Them tree rats are tough. .22 cal or the .25 cal in air guns are better options. Yep, you got it, head shots are best. Even those pesky chipmunks ( ground squirrels) get away from the .177. On the other hand we had a barrel of fun one Sunday afternoon picking off bald faced hornets as they went in and out of a huge nest 20 yards from my back door and about 35 ft up in a tree.
T
therealld
Guest
Chipmunks are not groundsquirrels. Adult groundsquirrels (out here in Ca at at least) are the same size and shape as typical grey squirrels, but don't have bushy tails, and have different coloration. Chipmunks are much, much tinier .... say like comparing a sparrow to a mourning dove. Anyhow, squirrels are tough, and need a solid hit in the vitals or brain to anchor em. You can't just shoot em in the big part. I prefer to aim so the sot goes right behind the "elbow", and heads to the other "elbow" ... head shots can take a nose or jaw off and not kill, but the thru the elbows usually drops em, and if they kick, shoot em again.
Pete Wass
Well-known member
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Hi Vern,
With the Gamo rifle i shot some pellets for hunting that had copper BB's in the nose of them. I was shooting domed pellets in my CZ. I found it exceedingly difficult to aim fine enough to hit the litttle devils in the head. I borrowed the Gamo rifle from a fiend and he was sure it would kill a squirrel. I couldn't get er done however . The advertising for the Gamo says it shoots @ around 1k. I think I haven't cronoed my CZ to know.
T
therealld
Guest
for squirrels it almost totally hit placement
Inside 30yds, most any decent rifle thats at least as powerful as most 10M rifles (around 550-600fps/8gr) will drop squirrels with a perfectly placed hit. I have killed lots of squirrels with my FWB90 air pistol with iron sights, but kept distances inside about 10 yards or so.
For offhand work, I'd say MOST shooters should stick to under 18yds with air rifles for squirrels if shooting offhand.
But if your gun isnt perfectly zero'd, and you are not able able to keep your shots inside a nickel at the distance you are shooting, you need to move in closer, to where you CAN hit nickel about every time, since more power doesn't usually help til you get up into the "rimfire with hollowpoint" level, and even then, a runaway is very common with a poor hit.
Inside 30yds, most any decent rifle thats at least as powerful as most 10M rifles (around 550-600fps/8gr) will drop squirrels with a perfectly placed hit. I have killed lots of squirrels with my FWB90 air pistol with iron sights, but kept distances inside about 10 yards or so.
For offhand work, I'd say MOST shooters should stick to under 18yds with air rifles for squirrels if shooting offhand.
But if your gun isnt perfectly zero'd, and you are not able able to keep your shots inside a nickel at the distance you are shooting, you need to move in closer, to where you CAN hit nickel about every time, since more power doesn't usually help til you get up into the "rimfire with hollowpoint" level, and even then, a runaway is very common with a poor hit.
Pete Wass
Well-known member
THANK YOU for the reply.
Pretty much as I expected I guess. I installed a 6X BR scope on my CZ but found it a bit too much in magnification at the close ranges. I guess if I were going to do some squirrel shooting I would need a more powerful gun as the chances of me becoming a great off-hand shooter has faded away a couple of decades ago.
T
therealld
Guest
I too am getting to old to shoot as well as I used to from offhand. But for squirrels, the old trick of crossed sticks, or the newer version, which is adjustable bipod-like shooting sticks will restore the old steadiness we used to have! IF shooting squirrels in trees or brush, a variable power scope, say one of the 1.5X-6X might be perfect for all around airgun hunting.
I have 2-7X I used a lot for low light shooting, and it works great! One thing ... for short range work especially, use the tried and true very low mounting arrangement. Its become popular the last 20yrs to use really tall mounts for airguns, supposedly to flatten the apparent trajectory at long range, but it plays hell with short range shooting, since the line of sight is so much higher than the boreline you need to be a wizard to compensate for real close up high angle shots.
I am lately very fond of good quality quick disconnect scope mounts, which allow two or more different scopes to be quickly swapped for use on the same gun. By having a high power and low powered scope pre-zero'd for your airgun, you can quickly set up for the kind of shooting you plan for the day or night. I have on special air rifle I used for Field Target, Silhouette, and benchrest shooting, as well as squirrel hunting, along with three different scopes so as to more optimize the gun for each use.
I have 2-7X I used a lot for low light shooting, and it works great! One thing ... for short range work especially, use the tried and true very low mounting arrangement. Its become popular the last 20yrs to use really tall mounts for airguns, supposedly to flatten the apparent trajectory at long range, but it plays hell with short range shooting, since the line of sight is so much higher than the boreline you need to be a wizard to compensate for real close up high angle shots.
I am lately very fond of good quality quick disconnect scope mounts, which allow two or more different scopes to be quickly swapped for use on the same gun. By having a high power and low powered scope pre-zero'd for your airgun, you can quickly set up for the kind of shooting you plan for the day or night. I have on special air rifle I used for Field Target, Silhouette, and benchrest shooting, as well as squirrel hunting, along with three different scopes so as to more optimize the gun for each use.