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I went too far down that path a few years ago with a heavy-barreled bolt-action rimfire. But there’s definitely an argument for a heavier rifle when it comes to those longer shots. They are superlight, stiffer than a traditional barrel, and can tame vibration that can send a rimfire bullet off track. Tensioned barrels are all the rage, and I love mine. If you still have a few coins rattling around, you could think about a barrel swap. Few things make a bigger difference when smaller groups are the target. If not, drop in an aftermarket trigger like a Timney Trigger or haul your squirrel sniper to a gunsmith for some spring-and-sear TLC. If your rifle has a smooth, no-creep, crisp trigger pull, keep it. I’ve had a few great rimfire factory triggers. Autoloader is mine.Īfter that, it’s all about the trigger and the barrel. Those firearms are just too fast, and they stop too quickly, and give a too-brief split second for a second shot, to worry about racking a bolt. I’ve played the bolt-action game and I’m not going back. When it comes to a squirrel rifle, there is one essential rule: The gun has to be an autoloader. What You Want in the Best Squirrel Gun for You After all, no one wants to lug a 9-pound shooting iron in the squirrel woods.
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What they have in common is accuracy and ease of carry. Some rely on time-tested mechanisms that have smacked squirrels silly for half a decade.
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Not every rimfire rifle has the bull’s-eye chops to knock a squirrel from the top of a tall oak at 75 yards. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
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