AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Black Powder Shooting => Topic started by: northmn on June 19, 2010, 03:04:18 PM
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We've discussed how lot we load squirrel rifles just to get accuracy, but how far away do you generally shoot them? I have shot a lot of them where range was in feet. I remember a few longer shots but most were pretty close. Rabbits and grouse that I have potted with head shots have also been very close. Maybe 10 to 15 yards max sometimes more like 15 feet. When I used to use a 45, I used about 40 graind of powder, which was quite effective, but not neccessarily the most accurate. It worked. I did go as low as 15 in my 32 but tended to load about 25. Still wondered if 15 wasn't good enough. Just curious.
DP
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I practice using 1" aim point stickers at 15 yards, and a 1+3/4" steel hanger at 25 yards...got pretty consistent with them.
The longest squirrel rifle shot I ever had presented was about 25 yards, .45cal with 40grns Goex 3F, tried a head shot and apparently only grazed / stunned him...as I was walking over to pick up up, he 'woke up' and hauled butt. Have taken some closer like 10-15 yards with the .45.
I took two squirrels off the same tree one afternoon, 30 yards, .28ga & #5 shot.
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Had a guy in our deer party many years ago. Had a deer down and put his rifle up and got out his knife. The deer got up and took off. He had a 357 pistol and we heard 6 pretty quick shots. Never found the deer. Your squirrel story reminded me of that. Shotguns can allow for a little aiming error.
Actually I have missed a couple of grouse or so aiming at the top of the head to allow for pattern to keep shot out of the meat.
DP
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I've shot 'em as close as a few feet to as far as 60 yards, or so, with ML rifles. I shot one at close to 100 yards with a scoped Winchester .22 when getting closer was all but impossible, but ranges of 15-30 yards is more common.
God bless
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I'd have to say rarely over 25 yards with quite a few 15 yards or less.
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normaly 15 to 20 yards,accasionaly 30 to 35 yards if it is a good clear shot.
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The Pine Squirrels (very small Red Squirrels here) I barked with the .69 were within 30 yards. ;D
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We have the pine squirrel in my area also. They are more of a varmit than a game animal and not much bigger than a chipmunk. Hope you don't cripple many with the 69.
DP
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The Pine Squirrels (very small Red Squirrels here) I barked with the .69 were within 30 yards. ;D
Barked with a .69! Around here we would call that logging.
We have some fox squirrels on the river bottoms of the plains but not a whole lot. In the mountains we have the pine squirrels that we also had in Michigan and Wisconsin. Back there they were red and we called them red squirrels. Out here they are grey colored. There are loads of them and are excellent training for young hunters. Hardly any meat on them and it needs to be a head shot. Shots are five feet to 50 yards or so.
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I 'd bet most squirrels are shot within 25 yds. The longest I shot in recent years was [estimated from simple trig and paces to fallen animal] ~35 yds. I use to be able to hold offhand steady enough [and had good eyes] so I could cluster a good squirrel group at 35 yds or so. Lately I have been working for closer shots--the last few killed were within 20 yds. A good shot with an accurate rifle could do 50 yds now and again. I sight in my .32 for 25 yds.
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More than 25 yards and I can't see their little heads....if I could I could hit em!!
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I suspect 'barking' is easier on thin bark trees. The one's I 'barked' with the .69 were in Douglas Fir - bit too far away with a dead-on shot, even 3/8" off his hide and they'd scamper away as the 4" thick bark merely absorbs the ball, but slanting shots, striking on an angle, within 1/4" would throw them off the branch or trunk up to 20 yards before hitting the forest floor, dead without marks - well, maybe a tear here and there. If I missed seeing where the squirrel was blown to I didn't collect them for fare. Oh yes - 'fare' 'food' whatever you want to call it, Pine Squirrels are inedible as much as chawin' down on a spruce cone. Lovely. Too, I used the close range target load for his - 82gr. 3F, as 165gr. 2F was felt to be a bit excessive. ;)
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Dragana and I tested the latest "hockey stick" Lehigh on PA gray squirrels (the smartest and fastest variety) at 1/4 mile. We wanted to be sporting about it. As usual, I didn't miss any; she missed a few, but, I must admit, I forced her to reload on the run, which was quite amusing. I'm preparing her to be our chief deer driver this winter. We'll be at the base of the mountain with the coffee pot and nature's most perfect food...donuts. ;D
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I think if we arhe honest with ourselves we take home a lot more game with the close shots and remember the long shots we make.
DP
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Usually I don't shoot squirrels past 150 yards, but that's because I like to head shoot them when they are jumping from one tree to the other. That way they don't get stuck in limbs on the way down :) .
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I think most all of my shots on squirrels are between 10-20 yds. I consider 25-30 yds. a long shot for me. The longest shot that I remember was a stepped off 40 yds and that was through his middle. I find my .25 cal. great for these short ranges.
James Levy