Author Topic: Squirrel Hunting with Pistol?? (Read 5573 times)

XD9 · « **on:** November 20, 2007, 03:36:57 AM »

Anyone ever tried squirrel hunting with a pistol? I have a .22 revolver with a six inch barrell that is extremely accurate. I was just thinking the other day what it would be like to hunt squirrel with it. I'd have to be closer to them that a rifle but it could be interesting. Anyone ever done it?

I don't even know if it's legal...just a thought.

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** November 20, 2007, 03:56:54 AM »

Yup lots have. I reckon I did it first something like 40+ years ago. Been doing it since. Works as well as your ability to place the bullets where they need to go.

XD9 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2007, 04:20:45 AM »

I'll have to try it sometime. I've never pistol hunted anything so I would think it's quite a challenge.

Will_C · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2007, 05:04:51 AM »

I just recently (20060 acquired my NYS handgun permit (20060 and shot my first squirrel this year with a pistol (Browning Buck mark.) What fun! It made the 22 yard shot challenging (at least for me!) I am carrying a .357 this year during deer season, hopefully I'll get a close range deer opportunity.
Will

sidekick · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2007, 12:27:21 PM »

I have a 10" Contender in .22 LR Match, topped with a Simmons 4x, that loves Remington Sub-Sonics. It's been a great squirrel pistol. My favorite time to hunt squirrels is after deer season and on a day when the leaves are wet so I can sneak around better. I recently acquired a Ruger Mark II Target that will have it's chance soon. I haven't carried my .22 A-bolt rifle squirrel hunting in several years now.

UpTheHill · « **Reply #5 on:** November 20, 2007, 02:16:42 PM »

that's what I usually use.
I currently use a browning buckmark with a red dot on top.

I've also used a S&W .22 revolver and an airgun for real close shots.

I like using a handgun better as I can swing it faster and shoot to either left or right side of me while sitting without twisting my body in ways it wasn't designed to

Jerry Lester · « **Reply #6 on:** November 20, 2007, 07:34:38 PM »

I love hunting squirrels, or any other small game for that matter with a good single action. Here's some I got last season with my 32 magnum, and my home cast bullets.

OLDHandgunner · « **Reply #7 on:** November 21, 2007, 01:02:11 AM »

Hunting squirrels and other small game with a handgun is a great way to hone your shooting skills. My favorite guns for this are my S&W K-22, K-38 ( with HBWC ), Contender with 22 match barrel, and more recently my old Mark 1 with it's new Tactical Solutions barrel w/ a Red Dot. I've hunted game for 40 years with a handgun and to me this is the most rewarding way to hunt.
GOOD LUCK

S.S. · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2007, 01:15:53 PM »

yep...a .31 cal baby dragoon. black powder revolver.

rbergum95 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2007, 03:40:13 PM »

i have hunted them with .357 mags and .45 colts with very light cast handloads, and assorted rimfires. squirrel hunting with pistols is a lot of fun and a great way to help hone your skills.

David D. · « **Reply #10 on:** December 22, 2007, 04:50:19 AM »

My favorite way to hunt em. I use a Tender in 22LR and also one in 17MACH2. When thier on the groud I like the Encore in 22Hornet.

The Hornet also double as aTurkey pistol.

nilescoyote · « **Reply #11 on:** January 06, 2008, 09:24:48 PM »

I love to hunt them with handguns. I use scopes that allow me to take head shots out to 50 yards or so. I use a contender in 22LR (10"), 17mach2 (14"), or a ruger Mk2 semi-auto with the slab side 6 7/8" barrel. Its alot of fun, and brings back the challenge. Plus if you use a holster your hand free most of the time!

IOWA DON · « **Reply #12 on:** January 17, 2008, 10:42:53 AM »

I used my .22 caliber S&W Model 41 which is very accurate. It was about 15 years ago when I was a more practiced pistol shot, and I can't remember if I used it with a scope sight or not. It has a 2.5X Leupold scope with Kimber bases and quick-detachable Kimber rings. It seems like I got four during a September morning's hunt. My recommendation is to be sure and wear camouflage clothes to get closer shots, and shoot from a steady position like sitting with arms resting on knees and two hands on the pistol.

Ladobe · « **Reply #13 on:** January 21, 2008, 01:20:09 PM »

Started doing so well over 40 years ago with a S&W Model 34 Kit Gun, Ruger Bearcat (and later a Super Bearcat) and a High Standard HD Military. Another favorite was a Colt New Frontier Buntline I got when they first came out around 1970, but I have used many other revolvers, pistols and single shots in many calibers since. Still have the Super Bearcat and HD Military, but as others have said, the 17M2 is hard to beat for them now days. One of my three 17M2's is a Contender/Bullberry 14", and the scope really helps old eyes.

FourBee · « **Reply #14 on:** January 26, 2008, 07:12:06 AM »

I'm just not that good with a handgun, at least with the .22lr single action revolver. Tried it many years ago. Found a squirrel up a small sapling. Missed the first six rounds, reloaded, and missed again. He got mad and came down the tree right at me. My adrenalin was pumping me up so that I couldn't hardly reload. He almost ran down my arm as I emptied six more rounds at him. I think I may have deafened him.

