To my fellow squirrel hunters

[Cowbaby]

I have 3 squirrel rifles. Or should I say rifles I use for squirrel hunting.
a Remington model 12-CS Speedmaster, in 22WRF
a Ruger 10/22, in 22LR
a Winchester 1890 in 22WRF. It has a pair of sights to die for and I wish a had more sets like it.
I never wanted a scope on any of them for squirrel hunting and prefer the sights. I can only remember one time in my life squirrel hunting where I even wished I had one. That was in Arkansas in a grove of Hickory by a river that had grown lodgepole style and the first limbs were 60ft. The timber is generally a little shorter here so I never felt the need for one really. It would just be in my way. Besides 2 of the ones I have are not drilled for a scope and doing so would just trash the value so it will probably never happen.
When I was younger I used a scoped rifle some on a Win 190 and a Rem 512. I liked something in the 4power range then and used a Bushnell just because it was cheap.
I just find the range that I shoot squirrels at now, both those 22WCF and even the 22LR have plenty enough accuracy and range as it is. Plus it is lighter and handier to carry. When a squirrel is crawling across on a limb a moving scope just tends to blur. I don't like to mess with something that isn't broken for me is all.

 

[2busy]

I have 3 squirrel rifles. Or should I say rifles I use for squirrel hunting.
a Remington model 12-CS Speedmaster, in 22WRF
a Ruger 10/22, in 22LR
a Winchester 1890 in 22WRF. It has a pair of sights to die for and I wish a had more like it.
I never wanted a scope on any of them for squirrel hunting and prefer the sights. I can only remember one time in my life squirrel hunting where I even wished I had one. That was in Arkansas in a grove of Hickory by a river that had grown lodgepole style and the first limbs were 60ft. The timber is generally a little shorter here so I never felt the need for one really. It would just be in my way. Besides 2 of the ones I have are not drilled for a scope and doing so would just trash the value so it will probably never happen.
When I was younger I used a scoped rifle some on a Win 190 and a Rem 512. I liked something in the 2-4power range then. I just find the range that I shoot squirrels at both those 22WCf have plenty enough accuracy and range as it is. Plus it is lighter and handier to carry. I don't like to mess with something that isn't broken for me is all.

Not all my squirrels were 60 ft up in a tree, they might be 60 yd horizontal. Open sights and scopes have their uses. I went up until 9th grade needing glasses before someone figured out I needed glasses. A lot of my youth was pretty fuzzy. Parent s just though I might be a tad slow noticing things. Heck I couldn't see anything very far away.

 

[Cowbaby]

I know what you mean. I used to have 20-10 vision but now my eyesight has a lot to be desired. I wear some pretty strong bifocals now and they are a pita sometimes but I manage to still do pretty good. If the truth be told I probably am already at 2power these days. That's plenty for 60yrs to me.

 

[Osage1978]

I have 3 squirrel rifles. Or should I say rifles I use for squirrel hunting.
a Remington model 12-CS Speedmaster, in 22WRF
a Ruger 10/22, in 22LR
a Winchester 1890 in 22WRF. It has a pair of sights to die for and I wish a had more sets like it.
I never wanted a scope on any of them for squirrel hunting and prefer the sights. I can only remember one time in my life squirrel hunting where I even wished I had one. That was in Arkansas in a grove of Hickory by a river that had grown lodgepole style and the first limbs were 60ft. The timber is generally a little shorter here so I never felt the need for one really. It would just be in my way. Besides 2 of the ones I have are not drilled for a scope and doing so would just trash the value so it will probably never happen.
When I was younger I used a scoped rifle some on a Win 190 and a Rem 512. I liked something in the 4power range then and used a Bushnell just because it was cheap.
I just find the range that I shoot squirrels at now, both those 22WCF and even the 22LR have plenty enough accuracy and range as it is. Plus it is lighter and handier to carry. When a squirrel is crawling across on a limb a moving scope just tends to blur. I don't like to mess with something that isn't broken for me is all.

I've squirrel hunted now for 30 something years, started with a redbone hound in the good old days unfortunately I've had poor eyesight since a very young age & a scope is must for me.

 

[tynyphil]

Tho' I love my 10/22's for squirrel, this is my go-to rifle. Most of my squirrel hunting is done on my 7 acres in SE OKC. This Beeman R9 .177cal is deadly at 40-50 yds and is much quieter for shooting within city limits.

 

[Master Carper]

Remington 550-1 wearing a Weaver 6X scope.

I have used the same gun for 60 years now for squirrels and rabbits, but have changed out scopes a few times throughout the years.

 

[gerhard1]

Admittedly OT, but a friend of mine told me that he hunted squirrels a few times using a Winchester Model 70 375 H&H. He used a special load and very light lead bullet at about 750-800 fps.

Of course, it was nothing but a stunt

 

[jakeman]

Not all my squirrels were 60 ft up in a tree, they might be 60 yd horizontal. Open sights and scopes have their uses. I went up until 9th grade needing glasses before someone figured out I needed glasses. A lot of my youth was pretty fuzzy. Parent s just though I might be a tad slow noticing things. Heck I couldn't see anything very far away.

I got my first pair of glasses in 7th grade, and on the way home the trees had leaves on them. I thought that was the coolest thing.

 

[2busy]

Remington 550-1 wearing a Weaver 6X scope.

I have used the same gun for 60 years now for squirrels and rabbits, but have changed out scopes a few times throughout the years.

That's what I use with my old weaver 2.5 power.

 

[turkeyrun]

I got a box of .224 45gr FMJ bullets, in a trade. Same bullet Win loads in .22WMRF.

Looking around for a decent load, came across a .223 with Unique, doing between 1900-2000 fps.

Rifle is zeroed at 100 yards with my 64 gr deer load. Them 45 gr load with Unique is dead on at 50 yards, on scope adjustment.

The round is quieter than .22LR and squirrels don't like it, at all.