Squirrel ammo

[chiefbkt]

I'm anxious to shoot it. If it weren't so windy here I'd have sighted it in today. Oh well, I have some time.

[wolc123]

I am a little upset right now that I used the wrong bullet yesterday on a squirrel hunt.   Squirrel stew would have been better than the scrambled eggs I had for lunch.   I hit a fat gray, behind the shoulder, broadside from about 20 yards, with a .22 LR Remington thunderbolt.  He fell from the branch with a thud, but was able to crawl somewhere into a rock wall, so no food for me.   If struck there with a higher velocity, hollow-point "yellow-jacket", I would have been eating better for certain.   Most of the meat is in the hind-quarters anyhow, so until we get some "tracking-snow" I will now go with the higher-velocity ammo.   With snow, I also like the low or standard-velocity, solid bullets because the quite report usually yields faster follow-up action and they destroy less meat.  

 

The shot yesterday was right at dusk, and I was wishing I would have had my "bloodglow" with me.  It would have been a perfect opportunity to give it a try.  That is CSI-type stuff that, when mixed with water, makes blood glow in the dark.   I bought it prior to deer season two years ago.  Every deer I have hit since has dropped dead within or just out of sight.   Squirrels provide great marksmanship practice, but a little more "tracking-practice" could not hurt.                      

[Albert.LisaFrias]

I recently bought a Savage .17 HMR as well. But I bought mine mostly for Fox and bobcat hunts. What do yall think.

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[chiefbkt]

So got the gun sighted in on Friday and was impressed with the accuracy. Started at 10 yards since my bore sighter is at camp just to get close to center. Moved to 25 yards and got zeroed there. Then moved out to 100 yards for final sighting. This gun literally shoots a 5 shot group covered by a nickel at 100 yards. Granted conditions were perfect so I wasn't seeing any movement from wind. Me and a buddy went out squirrel hunting Saturday afternoon and when we entered the woods there was a squirrel at 40 yards. I leaned on a tree and let one rip. Squirrel #1 in the books. We walked around for a bit and my buddy ended up shooting a couple more inside 30 yards. We were pretty much done and he grabbed my arm and said there's one on that stump down there. Pulled out the rangefinder and he was 103 yards away. I laid down and opened the bipod for a steady rest. Held on his head, squeezed, and watched the squirrel fall off the stump. My buddy got it on camera but didn't have the squirrel in the picture. This will be my go to small game and small varmint gun for sure.

[wildcat junkie]

Just picked up a Savage .17 HMR for small game hunting. I'm new to this caliber so I'm not sure what to expect. I picked up a box of Hornady 17 grain Vmax to go along with it. As far as squirrels go, should I just be taking head shots with this ammo? Or is there a better alternative for .17 ammo I should be shooting? Any advice is welcome, thanks!

 

22 LR standard velocity.

 

[wildcat junkie]

I am a little upset right now that I used the wrong bullet yesterday on a squirrel hunt.   Squirrel stew would have been better than the scrambled eggs I had for lunch.   I hit a fat gray, behind the shoulder, broadside from about 20 yards, with a .22 LR Remington thunderbolt.  He fell from the branch with a thud, but was able to crawl somewhere into a rock wall, so no food for me.   If struck there with a higher velocity, hollow-point "yellow-jacket", I would have been eating better for certain.   Most of the meat is in the hind-quarters anyhow, so until we get some "tracking-snow" I will now go with the higher-velocity ammo.   With snow, I also like the low or standard-velocity, solid bullets because the quite report usually yields faster follow-up action and they destroy less meat.  

 

The shot yesterday was right at dusk, and I was wishing I would have had my "bloodglow" with me.  It would have been a perfect opportunity to give it a try.  That is CSI-type stuff that, when mixed with water, makes blood glow in the dark.   I bought it prior to deer season two years ago.  Every deer I have hit since has dropped dead within or just out of sight.   Squirrels provide great marksmanship practice, but a little more "tracking-practice" could not hurt.                      

 

22 LR standard velocity solids are all you need if you know how to shoot. If you didn't recover the squirrel, how do you know where you hit it?

