Nice shot! Literally blew him away!.22 pcp 34g jsb beast pellet.. don’t ever doubt air riflelights out and you can shoot them in your backyard, try that with a .22lr in your back yard and see how quick the cops show up
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Squirrel hunting 22lr vs pcp
- Thread starter moodyblues
- Start date
I take objection to this as my 25 cal m3 has exactly the same drop and wind drift as a 22 lr cci std shooting 35 gr nsa. The only thing different is it is slightly less powerful. 22- 67 fpe @100 25-50fpe@100
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I do not have any opportunity to hunt ground squirrels in wide open spaces. I can see a role for airgun slugs going really fast or powder burners for shots at 75 yards or more. But for tree squirrels and shots inside 50 yards, I think 22 or 25 caliber PCPs with around 30 fpe are the way to go. Plenty of power, reasonable trajectory, cheaper, and very effective.
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Same for me, I really have nowhere I can put a rimfire to use over one of my pcps. I get the same performance on target just a lot louder and more dangerous. Imo a precharged airgun is the best tool for the job. You can frame up a room with a 3lbs sledge but a 20oz estwing will do it much more efficiently.
Also I love my rimfires, they are my favorite powderburners. Love my AirPower more though!
Thanks for All the replies guys, been a fun thread.
Beau
Also I love my rimfires, they are my favorite powderburners. Love my AirPower more though!
Thanks for All the replies guys, been a fun thread.
Beau
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I haven’t gone through the whole thread, but in my humble opinion, if we’re talking about squirrels—the tree-loving little rascals—then a sub-12 air rifle and some good fieldcraft skills should do the trick. I’d never consider shooting upwards with a rimfire, even with loads of nothingness around.
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I like my air rifles but if I'm really serious about killing lots of red and grays I'll take one of my vudoos set up for hunting or my lefty cz 457 all running suppressors and clean house from 25 to 125 no problem. Air rifles can be really accurate with slugs or pellets but my vudoos shoot .2s all day long at 100yds off a bipod and rear bag. I have yet to see any air rifles do that consistently off a bench. I love air rifles but... I love my vudoos more
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My absolute favorite set up as a kid was using my Henry with .22 short CBs. Not a big fan of using .22 LR and my WMR or .17HRM was fun out to 200-300yds but dang I don’t like walking that far anymore. I love air guns because of the no noise factor I’m currently running .25 19g at 700. Or on windy days a .30 44g at 600. I like using Airguns more because of the crap BC and loss of energy at 400yds instead of 1+ miles
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If I remember correct much past 25 fpe in .22 caliber will give you pass throughs at 20-25 yards. I do like the extra oomph of my Vet at 34 fpe but my Urban does a great job at 25 fpe on squirrels also. I go with a 13 fpe Prod for squirrels in the shop . I use my airguns far more for squirrels than my .22 LRs.
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I’m an ace shot with my .22LR, but with only two days on an HW97 most squirrels are safe. Just yesterday I had a ground squirrel at 25 yards sit and stare at me big, dumb and happy while I shot and reloaded four times. Eventually, I’ll be a squirrel killer, after I PRACTICE.
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I agree the pcp / pellet rifle is way better especially considering how gunpowder ammo went through the roof and I prefer the pcp simply because it's safer for my hearing plus you don't scare anyone else around you.
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I guess some PCP's come close to a .22 lr but for me it's the rimfire. It just makes more sense the way I hunt.
Squirrel hunting with a pellet gun is great sport. But the .22 lr is just a better suited weapon for the mountains of New Mexico. In other settings a PCP may be equal or even better.
I'd rather shoot my springer at squirrels than a .22lr. or a PCP. But I don't think I could bag more squirrels with it. I'm pretty convinced that if you are shooting for numbers you could get more squirrels with a rimfire than any pellet shooter. At least the way I hunt in the country I hunt in.
Squirrel hunting with a pellet gun is great sport. But the .22 lr is just a better suited weapon for the mountains of New Mexico. In other settings a PCP may be equal or even better.
I'd rather shoot my springer at squirrels than a .22lr. or a PCP. But I don't think I could bag more squirrels with it. I'm pretty convinced that if you are shooting for numbers you could get more squirrels with a rimfire than any pellet shooter. At least the way I hunt in the country I hunt in.
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Pellet gun all day. Pcps are just as, if not more, accurate AND much quieter. You have greater potential for follow up shots or shots on multiple squirrels.
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On limited acreage I can see how a quiet rifle may get a guy more shots. A PCP and a slow moving hunting style would definitely be an asset.
In wide open mountains its a different story. You can easily move from target to target by watching the trees and listening for a bark. The report of a rimfire isn't going to matter much. It's been my experience that many times after you shoot your next target is barking at the noise telling you where he is.
You could certainly use a PCP and it may not be much different than a rimfire as far as accuracy and range. It would be great fun. I think the rimfire is just a lot simpler and more convenient to spend a day in the mountains with.
The hardware I use is not really important to me. It's more about fall in the woods. Whatever I'm shooting with or at isn't why I'm there. It's just an excuse to be there. I rarely shoot at squirrels once I locate them anyway. I could be carrying a stick and have (almost) as much fun.
In wide open mountains its a different story. You can easily move from target to target by watching the trees and listening for a bark. The report of a rimfire isn't going to matter much. It's been my experience that many times after you shoot your next target is barking at the noise telling you where he is.
You could certainly use a PCP and it may not be much different than a rimfire as far as accuracy and range. It would be great fun. I think the rimfire is just a lot simpler and more convenient to spend a day in the mountains with.
The hardware I use is not really important to me. It's more about fall in the woods. Whatever I'm shooting with or at isn't why I'm there. It's just an excuse to be there. I rarely shoot at squirrels once I locate them anyway. I could be carrying a stick and have (almost) as much fun.
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I'm with you. I like PCPs. I would rather take my 20cal hw97 or my 22lr. PCPs are nice and fun to hunt with but my 22lr is dependable every time not temp sensitive, and the lists goes on. The more I play with PCPs the more I like the pistons and the old plain jane 22lr. I'm a hunter first and actually don't care to tinker on my guns.
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