johnnyHunts

I mean can you expect to hit anything without a scope. Is squirrel hunting best with a scope? Or is a scope on a .22 indispensable? For example, http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5057203

That rifle has sites. Also, can I get a scope after I get a rifle like this?

Thanks.

brushbustin

I've taken many squirrels with anopen sighted 22lr.But a scope sure does make it alot easier and you do get alot less misses,or more accurate head shots.To answer your other question,yes you could get a scope for it.

coyote#68

yes you can hunt them without a scope,I use a pistol to hunt them sometimes just to add to the challenge,they are very small targets with open sights but still very fun to hunt.GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING!!

Korak

I've killed a lot of tree rats with iron sights but at the same time I've killed a bunch with a scope.I prefer the scope for the reason that has been stated it makes for more accurate headshots,the only way to take a squirrel is with a headshot ruins far less meat that way.It's amazing what a high velocity .22 hollowpoint will do to a squirrel with a body shot.

johnnyHunts

If I don't get a head shot does the bullet fragment inside the animal? I'd hate to chomp down on metal after I fried up the squirrel.

sean665

My squirrel rig is a Remington 597 with a 4x32 on see through rings. Best of both worlds.

Korak

I've seen them(bullets)both fragment inside and not I can't give percentages but I've definitely seen them fragment.I really was speaking of the wasted meat from bruisinyou will be surprised the first squirrel you clean after a body shot,you will also be surprised how far they can go when body shot the little rascals are tough and will find a hole and crawl in it a head shot insures that this is a non issue makes recovery a breeze.On a side note I grew up hunting tree rats and was taught to shoot them in the head,also their guts are awfully close to their rib cages and I for 1 hate to clean a gut shot animal of any size if you've never done it you are in for a bad expierience.

johnnyHunts

What do you mean wasted meat from bruising? Can you explain? Thanks.

Korak

What I mean by bruising is that when a bullet hits meat traveling at whatever velocity it's carrying energy and that energy is transfered into what it hits.There are way more learned individuals on this site that can give you specifics and calculations I just call it bruising.Tree rats are small(at least in my neck of the woods)and a body shot that's just a little far back will catch a rear leg and there will be bruising.Hitting one in the rib cage is not so bad as there's not a whole lot of meat there but it doesn't take much error with iron sights to make a "bad" hit thus the reason for a scope.My squirrel rig has a Wal-Mart variable scope on it{3x-9x}and high rise scope mount but I'm fixing to change the mounts cause my eyes are not as good as they used to be an I very rarely use the iron sights any longer.
I hope I'm helping you and not "confusing" you tree rat hunting is a blast and will challenge your stalking skills and your patience and besides that they taste great.

jrbsr

I got a BSA 3-7x 20 mm.
And put it on my browning .22 lever action.
What A Big POS [:@]
I see a squirrel, and the scop is so blurry , I can't see the squirrel.
I think I will take it off, and put it in a highway, and let 18 wheelers run over it.
You can toch the torents, and it will change the point of impact.
Talk about getting what you pay for, Geesh.

Oh well, I have shot 1000,s of squirrels without a scope.
So I gues thats what I will do.

And get a better scope when I can save up some $$$$