 

[maytom]

I picked up a CZ 452 American .17 HMR few years back and love the quality of this gun. Like mentioned above, with that little .17 gr bullet at distances approaching 100 yards or further the wind plays havoc with that bullet weight. My gun seems to love 75 yards best, placing 10 shots in a nickel sized target at that range. Plenty accurate for head shots on squirrels. But like some have stated a good quality .22 will get the job done as well and cheaper.

[wildcat junkie]

Shooting squirrels at low angles with a rifle is dangerous. High angle shots will dissipate energy on the rise & only gravity will be in play when the bullet hits the ground. Shooting at squirrels "on a stump" or the side of a tree could strike another hunter & since many wear full camo for squirrel hunting that is a real possibility.

 

Since high angle shots will rarely exceed 50 yds I see little use for a gun that is capable of 100yard shots.

 

Shooting a squirrel "behind the shoulder" is poor shot placement. I always aim just below the ear. If I hit dead on the bullets breaks the neck. A little forward & it is a brain shot. A little to the rear & it breaks the shoulders/spine. High or low is a clean miss or superficial wound.

 

You don't need hollow points of polymer tipped bullets for those shots. I load 40gr FMJ bullets in my 5mm Magnum CF conversion if I want to press it into action on squirrels.

Edited December 30, 2015 by wildcat junkie

[philoshop]

A 40 gr lead bullet will go a lot farther through the treetops/woods than a thin-jacketed .17 cal bullet.

Except for the noise the .17 would be my go-to round for all small game.

[chrisw]

Shooting squirrels at low angles with a rifle is dangerous. High angle shots will dissipate energy on the rise & only gravity will be in play when the bullet hits the ground. Shooting at squirrels "on a stump" or the side of a tree could strike another hunter & since many wear full camo for squirrel hunting that is a real possibility.

Since high angle shots will rarely exceed 50 yds I see little use for a gun that is capable of 100yard shots.

Shooting a squirrel "behind the shoulder" is poor shot placement. I always aim just below the ear. If I hit dead on the bullets breaks the neck. A little forward & it is a brain shot. A little to the rear & it breaks the shoulders/spine. High or low is a clean miss or superficial wound.

You don't need hollow points of polymer tipped bullets for those shots. I load 40gr FMJ bullets in my 5mm Magnum CF conversion if I want to press it into action on squirrels.

Since when is shooting behind the shoulder poor shot placement? I don't head shoot anything but frogs and I've never had an issue. If you hit a squirrel pretty much anywhere in the front of the body he's coming down. I always aim for behind the shoulder and I'll continue to do so. Its as easy to blow a jaw off or a nose as it is to miss one behind the shoulder, I'm not sure where you are coming from with that statement.

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[chiefbkt]

Shooting squirrels at low angles with a rifle is dangerous. High angle shots will dissipate energy on the rise & only gravity will be in play when the bullet hits the ground. Shooting at squirrels "on a stump" or the side of a tree could strike another hunter & since many wear full camo for squirrel hunting that is a real possibility.

Since high angle shots will rarely exceed 50 yds I see little use for a gun that is capable of 100yard shots.

Shooting a squirrel "behind the shoulder" is poor shot placement. I always aim just below the ear. If I hit dead on the bullets breaks the neck. A little forward & it is a brain shot. A little to the rear & it breaks the shoulders/spine. High or low is a clean miss or superficial wound.

You don't need hollow points of polymer tipped bullets for those shots. I load 40gr FMJ bullets in my 5mm Magnum CF conversion if I want to press it into action on squirrels.

Thanks for the safety reminder...I own 100 acres and am the only person who hunts it. I don't shoot squirrels in tree tops unless I have a shotgun. I have tree stands throughout my entire woods and will be sitting in them primarily, so I'll be shooting down. The 100 yard shot I took was downhill, squirrel on a stump with a tree behind it.

As far as shot placement, shoulders and above are fair game. I realized after this weekend how little meat there is in the front shoulders. I'm willing to sacrifice that to make a clean kill. My buddy was carrying a .22LR shooting 40 grain CCI and he had nearly as much damage as the .17 HMR. Since the Hornady bullets are all that were in stock and they shoot amazing in my gun, that's what I'll be sticking with. Thanks!

