Topic: The Best Squirrel Hunting Rifles (Read 43 times)
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Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
If you’re looking for a tack-driver that can make headshots at longer distances, the CZ 457 American Varmint gun in .17 HMR is tough to beat.
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Cons
Product Description
If you don’t headtap squirrels with the faster .17 HMR, you’ll damage meat. The CZ 457 American extremely accurate, making it the ideal platform for hunting with the .17, which is the go-to cartridge for acco*plished squirrel hunter and writer, Will Brantley.
“The flat trajectory is a huge advantage,” says Brantley. “It’s a great gun for later in the season when shot opportunities and distances tend to get stretched out a bit.”
The CZ 457 American is a beautiful rifle with all the performance you’d ever want in a rimfire. The Varmint model has a heavy barrel that allows you to have better control of the gun thus be more accurate. The trade-off of course is you have to carry a 7-pound rifle. The Turkish walnut stock has a high, flat co*b so your eye can find the target quickly once a scope is mounted. An adjustable trigger allows you to customize the trigger for weight, creep, and travel. The 24.8-inch barrel has a 1:9 twist, and the magazine is detachable.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
Savage has a reputation for delivering accurate rifles at a great price and the MK II BV is certainly one of them.
Pros
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Product Description
When precision shooting is required, this is the gun my kids and I go to. It’s affordably priced, yet offers the function, feel, and performance of a more costly rimfire. You can easily dial in the Savage MK II BV with a quality scope and expect it to shoot flat. Savage rifles draw much of their accuracy from the AccuTrigger system that allows the shooter to adjust the trigger weight and helps eliminate creep, so you make a clean pull.
It has a beefy 21-inch, heavy steel barrel. And while some may shy away from the weight of a heavier target barrel, I like the balance and steadiness that co*es with a hefty rimfire. The detachable box magazine is a little hitchy though. It can drop out of the gun easier than most if you graze the release with your finger or set the stock on a tree limb to steady the shot. I typically carry the magazine in my pocket until I am ready to shoot so it doesn’t fall out while I am hunting. You can always keep a round in the chamber and the gun on safe if you need to shoot quickly.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
The Ruger is standard issue for any young man or woman that has just started hunting small game because it’s light, reliable, and accurate.
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Product Description
I received the Ruger 10/22 as a Christmas gift from my wife 25 years ago. It’s killed countless squirrels and small critters over the years. And never failed once, which is impressive since semi-autos are more likely to have cycling issues than a bolt gun. But Ruger engineered the action to perform flawlessly, which is one of the reasons this gun has been in production for 50 years.
The flush-mounted rotary magazine allows you to load up to 10 rounds. You’ll also find a cold hammer-forged barrel out front that is locked into the receiver by a unique, two-screw, V-block system. The push-button, cross-bolt safety is perfectly placed for easy access when a shot presents itself. Weaver-style and .22 tip-off scope mounts are included.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
The Wildcat is incredibly light, making it an ideal all-day hunt gun that offers ample accuracy.
Pros
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Product Description
Aside from a youth rifle, the Winchester Wildcat is probably the lightest .22 LR option you’ll find. It’s built with a unique stock for better shot placement. The Wildcat has a pistol grip that’s perfectly suited for shooters of most any size, and since it’s only 4 pounds, young shooters won’t struggle to carry or aim the rifle. The Picatinny rail acco*modates optics of your choice, and you can customize the length of pull with a clip-on co*b riser or length of pull spacer. There is also a rail on the underside of the forearm to attach a bipod or sling mount. The gun has an easy-to load rotary 10-round magazine and includes a bolt stop that locks the action open after the last round has been fired. The lower receiver drops out of the Wildcat with the press of a button, a handy innovation that allows you to quickly clean the bore. If you’re searching for a squirrel gun that can double as a truck or survival rifle, this rimfire is a fine choice.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
The Rascal is the lightest and most co*pact option for getting a young or new shooter started. It’s also the safest micro-rimfire in production, perfectly suited for the up-and-co*er who is learning the basics.
Pros
Cons
Product Description
The Savage Rascal was built to address the safety concerns co*monly found in youth rimfire rifles. Many models require the shooter to pull the trigger and ease the bolt down, much like a hammer, to unload the gun if it has not been fired. With the Rascal, the shooter can open the bolt and unload the gun on safe. The action is also oversized, so you can drop a round in and chamber it with ease. There is a rear peep sight with windage and elevation adjustment, but Savage also drilled and tapped the receiver to add a scope. The synthetic version of the Rascal co*es in eight different colors—there is a wood variant as well—almost all of which can be had in right- or left-handed models.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
Bergara is new to the rimfire game, but has been building some of the most accurate and durable rifle barrels for years.
Pros
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Product Description
Bergara first launched its rimfire line with the B-14R, a precision rifle built for rimfire co*petitions. They crossed into hunting with the BMR (Bergara Micro Rifle), though this rimfire is also a capable co*petition gun as it co*es with a five (hunting) or 10 (co*petition) detachable magazine. The carbon fiber barrel is available in 18- or 20-inch offerings. It’s also threaded for a suppressor, which is a nice feature for hunting and target shooting. The pull weight of the Remington 700-style trigger can be adjusted with an Allen wrench, plus the action is simply a micro version of Bergara’s B14 centerfire platform, which has already proven itself to be reliable in the field. There is also a single-piece top rail for mounting an optic. All of these options do co*e at a cost: the BMR is the most expensive rimfire on this list at $700.
Key Features
Why It Made the Cut
The Mark II FV-SR is a no frills rimfire that has plenty of the features and performance you need in an affordable rimfire.
Pros
Cons
Product Description
Despite its light price tag, the Savage Mark II FV-SR offers just about everything you need in a .22 squirrel rifle. The heavy fluted barrel is a short 16.5 inches (threaded for a suppressor) and built into a black synthetic stock. The gun features Savage’s popular user-adjustable Accu-Trigger for a customized trigger pull. There is a top rail to acco*modate your favorite riflescope. At times the five-round detachable magazine can be a bit quirky and easily dropped from the gun if you accidentally bump the release.
Expect to pay anywhere from $200 for entry-level .22 rifles to upwards of $1,000 for some of the highest priced rimfire rifles for small game hunting.
The .22 LR (long rifle), .22 WMR (.22 Mag) and .17 HMR are all popular rimfire cartridges and all work for squirrel hunting.
The .22 is perfectly suited for squirrels, rabbit, raccoon, groundhogs, or any other small game animal that is legal to shoot with a rimfire.
The .22 LR bullet is capable of traveling 2,000 yards, or 1.5 miles.
The .22 rifle continues to be one of the first guns hunters own from the beginning of their hunting career. It’s a lightweight option with minimal recoil, ideal for kids and beginners. However, anyone who shoots this cartridge needs to be aware of the power and deadly nature such a small cartridge can produce.
Read Next: The Best Hunting Rifles of 2022
The rifles I’ve listed here are the best squirrel hunting rifles available. Do a quick search, and you’ll discover there are some more affordable options, as well as guns that’ll cost you more than all the guns on this list co*bined. But the rimfires on this list get the job done—I know because I have hunted with most of them or alongside a friend who has. They have been put to the test on squirrel hunts during spring, fall, and the dead of winter. They are the best co*bination of hunting accuracy, performance, dependability and affordability.
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