.17 WSM B-Mag on Squirrels

Well, I took the B-Mag out yesterday for opening day of Squirrel season in KY. Saw four squirrels, shot four shots, bagged four grey squirrels. Not bad for a hunter who has never hunted squirrel with a rifle before. I am a convert. Shots ranged from 30yds to almost 100yds. All off hand. Two from standing position were center mass shots and the last two from sitting were head shots including the 100yd shot. Results were impressive. The 17 is a little rough on them but with a head shot it does not matter. The center mass shots were a little tougher to clean since the squirrel was almost in two pieces. Still all the meat is at the ends, so the results are almost the same. It has made a rifle convert out of me.

Funny, when I was a kid, our neighbor was an ex-marine sniper in Korea who always hunted squirrel with a scoped 22 rifle. I figured he was just wanting the challenge of doing it the hard way. After yesterday, I figured he knew the best way to harvest them. He hunted deer by taking two bullets with him. He never shot more than one. I asked him why take two if he only shot one? His reply, "The second bullet is in case I get attacked by indians on the way back to camp." He was one of those guys who could move through the woods silently. I cannot count the times that I would be hunting and hear a twig snap and turn to see him about 10 feet behind me with the broken twig in his hand and a big grin on his face. Made me wonder what or who he was hunting, lol. He tried to teach me a thing or two but not much of it rubbed off. He passed away a few years ago. Our loss.

Well here's to hunting squackers with a rifle. Thank you to Savage for helping me to see the light.

Irish

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Originally Posted by JG26_Irish

Well, I took the B-Mag out yesterday for opening day of Squirrel season in KY. Saw four squirrels, shot four shots, bagged four grey squirrels. Not bad for a hunter who has never hunted squirrel with a rifle before. I am a convert. Shots ranged from 30yds to almost 100yds. All off hand. Two from standing position were center mass shots and the last two from sitting were head shots including the 100yd shot. Results were impressive. The 17 is a little rough on them but with a head shot it does not matter. The center mass shots were a little tougher to clean since the squirrel was almost in two pieces. Still all the meat is at the ends, so the results are almost the same. It has made a rifle convert out of me.

Funny, when I was a kid, our neighbor was an ex-marine sniper in Korea who always hunted squirrel with a scoped 22 rifle. I figured he was just wanting the challenge of doing it the hard way. After yesterday, I figured he knew the best way to harvest them. He hunted deer by taking two bullets with him. He never shot more than one. I asked him why take two if he only shot one? His reply, "The second bullet is in case I get attacked by indians on the way back to camp." He was one of those guys who could move through the woods silently. I cannot count the times that I would be hunting and hear a twig snap and turn to see him about 10 feet behind me with the broken twig in his hand and a big grin on his face. Made me wonder what or who he was hunting, lol. He tried to teach me a thing or two but not much of it rubbed off. He passed away a few years ago. Our loss.

Well here's to hunting squawkers with a rifle. Thank you to Savage for helping me to see the light.

Irish

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I prefer hunting bushytails with a rifle.

I shot a red squirrel a couple weeks ago with a 25gr WSM. I must have flinched because it went left of center and blew its right arm off. Died in seconds. Fed it to my dog. Have a pic though if no one minds.

I got to return to the deep woods this week one morning. Using B-mag with the 25g WSM load. Saw many squirrels but only one in position to take a clear shot. Happy to report that the B-mag is maintaining its one-shot, one-kill record. Took one bushy grey squirrel with a solid center mass shot. Entry wound was gruesome and about the size of my fist. Exit wound out the back was about the size of a quarter. The target was stretched out on a small limb high in a smooth bark hickory about 40yds away. I was shooting nearly vertical and think the bullet hit the limb 1st thus the ugly results. It is very effective but really is too much for squirrel. A 17 HMR might be a better choice or a 22 WMR. Photo intentionally hides the mess.

Irish

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3.../Squacker5.jpg

Am bouncing this one up. Since I bought my Savage first model skinny barreled .17 WSM BMAG soon as they were for sale, many squirrels and some varmints have fallen. I tricked out my BMAG and it does exactly what my needs are. I also ordered a Savage Sporter A1 .17 WSM last January and expect delivery in September. I expect it to do great without any necessary mods. Has anyone else been hunting with their WSM rifles?