New squirrel rifle - what caliber?

[jcn59]

Henry .22 lever~~pick the one you like best.   Very accurate, light, pretty walnut stock, always works, and has the smoothest lever action ever, and made in the USA.  Best customer service in the business! When I say accurate, although I can't hardly ever repeat it, I mean I shot a 3 shot, one hole group off a bench measuring well under .25" (C to C) at a measured 50 yards.  Pretty good for a hunting rifle.  Never did that with my Sako .22 or Anschutz .22 even though they are probably more accurate overall.

[rjr9603]

22lr all the way. I have used and still do a Ruger 10/22 carbine and Target models, Ruger MKIII, TC Benchmark Classic, Marlin md 60. All will get the job done. I also have a ridge I hunt long range. For this spot and only this spot I carry a Savage 93BTVS in 17 HMR. The HMR is a too much for squirrels unless you are long range and head shot only.

[ironglow]

I like a good mid-grade bolt 22.with better scope and rings...  However, My favorite is the Marlin heavy barrel,  in 17 MachII  But OF COURSE the rifle and the round are going the way of the dinosaur. 

...
  TM;
   Let's hope as the HM2 starts to wane, somebody will bring out a reamer to take it from HM2 to HMR..with the Mach 2 @ 2010 fps, it's not that far from the 20 gr HMR at about 2375 fps, but what the same rate of twist may well work.

[Rock Home Isle]

The .22 lr is such a pleasant and versatile cartridge...For accuracy I like the bolt action and I prefer Ruger, but I have a CZ that is also a tack driver.
 
But if you want to put the hunt back into hunting....32 calibre muzzleloader all the way. This is a finicky calibre (in my opinion). However, once you learn how to load and shoot the little .32 effectively...its such a pleasure to shoot. Shoot it all day and not burn too much powder at all.
 
-aim small miss small-

[keith44]

Hey Pistol Pete, have ya made a choice?? What did ya get??  I've been looking at the Henery's you mentioned and they claim to be south paw friendly

[mcwoodduck]

They are.
I have one and the brass goes out and I never noticed it hitting me.
I practice shooting south paw every so often.

[Savage .250]

It`s a squirrel..................a 22`s fine.

[Rock Home Isle]

New sport...Hunting squirrels with a 20mm cannon. It's a point and shoot proposition.

[52bagman]

Yeah man, Bark'em.

[Rock Home Isle]

Yeah man, Bark'em.

Bark 'em...heck...Trunk 'em.

[keith44]

Yeah man, Bark'em.

Bark 'em...heck...Trunk 'em.

naw with something like that just hit the tree roots and you'll knock the entire tree out from under the bugger

[Sensai]

My Henry H001 lever is one of the most fun guns that I have, and I love to hunt squirrels with it.  With that being said, I get more squaks, when they're plentiful, with the old Ruger 10/22.  The reason is that the squirrels are more wary of movement than they are of sound.  If you move slowly and freeze when you shoot one, within a few minutes the others will come back out.  But if you shoot one and then operate a lever or bolt, they seem to stay hidden much longer.  Just something to consider when getting a "squirrels only" rifle.  The advantage of the lever, and some bolt actions, over the auto is the ability to use a variety of ammo.  The Henry will digest anything from CB Shorts to LR hyper-velocity rounds, the 10/22 will only take LR, and sometimes is finicky about which of them it wants.  I have at least one of each of the "Mags", but I don't use them for squirrels.  They're just too much for the job, in my neck of the woods.  That's not to say that the don't have their place in other circumstances.

[Rock Home Isle]

There are two things about the Henry Leveraction that impressed me. The first is the silky smooth action...its smooth as butter, and the second is the accuracy of the gun itself.

[keith44]

My Henry H001 lever is one of the most fun guns that I have, and I love to hunt squirrels with it.  With that being said, I get more squaks, when they're plentiful, with the old Ruger 10/22.  The reason is that the squirrels are more wary of movement than they are of sound.  If you move slowly and freeze when you shoot one, within a few minutes the others will come back out.  But if you shoot one and then operate a lever or bolt, they seem to stay hidden much longer.  Just something to consider when getting a "squirrels only" rifle.  The advantage of the lever, and some bolt actions, over the auto is the ability to use a variety of ammo.  The Henry will digest anything from CB Shorts to LR hyper-velocity rounds, the 10/22 will only take LR, and sometimes is finicky about which of them it wants.  I have at least one of each of the "Mags", but I don't use them for squirrels.  They're just too much for the job, in my neck of the woods.  That's not to say that the don't have their place in other circumstances.

With a lever action (my preferred action type) I find it best to shoot and hold perfectly still for a second or two, then using your fingers and wrist only (do not move the gun, do not move your shoulder, do not move your elbow) move the lever down and back in one quick flick.  and yes with Grey squirrels if they do not catch the movement they will stay close, at times they will even pose for you after the first shot

[petemi]

I've been the .22, .410  and .32 cal. ML route.  Just now, I'm playing with a .32-20, 71 gr. plated RN bullets, sub-sonic.  Just something a little different.

Pete

[OldSchoolRanger]

No doubt in my mind.  The 22LR's my choice. whether in Handi's, Marlin 39A, Ruger 10/22, or the Savage MkII.  Can't beat it.

