AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Black Powder Shooting => Topic started by: JTR on February 26, 2015, 01:59:56 AM
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I think I read all of the 'Let's see all of the squirrel rifles' thread, and there's some fine looking guns there! I've got the urge to build something along these lines and have most of the details for a rifle in mind, well, except for the caliber.
Seems caliber in the other thread ran from about .25 up to around .40, with .32 being mentioned a lot, if not the most. Out here, all of our squirrels live in the ground and aren't much good to eat, so most of my shooting would be targets.
So, if you were going to build or buy another squirrel buster, what caliber would you chose? And why; accuracy, longer range capability, easy of loading, etc?
Thanks, John
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I currently have a .32 caliber Tennessee rifle that is very accurate and I don't seem to have a whole lot of trouble with loading it. I am hoping that a builder that I have used in the past will make me a real nice Tennessee Southern Mountain in a .40 caliber. A lot depends on his health right now as he is not in very good shape. He is still very weak, but optimistic that he will recover. I am praying that he will make a full recovery. He's working on a dainty yet man sized rifle. He's working out the safety and strength factors before he starts building it for others.
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I read up all i could when making this decision a year or two ago, and the result is that I am making a 30
and backing that up with a 40.
I mean it could be windy right?
Accuracy is paramount, every other consideration is bogus if you don't hit the critter.
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Id go .40 an never look back. I like being able to use a 3/8th ramrod too
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Years ago, I borrowed Taylor's original little English rifle for shooting showshoe hares. The bore of this rifle was rotten, so Taylor turned down or had Don Robinson turn down a round .36 Bauska barrel to make a liner. As well, Taylor bored out the little English gun's barrel for this .36 cal. liner using a long shank drill seems to me. I think Taylor used AcraGlass for the sickum.
The little rifle shoots amazingly well. With 40gr. of powder (I think it was - 30 years ago), it will completely remove a hare's head - that part of the formula I remember quite vividly. I suggest .36 is a might strong for squirrels, however, if one stays away from the eating part, it should be ok.
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I have a .32, .36, and a .40 and in my opinion, a head shots required by all! If in fact they are to be eaten, which in my case they are!
~Tony
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Thank you guys!
I should have mentioned that I already have a .40, so am leaning more toward a .36 or a .32. And, I had a .36 once, and never could get it to shoot accurately so tossed the barrel and put the .40 in its place.
So I guess I'm coming to down to just how good accuracy wise is a .32, and out to what range?
For the rifle, I'm thinking an 'A' weight barrel, 46 inches long, so looong and skinny.
John
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This is nitpicking but for me a 36 as the 32 is much harder to load with my husky (chubby) and arthritic fingers. Have witnessed fine shooting from both.
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Yes, a .32 is a bit more "fumble prone" than larger bores. Still, I prefer the .32 by a slight margin and it is as accurate as one is able to shoot. A .36, assuming a good barrel, is as accurate as a .32 or a .40. For me the choice is .32 vs .36. It's easy to underestimate the .32 since it is tiny. But the .32 can be a terror when loaded up and a gentle squirrel head shooter when loaded down. And the .32 (along with the .36) can be astonishingly accurate at a longer range than suspected.
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I have a 36 and a 32.
I prefer the 32 for shooting. It's just a fun gun to shoot and mine is very accurate. I am waiting on a 40 caliber to arrive anyday so will see how I like it when it arrives.
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10grns 3f in my 32 is all i need for squirrels out to as far as i can hit one , loading is no problem with a block and i use a hollow brass ram rod cleaning is no more difficult than my other calibers,great cal. I think with bigger charge maybe up to 35grns it would take care of anything up to Coyotes at 50 yds or so, my rifle has a 1/48 twist barrel.
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My .32 will put usually 5 into an inch to 1-1/2" at 50 yards. My other rifles will usually group close to 1/2"- all shot the same, off bags.
