CCI Mini-Mags: Too much gun for squirrels?

Atavar said:
I think I will chime in and second the pellet gun idea. I have taken many squirrels at out to 50 yards with my .22 pellet rifle. Even those monster 2 lb Grey tuft ears that are sooo cute and yummy. They are arguably the best game meat in North America. Clean em when they fall though or the hide glues itself to the muscle when it cools.
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Monster grey squirrels?

Obviously you've never tangled with a KS Fox Squirrel, this picture was taken moments before this Bull Fox Squirrel pounced on an unsuspecting hunter, the man required multiple stiches and therapy after the attack. They're highly territorial and when enraged are not to be taken lightly:

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The fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), also known as the eastern fox squirrel or Bryant's fox squirrel,[2] is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America. Despite the differences in size and coloration, it is sometimes mistaken for American red squirrels or eastern gray squirrels in areas where the species co-exist.[4]
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A pellet gun, .22 Shorts, CB Longs, anything under 4 shot, just piss them off. For these we use big bore "Squirrel Stopping Rifles" like this one:

22Mag over .410 Slug

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1KPerDay said:
We grow big squirrels 'round these parts. I use a .375 H&H
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The opening poster was concerned about the possibility of a miss traveling over a mile to where he knew not where.
If a .375 Holland & Holland were fired at squirrel in a tree and missed, I would worry about where that bullet might land.

[trying very hard to pretend to take .375 H&H for squirrel serious]
 
Tallinar said:
Thank you for clarifying, you are exactly right. It's the travel I am concerned with.

I should also probably add, for the one I hit in the head at about 7 yards, I did not find an exit wound. I didn't dissect the head to go looking for a bullet to confirm, but it was enough to suggest to me that mini-mags are not "too" powerful from an actual lethality perspective. If the bullet was able to get stuck inside the skull, I feel pretty good about the power level from a "DRT" perspective. Even then though, I imagine I could go with a lighter round and get the same essential result.
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Ballistics are still ballistics, try something lighter, 20-32 gr, start as light as you can and work up until you find something that groups to your liking, lighter bullets lose steam faster. If it were me? Shotgun. If I couldn't: cci and Norma both make copper rounds that should tank quickly, then there's the stingers. Best of luck.
 
Tallinar said:
I know this topic has likely been beat to death, and I've read other threads from other forums on the topic, but would like input.

I went on a successful squirrel hunt with a friend this weekend. This was my only my second time hunting and the first time I've taken any game myself. I went home with two squirrel's worth of meat. Had a blast. Looking forward to going again.

We were shooting on the property of an acquaintance who was kind enough to let us on. The property used to be a golf course, and has since been overgrown and repurposed for crops. It's fairly remote, with not a lot of structures nearby. I was using a .22 LR bolt action with a 4x fixed scope, shooting CCI 36 grain Varmint Mini-Mags. This rifle and ammo made for some pretty clean kills. I shot one squirrel in the head from about 7 yards away just at the base of a tree. The other one I shot was about 20 yards away, and up in some branches. I hit him in the upper side, and had an exit wound out the base of the neck.

What occurred to me, however, is that I think this ammo is probably overkill for squirrels -- at least at these close ranges, and for making tree shots. Even though I was cognizant of the direction I was shooting at all times as relates to nearby structures in the vicinity, shooting a rifle at an upward angle into a tree like this feels like it breaks conventions of firearm safety, even though it's just a .22. If the bullet doesn't hit a squirrel, a tree, or something else to dissipate its energy and modify trajectory, I know that bullet is capable of flying a good mile or more, depending on angle. I think I can be more responsible here. At the very least, if I am going to use a .22, I feel like I can pick a better round.

So let's say I want to keep using a .22 LR bolt action. Let's say I'm not interested in moving to a shotgun or a pellet rifle. What ammo would you recommend for tree shooting inside of 40 yards or so? Just enough juice to easily down a squirrel, while anemic enough to limit over-travel with missed shots. Would CCI Quiets be the ticket? .22 Shorts? What do you like to use?

Thanks.
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Standard Velocity CCI would probably be more than good enough. It would also be quieter with a suppressor as it's subsonic.
 
I will use what ever ammo shoots best in my 22 rifles for hunting. I've learned to try for head shots only after using my 17m2 rifle on tree rats. 17m2 and 17HMR will pretty much destroy the meat on a squirrel if shot in the body. That isn't any good if you are wanting to eat squirrels.
 
CB behind the shoulder, makes it like lung shooting deer. They run a little and fall over dead.

But with dens in trees, might be best to zap em with a little something more.
 
The Mini-Mags are a fine choice for squirrels. Head shots are best, but front shoulder shots also save the best meat. I think a 20ga is overkill and much more likely too ruin most of the meat. Some of my associates would think it unsportsmanlike to shoot a squirrel wih a shotgun bigger than a 410. I've hunted squirrels locally on the edge of the city limits within a short distance of an apt complex. Of course, I would never shoot in that direction and only used a 410 shotgun. The opposite direction was toward mostly trees and a wide cornfield. While the way I hunted there was completely safe, I quit going because it wasn't that much fun hunting close to civilization. I only went because it was 10 minutes from my house and the old guy who invited me liked the squirrels to eat. Most of the time I hunt squirrels on a 2500 acre ranch which is an hour drive one way. There are two houses in the vicinity, one a 1/2 mile and the other a mile from where I shoot. I am always mindful of the location of those houses when I shoot.
My advice to our OP, shoot whatever you like. I've shot squirrels with everything from CB caps to 12ga (talk about unsportsmanlike). Currently I shoot mostly Standard Velocity and Subsonics. The CCI sub-sonics in my suppressed Bergara BXR are wicked accurate and whisper quiet. I recently bought a CZ 457 Varmint and with Norma Match 22 it is crazy accurate. I occasionally shoot squirrels with 17hmr in winter when leaves are absent and long shots possible. I had a 17Mach2 for a few years and set some personal records for long shots with it. But, I like the 17HMR better for long shots; it's more reliable. Anyway, have fun.
 
Chuck R. said:
Monster grey squirrels?

Obviously you've never tangled with a KS Fox Squirrel, this picture was taken moments before this Bull Fox Squirrel pounced on an unsuspecting hunter, the man required multiple stitches and therapy after the attack. They're highly territorial and when enraged are not to be taken lightly:
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They'll also peel the head of any cat dumb enough to grab one!
 
Tallinar said:
Thank you for clarifying, you are exactly right. It's the travel I am concerned with.
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Well, that’s something YOU take into consideration before YOU pull the trigger. It’s only spontaneous if you don’t think about it before hand.

People ask me all the time what the corn cob on the fence is about…

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Because they haven’t seen it from the balcony. It’s obvious then…

C9FFBE89-558B-4B64-9CD0-A3E4DF16B6AD.jpeg
 
Larry in wyoming said:
What I always wanted for squirrels was a 20gr 17cal at about 1100fps. Or less. The 17m2 always seemed like too much of a good thing.
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Actually, The 17Mach2 would be ideal for Wyoming. I had an Anschutz 1502 17Mach2 which was an excellent squirrel rifle. Of course head shots are best, if not always possible when shooting longer shots. I set personal best long shot records. with it. I got one squirrel at 125yds. Killed lots of them at 50-75 yds. Decided to sell it since I have several great squirrel rifles and got a good price out of it. The ammo can be hard to find, but is currently readily available.
 
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