Anyone here ever use a lager bore ML for small game hunting

I always thought you could shoot almost anything with anything...
For example, if you find yourself face to face with a not-too-mean or too-angry squirrel you can always shoot it with a .54 caliber..... but don't miss because when a squirrel is angry, it can be very mean, he haves teeth and it runs fast...
Do you run fast?

A few years back, I happened upon a groundhog out behind the barn. The landlord had told me to shoot 'em on sight as they were doing some pretty serious damage to the buildings. I had a .429 bore revolver that shot a conical bullet about 800 FPS (read between lines here folks). Shot the offending rodent with said implement of mayhem and left him in the field intending to pick him up and get rid of the body the next day.

The groundhog didn't seem to notice that he'd been shot with something of an overkill weapon. I doubt that it cared when the baler baled it up into a bale of hay the next day either. Extra protein for the cattle maybe?

Splitear said:

Next year I’m going to attempt to “bark” some squirrels with a 50 or 54.

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Best of luck! I tried after putting a 50 Cal round ball within half inch of its head then watching it run off up the tree l just went to head shots!!

Loja man said:

Best of luck! I tried after putting a 50 Cal round ball within half inch of its head then watching it run off up the tree l just went to head shots!!

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Supposedly it worked for Davy Crockett, but then he was also said to be able to "grin" a 'coon to death. I've had squirrels fall fifty feet from a tree, then get up and run, so I don't subscribe to the barking squirrel theory.

Splitear said:

Next year I’m going to attempt to “bark” some squirrels with a 50 or 54.

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Never had much success ‘barking’ squirrels. Typically, if I got the squirrel, I hit directly, although I do remember a few that you could called ‘barked’. Wounded or kill many tree limbs and trees while attempting. Fortunately, wounded trees are quite easy to track as they don’t go too far after being hit.

SDSmlf said:

Fortunately, wounded trees are quite easy to track as they don’t go too far after being hit.

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Yes, and it's a good thing...

Erwan said:

I always thought you could shoot almost anything with anything...
For example, if you find yourself face to face with a not-too-mean or too-angry squirrel you can always shoot it with a .54 caliber..... but don't miss because when a squirrel is angry, it can be very mean, he haves teeth and it runs fast...
Do you run fast?

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Watch out for those angry squirrels! They go for your nuts!

ETipp said:

Beautiful rifle.

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Yes it is, one of the nicest examples of that model I've seen.

Urban Coyote said:

Yes it is, one of the nicest examples of that model I've seen.

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Thanks! It was a fun building experience!! It’s amazingly accurate!! Hopefully my son has it many years to come!!

In Alabama, deer is a muzzleloader or black powder handgun .40 caliber or larger, coyotes, bobcat, beaver, squirrels and rabbits, muzzleloaders or black powder handguns of any caliber. So if you have a .72 caliber you can hunt squirrels in Alabama.

I’ve killed a bunch of squirrels with a 50 cal and conical years ago. Just punched a 50 cal hole thru them. I remember being surprised it didn’t vaporize them.

ETipp said:

Just curious to know of anyone out there has ever used a big bore ML for small game hunting. After some limited research on this, I am not finding a whole heck of a lot on this subject. Found one old thread on here in the hunting section and I was hoping to find more answers in this sub form. So, if anyone can share your experiences on this please post up.

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I don't mind a Lager once in a while but I much prefer a great India Pale Ale!

I've shot a few hare with a 3 band enfield in .58, being that it's what I had at the time.

david w said:

Arkansas has caliber limits for game. Squirrel, not to exceed .36. rabbit not to exceed 40, Deer minimum caliber, .40. It's strange to me that .40 is allowed for rabbit and deer, but .36 for squirrel? I don't get it.

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Yes sir, just a few days ago I searched the AR muzzleloader regs. My nephew that lives there is wanting a ML for small game and deer. Looks like he's gonna need two different calibers for that one. Strange rules for sure.

SDSmlf said:

Blurry vision can be a real problem. I have found that my progressive lenses can be an issue finding the sights. I have been trying some single vision lenses for my right eye that correct things about at front sight distance. A ghost ring or peep sight can also save the day.

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Have been looking for a way to mount a peep on my Crockett Squirrel Rifle but I just do not see a viable solution. Considering the main purpose for that ML is killing squirrels, a peep would be very welcome.

chorizo said:

I opt for the ghost ring solution. More than adequate precision to 125 yards for my needs. With a ghost ring, that rear sight is supposed to be fuzzy....thankfully

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Without doubt a rear peep is the answer for most of us older folks. The TC peep works great on my .50 New Englander. I have shot a 45-70 with a ghost ring and it appeared to work well on that rifle, but I do not see a way to mount one on my Crockett Rifle. Out of all my ML, that's the one that really needs a peep.

longcruise said:

During deer/elk season i often encounter blue grouse. Usually in a covey. I've shot quite a few with 50 and 54 big game round ball loads. Shots on the head neck area are nice clean kills. Beats shot gun BBs in your dinner. I carry a loading block and it's actually for quick reloading for grouse.

I've managed three out of a covey. Those familiar with blues will understand that.

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Lived out west up in the big mountains for many years, and should still be there. I do understand what you contend. I have killed one with a rock and I have an old friend that took out a few with an old tree limb. My standard grouse tool was my sidearm that I am not suppose to mention on here.

However, sometimes they can fool a person and fly before one can get close to them. They are unpredictable birds for sure.

ETipp said:

My standard grouse tool was my sidearm that I am not suppose to mention on here.

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Yes, I've done that as well. The extra weight gets old as I get older. It ends up added to the weight of a days supply of hydration, nutrition and everything needed to deal with a dead elk without returning to camp or car for the stuff that should have been taken from the git go.

I expect you have BTDT.

chorizo said:

I opt for the ghost ring solution. More than adequate precision to 125 yards for my needs. With a ghost ring, that rear sight is supposed to be fuzzy....thankfully

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You would be a rare bird indeed if your depth of focus allowed a sharp image of both front and rear sights.

I was introduced to ML hunting during a squirrel season many years ago. The older gentlemen mostly used 45 and 50 cal guns. They taught me to shoot right in front of the squirrels head. The ball hitting the tree in front of the squirrels head would kill it every time from the percussion of the impact(barking the squirrel) . If they missed a little it would sometimes result in a head shot . They would use 60 plus grains of powder, power was relatively cheap then and it would also allow them to take a deer if the opportunity presented itself during the squirrel hunt.
I asked one of the men last year, the only one still with us. Why they didn't use 32 or 36cal guns back then. He said the smaller balls were hard for him to load in the woods with shaking hands and lots of the little balls would be dropped and not found in the leaves. He also said dead was dead and he never had a squirrel complain what size ball killed it.