Maximum Squirrel killing range of your smoothbore?

[Skychief]

How far will your smoothbore reliably kill squirrel. Please share your gauge, barrel length, choke/unchoked, and your load please.

I appreciate your input very much, Skychief. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Two longest were on the same afternoon off the side of the same huge beech tree at 29-30 steps.
.54cal Flint smooth rifle / cylinder bore
70grn measure of Goex 3F
Two Oxyoke 1/8” wads
100grn measure of #5s
Circle Fly OS card

.62cal Flint smooth rifle / Jug Choked Full gets it done on paper at 40yds, have not yet shot one at that range.
80grn measure of Goex 3F
Two Oxyoke 1/8” wads
120grn measure of #5s
Circle Fly OS card

 

[Skychief]

Hey RoundBall, how high up in those trees were the.............

On second thought, never mind! :wink: :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

"...off the side of the same huge beech tree ..."

Just 6-8 feet off the ground...coming down the trunk of that tree

 

[George]

How far will your smoothbore reliably kill squirrel.

My usual gun when I carry a smoothbore instead of a rifle is a 20 ga., cylinder bore, and I don't recall ever killing a squirrel at more than 25 yards with it. Most are at 20. Load is 65-70 gr. 3F, 1/8" hard card, 1/2" cushion wad treated with melted lard and beeswax, equal volume f #5 chilled shot, thin overshot card.

The longest shot I recall on a squirrel was a big fox squirrel high in a tree which I paced at just over 25 yards, so approaching 30 yards. That was with an original smooth rifle 28 g., 55 gr. 2F, 1/8" card, 3/8" cushion with beeswax-lard, 3/4-oz. of #5 shot.

Whatcha working on, Skychief?

Spence

 

[Homesteader]

My go-to gun is the 14 bore English fowling piece Roy Stroh built for me. I went with the bigger bore so I could throw more shot, and a long (48”) barrel so it would stick together farther. I believe it does.

I like #4 shot because it holds its energy and I can pack a pretty good load of it in my barrel. Cylinder bore but tapered, btw. Generally 70 - 90 grains of 3F, split overpowder wad, Swampy’s lube (perfect!), heavier than balanced load of shot, and an overshot card. I’ve been playing around with leaves, paper, tow, and Spanish Moss for wadding instead of the commercial wads & cards. Can’t really give an informed comment on those yet.

(As you can tell, I’m more into instinctive and “spirit of the times” than technical shooting.)

Around 30 yards seems to work pretty well. I prefer closer, and find the game of getting close and positioned to be more fun than the actual shot.

Not sure that’s of much value to you, but there ya go...

 

[luieb45]

I think I got one or two this year at around 25 yards with my .56 TC smoothbore. I use 50 gr. 2ffg black powder, 4 os cards, 65 gr. shot(15/16 oz.) #6s, 1 os card.

 

[tg]

I am good to about 20 yds with a .58 fusil 1 1/8 oz #5 shot /60gr 3f wadding/tow or cards above and below shot I almost aways get closer than that in the areas I hunt (fringe brush/tree lots around Hazelnut Orchards with fairly low trees

 

[Robert Egler]

How far will your smoothbore reliably kill squirrel. Please share your gauge, barrel length, choke/unchoked, and your load please.

I appreciate your input very much, Skychief. :thumbsup:

54 cal smoothbore flintlock, unchoked, using 3/4 oz #6 shot, egual volume of 2f powder, 2 over-powder pads, 2 layer paper shotcup cut 1/2 way down lengthwise, 1 over shot card, about 20-25 yards

 

[Skychief]

Whatcha working on, Skychief?

Spence

Well, I would love to have a smoothbore for squirrel hunting especially in the early season (August 15 through September), when the foliage is thick and the greys are dancing in the treetops. A lot of the timber that I hunt is very tall including the hickories. The greys are generally 30 yards or much higher in the trees at this time of the year and the greys seldom sit long enough for a comfortable rifle shot. The foliage makes it all the tougher as one can spot a squirrel, but, many times has no idea what part of the squirrel is seen. :shocked2:

So, I have an "itch" that needs some scratchin'. :haha:

I know I want a flinter that can reach up there reliably and would love to keep things as traditional as possible (read:unchoked), if possible.

My 12 gauge that I use on turkey, loaded as for turkey, can't touch many of the early-season greys here. Hence my query. I may find that a choked gun is my only solution. :idunno:

And yes, I know that I could take only those that wander down from the heights on occasion. Still, I know how rarely these squirrels do that in these mature hardwoods here during August and September.

I appreciate all the thoughts fellows and please add more if you will.

