Squirrel with my 32 S&W

[Johnch]

I hunted squirrel a few days back with a H&R Handy Rifle , but I was using a custom barrel in 32 S&W ... no idea who made the barrel or made it up

I had 48 good Winchester cases , LOL so I had 48 rounds loaded
A 115 gr semi wadcutter bullet from a mold I made
Blue ... powder coated
I used Blue Dot and CCI Primers ... not a hot load , 950 FPS ( I checked )
I tried a number of loads , If I did my part , 1" at 50 yards was normal with just about every load I tried .... I have LOTS of Blue Dot so I used it

A bit of over kill , but a 3 - 9 X 40 Leupold scope


I have a folding case that holds 18 rounds , So I filled it up

After swatting Skeeters till there was enough light to see
I only had to wait 10 min before the first Fox squirrel was spotted on a Oak tree limb
A few steps and I had a clear shot at about 30 yards , a easy head shot

I knew the area was good , so I sat down
15 min later , same tree another one started cutting a acorn and I made another easy head shot

I really only wanted 2 squirrels so I started to walk out
But after 50 yards a squirrel came down a Beach tree to about eye level and started chattering at me
I just walked up till I was about 20 feet from it and watched it for a few min

LOL I figured 3 squirrels was not really any more work to clean
So another head shot
But at 20 feet it took a bit to find it , as even on 3X the squirrel about filled the scope

I remembered to shoot a touch high to make up for the scope height

I really like the 32 S&W as IMO I am spending a fair amount less than 22 LR would cost me

John

[3leggedturtle]

Thanks for update, was wondering if you had got it shooting yet. Todd

[MtnGunner]

A .32 S&W rifle sounds like fun.

[Les Staley]

Gonna hafta dig out my Browning 53 32-20. Makin me hungry!

[nagantguy]

Thanks for the update on your 22 lr alternative rifle sounds like a dandy meat getter! Our squirrel season opens on Saturday and I’ve been running the dog with a road kill squirrel tail and we sighted in both our 22 rifles and pistols last night. My daughter still thinks it’s just range time but at 14 it’s harder and harder to get just me and her time; or even her undivided attention.

[skeet1]

Good work John.

[robinsroost]

Knock em' out John...……...

[Kylongrifle32]

Wish we could use center-fire cartridges hear in Kentucky for small game. I was going to try a .310 round ball and about 4 grains of Unique in my 32-20 (.308 diameter) contender barrel but can only use rimfire in modern fire arms here. I did pick up a 10 inch 22 LR barrel to increase my hand gun trigger time.

[Texas by God]

Knock em' out John...……...It was a lynx - a souped-up bobcat! I miss Jerry Clower.

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[rking22]

Cool hunt story, sounds as if you enjoyrd yourself :)
Wish Tenn would let me use my centerfires as well. Get to use them occasionally when vusiting kin in far away states, but not enough!

[RED BEAR]

are you talking about 32sw or 32sw longs . that seems a bit heavy and hot for a 32sw.

[TheGrimReaper]

Awsome stuff, and I too LOVE squirrel hunting.

[Johnch]

are you talking about 32sw or 32sw longs . that seems a bit heavy and hot for a 32sw.

32 S&W Long
But I am using a custom rifle barrel for a H&R Handie rifle
They cambered from 22 LR to 30/06 .... and a bunch more

I have a 500 S&W barrel and 45/70 Barrel
If you want to load full power loads , it is safe
Also Both do a great job of killing game and shoulders LOL

John

[Johnch]

Wish we could use center-fire cartridges hear in Kentucky for small game. I was going to try a .310 round ball and about 4 grains of Unique in my 32-20 (.308 diameter) contender barrel but can only use rimfire in modern fire arms here. I did pick up a 10 inch 22 LR barrel to increase my hand gun trigger time.

Ohio has some strange hunting rules
For Deer I can use Slugs , Black Powder rifle or Shotgun , Straight wall pistol ammo 357 Mag and larger ( 45/70 is OK ) and The same in rifles

But I can hunt Squirrel with a 50 BMG rifle as long as I do it safely ....Not sure I want a bunch of people hunting Squirrel with big rifles
Also unless they changed the rules , I can hunt deer with a handgun on public land , But hunting Squirrel with a handgun was against the rules ...I had a Warden warn me that my 10" Ruger Mk2 was not legal to hunt Squirrel ... but OK if I was hunting Coon

But I am thinking of working up some Mouse Fart loads for my 308 and trying it

Just to watch people run LOL

John

[texasnative46]

To All,

WISHING that I could find a suitable barrel for .32 S&W & a Aussie cadet (or another small-size) receiver, as I'd LOVE a .32 caliber squirrel rifle for our BIG Fox Squirrels & other small game up to coyotes/foxes/jackrabbits.
(I have a REALLY nice piece of native pecan wood for the furniture.)

yours, tex

[robinsroost]

John, That 308 should work fine. I have killed squirrels with my .243 with 85 grain LRNGC and 4 grains of Clays...…….robin

[Anschutz]

Knock em' out John...……...

Just shoot up here amongst us, one of us needs some relief.

I've always liked squirrel hunting but here in Colorado, they are more like big chipmunks than the grey squirrels I'm used to.

