What shotgun for squirrel

[TrxR87]

Thinking of a shotgun for Squirel control and am not sure what to go with?

Should I go with a 410, 28 gauge, 20 gauge, 16 gauge or 12 gauge?

Looking for something with a fairly low kick and not overly loud.

Will also be using steel shot as I don want the lead pellets around the well.

Sorry if this is a odd question but I am new to Shotguns.

Thanks

[Blindstitch]

If you're not going to eat the squirrels it doesn't matter.
20 gauge and 12 are the cheapest for ammo. I would stay away from 410 because $15 per box in the U.S. isn't fun compared to 20/12 gauge at $5.

My go to squirrel gun is a 20 gauge. Good enough to kill and not destroy if you intend to eat them.

[FITASC]

Academy sells Win AA 410s for $9/box.

[Model12Win]

You going to eat em? Ever bite down on steel shot?

If not, 20 bore single shot. Light, handy, effective, shells easy to find and affordable.

[Dufus]

One of my uncles used a 410 since he couldn't see the sights on a 22 rifle any more.

I have always used a 22LR.

Anything that uses a center fire primer is loud, so don't let noise or loudness count.

[jmr40]

If you're gonna shoot steel 12 is pretty much the only way to go. It is much more expensive than lead in any gauge, but there are far more options in 12 and at better prices than the others. Plus with steel you need to move up about 2 shot sizes to get similar performance and smaller shells are already limited as to the number of pellets.

Shooting lead isn't going to hurt a thing though. With a typical shell holding 1 oz of shot you'd wear out a dozen guns before you got enough lead into the ground to cause a problem. If you were running a skeet range where thousands of rounds were being fired every day for decades you might have some concerns.

A 20 ga will weigh about 1 lb less than a similar 12 and be easier to carry. Typical loads are pretty close, about 7/8 oz to 1 oz for 20 ga. A 12 will have 1 oz to 1 1/8 oz for most field loads. You CAN buy heavier 12 ga loads, but they aren't needed for squirrel. Since the 12 is about a pound heavier it will at most be a tie as to recoil and depending on the load may well recoil less.

[Mobuck]

First off: you'd have to dump buckets of lead shot around a water well to have any problem at all.
Second: You're going to need to stay with a 20 ga or deal with high ammo cost if you really want steel shot.

[Kvon2]

I guess it depends on how often you'll be hunting. If its multiple times per week then I guess 20 gauge but if it's any less I think .410 is your best option. Its pricey but much more quiet and will ruin the least amount of meat if you want to eat them.

[David R]

Good luck finding steel 410. I have found one box ever.

David

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[Pahoo]

Thinking of a shotgun for Squirel control and am not sure what to go with?

TrxR87
I'm really trying to read between the lines on what service you are looking at. Perhaps you can give just a bit more information on what might be the problem.

HUNTING;
I'd go with the 20GA. There is a landowner that only allows me to hunt with a shotgun. when I don't have any restrictions, I use a .22LR.

Pest Control;
I use a pellet gun with a built on "sound Suppressor"

Be Safe !!!

[ReloadKy]

410 is my go to for squirrels

[GarandTd]

I've always shot squirrels with a 20gauge. Never used steel shot though. 12 gauge has the most variety of rounds available with 20 gauge coming in second.

[TrxR87]

Its pest control. So there wont be any eating. Currently using a cheap pellet gun which works but not the best. Got a .22 but it has too much carry if I happen to miss.

[Don Fischer]

Used to love squirrel hunting but haven't done it in years. Favorite round back then was the 22 RF. Things have changed though. Today if I went I would take either my 28ga or my 410. Ammo for either can be expensive but in 28ga if I need ammo, I buy target loads. Mostly though I use reloads with 7 1/2 shot. With the 410 I have bunch on hand but one f these days I'm gonna get a 410 press to I keep thinking. I use both of those working with my dog's, they knock a pigeon right down. The draw back on both is shot weight. A piece of #6 shot coming from a 12ga and 1200fps doesn't do any better than the same piece of shot fired and the same FPS from a 410. The only difference is how much the 12ga can use as to how much the 410 can use. You give up distance because of the number if pellet's in the gauge, more pellets make a denser pattern. I also have a 16 ga but seldom get it out anymore. Prefer hunting with my 28ga. I am an old duffer!

[johnwilliamson062]

Its pest control.

Be sure squirrels are not game animals or you can legally shoot for pest control in your state. In my state they are a game animal and Wildlife officers look the other way for pest control in cities, but in the country they frown upon killing out of season. Assuming you are not in the city if you are using a shotgun.

If you are going to own one shotgun 12 ga is the way to go. You can get a lighter load and it won't cost much or anymore than a ballistically similar load in the 20.

