Newbie wants recommendation for Squirrel and coyote rifle

[James M]

Need a recommendation for a basic rifle that will be used for squirrel hunting in hazelnut/filbert orchards, and occasionally to go after a coyote. This is a pest control situation.
22 would be swell, except for the lack of ammo.
In fact, as I understand, the other rifle/ammo that has been recommended for me (.17) is rare as well because of lack of demand.
Unfortunately, can't use a shotgun in the orchards because of contaminating my crop.

Cheers,
James

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[solv3nt]

Welcome aboard! Are you worried about collateral or damage? There's always steel shot if you want to use a shotgun. Otherwise, .223 and 5.56 is plentiful these days, and they're great pills for small to medium sized targets.

 

[solv3nt]

I just realized that your header is "newbie looking for a recommendation". What's your experience level with firearms? How much do you want to spend?

 

[Joe13]

Get a ruger bolt action in 5.56/.223.

The gunsite scout model is mag fed and should take care of you for the rest of your life.

My 2 cents.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

"Are you worried about collateral or damage?" LOL
.223 vs a squirrel. I'm gonna look that up on youtube It's got me wondering for some reason.

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

Oh god the horror! what a mess. The first one I played had a long range slow motion of it's head exploding.

I guess if you had to do double duty coyote and squirrel and you weren't going to eat the squirrel later then .223 is one way to go.

Is .17 scarce too? I've seen plenty of it around next to the empty shelves of .22 at cabelas, bi-mart etc.
Well maybe not plenty but usually a few boxes.

 

[U8395279]

Need a recommendation for a basic rifle that will be used for squirrel hunting in hazelnut/filbert orchards, and occasionally to go after a coyote. This is a pest control situation.
22 would be swell, except for the lack of ammo.
In fact, as I understand, the other rifle/ammo that has been recommended for me (.17) is rare as well because of lack of demand.
Unfortunately, can't use a shotgun in the orchards because of contaminating my crop.

Cheers,
James

17 HMR is definitely the best option. It has much better accuracy and shoots way flatter than a .22 LR Makes hitting small targets like squirrels much easier.

If you don't have any stores in your area that carry 17 HMR, there are plenty of mail order ammo companies that have it in stock at reasonable prices:

Bud's Gun Shop.com
SGAmmo
LAX Ammo
BulkAmmo
Ammo Supply Warehouse
Able Ammo

 

[solv3nt]

Oh god the horror! what a mess. The first one I played had a long range slow motion of it's head exploding.

ROFL!!!! I was referring to damage to the trees! I could care less about the critters

 

[solv3nt]

In case you're wondering

 

[solv3nt]

My grandpa used his old 30-06 for gophers in his yard. It was his only gun with a scope, old eyes I suppose

 

[40calruler]

I have to vote for 17 as I have seen it at almost every shop I have been to throughout this entire ammo drought.

That .223 taking the head off is a bit more than I would want to use!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I would try the .17 HRM. I almost bought a rifle in that caliber last Friday Only reason I didn't was the horrendous, gritty trigger on the rifle!

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

My grandpa used his old 30-06 for gophers in his yard. It was his only gun with a scope, old eyes I suppose

Superior firepower!

 

[elsie]

.17 HMR might be a bit light for a coyote, but it's great at teach both the bottom and top half of squirrels to fly. I use a ballistic tip bullet as it tends to fragment quickly.


elsie

 

[Joe13]

.17 HMR might be a bit light for a coyote, but it's great at teach both the bottom and top half of squirrels to fly. I use a ballistic tip bullet as it tends to fragment quickly.


elsie

This one^^^

.223 may be (and is a bit) over kill for squirrel sized animals but yall that are voting for the .17hmr are risking wounding an animal with a miss placed shot and you most likely won't get a second shot unless it's really open.

If I only could have one gun, which was the question, I'd go overkill for small critters and adequate for coyotes instead of visa versa.

No offense meant to those of you recommending the .17.


If I were to have a perfect setup, i would go with a high end pellet rifle (ammo is cheap and plentiful) for squirrels & and then .223 bolt action for the coyotes. Both set up with good scopes.

 

[P7M13]

This one^^^

.223 may be (and is a bit) over kill for squirrel sized animals but yall that are voting for the .17hmr are risking wounding an animal with a miss placed shot and you most likely won't get a second shot unless it's really open.

If I only could have one gun, which was the question, I'd go overkill for small critters and adequate for coyotes instead of visa versa.

No offense meant to those of you recommending the .17.


If I were to have a perfect setup, i would go with a high end pellet rifle (ammo is cheap and plentiful) for squirrels & and then .223 bolt action for the coyotes. Both set up with good scopes.

+1 I have a Gamo Whispercat 22 cal that shoots 1200 FPS. You can hear the crack. I've never tried it beyond 100' but I suspect it'd be lethal. I set up targets on my shed at 50', taped them to 12 gauge aluminum sheet and the dang pellets penetrated the sheet and lodged into the shed. It'd do a job on crows and jays too.

 

[DieselScout]

Need a recommendation for a basic rifle that will be used for squirrel hunting in hazelnut/filbert orchards, and occasionally to go after a coyote. This is a pest control situation.
22 would be swell, except for the lack of ammo.
In fact, as I understand, the other rifle/ammo that has been recommended for me (.17) is rare as well because of lack of demand.
Unfortunately, can't use a shotgun in the orchards because of contaminating my crop.

Cheers,
James

I just realized that your header is "newbie looking for a recommendation". What's your experience level with firearms? How much do you want to spend?

First, please answer this^^^

Second, where is your orchard, how far away from populated areas? The reason I ask is pointing a firearm up at an angle to shoot a squirrel and missing launches that bullet quite a distance, long enough where if you have neighbors you'd put them in danger.

On that note, I really don't think there is one perfect answer. A .223 is about the best you can do, as it's going to humanely put down a coyote. IMHO, a rimfire isn't going to cut it, and just wound the animal to limp off and die slowly. But then again a .223 at pointed into the sky is going to go a LONG ways before impacting the ground again, so you've got that to worry about.

Is the worry about shotguns lead or is it the shot on the ground? If it's the lead, just use steel or other non-toxic shot.

 

[solv3nt]

What he said ^^^

 

[mjbskwim]

.17 HMR might be a bit light for a coyote, but it's great at teach both the bottom and top half of squirrels to fly. I use a ballistic tip bullet as it tends to fragment quickly.


elsie

Think grey mush after that little pill goes thru the yotell's brain.There are you tube vids on that too.
Now distance has to be close I would believe for enough energy to penetrate a coyote skull?

 

[mjbskwim]

"Is the worry about shotguns lead or is it the shot on the ground? If it's the lead, just use steel or other non-toxic shot."

I'm guessing he don't wanna tear bark off the tree either.A little bullet in the tree isn't so bad but if you start chipping the bark off then you get diseases.
If you don't have much experience then maybe you should have someone come over and coach you in positioning yourself as to not shoot the neighbors.