308 for Squirrels?

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jimlongley
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#31

Post by jimlongley »

NavyVet1959 wrote:If you reload, a .30-06 can easily be used for squirrels. Lee has a .311" round ball mold that drops at around 45.16 grains. Load it on top of 2 or 3 grains of a fast shotgun powder (Red Dot, etc) and you are ready to go. If you want a bit more weight, there's also some 113 grain .309" bullets and you could use some of the .32 S&W Long and such that could work in a .308 bore with resizing. I probably wouldn't bother resizing the .311" round ball since it's going to resize on its own as it is being seated or shot. If you have a chrono, just try to keep the velocity subsonic for the round balls.
A whole bunch of years ago I tried to work up a load for Woodchuck in my .30-06 using single 0 buckshot (not legal to possess in NY State at the time) with very mixed results. The soft lead made a mess of my bore and I kind of gave up and went back to underloaded jacketed bullets.
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NavyVet1959
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#32

Post by NavyVet1959 »

jimlongley wrote:A whole bunch of years ago I tried to work up a load for Woodchuck in my .30-06 using single 0 buckshot (not legal to possess in NY State at the time) with very mixed results. The soft lead made a mess of my bore and I kind of gave up and went back to underloaded jacketed bullets.
Did you try it with a harder alloy like wheelweights?
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jimlongley
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#33

Post by jimlongley »

NavyVet1959 wrote:
jimlongley wrote:A whole bunch of years ago I tried to work up a load for Woodchuck in my .30-06 using single 0 buckshot (not legal to possess in NY State at the time) with very mixed results. The soft lead made a mess of my bore and I kind of gave up and went back to underloaded jacketed bullets.
Did you try it with a harder alloy like wheelweights?
No, I wasn't casting, just trying something out. Later I tried paper patching for soft lead projectiles, ZigZag papers were pretty good, but in the 70s buying them did draw a raised eyebrow or two. Kind of fun to fire a shot and have confetti blowing around just past the muzzle.

I did work up a load, once, that used some the projectiles out of some .30-40 ammo I "inherited." The ammo was green with age, so I gently pulled the projectiles and loaded them in my .30-06. I estimated them at around 110 grains and dissected one to see why such a large bullet weighed so little. Almost a third of the copper jacket was virtually empty, with a little hole, almost the size of a .22LR hollow point, out at the tip. I was told, back in the 60s by some "old timers" that these were "mushroom tip" ammo that was intended for use on thin skinned, smaller, varmints. I shot a Woodchuck with one of these loads and there was pretty much nothing left except skin and legs.
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Jim Beaux
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#34

Post by Jim Beaux »

Years ago I met an old man in the Big Thicket.

He didnt use a gun for squirrels but rather "uglied" them to death. He would sit under a tree and when a limb rat showed, he would jump up and make the most hideous and ugly face possible. I was amazed as he got several within a few minutes without a sound other than the agonizing chittering of the dying rodents.

He told me his family had passed this technique down from father to son for generations. I then asked if he had taught his son and he replied he didnt have a son, but rather a daughter. He said though he had taught her, he wouldnt let her use it. I asked him why and he said, "cuz she tears em up too bad!"
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WildBill
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#35

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Jim Beaux wrote:Years ago I met an old man in the Big Thicket.

He didnt use a gun for squirrels but rather "uglied" them to death. He would sit under a tree and when a limb rat showed, he would jump up and make the most hideous and ugly face possible. I was amazed as he got several within a few minutes without a sound other than the agonizing chittering of the dying rodents.

He told me his family had passed this technique down from father to son for generations. I then asked if he had taught his son and he replied he didnt have a son, but rather a daughter. He said though he had taught her, he wouldnt let her use it. I asked him why and he said, "cuz she tears em up too bad!"
Is this a true story? :shock:
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n5wmk
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#36

Post by n5wmk »

Jim Beaux wrote:Years ago I met an old man in the Big Thicket.
So where's the smilie/emoticon with one leg longer than the other? :evil2:
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Jim Beaux
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#37

Post by Jim Beaux »

WildBill wrote:
Jim Beaux wrote:Years ago I met an old man in the Big Thicket.

He didnt use a gun for squirrels but rather "uglied" them to death. He would sit under a tree and when a limb rat showed, he would jump up and make the most hideous and ugly face possible. I was amazed as he got several within a few minutes without a sound other than the agonizing chittering of the dying rodents.

He told me his family had passed this technique down from father to son for generations. I then asked if he had taught his son and he replied he didnt have a son, but rather a daughter. He said though he had taught her, he wouldnt let her use it. I asked him why and he said, "cuz she tears em up too bad!"
Is this a true story? :shock:

Well Bill, Im really hurt that you doubt my word considering you havent caught me in a lie in the last 5 or 10 minutes.....
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Pawpaw
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#38

Post by Pawpaw »

Image
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. - John Adams
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WildBill
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#39

Post by WildBill »

Pawpaw wrote:[ Image ]
I don't know if this would kill them or turn them into a pillar of salt. :shock:
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BLG
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#40

Post by BLG »

Pawpaw, that was exactly what I thought of when I read the story! :tiphat:


btw, I just tried that in my backyard. I guess I just couldn't make my face ugly enough. :biggrinjester:
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#41

Post by Pawpaw »

BLG wrote:I guess I just couldn't make my face ugly enough. :biggrinjester:
And I have to live with it every day. :totap: :rules:
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. - John Adams
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BLG
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#42

Post by BLG »

"rlol"
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TEA
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#43

Post by TEA »

410 with birdshot?

I shot a squirrel with a .30-06 once at the end of an unsuccessful deer hunt. I was on the way back to the cabin and this squirrel started chattering at me as if he was mocking me. Pretty much vaporized the squirrel.

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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#44

Post by mlawler »

Does Remington still make it's "Accelerator" line of ammo? 22 cal 55gn in plastic sabot. If memory serves, they made 30-06, 308 and 30-30.
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Jim Beaux
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Re: 308 for Squirrels?

#45

Post by Jim Beaux »

BLG wrote:Pawpaw, that was exactly what I thought of when I read the story! :tiphat:


btw, I just tried that in my backyard. I guess I just couldn't make my face ugly enough. :biggrinjester:
If you cant make an adequate ugly face use a picture of Nancy Pelosi ..... :reddevil
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