I found a huge difference between light loads as in 20gr. had heavier loads as in 35gr. when I started shooting at 50yards. The light charges opened groups to 2 1/2 times as large. The longer ranges required more powder - same as with ALL of my rifles - no change there.
If I use an oiled patch as in hunting, I have to increase the charge to 40gr. 3F.
The rifle shoots cleanly - easy to load and shoot all day, no wiping when using either the .311" ball (.311"Lee mould) or the .320" (.319 Lee mould) balls. Cleans up quickly at home after a day's plinking on the range.
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I think my next squirrel gun is going to be 54 cal. Smoothbore with some #6 shot dumped down the
barrel. ( .530 round ball for big bushytails).
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Okay, thanks, excellent information and I appreciate it!
I think I'll go with a .32.
Now to find a barrel.
I'd like to build the rifle as a compilation of two of the southern mountain rifles I have, but finding a swamped barrel anywhere close to the dimensions of the barrels on my rifles looks like it's going to be difficult. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm thinking long and slender, and my rifle with the 45 inch long barrel measures .900 at the breech, .775 at the waist, which is about 32 inches from the breech, and .915 at the muzzle.
I think Ed Rayl will make a barrel like that, but I'm not sure how long the wait might be.
John
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Thank you guys!
I should have mentioned that I already have a .40, so am leaning more toward a .36 or a .32. And, I had a .36 once, and never could get it to shoot accurately so tossed the barrel and put the .40 in its place.
So I guess I'm coming to down to just how good accuracy wise is a .32, and out to what range?
For the rifle, I'm thinking an 'A' weight barrel, 46 inches long, so looong and skinny.
John
Yes, 46" is a good number. And heck yeah, .36 is extremely close to 40-so 32 is the next "logical" step if you want a modern "standard" bore size.
Accuracy-wise, it is what you make it. Takes a good bbl, well-constructed gun (good sights and eyes), predictable lock, and a properly-developed load (of consistent components). No ball size has "unique" properties of accuracy.
Lighter projectiles will always shed speed more quickly and thus drop and drift more at (as a function of time to target) than heavier projectiles started at the same speed. This fact cannot be avoided (without changing projectile shape), and is the foundation of my comment "It might be windy" with reference to the 40 in my initial reply to this thread.
The "wait" for a bbl from any maker doesn't get shorter until one makes that order. ;) Jason does the "Southern Classic" and a squirrel version of that, but they're only 42 inches long. They have a thicker waist-much more like the old stuff. I inquired with him and he says he can make longer. I'm not ready to place that order but you might be. Says he can go to 4', don't know if up-charges or extended delivery time would be expected. I won't trouble him with that query until i have $ in hand, ready to order. These guys can make bbls faster if the tire-kickers don't hassle 'em all day. :P
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JTR, Rice just came out with a barrel that's 45 in. long called " Allentown". You can find specs. in the items
for sale forum on page 3.
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Thanks, I'll take a look!
John
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John i'm sure you've read some of these previous threads, but as i'm a bit under the wx this morn, i piddled around with the search function, pre-screened, and copied these links for previous threads on the subjects of small-game rifle caliber selecting, shooting, and loading.
Save somebuddy else the trouble. ;)
Topic: Good Squirrel Calibers (Read 7257 times) 2008
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=1640.0
Topic: caliber choice .32 vs .36 (Read 5448 times) 2014
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=30688.0
Topic: .36 vs. .32 (Read 2167 times) 2009
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=8163.0
Topic: How big is too big for tree rats?? (Read 5255 times) 2011
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=18094.0
Topic: best small caliber? (Read 4139 times) 2009
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=2672.0
Topic: Your thoughts on the 32 caliber... (Read 5398 times) 2010
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=10364.0
Topic: Advise on small game rifle (Read 1759 times) 2009
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=5579.0
Topic: Small Game (Read 6280 times) 2011
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=16293.0
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Thanks Wade, and yep, I've read some of those. And will read the others as well, before deciding for sure.
