Look out, squirrels.

[Texas by God]

I've piddled around enough to have come up with a tree rat load for my 38-55 Winchester 94. I take a .380" rb, size to .377", coat in LLA, then load it over 4.8 grs of Bullseye ( Lee scoop). I'm using reformed older 30-30 brass just for these loads. A bit short but doesn't matter. This group was fired standing from 18 paces away- adjust the sight and away we go. Fun is where you find it[emoji846]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210425/8b19765f4ecb343915068fcc9e0d93a5.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210425/3debea1bc513c34e87bb53accb19c08c.jpg

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[legendhunter]

Sounds like fun, and I bet it's pretty quiet!!

[444ttd]

oh my gawd!!!!!!! don't you know that squirrels wear ceramic plated Kevlar vests!!!!!!!!! use a 30mm vulcan!!!!!!!!!!

good job, now the tree rats!!!!!!!!

[NEKVT]

I'm a RB centerfire guy. Got a Lee .308 RB mold real cheap on close out several years ago. Single cavity but put it to the nozzle pops them out pretty quick. Load it up for several .30's for great low cost, low noise plinking loads. And carry them for a Krag sporter with magazine cut off while deer hunting. Also load RB for 32 Win and 6mm Rem.

281896

Was once sitting against a stump watching a flat for deer when a squirrel ran by. Before it got to the tree the RB was in the Krag. When it stopped halfway up a chest shot quick kill no meat loss. Handy when venison is scarce.

[richhodg66]

About to embark on squirrel hunting with a .36 muzzle loader, should be similar. Post some results when you get it in the woods.

I really like the .38-55 and have been shooting mine quite a bit the past few years. Seriously one of the funnest and easiest to load cartridges there is.

[35remington]

They are fine for the closer range shots but as distances extend my experience is that accuracy goes south quicker than I desire.

[DDriller]

I'm a RB centerfire guy. Got a Lee .308 RB mold real cheap on close out several years ago. Single cavity but put it to the nozzle pops them out pretty quick. Load it up for several .30's for great low cost, low noise plinking loads. And carry them for a Krag sporter with magazine cut off while deer hunting. Also load RB for 32 Win and 6mm Rem.

281896

Was once sitting against a stump watching a flat for deer when a squirrel ran by. Before it got to the tree the RB was in the Krag. When it stopped halfway up a chest shot quick kill no meat loss. Handy when venison is scarce.
What specie of squirrel is that in the picture?

[richhodg66]

They are fine for the closer range shots but as distances extend my experience is that accuracy goes south quicker than I desire.

Always see this argument come up with regards to small game loads, just have to ask, what is your idea of distance? In my experience, 25-30 yards is realistic small game hunting distance, were you thinking of these as being long range varmint loads or something?

[NEKVT]

What specie of squirrel is that in the picture?

Guess you don't have any black shoulder bi-legged squirrels in OK! Meat is a bit lighter in color than the other species too.

[fastdadio]

What specie of squirrel is that in the picture?

Everybody knows dat dare is a flying squirrel....

[richhodg66]

Everybody knows dat dare is a flying squirrel....

In the end, it all tastes like chicken.

[sigep1764]

I'm a RB centerfire guy. Got a Lee .308 RB mold real cheap on close out several years ago. Single cavity but put it to the nozzle pops them out pretty quick. Load it up for several .30's for great low cost, low noise plinking loads. And carry them for a Krag sporter with magazine cut off while deer hunting. Also load RB for 32 Win and 6mm Rem.

281896

Was once sitting against a stump watching a flat for deer when a squirrel ran by. Before it got to the tree the RB was in the Krag. When it stopped halfway up a chest shot quick kill no meat loss. Handy when venison is scarce.

That Krag is beautiful. The wood and the metal is out of this world. Where did you find that?

[dverna]

If I shot a squirrel while deer hunting, I would get booted out of deer camp. Lol

There are 6 of us that hunt 300 acres. A gunshot better be justified

[NEKVT]

Since I am the owner of my deer camp I can't be booted out, LOL! We hunt state lands and timberlands open to hunting covering thousands of acres. Low deer densities but you can go all day without seeing another hunter... or a no trespassing sign. Taking occasional small game can be the highlight of a week's hunt. Just the way it is.

