Squirrel hunting with a .38 Special

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  • bamthetrashman

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    20   0   0
    Jan 27, 2010
    117
    28
    Southern Indiana
    Hello all,

    This is probably a dumb question, but I have been wondering this for a while. Has anyone ever shot a squirrel with a .38 special?

    The reason I ask is because I have .357 Marlin lever and I was thinking I could get even more use out of it if I load it with 38's and take it squirrel hunting. I checked the DNR hunting regulations and I couldn't find anything that said .38 specials are illegal. If someone knows something I don't about legallity, please let me know.

    Thanks for the responses
     

    kickbacked

    Master
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    0   0   0
    Jan 12, 2010
    2,390
    113
    seems rather overkill but i am sure it will do the job, why not just get a .22 or a pellet gun?
     

    jmiller676

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Mar 16, 2009
    3,882
    38
    18 feet up
    Hello all,

    This is probably a dumb question, but I have been wondering this for a while. Has anyone ever shot a squirrel with a .38 special?

    The reason I ask is because I have .357 Marlin lever and I was thinking I could get even more use out of it if I load it with 38's and take it squirrel hunting. I checked the DNR hunting regulations and I couldn't find anything that said .38 specials are illegal. If someone knows something I don't about legallity, please let me know.

    Thanks for the responses
    Legal, yes. Necessary...not really but to each his own.
     

    billyboyr6

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    29   0   0
    Jan 28, 2010
    996
    18
    greenfield
    I say shoot them tree rats with whatever is available at the moment. The question is, do you Plan to eat them? If so, you are gonna have a mess tring to clean them. Even with head shots, that makes for a bloody mess. What's it gonna hurt to try?
     

    bamthetrashman

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    20   0   0
    Jan 27, 2010
    117
    28
    Southern Indiana
    I agree billyboy, I am just gonna try and see what happens. I do plan on eating them, but I have a feeling if I shoot them with a RN FP that there wouldn't be much, if any, expansion of the bullet, so there should just be a .38 inch hole in the squirrel.

    I guess I have a summer project now... finding a low power .38 special load that shoots well.
     

    woodsie57

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    11   0   0
    Jan 31, 2010
    795
    28
    Morgan Co.
    Try factory .38 wadcutters,[not semi-wadcutters] if you dont reload. They're meant for max. accuracy, which you'll need, and loaded slow enough that they dont expand at all. Same or less meat damage as you'll see with a .22 h.v. hollowpoint. Big "if" will be accuracy from your individual gun.
     

    x10

    Master
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    30   0   0
    Apr 11, 2009
    2,711
    84
    Martinsville, IN
    Its a great Idea it sharpens your skill on a nucience animal that can be eaten. When I was hunting with my 35 rem contender I had a super light load that used 158's and I hunted with those and you could save the hind legs for a meal so that just meant you had to kill extra's,
     

    schapm

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    42   0   0
    Feb 26, 2009
    586
    18
    Lafayette
    A while back I read an article in Backwoodsman magazine about hunting small game with a .38 special revolver. As mentioned above, the article recommended using wadcutters so as not to damage the meat.
     

    kolob10

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    77   0   0
    Nov 28, 2008
    477
    18
    Beautiful Southern Indiana
    Many years ago, I would hunt rabbit with my S&W model 14 using a light loaded wadcutter. The gun was extremely accurate and meat destruction was minimal. Most of the rabbit shots I took were sitting rabbitts along a railroad track roadbed. I did manage to hit a few runners from time to time. This was not a stunt as I was just a kid and the rabbit meat was a welcomed addition to a meager grocery budget. I could handload for very little as I cast free wheelweights for bullets and primer/powder was very cheap in those days. Good shooting.
     

    tyrajam

    Sharpshooter
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    3   0   0
    Dec 2, 2008
    554
    16
    Fishers
    Not really overkill, I've shot some with my 38 revolver and it works fine. Great back country meat getter, pretty popular trail gun. Remember, your bullet is leaving the barrel quite a bit slower than a 22rf. It doesn't blow the squirrels up, just plows a big, clean hole through them. Of course, you'll get a little more velocity out of your rifle, but have fun!
     

    patience0830

    .22 magician
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 96.6%
    28   1   0
    Nov 3, 2008
    17,593
    149
    Not far from the tree
    I can't imagine

    I can't think of any good reason to use a .38 for squirrels. Unless its all you had and were really hungry for squirrel. Paying more per shot, having to be EXTRA sure of your backstop, more recoil( not that .38 spc loads are much worse than a .22 out of a rifle), more noise.

    But does it sound like fun? You bet!

    I'll stick to the .22 or .17 mach2 for mine. Preferably the 14" .22 CONTENDER pistol.
     

    schapm

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    42   0   0
    Feb 26, 2009
    586
    18
    Lafayette
    I can't think of any good reason to use a .38 for squirrels. Unless its all you had and were really hungry for squirrel. Paying more per shot, having to be EXTRA sure of your backstop, more recoil( not that .38 spc loads are much worse than a .22 out of a rifle), more noise.

    But does it sound like fun? You bet!

    I'll stick to the .22 or .17 mach2 for mine. Preferably the 14" .22 CONTENDER pistol.

    The part I highlighted is the only "reason" you need! It is possible to make an ethical kill without ruining the meat, so I submit there's no reason not to use the .38 if you want to.
     

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