I have really offended people by suggesting that anyone who claims to shoot little grey squirrels in the head, offhand, at 100 feet, with an ordinary .22, killing them CONSISTENTLY, is either lying or letting pride warp his memory.
I'm not talking about shooting the best match ammo from a bench, using a great scope and an expensive rifle. I mean a typical $250 Bass Pro rifle with ordinary ammunition. I'm talking about an ordinary guy who doesn't shoot competitively, with a Skoal circle on the back pocket of his jeans. Standing with the rifle at his shoulder. Not leaning on anything. In the woods. Aiming at an animal that will run off if he takes his time.
I'm wondering...what do people here think?
A squirrel's brain is less than 1/2" from top to bottom, and it's slightly over an inch long. You can shoot a squirrel in the head and injure it badly and not kill it. I shot a squirrel's lower jaw off one day and saw it wandering around trying to feed the next day, which is why I now use a shotgun for standing shots. I put a spinner target 100 feet from my bedroom door, and I aimed at it with a scope. Even when I lean on a doorway, I find that the point of aim wobbles around in about a 1-1/2" circle, making an ethical shot impossible. With no support at all, things are even worse. Then there is the .22 ammo, which is doing great if it gives you 1/2" groups, rested, at 100 feet.
What do the rest of you think?
I'm not talking about shooting the best match ammo from a bench, using a great scope and an expensive rifle. I mean a typical $250 Bass Pro rifle with ordinary ammunition. I'm talking about an ordinary guy who doesn't shoot competitively, with a Skoal circle on the back pocket of his jeans. Standing with the rifle at his shoulder. Not leaning on anything. In the woods. Aiming at an animal that will run off if he takes his time.
I'm wondering...what do people here think?
A squirrel's brain is less than 1/2" from top to bottom, and it's slightly over an inch long. You can shoot a squirrel in the head and injure it badly and not kill it. I shot a squirrel's lower jaw off one day and saw it wandering around trying to feed the next day, which is why I now use a shotgun for standing shots. I put a spinner target 100 feet from my bedroom door, and I aimed at it with a scope. Even when I lean on a doorway, I find that the point of aim wobbles around in about a 1-1/2" circle, making an ethical shot impossible. With no support at all, things are even worse. Then there is the .22 ammo, which is doing great if it gives you 1/2" groups, rested, at 100 feet.
What do the rest of you think?