# squirrel guns



## leupy

Just wondering what everyone shoots?
1 Early season (full leaves) Winchester model 42 full choke 410
2 mid season ruger 10-22 custom 22 cal.
3 late season for longer shots savage 17 M2 
None of these are built in stone I will switch up it just depends on the area I am hunting.
I would like to post photos but I don't know how.


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## boonecreek

12 ga., 12ga., 12ga., might be switch,in to a 20 ga. because of a sholder injury.


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## Minnowhead

Savage .22/20ga over under! Miss them with the .22 then blast them with the 20ga!


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## flthednut

I'm a rimfire kinda guy. Love to shoot em in da face. .22 LR. & .17 HM2. Depending on the woods I'm hunting will determine what I will use. !#:Banane36:


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## Dragons4u

Marlin 22 long rifle, Enfield 303 to 410 conversion, Winchester 20 gage Black Shadow, and when I'm feeling frisky, nothing like barking some squirrels with my grandfather's ancient 45 Kentucky Long Rifle. Now that's a fun one!


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## Iraqvet

I have a 22 marlin I am hoping to take out this year..It will be my first...I always wondered about getting one of those single shot .36 cal cap and ball pistols..Anyone know how that would if I gave it a smaller charge?


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## ironman172

Haven't squirrel hunted in years (save it for the grand kids)....but I would use a remington 541-s,savage 17hmr?? or maybe a slab side ruger competition target pistol,scoped...or a s&w model 41, 22 pistol .... just to give a chance for the small squirrel 

.


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## M.Magis

Haven't used anything but a .22 for 20 years. Still the most fun, to me.


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## FISNFOOL

I wanted to buy a 36 caliber black powder rifle. The squirrel rifle our fore fathers used. To expensive for me. So I use a 1950 Mauser made in 30-06 for the Brazilian army.

I have a round ball load I got from Ed Harris the guy that used to write for the NRA.

It uses one size O buckshot and a small amount of Red Dot shotgun powder.
I use a LEE .311 round ball mold to cast the ball instead of buying a bag of size O.

Red Dot is not position sensitive and is used because of this reason. 

It does not go nearly as far as a 22 but smacks a squirrel like the old BP rifle.
A very quite shot like a 22 short. Keep the brass for this load separate from you regular 30-06 brass. 
Either use a magnum primer or drill out the flash hole to 9/64 inch (3.5mm). This gives maximum ignition of the small powder charge.

Read the comment from Thumbcocker on this thread. It is the same load I use. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-22998.html


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## Iraqvet

That's pretty bad ass fisnfool..


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## FISNFOOL

You should see the looks I got at the club when I pulled out the Mauser and started jacking rounds into it last September. Guy asked what you hunting, I replied squirrels. He then asked if I ever hunted squirrels before, I said no. He said that is too much gun, I could not hold back any more an busted out laughing. Showed him the load. He wanted the data. Now we hunt together.


Own a 30-06? You can hunt everything from squirrels to moose with it.


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## steelhead1

20ga early .22 rifle later for me. !#


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## snag

10/22 and then a shotgun at the st park then later a crosman nitro piston 22 air rifle for the challenge...


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## Nimi_fisher5

I got a marlin 22 with leupold scope on it. A 20 gauge Remington 870 express an I only use the bead. Then around my house I use a gamo cfx. All very nice but I prefer the gamo gun because its quiet and leaves a small hole in the squirrel 


"fish all day , every day"


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## mastercatman

I shoot a marlin .22 mag with a Mueller optics 4-14x40 w/APV scope and a Harris 24"? bipod. I shoot the CCI maxi mag ammunition. This is the best flat shooting squirrel rifle I have ever owned! Head shots only all season long!


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## driftfish101

I use the old mossberg 12 g pump. would love to use a 22 again but I have to hunt public land. Last year was the best squirrel season I have had in 20 years. With last years mast crop I expect the same this year.


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## flthednut

driftfish101 said:


> I use the old mossberg 12 g pump. would love to use a 22 again but I have to hunt public land. Last year was the best squirrel season I have had in 20 years. With last years mast crop I expect the same this year.


Just curious, What Public land are you hunting that you can not use a .22?


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## driftfish101

I am in the northeast part of the state and you can't use a .22 at any of them. It really sux. have to move a lot because of the big blast. I use to hunt some private farms in southern ohio and the quiet crack of a .22 made limits a lot easier.........although I had my share last year. Man I can't wait till sept 1st


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## Iraqvet

driftfish101 said:


> I am in the northeast part of the state and you can't use a .22 at any of them. It really sux. have to move a lot because of the big blast. I use to hunt some private farms in southern ohio and the quiet crack of a .22 made limits a lot easier.........although I had my share last year. Man I can't wait till sept 1st


Where do you hunt at here in the northeast?..


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## steelhead1

flthednut said:


> Just curious, What Public land are you hunting that you can not use a .22?



Yes do tell


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## driftfish101

public land. lol.......where the odnr says it is okay.


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## krm

My .177 air rifle (regularly gets 900+ fps). 

Most landowners don't even bat an eyelash when you ask them for permission to squirrel hunt with an air rifle. It's so much easier to get permission than if you use a "real" rifle.

When back in the woods at my Dad's, where longer shots are likely, .22 shorts in my ancient single shot springfield.


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## buckzye11

krm said:


> My .177 air rifle (regularly gets 900+ fps).
> 
> Most landowners don't even bat an eyelash when you ask them for permission to squirrel hunt with an air rifle. It's so much easier to get permission than if you use a "real" rifle.
> 
> When back in the woods at my Dad's, where longer shots are likely, .22 shorts in my ancient single shot springfield.