John
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Brown Bess .840 for Killer Squirels
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:o
You must have some hellacious squirrels, LB !!!
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Until just of late I always kept a squirrel dog. The last little fiest had over one thousand squirrels shot out to her. I would say 80% of them with a muzzleloader. Hunting the southern hills of WV it was funny to see someone show up to hunt with some sort of ML fowling piece with an open choke that could not knock a treed squirrel out from a tall poplar. I liked a .32 rifle with long barrel. Practice on something like the size of a ping pong ball. That's about the size of the head you are shooting at. If you are not going to head shoot them around here you will have to hunt alone because the tale of you poor marksmanship will make it out of the woods before you do. I don't know how! Truly the caliber is of little matter, a .45 with 30gr will take the head clean off beautifully. But you have to be able to hit the head not neck or shoulders etc. Just of late someone asked me if I was not afraid to shoot up at treed squirrels concerning the ball falling back to earth a way off yonder and hitting somebody on the head. I figured I had been hit by heavier hailstones and survived. But started taking pains to line up a limb behind the darling so the ball would spend itself in it. I sort of considered the .32 like it was a .22 mag in practical use. Be sure to grease your patch really well because when shooting upwards the spent patch drifts back down like a parachute and gets lots of time to fan itself and a spark stays alive. I always rammed a piece of hornets nest down on the powder first which formed it into a hard wad that resisted fire on the patch. You can occasionally see the little wads bounce off your practice target or backboard and find them looking whole on the ground. I have yet to see a patch set leaves afire loading like that. Johnny Walker
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I like a small .32 but I also like a 3/8" ramrod so I stick with .40
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:o
You must have some hellacious squirrels, LB !!!
My little .69 was able to handle them just fine, with full through and through penetration (I think).
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My 10 bore fowler stops squirrels dead in their tracks. (90 grains of ffg and a .76" ball make a nice, light load. It's a bit difficult to make a good stew using eyeballs and tails, however.
Dan
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Brown Bess .840 for Killer Squirels
:o
You must have some hellacious squirrels, LB !!!
My little .69 was able to handle them just fine, with full through and through penetration (I think).
My 10 bore fowler stops squirrels dead in their tracks. (90 grains of ffg and a .76" ball make a nice, light load. It's a bit difficult to make a good stew using eyeballs and tails, however.
Dan
they was coming RIGHT AT US!!!
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Wade's list of past squirrel threads was very entertaining to read and a real "memory jogger". One thing stood out, however, and that was the extent to which my experiences differed from the majority. I've killed squirrels with the .32, .36, .45 and .58; not to mention a number of modern calibers. Some of these experiences are purely anecdotal with no point proved nor disproved.
While deer hunting once with a .58 loaded with a prb and heavy powder charge, I had a fox squirrel present himself in a manner that defied any attempts at self control. I aimed at the rear part of the head and fired off. After retrieving my trophy an examination revealed a tiny entrance slit in the neck at the base of the skull and a tiny slit where the .562" ball exited. No damage!
Squirrel hunting a few seasons with a .32 over 30 grains of 3F, I shot most of them in the mid section. Always there was a small entrance hole and a barely larger exit hole. None of them ever showed more damage than what a .22LR would cause. I did stay away from the shoulders and hind quarters. Similarly when using a .36 with a head-on shot, the ball slipped under the chin, entered to the inside of the shoulder and exited low just behind the shoulder. No particular damage.
Now contrast that with two grays I shot with a deer load in my .45. Aiming at the base of the neck where it merged with the shoulders; they both were literally blown apart with nothing salvageable.
With scores upon scores taken with .22LR, CB caps, pellet guns and cf revolvers, no particular damage. A .38spl HBWC through the side of the head left one unmoving, sticking to the side of a tree trunk with the tiniest through and through hole one could imagine. I'd think a .40 prb at under 1000fps would do about the same. At the same time I'm sure a .32 or .36 prb at .22LR velocities would produce virtually the same results.
