The Ultimate Squirrel Rifle
Tristan was quite impressed with the 17 Mach2 and was very anxious to see how it would perform in the real world, and the nearest place was the woods around our house. Our rural neighborhood has many huge oak trees which provide ample food for quite a few squirrels. But like any neighborhood the residents do not enjoy loud noises and ricocheting bullets. So a deal was made, if he could find a good shot at fifty yards or so, and it would not endanger anyone or anything in the neighborhood, he could give it a try.
With a big grin he took the range finder and positioned himself on the back deck. Within a few minutes he came running in to report several squirrels playing in the top of an oak tree. He had already located a spot that would provide a completely safe shot at forty-eight yards.
Tristan waiting for a squirrel to show up for his 48 yard shot.
It was time to honor the promise. The CZ magazine was loaded with five rounds, then handed over to Tristan. He proceeded to the deck and positioned himself on the chair situated where he could get a good shot. He installed the magazine, left the bolt open, and waited for the game to show its face. After a long, tense wait, no squirrel appeared and the evening was closing in. Somewhat dejected, he had to give up the hunt when his parents came by to pick him up. But not to worry, there were squirrels all over the place and he could get one on his next visit.
Now for the sad part of the story…. one morning the wife announced that a pair of Cooper's Hawks were sitting in the tree where Tristan had found his easy fifty-yard shot. I got the binoculars and, sure enough, there were two magnificent Cooper's perched in the tree. A couple of days later she noted there were no birds at the feeder and commented that the hawks have been hunting the area, and she had seen them flying through the woods. At the time it did not dawn on me that the hawks might be enjoying the local squirrels. Where it had been common for ten or more squirrels to be scrounging around the bird feeders, lately only a couple could be seen.
Tristan continued his visits on a regular basis, and constantly complained that there were only a few squirrels, and none where a shot could be taken. Time passed without success and after a couple of months the squirrel population had reached the point where sighting one was a rare event… not only that, but squirrel season had come to an end.
We could only assume the Cooper's Hawks had been the reason for the decrease in the squirrel population. Truly a sad ending to Tristan's squirrel adventure, at least for this squirrel season. But there was some good news… Tristan was my first convert to the 17 Mach2 and there are only several million more to go.
So there you have it, my choice for the perfect squirrel round. Although similar in size, the 17 Mach2 shoots further, flatter, more accurately and hits harder than the 22 Long Rifle. Game can be taken at a greater distance. The ammo is more expensive but the price is expected to come down in the future. Even at twenty-cents a squirrel, the cost is not excessive for hunting. Although the success of this little cartridge has been slowed I doubt if we have seen the demise of this sweet little round, it has too much to offer. The unfortunate events that stopped the 17 Mach2's rapid growth were real, but those problems were quickly corrected. The rifles and ammo available today are safe and reliable.
The next time you are shopping for a squirrel rifle imagine this scenario... you have been placed somewhere in the deep woods and must live off the land until you can find your way out. The only animals in the woods are some skittish squirrels and rabbits, but not in abundance. You are given a choice of one rifle, either a 22 Long Rifle or a 17 Mach2, along with one box of ammo. Your life is at stake, which would you choose?
Note: Rimfire Research & Development has an excellent history of the 17 Mach2 at their website: www.rrdvegas.com/17-mach-ii.html
Glenn Burroughs is a retired computer systems manager with a lifelong love of guns. His main areas of interest are accurate rifles, wildcat cartridges, reloading and bench shooting. He also enjoys an occasional trip out west to the prairie dog country. Glenn was a columnist for Precision Shooting magazine and also wrote articles for Varmint Hunter magazine. He resides in Lynchburg, Virginia.
With a big grin he took the range finder and positioned himself on the back deck. Within a few minutes he came running in to report several squirrels playing in the top of an oak tree. He had already located a spot that would provide a completely safe shot at forty-eight yards.
Tristan waiting for a squirrel to show up for his 48 yard shot.
It was time to honor the promise. The CZ magazine was loaded with five rounds, then handed over to Tristan. He proceeded to the deck and positioned himself on the chair situated where he could get a good shot. He installed the magazine, left the bolt open, and waited for the game to show its face. After a long, tense wait, no squirrel appeared and the evening was closing in. Somewhat dejected, he had to give up the hunt when his parents came by to pick him up. But not to worry, there were squirrels all over the place and he could get one on his next visit.
Now for the sad part of the story…. one morning the wife announced that a pair of Cooper's Hawks were sitting in the tree where Tristan had found his easy fifty-yard shot. I got the binoculars and, sure enough, there were two magnificent Cooper's perched in the tree. A couple of days later she noted there were no birds at the feeder and commented that the hawks have been hunting the area, and she had seen them flying through the woods. At the time it did not dawn on me that the hawks might be enjoying the local squirrels. Where it had been common for ten or more squirrels to be scrounging around the bird feeders, lately only a couple could be seen.
Tristan continued his visits on a regular basis, and constantly complained that there were only a few squirrels, and none where a shot could be taken. Time passed without success and after a couple of months the squirrel population had reached the point where sighting one was a rare event… not only that, but squirrel season had come to an end.
We could only assume the Cooper's Hawks had been the reason for the decrease in the squirrel population. Truly a sad ending to Tristan's squirrel adventure, at least for this squirrel season. But there was some good news… Tristan was my first convert to the 17 Mach2 and there are only several million more to go.
So there you have it, my choice for the perfect squirrel round. Although similar in size, the 17 Mach2 shoots further, flatter, more accurately and hits harder than the 22 Long Rifle. Game can be taken at a greater distance. The ammo is more expensive but the price is expected to come down in the future. Even at twenty-cents a squirrel, the cost is not excessive for hunting. Although the success of this little cartridge has been slowed I doubt if we have seen the demise of this sweet little round, it has too much to offer. The unfortunate events that stopped the 17 Mach2's rapid growth were real, but those problems were quickly corrected. The rifles and ammo available today are safe and reliable.
The next time you are shopping for a squirrel rifle imagine this scenario... you have been placed somewhere in the deep woods and must live off the land until you can find your way out. The only animals in the woods are some skittish squirrels and rabbits, but not in abundance. You are given a choice of one rifle, either a 22 Long Rifle or a 17 Mach2, along with one box of ammo. Your life is at stake, which would you choose?
Note: Rimfire Research & Development has an excellent history of the 17 Mach2 at their website: www.rrdvegas.com/17-mach-ii.html
Glenn Burroughs is a retired computer systems manager with a lifelong love of guns. His main areas of interest are accurate rifles, wildcat cartridges, reloading and bench shooting. He also enjoys an occasional trip out west to the prairie dog country. Glenn was a columnist for Precision Shooting magazine and also wrote articles for Varmint Hunter magazine. He resides in Lynchburg, Virginia.
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