Gauges for SQUIRREL HUNTING

[fabsroman]

Okay, I think I would stick with the 12 gauge or 20 gauge on this one. The 20 ga. is plenty light enough in the gun weight category and it can even be loaded with 7/8 oz. loads which are the standard load for it. The 1 oz. loads for the 20 ga. are the heavy stuff. Kind of like the 1 1/8 oz. are almost the standard for 12 gauges with 1 oz. being lite and 1 1/4 oz being heavy. The 20 gauge can even be loaded down to 3/4 oz. I believe. Once, I loaded 1 1/2 oz. loads of #6 in the 12 gauge for crows and one of my hunting buddies thought I was shooting a bomb.

Now, if you are worried about pulling pellets out of the squirrel, use something like 4's at 1,200 fps for through and through penetration. If 1,200 fps doesn't work, kick it up to somewhere around 1,300 fps.

As far as I am concerned, the .410 is pretty much enemic for hunting unless you have one very experienced gunner using it. I even hate it for shooting clays. The 28 gauge isn't much better. About the only time I would use the 28 gauge for hunting is on quails and maybe, just maybe, doves. Other than that, it would stay at home or be used only for clay shooting.