My conclusion is that small calibers (.32 and .36) roughly duplicating the .22LR from a rifle would not cause any mess unless shoulders or hindquarters are hit. The .40 (no experience, here) would need velocities below 1000fps. A hit to the head is always best but not always possible. So where one hits a game animal is more important than with what it is hit with.
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That's really interesting, hanshi - I barked a red squirrel about 20years ago with the .69o, and it turned into a red rag with feet at both ends and a head on one. Of course, I was hunting moose and used my normal 6 dram load.
The grey, black and Eastern Fox squirrel do have tough hides.
A .36 with a mere 45gr. 3f will completely decapitate a snowshoe hare with a hit somewhere on the head- front, back or sides. Their hide is of course, not particularly tough and is easily torn off with with fingers- almost as easily as a grouse.
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Every solid hit I've made with my .36 cal. Squirrel rifle, has either completely removed the head, or if I hit the shoulders, nearly blown the squirrel in half. That's why I'm trying to work up a light load in my .30 cal. Rifle. I'll try a .283 ball with 15 grains 3f. Hopefully, that will do less damage. If I have to;I'll use harder lead.
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I think I read all of the 'Let's see all of the squirrel rifles' thread, and there's some fine looking guns there! I've got the urge to build something along these lines and have most of the details for a rifle in mind, well, except for the caliber.
Seems caliber in the other thread ran from about .25 up to around .40, with .32 being mentioned a lot, if not the most. Out here, all of our squirrels live in the ground and aren't much good to eat, so most of my shooting would be targets.
So, if you were going to build or buy another squirrel buster, what caliber would you chose? And why; accuracy, longer range capability, easy of loading, etc?
Thanks, John
32
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Every solid hit I've made with my .36 cal. Squirrel rifle, has either completely removed the head, or if I hit the shoulders, nearly blown the squirrel in half. That's why I'm trying to work up a light load in my .30 cal. Rifle. I'll try a .283 ball with 15 grains 3f. Hopefully, that will do less damage. If I have to;I'll use harder lead.
Do you eat the heads?
Its hard to get RB rifles to shoot with low velocity loads. Once over the speed of sound they are likely to be destructive on Squirrels and such. Thats why I always used head shots. You could try barking them. I shot quite a few with a 40. 32-36-40 all remove the head with a good hit. Saves cutting it off when skinning.
Dan
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Dan if you destroy the head ,you wont be able to cape it out for a wall :D
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Every solid hit I've made with my .36 cal. Squirrel rifle, has either completely removed the head, or if I hit the shoulders, nearly blown the squirrel in half. That's why I'm trying to work up a light load in my .30 cal. Rifle. I'll try a .283 ball with 15 grains 3f. Hopefully, that will do less damage. If I have to;I'll use harder lead.
Do you eat the heads?
Its hard to get RB rifles to shoot with low velocity loads. Once over the speed of sound they are likely to be destructive on Squirrels and such. Thats why I always used head shots. You could try barking them. I shot quite a few with a 40. 32-36-40 all remove the head with a good hit. Saves cutting it off when skinning.
Dan
We have some really tall trees where I hunt them. It's not always possible to make a clean head shot. Even hits at the base of the head tend to ruin the shoulders and some back meat.
I shot my .30 cal last weekend, and 15 grains seemed to work well at 25 yards. That should be close to a 22 lR load, and with a harder ball, might not tear them up as bad.