A thought occurs to me in all the research I have done regarding cylinder bored smoothbores. It seems that no matter if the gauge is 10 or 12, or the caliber 58 or 54.....all the patterns seem to dwindle to reliably kill squirrel past a magical ~20 yard range. :hmm: It is something to marvel at. :surrender:

All comments welcomed regarding my search for a 30+ yard squirrel gun. :bow:

Skychief.

 

[George]

It seems that no matter if the gauge is 10 or 12, or the caliber 58 or 54.....all the patterns seem to dwindle to reliably kill squirrel past a magical ~20 yard range. :hmm: It is something to marvel at.

I think you've gotten to the meat of the problem.

I have an area on my hunting spot where the trees are unusually tall, and I have faced the same frustrations. Hitting a moving squirrel in heavy foliage in an 80-100 foot tree is a real test for me with a rifle, and I don't even bother with the smoothbore. That's why I tried the long shot with the Colerain, because I always threatened to get after them with it. I much prefer a traditional cylinder, though, so I've never done it.

The next round of my experiments begins Saturday when our early season opens. I'll be after them with my smoothbore wadded with tow. I had really promising results at 20 yards in some recent tests with tow, and am anxious to see if it holds up in the field. If I find that I can cause them grief at 30 yards I'll share the secret with you, of course. For a price. :haha:

Spence

 

[Skychief]

It seems that no matter if the gauge is 10 or 12, or the caliber 58 or 54.....all the patterns seem to dwindle to reliably kill squirrel past a magical ~20 yard range. :hmm: It is something to marvel at.

I think you've gotten to the meat of the problem.

I have an area on my hunting spot where the trees are unusually tall, and I have faced the same frustrations. Hitting a moving squirrel in heavy foliage in an 80-100 foot tree is a real test for me with a rifle, and I don't even bother with the smoothbore. That's why I tried the long shot with the Colerain, because I always threatened to get after them with it. I much prefer a traditional cylinder, though, so I've never done it.

The next round of my experiments begins Saturday when our early season opens. I'll be after them with my smoothbore wadded with tow. I had really promising results at 20 yards in some recent tests with tow, and am anxious to see if it holds up in the field. If I find that I can cause them grief at 30 yards I'll share the secret with you, of course. For a price. :haha:

Spence

Sounds great Spence (excepting "the price" jargon). :haha:

You are a lucky man to be able to hunt some squacks this early. I will hold you to a full report once in from the field.

I read of your experimenting with tow, with great interest. :hmm: Do let us know how you make out.

I have a 32 caliber Douglass barrel begging to be made into a dedicated squirrel rifle. Still, I keep coming back to the notion of a smoothbore squirrel gun (especially for early season). The notion of stuffing said gun with a lead pill for November Whitetails is not lost on me either (something one wont do with a conventionally choked gun, like the Colerain). Of course, I am "preaching to the choir" about do-it-all smoothies, aren't I? :wink: :bow:

I am enjoying all the feedback and look forward to more.

Thanks, Skychief. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Remember that the larger heavier shot bores on ahead through the air further before starting to scatter...and if you're lucky enough to find an old original bag of Winchester Lubaloy...real copper plated #4 shot...you'll get several more yards distance

 

[Crow#21957]

George can you shoot me a PM. Sure would appreciate it. Thanks

 

[Sparkitoff]

Can you get something with choke or -gasp - add one? Yesterday I shot a flying snipe that seemed like a far shot. I paced it off and got 43-yards. The 12-bore was loaded with a 1 1/8 oz scoop of powder, three cards, 1 1/8 oz of #7 and a overshot card. The choke constriction measures what would equal IM choke. The snipe of about the size of a squirrel. Throughout the day I made a couple of over 30-yard shots on the snipe. If they were still, I would have got a bunch more! I think you just need some sort of choke to accomplish what you want.

 

[Crow#21957]

Ok I said no jug choke but if I can get a good one OK. I've heard good and bad of paticular brands of jug choke. Does anyone swage barrels anymore. My father in law had a nice old shotgun he had swaged. They swaged about 7 in. Of the barrel starting with muzzel and moving back the barrel 7 in.

 

[Phillip McDonald]

62/20 Danny Caywood trade gun. 60 grains powder. 1oz 6s. 2 wads in between. One over the top. Bout 20-25 yards

 

[Crow#21957]

That's nice.

 

[Brokennock]

George can you shoot me a PM. Sure would appreciate it. Thanks

This topic thread is from 2011....



"George" doesn't come around much if at all anymore.

 

[Eric Krewson]

This is my fowlers pattern at 25 yards, jug choke with a Skychief load. I haven't tried it on squirrels yet but suspect out to 30 yards they would be toast, this 1 1/2 oz of #6 shot pushed by 90 gr of 2F out of my 12 ga.