]

That is why I carry this & three different rounds ie; .32 ACP , .30 carbine & .308 !

 

[mavracer]

I find it impractical to carry a rifle every where I go. Most of the work on the farm is hard enough to do with both hands free.:banghead:

 

[MCgunner]

I have a light .38 special load, mostly loaded for my Rossi 92 carbine, but shoots well in my .38/.357 revolvers if I so wish to use it. Shoots way below my wadcutter load, though. On the rifle, I have a repeatable click ajustable ghost ring rear sight I adapted from an old .22 I had. Adjust it for .38 or .357 in seconds. It consists of the Lee 105-358 bullet, 105 SWC over 2.3 grains of Bullseye. Even a double charge would be below SAAMI pressure. It shoots 1.5" groups at 50 yards from the carbine, good as my 10/22, and clocks 900 fps from that gun. It'd make a dandy squirrel rifle with that load, though the only thing I've killed with it are paper squirrels, aluminum cans, and falling plates at the range. Same gun shoots a 165 grain SWC gas checked bullet at 1900 fps loaded with 16.8 grains of Li'l Gun in magnum brass. That load shoots 4" at 100 yards benched. Very versatile and the gun I usually take along on trips to my uncle-inlaws as I don't know if I'll perhaps get to hunt squirrel there (aunt Virginia thinks they're pets, so I don't press the thought) and he has marauding hogs that the .357 does a number on. I like that little carbine and some day I'm gonna hunt squirrel with it.

 

[Justin Holder]

I've used a Glock 20 10mm/40S&W on tree rats with good results. If you can hit a squirrel with a service grade pistol you've done something.

 

[HarcyPervin]

I've always used a .22...but best of luck! Sounds like pink-misting a few squirrels is good marksmanship practice.