[Swampyankee25J]

I vote for the .22.  I would like to try 17m2 but Savage is the only one left making models in that cal.  Missed my chances on a CZ in m2.  I have several .22's I like to switch around during the season.  CZ 513 with Nikon 4x is my workhorse.  CZ 452 American 3x9, Marlin 39a, Marlin 99 M-1, Rem 572 and 582, and finally 1894M Marlin 22 mag. 

[keith44]

I vote for the .22.  I would like to try 17m2 but Savage is the only one left making models in that cal.  Missed my chances on a CZ in m2.  I have several .22's I like to switch around during the season.  CZ 513 with Nikon 4x is my workhorse.  CZ 452 American 3x9, Marlin 39a, Marlin 99 M-1, Rem 572 and 582, and finally 1894M Marlin 22 mag.

Wow, and the LR's shoot the same ammo equally well??

[mcwoodduck]

I vote for the .22.  I would like to try 17m2 but Savage is the only one left making models in that cal.  Missed my chances on a CZ in m2.  I have several .22's I like to switch around during the season.  CZ 513 with Nikon 4x is my workhorse.  CZ 452 American 3x9, Marlin 39a, Marlin 99 M-1, Rem 572 and 582, and finally 1894M Marlin 22 mag.

Wow, and the LR's shoot the same ammo equally well??

For the most part, Yes if your rifle groups well with standard ammo, 40 grain 1200 FPS it will group well with all the standard ammo, if yours like the small bullet and hot it will group well with it.
My New CZ Varmint I sighted in with 40 grain AR ammo,  and was getting really small groups at 50 yards And sighted the rifle in with them.  I was shooting at 100 yards and tried the rifles and used some of the light Aguilla fast stuff and had a similar group almost to point of aim twice the distance.

[Swampyankee25J]

Well, the two CZ's actually group almost the same.  I sighted with win subs HPs and  the targets are almost identical.  The others are not quite as tight but all can do very well in the woods at 50 yrds and under, even the semi auto. 

[tatonka]

22 LR without a doubt.  My favorite squirrel rifles are a Remington 541 S, Ruger 77/22, Ruger 10/22 with heavy bull barrel, and a Savage 93 heavy barrel. I use variable power scopes usually in the 3-9 range except the 10-22 which wears a 6-18 scope. I have 22mags and 17 HMR's but prefer to salvage as much meat as possible thus the 22LR.

[rem700]

Started with a 22 bolt then a lever then a 10/22 and then a 73 repro in 38spl and now I am waiting delivery of a 36cal perc muzzle loader.
So am I going backwards or forward.

[keith44]

Started with a 22 bolt then a lever then a 10/22 and then a 73 repro in 38spl and now I am waiting delivery of a 36cal perc muzzle loader.
So am I going backwards or forward.

Looks like advancing skill to me 

[mcwoodduck]

Started with a 22 bolt then a lever then a 10/22 and then a 73 repro in 38spl and now I am waiting delivery of a 36cal perc muzzle loader.
So am I going backwards or forward.

Looks like advancing skill to me 

So soone we will hear about Bow an arrow and then sling and then atlattal and then a rock?

[keith44]

Started with a 22 bolt then a lever then a 10/22 and then a 73 repro in 38spl and now I am waiting delivery of a 36cal perc muzzle loader.
So am I going backwards or forward.

Looks like advancing skill to me 

So soone we will hear about Bow an arrow and then sling and then atlattal and then a rock?

possible, I've taken squirrel with archery equipment when the deer would not cooperate.  As for the spear chucking stick, and the rock...not me

[45-70.gov]

i killed 4 squirrels  in the 3rd grade   with a bow and arrow
killed rats and opossum with blow guns



trapped a couple squirrels.....just to see if i could


12ga   and 35 remington are the worse cases of overkill


used  a 44 special   once...he just sat there...look like an LED  on his chest..then he fell
that one ended up on a stick over the camp fire


to this  day  i will take an air rifle over anything

[D Fischer]

I haven't hunted squirrel's in years. If I do, I have two 22's. S&W K22 combat masterpiece and a win Model 62A rifle. Also have a case of 22 short's that work very well in them. But I got old eye's and shooting with open sight's is a bit difficult for me anymore so I would take my 410 SxS.

[Sensai]

Wow, D Fisher, those are three that I've always wanted!  I've about given up on being able to find a K22 or 62-A that I can afford, but I'm still looking for a nice 410 sxs.

[Ladobe]

Way back in the days I hunted tree squirrels a 17HM2 would have been same as they are now for the task IMO, as good as it gets for a rimfire cartridge firearm.    And the ammo is easily cheap enough for the small number you shoot when tree squirrel hunting.     I had three HM2's, still have two, even though there are no tree squirrels around here.   But they are great for the very tiny Whitetailed Antelope ground squirrels that are easily shot way farther away than with a 22LR.   
 
Also had three 17HMR's (still have one) and used all the 17RF's for hunting lots of other species, but this is a squirrel thread so I'll leave it at that.   

[jpshaw]

While the .17 HMR is a great crow rifle I would never use it on anything for the table.  I use .22 rf subsonic in a Ruger 10-22 mostly.  Late season I might get out the CZ American in .22 Mag with 4 - 12 scope.