I use the same.. 177 cal 1000 fps feild tip. It kills them dead, and the rest of the squirlls stick around after the shot. so just reload and pop another one.


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## FISNFOOL

For an Air Rifle, I like these. They make them in .22 also.

Gamo 58135 .177 Lead Round Balls 250/Tin


Gamo 8.2 Grain .177 Caliber BBs/250 Because of its spherical shape, this concentration of mass gives this projectile the deepest penetration of any pellet, at any range. 


driftfish101

It is unlawful for any person to use or hunt with a rifle, pistol, or revolver from October 15 through January 1 during the daylight hours on any lands owned, administered or under agreement with the Division of Wildlife, except when properly used on a designated Division of Wildlife target range or when hunting squirrels with a rimfire rifle, pistol, revolver, or muzzleloading rifle .40 caliber or smaller, or when deer hunting with a muzzleloading rifle or legal pistol or revolver during the youth deer gun season, deer gun season, statewide muzzleloader season, and the early muzzleloader season.

On Auburn Marsh Wildlife Area it is unlawful to use a rifle, pistol, revolver, or a shotgun using slugs at any time. Deer hunting at Auburn Marsh Wildlife Area is lawful using archery equipment only.

No 22's at Geneva state park either.


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## Huntinbull

driftfish101 said:


> I am in the northeast part of the state and you can't use a .22 at any of them. It really sux. have to move a lot because of the big blast. I use to hunt some private farms in southern ohio and the quiet crack of a .22 made limits a lot easier.........although I had my share last year. Man I can't wait till sept 1st


Unless i am mistaken, the only Public hunting ground where a 22lr is forbidden is West Branch state park. Rimfire rifles and pistols are OK on nearly all public hunting areas. Some restrictions around structures and during certain times on other state run areas, but WB is always a no go for rimfire rifles.

YMMV


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## Jigging Jim

Winchester Model 190 .22LR semi-automatic rifle.... and Remington Express Shotgun 12 Gauge with 28" barrel and Modified Choke.


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## Huntinbull

Jim,
I used to own two Winchester 190's. First gun I ever bought myself was a 190. It shot great! It got stolen so i eventually bought another. the second one was a turd. Barrel nut kept coming loose. I used loctite, rtv seal, you name it. Would shoot loose after 50-150 rounds. Wouldn't mind trying another some day.


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## driftfish101

i have hunted 4 or 5 different places up here and none of them allow hunting with a rifle


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## driftfish101

been thinking about going the air rifle route but don't know the range. If it is as good as a shotgun I will definitely do it.


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## FISNFOOL

driftfish101 said:


> i have hunted 4 or 5 different places up here and none of them allow hunting with a rifle


Which places?


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## Huntinbull

driftfish101, which public hunting grounds are you hunting, if you don't mind me asking?


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## driftfish101

It is really hard for me to give up my good grounds. Doesn t get much pressure and don't want 50 guys hammering the woods. I am not trying to be rude. The mast crops have been good for two years straight and it should be good just about everywhere that doesn t get over harvested.


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## driftfish101

Thanks for the info though fishnfool.............must have read the regulations wrong. lol


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## Huntinbull

Drift, PM me and we can get out hunting when season opens.


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## leupy

Just thought I would post a photo of my son's 10/22 (top) and mine (bottom) both are great shooters and are totally different.

Mine has a Magnum Research 
carbin fiber barrel, 
Fajun thumb hole stock, 
Volquartsen trigger
2-6 leupold scope
Sons
Polished Ruger Reciever and Bolt
Tuck Swamp Maple Stock
Kidd Trigger
Kidd Light Weight Barrel
Kidd Bolt Buffer
Kidd Receiver Pins
Leupold VX-II 4-12X40 AO
Leupold PRW Med Rings
Butler Creek Lens Covers


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## shootinslugs

For those who go with the 12g early season, what type shot do you prefer and why?


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## ezbite

I use my deceased stepdads old single shot 12 gauge. I only hunt squirrel a handful of times a season with a gun and I like to think he smiles everytime I drop a tree rat with that old crack barrel. 

I carry both #6 or 7 1/2 shot with me. Just matters where I'm sitting to what I'll shoot.


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## Minnowhead

I shoot 2.75 Winchester Super X high brass 6 shot. Lots of leaves on the canopy to get through when they are really high in the trees.


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## Roadkil

shootinslugs said:


> For those who go with the 12g early season, what type shot do you prefer and why?




I use high brass 4 shot with my 12 gauge single shot cause I like pain

All kiding aside especially early season I found over the years I get better results using them with the leaves still on the trees and I don't have to dig out a bunch of pellets after I shoot one. In addition it will knock them down, espeacially those fox squirrels, with one shot.

I like the results so much that I use that all the time regardless of time of year.


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## fordman

in sandusky county all the county owned hunting land is shotgun, bow, or muzzleloader only for all species. i like using my ruger 10/22 or marlin 22mag on private land, but i use my rem 1100 in 20ga on the county land.


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## cmiller

FISNFOOL said:


> Own a 30-06? You can hunt everything from squirrels to moose with it.


What all rounds can you put in a 30-06?


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## Blue Pike

.223 T/c Contender with a reduced load.
4gr. of 800x and a Calhoon 42 gr. bullet.

http://www.jamescalhoon.com/tobee2.php

or a T/C Cherokee 32 Cal. with 40 gr of FFF.


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