I had sent my 1895SS to Marlin to get a new Ballard rifled 18 1/2" bbl put on it. It was time to resight and try out.

Before I did that I put my old bobbed hammer back on, added a "Daves" oversize loop and set up the leupold QR rings on the Leupold 2X scope.
Figure quick on and off scope lets me use the Lyman receiver sight I have on it also.

Went to 40 yds and got the scope on close then went back to 100.

Got it sighted in and seems to shoot very well. I am shooting my deer/bear load consisting of a Hornady 350gr bullet that will shoot through the full length of a deer. My 100 yd range runs over my pond I have behind my house. I also have this little "shack" I built just for shooting to keep me out of the Mich. weather.
I finished sighting in and was just sitting there enjoying the mild day. Just relaxing without a hostile thought in the world.

Then,IT came sneaking in, going to feed on the corn I throw out for the migrating ducks.(probably would have tried for a duck if one had been there) Sneaking up like the horrendously foul beast that is it truly is.
I couldn't believe the opportunity that was falling into my hands.
I quietly chambered a round.
THIS was NOT hunting...
THIS was pure, deep from the heart malevolent killing.

I eased a round into the chamber and nestled into my shooting position. The range wasn't 20 yds, so I had to estimate and adjust for the difference between scope and barrel at that range.

With the scope rebounding in rhythm to my beating heart, waiting until the horrid creature stopped it's almost perpetual movement, I felt the bloodlust rising in me as I pulled the trigger intent on sending the pest to furbearrers Hell, and knowing it would only be possible for just this ONE shot. Also because of their speed, if I missed I would never get off another shot to stop a charge at such close range.

As the rifle came out of recoil I could see the shot had been true and it didn't matter whether the 350gr. SP had started to expand or not. There was no remorse at the destruction of THIS life. Only that intense satisfaction that comes with knowing once again GOOD had triumphed over evil.

Does anyone else hate red squirrels as much as I do????

IF you hunt/kill them with a "big game rifle" do they become elevated to "big game" status?

I once shot a porcupine in the upper penninsula with my .338- does that count too?

Ahh, got ya both beat.

Had a coon in the grainery of the barn yesterday. Only weapons avaiable were a pitch fork, grain shovel, or my 500 AHR. I chose the later, sending a 570gr Woodleigh thru the coon and 2 walls. Put a new meaning to, "dropped in their tracks".

And I thought I was terrible for shooting a mulie buck with a .375 (loaded with a 235 gr Barnes X). He was about the size of a pronghorn. I think it was Jack O'Connor who advocated using your big game rifle for shooting varmints. As a side note have you ever seen what a 16 ga deer slug does to a squirrel? I wasn't a very good shot that day. Hit the squirrel when I was trying to bark him on the tree. My buddy said I made a fur lined poodle collar out of him.

My first "on game experience" with my cz .416 Rigby was a feral cat at about 10 yards running directly away he copped a 410 gr woodleigh directly up the poo shoot

Really I should have followed Ray's adice and had a solid up the spout first

Also shot a fox and a hare with my .375 H&H the other day. Have shot foxes with my 45/70 as well.

So I don't suppose a promotional (noisy) clock shot from an office wall (interior) with a 22 semi-auto qualifies here. Got it three times before it hit the floor! Nothing like killing time.

Some years past we had two shacks at our gun range (since burned down by vandals). As I was shooting a 338 mag, a squirrel came into view. I shot at it, not necessarily trying to hit it, as I didn't aim, just pointed. Heck, i was so close I could not miss anyway (about 15 feet).
The 250 GS smacked through the neck, dropping the squirrel where it was at.
The bullet made a hole roughly two inches across, in the center of the neck, leaving tiny amounts of fur on each side. What freaked me out was the head spin around, into the hole and out the other side, all before the squirrel dropped. ~~~Suluuq

Hell I even worked down a red squirrel load. Stepped down to a 300gr HP from the 350gr FN though I was worried they would not expand .

I think most of us deer hunters have been exposed by the non stop rattle of the little demon. I haven't pulled the trigger on a squirrel from a deer watch yet, but one of these days, I'll silence one of them for good.

You Northerners think squirrels are bad? Yall ought to try some of these armadillos we have down here now. They sound like a tank coming through the woods at you! You can turn them inside out with the ol deer rifle......

I kinda like them red squirrels.

Johan

All that's well and good, but have you ever seen a Pot Bellied Pig catch a 17 lb. 2.75" FFAR?

Digital Dan is obviously an old gun bunny!
B, D, Mike model or one of those new fangled "Snakes"?

LouisB

How about a crow @ 15 yards with a 500 grain Kodiak from a 45-70. Big ball of feathers!

I like seagulls with the 22/250 - 52 grain bthp at 3700 fps - yippee the fat bastard gulls in Seward (from eating all the salmon and halibut guts) are fun to turn into the "red mist" - like rats with wings KMule

Sorry for the over abundance of enthusiasm; getting close to spring bear season, got several masher loads sighted for several rifles and can't wait to flatten one blackie and one griz - still working on the "up close and personal" 50AK loads, trying to get accuracy and safe pressures with re7 and the 500 grain kodiak at about 1950 fps - nice when the bad breathed ones are on the front porch..................... or trying to get into the tent with me KMule

I once shot one of my sisters hamstes with a 22LR.

It needed a follow up shot . (I missed the first shot. Range was about 40cm.

Johan

Back in the 70s, over in graf Germany I killed a running boar with good ole Ma Deuce at about 300 yards.

Digital Dan; My hats off to you. My old Hawkin 50 just loves tree rats and I jusr love escorting her on such a quest. derF