Steel shot size for squirrel?

[Brackish]

Planning a squirrel hunt in a wildlife refuge that's in a swamp with a non-toxic shot shell requirement. I'm shooting 12ga and my girl is shooting 20ga. What steel shot size and choke do you folks hunt squirrel with? Hard to find info on the topic since most people are able to shoot lead. I'm going to try and pattern #4 and #6. I also plan on bringing a 22lr bolt gun, but I'm just being prepared to be disappointed in my shooting abilities lol.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

I haven’t kept up on newer shotgun technology but I was always told a modified choke for steel, and a #6 should be plenty sufficient for squirrels.

 

[hiker270]

I always head shoot them with a 22. No wasted meat and no pellets to bite into. Especially steel pellets which mean broken teeth.

 

[Blackie glenwood]

I stick with a .22 now but when I used a shotgun I’d use #4 steel.

 

[WoodlandCritter]

I've killed 'em with #5. Like others have said, I much prefer a .22 to the brain. I've found steel shot to often require a coup de grace even shooting from the base of the tree its in.

 

[Brackish]

Sounds like #4-#6 is the ticket. I'm shooting an O/U so I can set the barrels up for different ranges. Had to go to a few stores, but I finally found #4 and #6, no #5.

 

[Undrcoverrednek]

Might be a little late, steel shot penetration depth is pretty much the same as lead THREE sizes smaller. Steel 3s are very similar to lead 6s. This seems to track well with one squirrel we shot with steel 3s. A couple pellets stopped on the inside of the hide opposite of where it entered. I would try 3s or 4s and be mindful pellet count compared to the old faithful 1 oz of lead 6.