Sigep1764 sending a pm.

[35remington]

I do very considerable squirrel hunting and shots seldom exceed 60 yards due to visual issues, but 35-50 yards is reasonably common.

What I desired is better accuracy at that 35-50+yard range and for me roundball loads fall short. This opinion was obtained the way I find relevant, which is from hunting squirrels for years and testing a number of roundball loads at those relevant ranges.

Wonderful for yard pests and limited range shooting, but outdone by my preferred loads in terms of utility when accuracy is important. When squirrel hunting I select something with more accuracy potential and test heavily at fifty yards as this encompasses realistic range.

My preference is to be in the one inch range for five shots in the larger calibers, and three quarter inch or less with a 22. The accuracy I obtain at said range with roundball loads cannot ensure a head shot will be that, and in many instances clean misses with a good hold are very possible.

Of course those preferences are based on my hunting conditions and I do not wish to pass up a fifty yard shot so I choose a load equal to that task.

As you may see roundball loads are just a bit limiting for what I wish to do.

[NEKVT]

I would not use a RB when exclusively small game hunting except if looking for additional challenge with a particular rifle. Most shots I've taken are less than 30 yds, many a lot less. And a 30 cal ball at 1000fps doesn't damage much meat so head shot accuracy is not necessary - bird above looks to be quite intact. The last grouse I took with the Krag I flushed on an old logging road at dusk that settled in a leafless tree to the west with a sharp silhouette visible. Estimating it to be about 50 yds out I held on the neck and at the shot it nosedived straight down. When I got over there feathers were blowing around on the snow but no bird and a wide circle around the area showed no tracks walking away. More than a mile in I decided to come back in the morning to be sure. After a short search I noticed a flat rock with a cavity under it and in it my bird. The shot hit at POA nicking the neck and it bled out shortly thereafter. What appeared to be a much longer shot was about 35yds as it was a 3/4 size bird of the year.

[35remington]

The problem I have is that roundball loads are not body shot accurate from centerfire rifles at 50 yards for squirrel shooting...let alone head shot accurate.

So it is limited for the hunting I do and I’d prefer not to be so limited.

[Beaverhunter2]

If I shot a squirrel while deer hunting, I would get booted out of deer camp. Lol

There are 6 of us that hunt 300 acres. A gunshot better be justified

You might find that it really doesn't matter. Three different times I've shot a deer and less than a minute later had another come into sight - and shot that one too... Three other times I've had deer in sight and had another hunter cut loose from within a 150-200 yards. Rattled my fillings but the deer didn't even stop feeding long enough to look. Unless the bullet whizzs by their head or smacks into the deer next to them they don't seem to be disturbed. They must think its thunder.

BTW One of those "second deer" was a 21 1/2" inside spread 10 point (4 1/2YO) and another was a decent eight point (3 1/2YO). So these weren't stupid fawns.

[missionary5155]

Greetings Tex
If that .380 ball will chamber give that full diameter a try. RB really does not have much contact with the groove and needs a bit of friction to get a good spin...

[Texas by God]

Greetings Tex
If that .380 ball will chamber give that full diameter a try. RB really does not have much contact with the groove and needs a bit of friction to get a good spin...Thanks, I did try them at .380" but it's hard to close the bolt on them- hence the .377" size since that's what I size my 250gr Lee's to.( per Jess O.'s suggestion)
You can't tell from the sorry pic, but they shoot well. I know that I could just use a .22 LR; but why- when I can use this, the 44-40, the 30-40 Krag, or .303 British? I have small game loads for all of them.

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[ChristopherO]

That looks dandy and a whole bunch of fun in the making. What this is all about, in my humble opinion.
30 years ago I hunted squirrels consistently with a .32 muzzleloader. It dropped them better than the 22lr ever did. I would say most of my hunting in the woods amongst the beech, hickory and walnut trees were within 30 yards, may a few 40 yarders, many much closer as headshots were the goal. The PRB dropped quickly by 60 yards, when I would test it out on a metal gong. But for the actual picking the rodents out of the trees I had no need to shoot that far.

[Landy88]

Nice load. I very seldom hike out without small game loads for the rifle that I am carrying. I have not tried round balls, because light cast boolits at modest velocity have worked so well. I might have to just to try something new.