squirrel artillery

sqrlgtr

Member
I have been using a cz american in 17m2 for the last couple years and have decided its the best squirrel rifle I've ever used.light easy to carry and shots like a lazer.just wondering what's your go to squirrel rifle and why?
 
my 10/22.... and now that we can suppressed hunt here... it'll be in the woods here soon quietly!



i regularly earhole chipmunks and red squirrels with it at 50 yds, and i know my holds pretty well out to [beeep] close to 100 with it.

dem squirrels are in for a big surprise this fall!
 
I picked up a Remington 597 heavy barrel. Seems kind of cheap, but priced accordingly. It's a serious tack driver. Those are 5R rifled barrels. Mine loves the CCI SGBs. It'll put 10 shots under a dime at 50 yards.
 
Ruger American 22 mag with a 2-7X scope, cause just might stumble into something bigger than a tree-rat.
Also, a few places I hunt are rimfire only, plus its threaded.
 
boy them little critters sure r fun to hunt ain't they.gc,that is a good read sure does bring back alot of memories every time I get to go after them.squirrel hunting was the first thing I ever got to go hunting on my own used dad's ol mod 37 20ga win.which i still have.thought i was a man when i finally talked um into letting me take a rifle.probably about 9 or 10 when that happened I have to admit it took awhile for the kill ratios to come back up after going to a 22lr.wow can't wait tell season comes back around!
sqrlgtr
 
CZ 452 American .22LR with a Nikon Prostaff 3-9 rimfire. Trigger breaks like a glass rod at 15oz.

To the OP- I used a 17m2 for a long time. Bought it from a member here. But m2 ammo became extremely hard to find and I let it go in favor of .22lr. Then 22 ammo became hard to find lol. It's made a good comeback around here though.
 
As far as accuracy goes I think a good bolt action .17 HMR or .22 lr is the way to go especially for still hunting, but if you plan on walking alot a good lightweight semi auto is great the 10/22 is probably the best in this class imo. I've always used a semi auto, my Marlin model 795 (I can't and will not suggest this rifle to anyone now though as I bought mine before Remington bought out Marlin and screwed up everything) has been a trusted companion when hunting squirrels and it has killed plenty of squirrels. It holds a half dollar sized group at 50 yards which imo is just great for what I paid and is perfect for squirrels, I'd never take a shot past 50 yards anyways unless I had to and even then would more than likely pass on the shot I am just not a good enough shooter to make a perfect head shot past that. I plan on getting a bolt action rimfire soon though leaning towards a .17 hmr and this should increase my effective range.
 
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I recently bought a Ruger 10/22 and mounted a red dot as my walking squirrel gun. I also plan on buying a CZ 455 American .17 HMR and scoping it to snipe them at longer distances. These two guns are the best for these applications, IMO. Both will be suppressed with my SilencerCo Spectre.
 
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I have often wondered how the 17m2 might work as a squirrel round. I figured it would be great provided it was accurate. As mentioned, the availability of ammo and price would be the downfall of using it. It never seemed to catch on like the HMR did.

Foxy, those little CZ 452 Americans are really sweet. I have one in a 17 HMR and love it. Super accurate and it's like a lightening bolt on crows and groundhogs.
 
Wow.....you guys have some very fine looking rigs. This is my favorite for sure. FX Royale 400 in 22 cal. Running an 18.1 grain lead airgun pellet at an average of 882 fps. 2 stage match trigger that breaks at 9 oz. It is very quiet and EXTREMELY accurate. More accurate than any rimfire I have ever had. Initial cost is a little stiff but after that, it is very economical to shoot....especially with todays cost and sketchy availability of 22 LR ammo.






This is 10 shots at 35 yards. Shot off of a solid shooting bench and a quality set of bags, on a perfectly still day.


It's also a very effective but very expensive fly swatter. LOL!.....also at 35 yards.


A late season hunt from a couple years ago. My Royale and my buddy's 25 cal Benjamin Marauder.
 
Wow!! Bowhunt, that is wonderful. Accurate is an understatement. I have wanted a quality air rifle most of my life, but seems I always had something else take prescidence.

What does a rifle like that cost if you don't mind me asking?

How well does the Marauder Perform, accuracy wise?
 
Thanks 6mm! The FX rifles have come down in price since I bought mine....although I did purchase mine used from a gentleman on an airgun forum. The Royales being produced today have some upgrades that mine does not have. The Royale 400 in walnut goes for around $1700 and they are $1560 if you want the synthetic stock. The Marauder is a fantastic rifle that is very easy to work on if need be. They run around $500 and I would definitely recommend the 25 cal if you want the best chance for an out of the box shooter. I have set several of these up for friends and I have not seen a 25 cal that wouldn't shoot. With the 22 cal Marauder it has been kind of a crap shoot as far a out of the box accuracy goes. The 22 cal barrels are made by Crosman and the 25 cal barrels are produced by Green Mountain.
 
Here are a few hunts with my 25 cal Benjamin Marauder. Not nearly as refined as the FX Royale but is certainly well suited for small game hunting. 2 stage trigger and a fully shrouded barrel. Very quiet, very accurate, and hits like a sledgehammer. For those of you that have never hunted with precision adult air rifles, you are really missing out on a lot of fun.



 

Bowhunt,

What scope is on the Marauder?

Thanks for the information about that. The Marauder looks and sounds interesting. I have read that a 25 caliber hits pretty darn hard. Do you have any targets that are representative of its accuracy?

 
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
Bowhunt,

What scope is on the Marauder?

Thanks for the information about that. The Marauder looks and sounds interesting. I have read that a 25 caliber hits pretty darn hard. Do you have any targets that are representative of its accuracy?



It is a Hawke Sidewinder Tactical 30. 6.5-20X42. It has the half mildot reticle and is true mildot at 20X. Thanks 6mm......i do have some target pics that are representative of the Marauder's accuracy but i am on my phone right now and i will have to post when i can get to my laptop. As you can see, the squirrels in the pic were all head shot and if i recall that hunt correctly, the shots ranged from 17-68 yards. There are many options out there and if you are interested, i can definitely steer you in the right direction. I must warn you that many of the triggers on these air rifles will ruin you for most other triggers and i will not be held responsible for any addictions that you may incur. LOL! I will post more as soon as i get the opportunity.
 
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