Rimfire Gray Squirrels


Our season opens Saturday. Not sure about the squirrel numbers yet, but at least one has been cutting an oak in my yard.
 
Originally Posted By: MIvarminter50Dave you are top shelf, and sure appreciate you here at PM`ers. Gary

Kinda hard to say it any better than that.
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Nice Smokin. Tell us about your rifle, scope etc.

Our season opened today but I haven't been yet. I may wait for the weather to cool down a bit. I did hear one squacking on the farm today though, so hopefully there are a few about.
 
Got a couple more.

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The rifle in the picture is a savage FVSR that I picked up last year to mess around with. Short, light(ISH) and accurate. I got it because I was getting a 22 can, but go figure its not out of jail yet. Scope is a simmons I had laying around. I haven't had time to mess with finding anything else for it. But it does the job for now.

The odd thing is on opening night they were cutting on acorns, and I didn't see any hickory action. But to be fair I wasn't there awful long. Now yesterday, it was hickory city. They were flat burning them up. I saw (2) that were on oaks, but rest were on hickory.

Fun to get back out there!
 
Originally Posted By: Smokin250Got a couple more.

zulhmh.jpg


The rifle in the picture is a savage FVSR that I picked up last year to mess around with. Short, light(ISH) and accurate. I got it because I was getting a 22 can, but go figure its not out of jail yet. Scope is a simmons I had laying around. I haven't had time to mess with finding anything else for it. But it does the job for now.

The odd thing is on opening night they were cutting on acorns, and I didn't see any hickory action. But to be fair I wasn't there awful long. Now yesterday, it was hickory city. They were flat burning them up. I saw (2) that were on oaks, but rest were on hickory.

Fun to get back out there!

Good shooting
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and makes for some good trigger time..
 
Just cruising thru and seen the great pics of the hardwoods. I could almost smell the oak leaves decaying!

I'll also add Im jealous as all get out of those black squirrels and the air rifle! Ive shot a boat load of'em and never seen a black or a white anywhere other than the city.

Thanks for the posts guys.
 
Nice thread. As a kid, my first real hunting experience was that of Eastern Woods squirrel hunting with my Dad and Grandpa. Soon, I was allowed to hunt on my own. After college, I lost interest due to a variety of various work and family distractions. About three years ago, I was undergoing a career change and prior to starting the new gig, had more time on my hands to hunt. By chance, I acquired a Savage B-mag in 17WSM and topped it with a 6-24x scope. Using that as a start, I began squirrel hunting again after a long hiatus. First day out I bagged five including a long shot on one that would have been tough with a 22. As I recall, it was about 80y. I was hooked. The 17WSM while a flat shooter and good for the long shots, was tough on the squirrels. A head shot usually left you with a headless squirrel, lol. And a body shot was just a bad idea. Therefore, I purchased a Savage 93R in 17hmr. This was nearly perfect. Using the heavier bullets to slow them down, I could limit out quickly if there were squirrels in the area. Once over in WV, I walked out and saw 8 squirrels, fired on six and bagged five in less than one hour. It was great.

This led me to acquire an old beat up, Winchester mod 52 which had a modern scope mount on it. That thing was the first truly accurate 22lr, I have ever owned and it was a revelation. That 80+ yr old rifle would consistently group five shots into a cluster that measured about 3/10ths inch center to center with nearly any ammo at 50y. That made sniping squackers at 30-50y a pretty easy task. One day, my son and I were scouting for deer season and I hand spotted a big male grey barking at us. My son could not see it, so I went prone and fired a Lapua Center-X right into his mouth.

The Winchester was great but it was heavy and old and I really wanted something a little lighter to pack around. After some shopping, I found an old Anschutz model 1451 and added a 4-16x scope, a sling and adjusted trigger to make it a tad lighter and to take out some of the creep. This little piece is nearly perfect. Shoots about the same as the Winchester but is a good three pounds lighter. I have enjoyed using it in the woods for the last two years along with a couple of others. One of my friends has the Rem 541S and that is another tack-driver little 22 and is perfect for squirrels. He is deadly with his.

Irish


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B-mag 17WSM in original form






















































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Mod 52 in later form with vintage BALVAR scope

















































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Sav 93R in 17hmr with 3-12x scope








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B-mag in later form with Forrest Green Boyds stock
 
If you're looking for a sporting afternoon with the nut-cutters, try it with an air rifle. I'm using a Benjamin Armada in 25-caliber & it's deadly (headshots only) out to 50yds & heart/lung shots to 75 (more if you're a better shot than I am). Squirrels, btw, are the only game animal Texas allows to be taken with an air gun. (Good thing they don't consider rabbits a game animal! Took one this evening with a headshot @ 30yds.) Also, no closed season on squirrels or rabbit.

DO love the air rifle for this. It's quiet (legally suppressed w/o an FFL Form 4) & it's a repeater (8 shots in .25, but 10 in .177 or .22, and either will "suppress" squirrels or rabbit out to 50yds). Quiet? Think .22LR with a big, honkin' can on it.
 
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Ive played with the thought of an air rifle now for a few years. Ive shot a Daystate and an FX. Not sure of the models but both had a pencil eraser size group at 25yds and quiet as a mouse. I was stunned and impressed!

I cant make myself drop that kind of coin on one so I have always worked my way back to maybe a Marauder or Airforce Condor. Is that Armada as bulky as it looks? Im think Im more afraid of dropping almost a G on a hunk of junk.
 
Was up north this past week and my buddy was dropping some very fat tree rats with a suppressed subsonic 22. It was crazy quiet and really made for a good time.
 
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