It does not take a cannon to kill a squirrel. If you loke to eat squirrels as well as I do, you don't want them "shot up". I use a 20 gauge with 2 3/4 high brass 6's until the leaves thin and then I go to a 22 with a 4x scope and use CCI 22 short hollow points. There is no need to use anything larger. I love the 20 gauge single barrel because it is short and light. When you do as much walking as I do you appreciate the light weight and short barrel. I killed 8 Thursday morning in 10 shots. Missed one that was running and had to shoot one twice. The other 7 were kolled in 0ne shot.