Ground Squirrels & the 32 S&W

[sixshot]

Well I just had to take this nifty little 16-4 S&W out for a test drive today after receiving it yesterday from friend Bob way back in N. H. (RJM) He kindly sold it to me as he only had one way to go but up from this little beauty & that was a Freedom Arms! I had 4 different loads waiting when I got the gun yesterday but it's been so windy some of the loads almost came back past my head. Winds up to 70 MPH, yikes! Today was a little better but still not great Ground Squirrel weather but I was going anyway if I had to dig them out of their holes to shoot them.
They were hanging tough, close to the holes & down low where they were hard to see but I still managed to get 11 & seen somewhere around 40, a pretty good day considering the high winds. A guy that likes scoped hand guns would have had a field day. These little buggers are tough to hit, they are about 2" wide when they are standing up, maybe a bit wider for a big fat one. Most times they are hunkered down in the grass or Sagebrush so you are shooting at part of a squirrel.
I think it's the very last photo, you will notice 2 squirrels with no heads, they were sneaky, they just poked their heads & an eye ball out of their hole, that's all I had to shoot at, one was about 13 yds, his buddy about 27 yds as close as I could step it off. No way to range it on a flat spot. I got 3 using my new Barranti Sixshot Shooting rest, it worked great, I'll use it a lot more on the good days. Enjoy the view boys, it's wonderful out there in the worlds biggest play ground. My load was a 100 gr Miha HP & 5.0 grs of Longshot (love Longshot) Federal SP primers & Starline 32 magnum brass. Don't use this load without working up to it in your own guns.
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[rking22]

Beautiful country! Like that revolver too, on my very short list of wants! Liking that peek at your rest as well, help us out with some details??

[sixshot]

I've used the Elmer Keith reclining position for hunting for about 50 years & taken a lot of game doing it. Several months ago I got with good friend & master holster maker Mike "Doc" Barranti & we came up with a better mouse trap. This works fantastic, you adjust it to fit you with a spring loaded clamp & wrap it around both knees & sit on the ground when hunting or use a chair, etc. Then you just fold your knees out into a "Y" shape & that draws the shooting rest tight & it's amazing how steady it is to shoot from & you get no powder burns on your pants or legs. It draws up as tight as you want & makes for a rest that weighs about 6 ozs & you can carry in your pocket. The little leather "saddle" in the middle is to rest your hands/guns on. You can find them on Mike Barranti's website.
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Dick

[Tom_in_AZ]

Great shooting!


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[Jeff Michel]

Your camera work is a good as your shooting. Thanks.

[georgerkahn]

I, too, commend you both on your shooting as well as photography skills! I googled the rest -- it is at https://barrantileather.com/shop/ols/products/sixshot-sling -- and surely would have one if I were a few years younger, as well as (durn right knee/leg :() more mobile. Not the least expensive accessory -- I see it at eighty U S dollars -- but it surely was a stellar idea on your behalf! My kudos!
geo

[Three44s]

Awesome photography and shootin’

I am in Central WA and we have what we call “grey diggers” which look like your ground squirrels but ours have much more tail than yours.

I think they are the California Ground Squirrel but I can not swear to it. I look at the Columbia Ground Squirrel pics and vids and things just do not quite “click” but some pics and vids of the California variety are not in sync with our squirrel either as to coloration and patterning.

A lot of folks confuse what we call sage rats but they are tiny compared to either the squirrel you have (with the short tail) and our longer bushy tail ones.

Anyway thanks for sharing!

Three44s

[Thumbcocker]

I think the secretis the tactical crocks.

[EMC45]

Great shooting and write up. I had the identical Model 16 years ago. Got talked out of it like a fool and kick myself every time I see one.

[dverna]

Do you think you have enough gun? LOL

Good shooting and the rest is a neat concept. Never seen anything like that before. I may try using a cheap ratchet strap to see how it would work. I do not hunt with a handgun for a variety of reasons but would want something like that if I did.

Beautiful gun too!!!

[sixshot]

This has been my dream gun for quite a while & I've came close twice, the burglar alarm got me once & the other time the guy backed out at the last minute! My only complaint is I still need to get the trigger down a bit & the front sight on these 4" guns are much too wide for old eyes. I need a 1/10" sight to get a clear view of them shaking when I get lined up.
I had lots of shots in the 30-50 yds range yesterday in great sun light & short pasture grass & it was a real hoot, I only hit one of them, needed a spotter but it was so much fun anyway. When they are standing at that distance they look like a clothes pin. The one I did hit at about 42 yds I stuffed him back down his hole & thought it was a miss but then I noticed dust kept coming up out of that hole, he was kicking dirt, sure sign of a head shot.
Some of the bigger dirt mounds are larger than a wheel barrow, they are very destructive. Also there was much evidence of badgers but I didn't see one, the wind was keeping them down or at least out of sight. In this area there are lots of badgers. The whole up side of the road was big badger digs.
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My model 16-4 & of course Doc Barranti Hank Sloan rig.

Dick

[JoeJames]

That sure beats Elmer’s suggestion of finding a tree to lean back against.

[MT Gianni]

Nice going, I have shot similarly with a bungee cord or 1" strap between my legs but always did a full wrap. If I'm not mistaken the 16-4 is the 32 H&R Mag but you were just assailing them with 32 long loads or the short 32 S&W?

[Buzz Krumhunger]

Nice gun, good shooting.

[sixshot]

No, I was using 32 magnum loads, the Miha 100 gr cast HP along with 5.0 grs of Longshot which is fast becoming a favorite powder for me in several six guns. Always work up your own loads as mine might be too warm in yours. This load, along with the Barranti Sixshot Sling is the raspberries for shooting Ground Squirrels. Some places they are called Gophers, other places they are Picket Pins, still other places it's Grey Diggers, etc. They are very destructive & also can have a variety of diseases like the Plague. You don't want to be picking them up unless you are wearing gloves, even then be careful. Ranchers love it when you shoot them, cattle & sheep break their legs stepping in those Squirrel holes.

Dick

[Tripplebeards]

I like that rest! Saves knee burn!!!

[Texas by God]

Well done all around! I used to have a Ruger SSM with a scope and I installed a lanyard loop on the bottom of the grip frame. Using a 1/2" nylon strap long enough to loop around my neck, and isometric pressure- I was able to hit prairie dogs at 100 yards with 85gr jhp Hornady regularly. The .32 H&R is a great cartridge and that Smith is Top Shelf!

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[rking22]

Thanks for the info, and more eye candy! May have to make me one of those, won’t be as nice but I’m frugal, and not working presently.

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve got similar bullets and scads of LongShot!
I’ll have to try that load in some .32H&H brass in my Single-7!