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I have had a .32 , a .36, and now a .40 For all around use I love the .40 since I never know what I will find in my woods wanderings, and the .40 is extremely versatile. That said, I will most likely build another .32 since I often hesitate to shoot up into the trees if I think the trajectory will take the shot over my neighbours . I'm thinking that the .32 wouldn't carry as far . Something worth checking out
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Mentioning what gun you are packing, Bob, reminds me of a hunt my daughter and I went on a few years back - we came across a grizzly bear's living/dining and toilet room. I looked at her .26 cal rifle, my .22 cal rifle and said - lets get out of here - quickly now. :o
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Squirrels around here aren't worth shooting.(although they are very aggravating when hunting big game.)Red squirrels are too small. I've blown them up with many calibers,...40,50,54,338Win mag,12 gauge and a Bren gun!
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Shooting up into trees is definitely an endeavor plagued with risks. I move around until I can put a trunk or limb behind the target. Still, IMHO, the two things that will lower that risk are small calibers and low velocity; a no-brainer, of course. I've found that small calibers can be extremely accurate at velocities a little below and above 1000fps.
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I'm still going to go with a .32.
John
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Shooting up into trees is definitely an endeavor plagued with risks. I move around until I can put a trunk or limb behind the target. Still, IMHO, the two things that will lower that risk are small calibers and low velocity; a no-brainer, of course. I've found that small calibers can be extremely accurate at velocities a little below and above 1000fps.
This is an approximate trajectory for a 315 RB at 1450. I guessed at the BC. Lyman shows a .350 at .049.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi72.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fi199%2FDPhariss%2F315%2520ball.jpg&hash=dbaea5e23fa32b85a6edf1b29a508e18f403c28b)
Note that it falls 375 FEET from 700 to 800 yards. So in reality its virtually impossible to get it to go that far.
If it strikes ANYTHING of any substance this will be greatly reduced. Even in free flight is under what the military considers effective (35 ft lbs, some say 53) at +- 300 yards.
I don't like shooting without a backstop. But with a ML I seldom shoot at anything on the skyline and no longer hunt squirrels due to where I live. So while its a good idea to try to get something behind the squirrel in my experience this is to always easy unless the critter cooperates and given what we see here the range and lethality of a high angle 32 RB is not very impressive. If the squirrel is struck its unlikely the ball will make it more than 200 yards.
Dan
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Thank you for that, Dan. Although I really like my .40, I do think that there is another .32 in my future plans .
As a side note, the squirrels here seem to be getting more numerous, and……a lot bigger :) Lots more black ones lately.
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Mentioning what gun you are packing, Bob, reminds me of a hunt my daughter and I went on a few years back - we came across a grizzly bear's living/dining and toilet room. I looked at her .26 cal rifle, my .22 cal rifle and said - lets get out of here - quickly now. :o
I have noticed that coming across a Gbear track or any size always seems to make whatever firearm one is carrying get smaller somehow....
Dan
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I use a .32, like folks say, it is akin to a modern .22 mag in power whern loaded right--and no squirrel on earth needs more. As for head shots--around here many folks consider that a miss--as they eat the brains, often scrambled with eggs. A "pure shot" for them is the neck. Plus the .32 offers more shots per pound of lead or powder. Anything larger is a waste....but somehow I want another .36 [that I traded off some 45 years ago!]....
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squirrel brains an eggs sound wonderful.......ewwwwww!?!????!?....I have 32 cal halfstock Vincent rifle that shoots honest to gosh, three shot one hole/an I do mean one hole groups at 25yrds. I have used it plenty on 50 yrd competition shooting events an mopped up the larger cal shooters.....When I shoot at squirrels, it is only head shots, an they are when hit there, headless......$#&^! things shoots like a ray gun....sonny
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I use a .32, like folks say, it is akin to a modern .22 mag in power whern loaded right--and no squirrel on earth needs more. As for head shots--around here many folks consider that a miss--as they eat the brains, often scrambled with eggs. A "pure shot" for them is the neck. Plus the .32 offers more shots per pound of lead or powder. Anything larger is a waste....but somehow I want another .36 [that I traded off some 45 years ago!]....
Eating the head or using large calibers is why people used to "bark" them.
Shooting a squirrel in the neck with the ML loads I used to hunt with would have been pointless.
