Squirrel Rifle

[moleeyes36]

Bob, fortunately I've had better experiences than you have had using a .40 on deer.  I've never had a problem using a .40 for deer at 50 yards or less, which is about as long of a shot as you often get here in the heavy cover of a lot of Florida.  I've never attempted a head shot and never lost a deer. 

I certainly don't advocate that anybody use any particular caliber legal for hunting in their area.  I hunt with a friend that uses a .62 on these little deer.  I think people should go with whatever caliber floats their boat.  As Phil Robertson says, "Happy, Happy, Happy".

Don Richards

[nosrettap1958]

How about a good old Jonh & Caleb Vincett half stocker in 32 or 36. Kits are readliy available and not only a beautiful rifle but extremely well balanced.

[Old Bob]

Bob, fortunately I've had better experiences than you have had using a .40 on deer.  I've never had a problem using a .40 for deer at 50 yards or less, which is about as long of a shot as you often get here in the heavy cover of a lot of Florida.  I've never attempted a head shot and never lost a deer. 

I certainly don't advocate that anybody use any particular caliber legal for hunting in their area.  I hunt with a friend that uses a .62 on these little deer.  I think people should go with whatever caliber floats their boat.  As Phil Robertson says, "Happy, Happy, Happy".

Don Richards

Although in both cases I saw the ball impact in what should have been instant death zones, I guess they missed hitting exactly where they needed to be. That's the only explanation I have. I was certainly close enough to see where they hit. A fraction of an inch can mean life or death. In those cases a heavier ball probably would've made the difference through shock and tissue damage. The .41 conical I used later did the job and then some. I like the .40 and I won't lie and say I'll never use it again with a ball on deer, but I'm a little gun shy. I'd probably go with the conical again just for insurance. If I go this year, I'm thinking about using my rifle-musket again. Talk about something that will up-end a deer! That round definitely causes some damage. It's been a long time since I've gotten one with it.

[moleeyes36]

If I go this year, I'm thinking about using my rifle-musket again. Talk about something that will up-end a deer! That round definitely causes some damage. It's been a long time since I've gotten one with it.



Bob, you sure have it right there.  I hunted with a guy one time that shot a big running hog right behind the shoulder at about 35 or 40 yards with a repro Enfield.  That .58 hollow base conical sure did a job in a hurry on that hog.  When you see what damage is done with one of those things it doesn't take much imagination to understand why the carnage was so high in the Civil War. 

A few years ago, on an impulse, I bought a very lightly used Colt 1861 Special Model rifle musket.  It's one of the Colt Signature Series reproductions, not an original.  I shot it a few times and it's been standing in my closet ever since.  I probably ought to just sell it, but you got me thinking about hunting with it.  It's a heavy gun for an old fellow like me to haul through the woods, but it sure would be a hog buster wouldn't it?

[Old Bob]

Yes it would! One thing I like about them is that with practice you can get off a second shot fairly quick. I missed a deer at a little over 100 yds. once (had a flyer didn't weigh bullets back then) and as it went out of sight I quickly reloaded using a regulation paper cartridge. As soon as I had it capped, another deer stepped into view that was following the first one. This one went no farther. It spun around a few times when the Minie hit it and there was a ring of blood on the ground. My R-M is a cherry stocked custom I ordered from Blair Taylor back in '83. Six groove match barrel.
 
I actually shot a squirrel with it once. I was deer hunting and I don't believe there was a deer within miles. A wood rat kept pestering me about 10 yards away and I just got fed up and shot him in the head. Surprisingly, it didn't blow his head off. A neat hole through the side of it. That's what a low velocity round will do.

[doug.brayman]

I squirel hunt with my .45. It does a great job and punches a clean hole with very little damage to the surounding tissue especially if you take shots like this...... 

[hanshi]

Yes it would! One thing I like about them is that with practice you can get off a second shot fairly quick. I missed a deer at a little over 100 yds. once (had a flyer didn't weigh bullets back then) and as it went out of sight I quickly reloaded using a regulation paper cartridge. As soon as I had it capped, another deer stepped into view that was following the first one. This one went no farther. It spun around a few times when the Minie hit it and there was a ring of blood on the ground. My R-M is a cherry stocked custom I ordered from Blair Taylor back in '83. Six groove match barrel.
 
I actually shot a squirrel with it once. I was deer hunting and I don't believe there was a deer within miles. A wood rat kept pestering me about 10 yards away and I just got fed up and shot him in the head. Surprisingly, it didn't blow his head off. A neat hole through the side of it. That's what a low velocity round will do.

The same situation presented itself to me years ago.  There was a prb loaded in my Zouave and I couldn't resist this fox squirrel in a tree near me.  The ball hit his neck and made almost invisible entry and exit slits that you had to look for.  I'd expected an explosion.

[Old Bob]

Yeah, I expected to just see the backside of the squirrel a layin' there.  Just a nice neat hole that looked like it was drilled. I reckon it was the fact that it was a subsonic round. I still would have believed that a 500 gr. Minie would have done more damage than that at least at 10 yds. Now if it had been zipping along at about 2000 fps it would have been a different story.

[WadePatton]

Good.  I'm going squirrel (deer and everything) hunting this year with a .530 or .535 PRB-depending on which shoots better.  I figger a head shot is a head shot (and use what you got).

provided i get it done this year.    (then there's this .40 "kit" waiting, not-so-patiently  )

[Daryl]

I've barked red squirrels with this rifle. Does that make it a squirrel rifle?



The tallest leaf was filed for the 300yard plate at our range.

[hanshi]

Yep!  It do make it a skwerl rifle.

[moleeyes36]

Seems like you should take along a large caliber smooth bore pistol loaded with #6 shot along when you hunt squirrels with that gun.  Fire the rifle into the trunk of an oak tree and shot at the squirrels with the pistol as they come tumbling out of the tree.  Could sharpen up a person's wing shooting that way. 

Mole Eyes

[gunmaker]

Daryl,  where'd you get that nice rear site 

[Daryl]

I bought it from Brownel's in 1986.  They still have them, I believe. There are other makers of good express sights on the web as well.  I would look there first and buy it without Brownel's markup.

[doug.brayman]

I've barked red squirrels with this rifle. Does that make it a squirrel rifle?



The tallest leaf was filed for the 300yard plate at our range.


YUP!