[wildcat junkie]

A 40 gr lead bullet will go a lot farther through the treetops/woods than a thin-jacketed .17 cal bullet.

Except for the noise the .17 would be my go-to round for all small game.

 

On high angle shots the momentum of the bullet is dissipated & it falls to earth due to gravity. Whether it is from a 22 LR or a slingshot, the terminal velocity will be the same as it falls. A spitzer bullet will have a higher gravitational terminal velocity than a round nose bullet if it isn't tumbling.

 

Maximum range even for CF rifle bullets is achieved at about 25* elevation.

[wildcat junkie]

Since when is shooting behind the shoulder poor shot placement? I don't head shoot anything but frogs and I've never had an issue. If you hit a squirrel pretty much anywhere in the front of the body he's coming down. I always aim for behind the shoulder and I'll continue to do so. Its as easy to blow a jaw off or a nose as it is to miss one behind the shoulder, I'm not sure where you are coming from with that statement.

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Posted 26 December 2015 - 03:16 PM By wolc123

"I am a little upset right now that I used the wrong bullet yesterday on a squirrel hunt.   Squirrel stew would have been better than the scrambled eggs I had for lunch.   I hit a fat gray, behind the shoulder, broadside from about 20 yards, with a .22 LR Remington thunderbolt.  He fell from the branch with a thud, but was able to crawl somewhere into a rock wall, so no food for me.   If struck there with a higher velocity, hollow-point "yellow-jacket", I would have been eating better for certain.   Most of the meat is in the hind-quarters anyhow, so until we get some "tracking-snow" I will now go with the higher-velocity ammo.   With snow, I also like the low or standard-velocity, solid bullets because the quite report usually yields faster follow-up action and they destroy less meat.  

 

The shot yesterday was right at dusk, and I was wishing I would have had my "bloodglow" with me.  It would have been a perfect opportunity to give it a try.  That is CSI-type stuff that, when mixed with water, makes blood glow in the dark.   I bought it prior to deer season two years ago.  Every deer I have hit since has dropped dead within or just out of sight.   Squirrels provide great marksmanship practice, but a little more "tracking-practice" could not hurt".                     

 

 

We aren't talking about a deer here. A squirrel isn't going to leave tracks or a significant blood trail to follow. If you hold "behind" the shoulder you have a significant chance at hitting too far back. The neck just in front of the shoulder of a squirrel is just like holding on the shoulder of a deer, the high percentage shot. Miss 1" ether way & the squirrel is dead right then. Miss 1" too far back with a "behind the shoulder" hold on a squirrel & it will get away. Unless of course you are using explosive bullets which wouldn't be necessary with proper bullet placement.

 

Edited December 30, 2015 by wildcat junkie

[chrisw]

Posted 26 December 2015 - 03:16 PM By Wolc123

"I am a little upset right now that I used the wrong bullet yesterday on a squirrel hunt. Squirrel stew would have been better than the scrambled eggs I had for lunch. I hit a fat gray, behind the shoulder, broadside from about 20 yards, with a .22 LR Remington thunderbolt. He fell from the branch with a thud, but was able to crawl somewhere into a rock wall, so no food for me. If struck there with a higher velocity, hollow-point "yellow-jacket", I would have been eating better for certain. Most of the meat is in the hind-quarters anyhow, so until we get some "tracking-snow" I will now go with the higher-velocity ammo. With snow, I also like the low or standard-velocity, solid bullets because the quite report usually yields faster follow-up action and they destroy less meat.

The shot yesterday was right at dusk, and I was wishing I would have had my "bloodglow" with me. It would have been a perfect opportunity to give it a try. That is CSI-type stuff that, when mixed with water, makes blood glow in the dark. I bought it prior to deer season two years ago. Every deer I have hit since has dropped dead within or just out of sight. Squirrels provide great marksmanship practice, but a little more "tracking-practice" could not hurt".