Being fed brain parts is how mad cow disease got started. Its something that cannot be stopped by cooking since the protein itself is the transmission mechanism.
Dan
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I was going to build a .32 but decided a .40 would be best for me, the reason; Someone put a brand new 13/16 Green Mountain 42" barrel on ebay with a buy it now price of $75. I suspect I caught it after it had been listed for just a few minutes so a 40 cal squirrel rifle is best for me. I have most of the parts and just need to get started building.
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I'm pretty well settled (have been for some time) on a .32 and head shots. I don't save or eat the heads; just too crunchy for me. :D
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This may be a bit off topic, but it does concern the .32 cal. Some 20 years ago we had a competitor do very very well with his .32 in the 100 yard match. He was shooting 60 gr of 3F !! I was impressed, since he held his own with the larger cal. [ most of us were using .54's ] That experience was what prompted me to build my first .36 small bore , which I used for many years. It took care of many raccoons that were trying to get at my chickens.
The smaller bores can be accurate at longer ranges than they usually get credit for.
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Where is James Levy's answer...I would not consider this topic done till he weighs in...
James is the squirrel killin'ist longrifle shooter I know of...
tca
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I'm thrilled that guys are still answering!
I dug out my three original SMR's and measured the barrels and compared them to the modern offerings. All the modern barrels have much more swamp, or thinner waist, than the originals do. One of my guns, that ebay one that was sold in pieces, holds very nicely, weighs about 8 pounds and has a pleasing look to the barrel, at least to me. So I think I'll use those dimensions more or less for my barrel. That gun is .34 cal, and has a 41" long barrel, but I want to stretch it out a bit longer to about 46", and .32 caliber.
So where to get the barrel? I know Ed Rayl can make a custom contour, but does anyone else do that type of work?
Also, I realize most of these rifles were percussion, but I'd like to build a flint. I have a lock, a late Ketland with the straight tail that I bought from TOW for some reason. Anything good, or not so good to say about this lock? I seen pictures of a few SMR's with flat tailed locks, so guess the style would work okay?
Thanks for any help you can give me here, John
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Whoever, you'll probably be waiting in a line. Rice Barrels (Jason) made me a 46" x .40 pretty quickly, but I think I caught him at the right moment for what I was seeking.
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So where to get the barrel? I know Ed Rayl can make a custom contour, but does anyone else do that type of work?
Charlie Burton will make one for you. I am sure there are others but they don't come to mind right now.
Dennis
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What Dennis said. I have 3 Burton barrels and they are all shooters
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Might give Bobby Hoyt a call.
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If I lived in a place where the squirrels lived in the ground and weren't much good to eat.
I WOULD MOVE!
Just teasing.
PJC
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I WOULD MOVE!
Just teasing.
PJC
Yeah, and we haven't had any snow in the last 70 years that I've lived here either. ;D
But it did get down to about 55 degrees one night a couple months ago!
John ;D
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.32 is ideal and I wouldn't want to go any smaller. Those little pills are small enough and fumble prone as it is.
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For a pure Squirrel/Snowshoe Hare rifle, I think a .25 would be even more fun. The .32 seems to work quite well for trail walks with shots from 20 yards to 110yards. Thus, it is a longer range gun than needed for squirrels or snowshoe hares. We NEED to specialize - lol.
I am eagerly anticipating having some fun with a .25, if Taylor ever gets around to building it, that is.
He has a long walnut stock already inlet for the barrel.
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Daryl, the .25 is indeed a hoot to shoot. A #4 buck pellet measures about .240 and weighs about 24 grains--a bit lighter than a .22 short slug (if I may reference such modern items). Easy to push these little spheres faster and flatter than that mid-19th century self-contained ammo. Use a bullet board and a starter unless your fingers are a lot more nimble than mine. :D
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Use to be a .32, but then the .40 took hold of me, now its a .36 and loving it!!!