Not every company scales their 12/20 gauge shotguns. Some use the same receivers and such. On those models there isn't much weight difference.

[fredvon4]

TrxR87

Of course any shot gun is a efficient way but comes with noise and obvious over shoot if your land is close to neighbors...(I say this based on you if I miss with 22 statement)

If you seem to be successful with the pellet guns....why not invest in a high end version suppressed...and scoped

Many Better air rifles in the 1100FPS and up velocities and 22 pellets come in a large variety of shapes n weights

I actually recommend two guns ... what ever shot gun you decide on from this research..and a better Air rifle....

I personally use a very inexpensive 410 single shot with cheap wally world ammo...Hell I do not even know the shot size...but it is 8 to 10 bucks a box

Your need for steel shot is probaly not valid...for concerns on the lead seeping into your well water....you would need to distribute many hundreds of pounds of pure lead on your dirt/rocks to decay and leach into the water supply in any measurable amount

My squirrels most days randomly range from tree to tree with a lot of sit time...air gun and low X scope
When they are chasing a female in heat there are 3 or 4 in the mix and moving fast... shotgun time

[FITASC]

A.22 air rifle running subsonic will kill tree rats easily enough and quietly.

[rodwhaincamo]

“Looking for something with a fairly low kick and not overly loud. ”

An auto certainly kicks much less than any other. And weight, as well as recoil pads, help to absorb some of the kick. Still kick is subjective much as overly loud. Regardless a 20 or 12 ga is certainly loud.

A .410 and 28 ga don’t kick much at all and are somewhat quieter than the larger bores but as has been noted they are a bit more pricey to feed (unless you reload or buy reloads). One could always reload more mild loads for non autos.

If squirrel control is all this would be used for there’s no need for a 12 ga. Especially when a small bore is plenty.

Quite frankly you seem primed for a smoothbore muzzleloader where you can tailor to your needs. But then you have to be willing to deal with black powder and what comes with that and wanting to use steel shot would either need to use shot cups or find one with a chrome lined barrel. Otherwise you either choose a .410 or 28 ga and deal with the cost of shells or go with a 20 ga and deal with the recoil and noise. Or you can go with a pellet gun.

[Pahoo]

TrxR87
Understand that I am not familiar with your environment and circumstances. Regardless of what you/we do, you will always have Squirrels. Have you considered trapping them? I have trapped many and relocated them to my hunting grounds. Be carful as they won't like the trip to the country ....

I don't believe that any animal has the right to live forever and when I choose to dispatch any four-legged animal, I use my .17 Diana 1320FPS pellet rifle. I am always mindful of my backstop. I usually take the carcass and feed the turtles. .....

Be Safe !!!

[zipspyder]

Shotgun and light kick don't really go together compared to a rifle unless you are thinking of a 22LR or 410. Since 22 is out and not really fond of the 410 all I can say is good luck!

[T. O'Heir]

It's more about the size of the shot than the gauge used. Only ever used 4's out of a 12 gauge myself. Modified choke, I think. It's been a while. 4's out of a modified 12 do not blow a tree rat into a mist either. There is no such thing as "not overly loud" with any shotgun.
"...If you're not going to eat the squirrels..." Violates hunting regs to waste game meat. Depends on where you are, of course, but tree rats are considered game animals in most places. Make absolutely sure of their status first. It's easier and less expensive to remove food sources and den/nesting sites plus spreading blood meal around, both of which are entirely silent.

[Kvon2]

Actually the pellet gun is a really good suggestion.

I bought one last year for the first time in 10+ years and they have come a long way. Maybe time for an upgrade?

[FITASC]

If you want a quiet air rifle, go with the pneumatics that use a scuba tank to refill. You can dial in whatever speed (as in keeping them subsonic) so all you hear is a low PFFFFFT as opposed to a springer where you get the TWANG from the spring but the crack form the pellet going supersonic.

[North East Redneck]

Spring air guns are a bit loud, but not bad. You want a heavy enough pellet that stays around 1000fps or less. Super Sonic pellets will get knocked around as they lose velocity. The shock wave from breaking the sound barrier catches up to them and disrupts their flight path.
I've found .22 RWS Super Points at 14.6 gr fired from an RWS 350 magnum Springer make for good clean squirrel kills. A PCP will be easier to shoot, but has many costs that Springer does not.

[Whistlebritches]

Since you're not going to eat them and you want to use steel.......I'd go with a 12 ga and #6 shot.I personally use a 12 ga with #6 lead........most passes straight thru so no shot to pick out during butchering.I also use an air gun with a built in suppressor........just makes it more challenging,maybe not the best solution for pest removal.I have used a 22 using subsonic loads but again......for pest use a shotgun for the sure kill.