[trapper9260]

Ohio has some strange hunting rules
For Deer I can use Slugs , Black Powder rifle or Shotgun , Straight wall pistol ammo 357 Mag and larger ( 45/70 is OK ) and The same in rifles

But I can hunt Squirrel with a 50 BMG rifle as long as I do it safely ....Not sure I want a bunch of people hunting Squirrel with big rifles
Also unless they changed the rules , I can hunt deer with a handgun on public land , But hunting Squirrel with a handgun was against the rules ...I had a Warden warn me that my 10" Ruger Mk2 was not legal to hunt Squirrel ... but OK if I was hunting Coon

But I am thinking of working up some Mouse Fart loads for my 308 and trying it

Just to watch people run LOL

John

I have made up some loads from light 32 cal boolits to shoot in my 30cals of 30-30,30-06, 308Win. I have them shot about like 22cals. I just size down my 32cals.for this. You will like it after.I did get the information on here for it. But I did made up my own for 22-250 to shot like a 22lr out of a 45grs. boolit

[robinsroost]

Just shoot up here amongst us, one of us needs some relief.

I've always liked squirrel hunting but here in Colorado, they are more like big chipmunks than the grey squirrels I'm used to.

Anchutz, If you are curious, Chipmunks taste just like squirrel...…….

[NoZombies]

Hunting squirrel with a small CF rifle is about as close as I get to hunting nirvana.

[lawdog941]

Ohio has some strange hunting rules
For Deer I can use Slugs , Black Powder rifle or Shotgun , Straight wall pistol ammo 357 Mag and larger ( 45/70 is OK ) and The same in rifles

But I can hunt Squirrel with a 50 BMG rifle as long as I do it safely ....Not sure I want a bunch of people hunting Squirrel with big rifles
Also unless they changed the rules , I can hunt deer with a handgun on public land , But hunting Squirrel with a handgun was against the rules ...I had a Warden warn me that my 10" Ruger Mk2 was not legal to hunt Squirrel ... but OK if I was hunting Coon

But I am thinking of working up some Mouse Fart loads for my 308 and trying it

Just to watch people run LOL

John

Hey John,

I have the occasion to enforce the hunting laws. I looked through the ODNR rules and regs and can't find anything limiting you from using a 22LR handgun for squirrel. The only quirk would be on State Park areas where they have different rules. So I think your game warden was misinformed or they changed the rule since you had contact with him. You can check the 2018-2019 hunting regs online from ODNR, but I can't find it and I've hunted squirrel with my Ruger MKII, no problems.

Mike

[richhodg66]

My main squirrel rifle now is a Savage 219 in .22 Hornet. A 45 grain cast and two grains of Bullseye is better than a .22 LR and anchors these big fox squirrels we have with authority. Fairly quiet too.

[Jeff Michel]

Pretty good start to my Saturday. 1894 CB, .32 S&W Long, 2.8 grains of Green Dot, 325 Saeco. 228009

[richhodg66]

Nice!

I used a little H&R in .30-30 with what I believe to be the Lee 113 grain soup can and five grains of Clays, which were some of my Dad's handloads.
228057

[Johnch]

Hey John,

I have the occasion to enforce the hunting laws. I looked through the ODNR rules and regs and can't find anything limiting you from using a 22LR handgun for squirrel. The only quirk would be on State Park areas where they have different rules. So I think your game warden was misinformed or they changed the rule since you had contact with him. You can check the 2018-2019 hunting regs online from ODNR, but I can't find it and I've hunted squirrel with my Ruger MKII, no problems.

Mike

The rules may have changed
As thinking back , it had to be about 20 years back when I was told that

John

[Johnch]

I am glad I am not the only one hunting squirrels with other small cal. rifles

I got 3 more this morning before church

That brings the total squirrels to 8 and 1 ground hog
IMO good 22 lr. would have cost me more than the 32 S&W Long reloads , LOL I always use Eley Standard .... Just the cheap stuff ... well I am to cheap for the good stuff

John

[Deadeye Bly]

I lined a Maynard barrel and chambered it in 32 S&W Long. It is 26" long. I bought a 100 grain mold from Accurate molds and load it with 3.0 grains of unique. I don't know the velocity but it is subsonic. It shoots well and I should take it for some of those fox squirrels.

[Italia1825]

Always fun hunting those little punks. It’s not a firearm but I was planning on trying to whack a few with a long bow next week


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[Boolseye]

I always thought that Lee 93 gr. SWC over 3.2 gr. BE in any .30 or .32 cal rifle would make a great squirrel getter, but I've never harvested one with that load. Using airguns this year. I used to use a .223 cast (the rcbs flatnose 55 grain over 4 gr. BE). Kind of amusing hunting squirrels with an AR, but it worked ;-)

[Boolseye]

John, will you eat the woodchuck? I tried this year but I think I hung it too long and it was a little rancid.

[johniv]

John, will you eat the woodchuck? I tried this year but I think I hung it too long and it was a little rancid.

Fix it just like you would rabbit or tree rat.

[Boolseye]

Cool thanks

[Johnch]

John, will you eat the woodchuck? I tried this year but I think I hung it too long and it was a little rancid.

Also a older groundhog isn't the best eating
I do eat young of the year groundhogs
But in late summer or fall

But a warning , in the fall groundhogs get a LOT of fat on them
So I try and remove as much as I can
Split end to end , a young of the year is great on the BBQ grill

John

[Boolseye]

I went by a cookbook that recommended hanging them for a day or two and then putting them
in salt water for another day-all I did was wreck it. Next time skin it and into the freezer like a squirrel.


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[EMC45]

I made Brunswick Stew with the one and only groundhog I killed. Turned out well.

[Boolseye]

Nice!

I used a little H&R in .30-30 with what I believe to be the Lee 113 grain soup can and five grains of Clays, which were some of my Dad's handloads.
228057

I know its an old post, but dang! That squirrel's a monster.

[richhodg66]

I know its an old post, but dang! That squirrel's a monster.

It was a good one, but the picture makes it look bigger than it was. That's a very diminutive rifle it's positioned out in front of. Wasn't intentional, and it was a big, fat one, but the pic makes it look huge.