We aren't talking about a deer here. A squirrel isn't going to leave tracks or a significant blood trail to follow. If you hold "behind" the shoulder you have a significant chance at hitting too far back. The neck just in front of the shoulder of a squirrel is just like holding on the shoulder of a deer, the high percentage shot. Miss 1" ether way & the squirrel is dead right then. Miss 1" too far back with a "behind the shoulder" hold on a squirrel & it will get away. Unless of course you are using explosive bullets which wouldn't be necessary with proper bullet placement.

Actually I use CCI quiets which are far from explosive, quite the opposite. To think that you aren't going to occasionally wound/lose a squirrel because you only take head shots is silly at best. Its hunting. You will occasionally lose one regardless of your methods. Behind the shoulder works great for me. If headshots only work for you then by all means use them. Just don't say lung shots on squirrels is poor shot placement, that just doesn't make sense.

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[wildcat junkie]

Actually I use CCI quiets which are far from explosive, quite the opposite. To think that you aren't going to occasionally wound/lose a squirrel because you only take head shots is silly at best. Its hunting. You will occasionally lose one regardless of your methods. Behind the shoulder works great for me. If headshots only work for you then by all means use them. Just don't say lung shots on squirrels is poor shot placement, that just doesn't make sense.

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Where did I advocate "head shots"

 

I said that I hold just under the ear. On every squirrel I've seen that is the neck. Perhaps I should have clarified "just below & behind".

 

CCI "Quiets" are just a more expensive version of standard velocity. A "marketing ploy". I investigated & found that there isn't a significant difference in Mv between the 2. The "crack" that is heard with 22 LR high velocity is the bullet breaking the shock wave after it exits the muzzle. It is also the most unstable point in the trajectory followed by when the bullet goes "sub sonic". That is why 22 LR "target" ammo is subsonic.

 

I also load my .36 Flintlock "squirrel rifle" subsonic. It just makes a loud "spitting" sound W/O the high pitched crack. Just like standard velocity 22 LR.

[chrisw]

Where did I advocate "head shots"

I said that I hold just under the ear. On every squirrel I've seen that is the neck. Perhaps I should have clarified "just below & behind".

CCI "Quiets" are just a more expensive version of standard velocity. A "marketing ploy". I investigated & found that there isn't a significant difference in Mv between the 2. The "crack" that is heard with 22 LR high velocity is the bullet breaking the shock wave after it exits the muzzle. It is also the most unstable point in the trajectory followed by when the bullet goes "sub sonic". That is why 22 LR "target" ammo is subsonic.

I also load my .36 Flintlock "squirrel rifle" subsonic. It just makes a loud "spitting" sound W/O the high pitched crack. Just like standard velocity 22 LR.

Perhaps you should reinvestigate. They are lower velocity and way quieter. How is that a marketing ploy? They work as advertised. No ploy.

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[wildcat junkie]

Just don't say lung shots on squirrels is poor shot placement, that just doesn't make sense.

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That might work well on Grays, but I have had a few Fox squirrels absorb 22 LR hits to the lungs crawl around on a large limb  until I put another round into them. They could have crawled into a hole if it had been close.

 

That's when I started holding in front of the shoulder. (below & behind the ear) Never had one not drop immediately after that,

Edited December 30, 2015 by wildcat junkie

[wildcat junkie]

Where did I advocate "head shots"

 

I said that I hold just under the ear. On every squirrel I've seen that is the neck. Perhaps I should have clarified "just below & behind".

 

CCI "Quiets" are just a more expensive version of standard velocity. A "marketing ploy". I investigated & found that there isn't a significant difference in Mv between the 2. The "crack" that is heard with 22 LR high velocity is the bullet breaking the shock wave after it exits the muzzle. It is also the most unstable point in the trajectory followed by when the bullet goes "sub sonic". That is why 22 LR "target" ammo is subsonic.

 

 

 

 

Perhaps you should reinvestigate. They are lower velocity and way quieter. How is that a marketing ploy? They work as advertised. No ploy.