Mohawk · « **Reply #15 on:** April 09, 2008, 12:02:39 PM »

.38 Special, and .32-20 have worked fine for me in the Model 10 S&W (M&P). Used the standard LRN bullets. Behind the shoulder and they just fall from the tree.

IOWA DON · « **Reply #16 on:** April 10, 2008, 03:37:43 PM »

Be sure to wear camouflage as you may want to be a little closer than when hunting with a rifle. I've done it a couple times with my S&W model 41 and got several. That was a long time ago, but since pheasants have been so poor here thew last few years will probably try it again.

ilikemilitaria · « **Reply #17 on:** November 18, 2008, 02:00:02 PM »

Hey, I sure do it. I use my Buckmark Varmint pistol in .22, with a 3X T/C scope. Nice for late season hunting when the leaves are gone and they are often on the ground.

dave

kmeyer · « **Reply #18 on:** December 22, 2008, 09:48:34 AM »

These 4 took almost a entire day to get.....The limit here is 5 a day. If I had my Ruger .22 rifle I would have had my 5 in the first couple hours of the day:) I miss much more often this way, but find it so much more fun and rewarding chasing them with a handgun.

FYI: That pistol is a Taurus Tracker in .17hmr. Sometimes I use a .22 Ruger Hunter or .22 Browning Buckmark.

FourBee · « **Reply #19 on:** December 26, 2008, 01:51:24 PM »

Nice job there kmeyer.

That's great shootin in my book.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #20 on:** December 26, 2008, 02:47:11 PM »

when i was a boy my friends had bb rifles
i had a nice benjamin PISTOL

to hunt with a rifle seemed odd to me at one time in my life

practice and know your limitaions
get an air pistol to practice
triger control is more inportant with a hand gun than a rifle

FourBee · « **Reply #21 on:** December 26, 2008, 03:55:25 PM »

Quote from: 45-70.gov on December 26, 2008, 02:47:11 PM

when i was a boy my friends had bb rifles
i had a nice benjamin PISTOL

to hunt with a rifle seemed odd to me at one time in my life

practice and know your limitaions
get an air pistol to practice
triger control is more inportant with a hand gun than a rifle

Some people are just naturals with a pistol.

When I was in High School in the early 60's, I was on the rifle team which consisted of a 10 man team using Remington 40X .22 caliber target rifles, and 5 alternate riflemen. My second year there were so many boys wanting to join the team that the school purchased new S&W Target Revolvers so that more boys could participate in target competition. We held several practices, but couldn't get enough boys interested in shooting the revolvers to get a team together. Wonder what they did with those revolvers?

Lazermule · « **Reply #22 on:** December 26, 2008, 04:15:25 PM »

When I was a kid I had a buddy who's grandfather owned a little better than a full section of land that we hunted just outside of a major metro area. Boy, did we ever get the squirrels.... He had a Remington pump with iron sights and I had a Marlin Model 60 with a scope. One day, he came out of the house with an old High standard revolver that was a bit worse for wear and asked if I thought we should bring it along for fun. I said sure, I'd carry it. It was a neat gun and had some character with the bluing almost off and missing the blade on the front sight of what I believe was a 10" barrel. I think it was more or less a "tool" that his dad used to butcher hogs on the farm than a hunting weapon to them. We got to know that thing, and learned to shoot it without sights and downed a lot of squirrels with it. Seems to me that we always brought it with us after that first time. It sure was a neat old gun, I wonder if he still has it... Since then, I have always had a fondness for handgun hunting be it squirrels or white tail. Now I use a scoped Beretta Neos on squirrels but I still think the old High Standard was more fun.

kmeyer · « **Reply #23 on:** December 27, 2008, 02:20:46 AM »

Thanks for the words Fourbee! It wasn't fine shootin' all day, but I've come to enjoy laughin at myself as the squirrels run away.

pab1 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 19, 2009, 05:04:50 PM »

Heres 10 I took one afternoon last fall with my 5.5" Ruger Single Six in .22lr and Remington Sub-Sonic ammo. They have really improved my skills with open sights.

On another trip, I spent the whole day chasing them with my 10" .22lr Contender and finished the day with 20. Here are the last few of the day from that trip.

pab1 · « **Reply #25 on:** January 19, 2009, 06:10:14 PM »

Remington Sub-Sonics work great at handgun velocities. They usually pass through, but this one was recovered from a squirrel taken with my Single-Six. It expanded to .473" at its widest point. They put them down fast without the explosive mess of the high velocity rounds.

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 20, 2009, 06:10:38 AM »

the .22 pistol is all i used this year really. i shoot a 6"western ranger and federal bulk kills squirrels really well.

FourBee · « **Reply #27 on:** January 20, 2009, 06:26:37 AM »

Quote from: lil_hunter12 on January 20, 2009, 06:10:38 AM

the .22 pistol is all i used this year really. i shoot a 6"western ranger and federal bulk kills squirrels really well.

Just got thru browsing Academy's Web Site for the Remington Sub-Sonic's. Couldn't find any there, but noticed Federal Lightning's 500 Brick going for $13.99. I get good results out of Federal's ammo,

and have of late become acquainted with the Rem's subs which appeals to my .22's appetite.

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 20, 2009, 07:26:43 AM »

all m .22's like the federal bulk but my 2 nephews rossi single shot .22's wont shoot anythin but remington sub's for anything.