Robby
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A .25 is definitely specialized, Daryl. My squirrel shooting is accomplished with a .32 or .36 nowadays. I've used .45s and a .58 and much prefer something smaller.
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I know I have trouble with the .32's in the winter on trail walks - they are VERY small. The .240's, of course bring new meaning to 'small'. but with a loading block set up before hand in the comfort of one's home and used for hunting only - NP. Think they'd be a BLAST!
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An 8 bore works well for that.
No need to worry about marksmanship, just shoot at the trunk of the tree.
The concussion will knock the critters right off the branches.
Kinda like raining cats and dogs, only a bit different.
(https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi264.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fii161%2Fbigsmoke72%2F8bore5.jpg&hash=1026b2b1df626262027df288c7a2d83a4168b2c6) (http://s264.photobucket.com/user/bigsmoke72/media/8bore5.jpg.html)
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
PS .530 ball in front for comparison.
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.32 is ideal and I wouldn't want to go any smaller. Those little pills are small enough and fumble prone as it is.
I agree! Even a .32 on a chilly day can be a little difficult to handle!
~Tony
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Tony- a loading block for such a small calibre could have form 5 to 25 or 30 (whatever you wanted) pre-lubed and patched .25 cal balls on it. There is no fumbling with the little balls when using a loading block.
One guy I used to know down South, had inlet the muzzle of his barrel into the bottom of his hunting loading block. He set the block on the muzzle and ran the ball or bullet down with a steel carry rod, The block was on a strap around his neck, and the rod stayed through that hole in the block, resting at his side. He was pretty quick when loading bullets.
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Daryl- sounds like a good idea for a project!
Thanks!
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I bought one of the New 46 inch long Squirrel profile that Jason (Rice) just offered, in 32 cal. Have Bob Roller doing a lock for me, and am working on getting a nice piece of straight grained maple and someone to inlet it. ;D
John
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I bought one of the New 46 inch long Squirrel profile that Jason (Rice) just offered, in 32 cal. Have Bob Roller doing a lock for me, and am working on getting a nice piece of straight grained maple and someone to inlet it. ;D
John
Wish I could get one his locks for the 32 46 inch barrel I just ordered from Jason. I got the last one he had in stock.
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I have a .31 cal percussion with a 39" barrel. I use #1 buckshot, and it shoots better than I do. An empty .223 case holds about 30 gr of 3F, and seems to work well for me. I have a non-HC M1 cleaning kit with a couple extra lengths to use as a range and cleaning rod.
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An 8 bore works well for that.
No need to worry about marksmanship, just shoot at the trunk of the tree.
The concussion will knock the critters right off the branches.
Kinda like raining cats and dogs, only a bit different.
I like the way you think!
Fred
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Got my 32 cal barrel from Rice, got a nice walnut blank from Dunlop, both going to David Rase for mating! ;D
John
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To answer the very title of this thread "Best Squirrel shooting caliber" - difficult. I think perhaps this changes with the person.
Some, with mostly running shots in the trees, might think a 20 bore cap or flint would be best. Those who can wait for still shots, might like a gun that performs wonderful accuracy for them to make head shots. I think in this context, the best might be the most accurate. That might be a .40, .45 or .50 or even larger - what's the most accurate.
What the ranges are, dictates calibre to some extent. The larger the bore, generally the more accurate the rifle - however, past .40 cal. the accuracy improvements might not show much at squirrel ranges.
Heavier charges in small calibres that give such flat shooting over 50yards, tend to be hard on the body shots- thus head shots are needed. The more accurate rifle, the better for that, of course.
I have a nice little flintlock .32 squirrel rifle, but if needing (rather than just out for a fun day) to fill my larger with squirrels, I'd probably take the flint .40 - or .45 - they are simply more accurate than my .32, thus, they arer better squirrel calibres - for me.
For other people, perhaps other calibres would be "Best" - for them.