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I stand corrected. I was comparing 22  LR "standard velocity" (40gr @ 1070 fps) to "Subsonic" (40gr HP @ 1050 fps)

 

Your "quiet" loads are 40gr @ 710 fps. Probably an advantage if you are hunting in an urban area, but I see the trajectory deficit as more of a liability than the moderate noise level of standard velocity rounds.

 

Definitely slower & quieter, but now you are getting into trajectories near those of a "QUALITY"  .22 pellet rifle like an RWS M48..

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chrisw]

I stand corrected. I was comparing 22 LR "standard velocity" (40gr @ 1070 fps) to "Subsonic" (40gr HP @ 1050 fps)

Your "quiet" loads are 40gr @ 710 fps. Probably an advantage if you are hunting in an urban area, but I see the trajectory deficit as more of a liability than the moderate noise level of standard velocity rounds.

Definitely slower & quieter, but now you are getting into trajectories near those of a "QUALITY" .22 pellet rifle like an RWS M48..

The main reason I use these is because it is somewhat urban and don't want to draw unwanted attention. It also helps to keep other squirrels at ease nearby. I don't shoot over 30 yds typically so velocity isn't a big concern.

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[ants]

I haven't hunted them in years, but I always had good luck with my old 10/22 and 4x scope, with what ever hollow points I could find. Never really long shots though, maybe 40yds tops and hold just behind the head, in the neck. They almost always fell like stones.

[shawnhu]

That might work well on Grays, but I have had a few Fox squirrels absorb 22 LR hits to the lungs crawl around on a large limb until I put another round into them. They could have crawled into a hole if it had been close.

That's when I started holding in front of the shoulder. (below & behind the ear) Never had one not drop immediately after that,

What would happen if a fox squirrel was hit by a 20gr game point from a 17HMR at over 2000 fps?

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[shawnhu]

I stand corrected. I was comparing 22 LR "standard velocity" (40gr @ 1070 fps) to "Subsonic" (40gr HP @ 1050 fps)

Your "quiet" loads are 40gr @ 710 fps. Probably an advantage if you are hunting in an urban area, but I see the trajectory deficit as more of a liability than the moderate noise level of standard velocity rounds.

Definitely slower & quieter, but now you are getting into trajectories near those of a "QUALITY" .22 pellet rifle like an RWS M48..

Unfortunately, there isn't many cheap, quality .22 pellet rifles that does not require the artillery hold to be accurate. I would sooner get a .177 in an airgun than a .22

If I must have a .22, it would be a .22 LR.

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[philoshop]

On high angle shots the momentum of the bullet is dissipated & it falls to earth due to gravity. Whether it is from a 22 LR or a slingshot, the terminal velocity will be the same as it falls. A spitzer bullet will have a higher gravitational terminal velocity than a round nose bullet if it isn't tumbling.

 

Maximum range even for CF rifle bullets is achieved at about 25* elevation.

 

The .17 HMR bullets will come apart at the slightest impact with even a leaf. The resulting dust doesn't travel very far.

You're absolutely correct in your general statement, but it doesn't apply to a grain of rice moving at hypersonic speed through brush or tree tops.

[wildcat junkie]

Unfortunately, there isn't many cheap, quality .22 pellet rifles that does not require the artillery hold to be accurate. I would sooner get a .177 in an airgun than a .22

If I must have a .22, it would be a .22 LR.

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RWS M48 ain't cheap, but it will go through 1" pine & make a dent on whatever it hits beyond with super heavy pellets "Kodiak". Plain old Crosman Premiere RN HP pellets are good for about 35 yds on pigeons.

Edited December 30, 2015 by wildcat junkie

[turkeyfeathers]

I haven't hunted them in years, but I always had good luck with my old 10/22 and 4x scope, with what ever hollow points I could find. Never really long shots though, maybe 40yds tops and hold just behind the head, in the neck. They almost always fell like stones.

my 10/22 with 3x scope and whatever ammo I dug up out of my pocket at the time also has killed many a squirrel. Some solid points , some hollow points . Never knew what round was coming out of that mag next. Always knew when a Stinger went off with that extra crack to it. Always took head shots and lost very few and having troubles thinking of any I did lose.