Snake Shot

[LePetomane]

Has anyone ever used the ammunition intended to protect against snakes? I am going on a camping trip with a few buddies in Pa. in an area that is famous for Rattlers. Any ideas?

[westberg]

Has anyone ever used the ammunition intended to protect against snakes? I am going on a camping trip with a few buddies in Pa. in an area that is famous for Rattlers. Any ideas?

It's been my experience from years ago the plastic case holding the lead shot is more deadly then the shot. The shot is spun out and leaves a big hole in the middle of no lead. Maybe they have improved it since then.

[xd ED]

I've got some 38 special rounds loaded w/ bird shot. Out of curiosity I shot a cardboard USPSA target @ 6-8'. At that distance I'm confident it would kill any snake normally found in the northern USA. The ammo I have is CCI, but there's other stuff out there.

Personally, if I saw a rattler in MN, I consider it a rare and fortunate experience. PA might be another matter; they've actually had people die, and seriously wounded from rattlesnake bites.

ETA a response to Mr Westberg:

THe spiraling is what I was concerned/ curious about. My hits were pretty much concentrated in a beach ball sized area. Before I shot I draw a snake on the target. It got perforated.

But if I was going to buy a snake/ rat gun, it would be one of the .410 pistols..

[Mn01r6]

I only have experience with .22 birdshot but it doesn't cycle the action in a Remington nylon and it patterns like westberg said. Maybe ok in a .44 or .45 snubnose revolver but I would guess a .410 revolver would be ideal.

[LePetomane]

Thanks for the replies. I wouldn't want to shoot one but I don't want to get a bite, either.

[JJ]

My wife shot one with 38 birdshot this summer when we were out p-doggin. It was about 3' away when she fired, and it was anchored pretty positively. At the very least it neutralized it as a threat.

[LarryFlew]

Have not shot a snake with it but dispatched a couple roadside animals hit by cars. one with cci shot in 9mm and one with 45. Believe snake would not be problem with either caliber.

[FJ540]

Anyone ever make their own rounds?

[Sigfan220]

Anyone ever make their own rounds?

I did when I had my 44. I never shot a snake or even patterned them that I can remember. I had them loaded with 9 shot so pretty big for snakes. I would think something smaller would give a "better" pattern.

They are easy to make if you buy the pre made "shells". The are two pieces that you fill with shot then put back together and load like a bullet.

My recommendation from years of hunting in South Dakota is to get out of the way. Snake shot isn't going to make it any safer for you. It just makes it easier to get rid of unwanted snakes. Keeping your eyes peeled and be prepared to move fast is your best option.

[cobb]

Make my own, for .38 Special I use .357 Maximum cases and for .44 Magnum I use 30-40 Krag cases. Get much more shot in them than the CCI capsules, capsules take up too much needed room for shot and I get a much better pattern.

[FJ540]

Do you use wax to seal them?

I hate to admit this, but years back I experimented with unique and 6mm airsoft bb's in .45 acp for S&G's. Just sealed the mouth of the case with candle wax, not a full slug like people are doing now (check it out on youtube, the results are impressive), and was surprised at the power a grain and a half of powder would make with plastic balls.

[cobb]

Do you use wax to seal them?.

Nope, caulking.

Here is the rest of the story.

I actually got this load from an old timer in Alaska, he carried these for his .44 mag to shoot grouse.

I experimented with using a few things to hold the powder and shot, paper disks crimped and a few other things but the recoil of the first one fired, or at least the second would jar the wad loose in the remaining and shot everywhere. So I eventually went back to the original the guy from Alaska told me.

For .44 magnum and using 30-40 Krag cases, first insert 30-40 brass into revolver cylinder and scribe or mark a line on the brass where it sticks out the front of the cylinder, this marks your overall length of your soon to be brass shot shell. Cut the 30-40 case on the mark, making sure it is no longer than the cylinder, to be safe cut a bit shorter. My load was 5.5 grains of Bullseye, the Alaskan guy used 6.0 but more powder I found just made a wilder pattern, but YMMV. To hold the powder in place I made wads out of the styrofoam from the bottoms of the food that is wrapped in cellophane, like peanut brittle, pork chops, etc. I used a pistol case to cut the wads, beveled/sharpened the mouth to cut and drilled out the primer hole so that I could punch the wads out with an allen wrench. Some have used light card board or even felt, but I preferred the styrofoam because it burned away, not sure about felt. At this time I do not remember what pistol case I used to cut the wads, I know it is down in my loading room in one of the cabinet drawers, but you want the styrofoam wad a bit oversize wedge in to seal the powder form the shot. After the powder and the wad, I filled the 30-40 case almost to the mouth with #9 shot. A 30-40 case in this situation will hold around 230 grains of #9, I think that is a good 1/2 ounce load. Then to seal, making sure the inside of the mouth area is clean, I put flexible caulk on my finger and wipe across the mouth of the case in a few directions making sure the caulking caulk was down inside the mouth of the case to help it hold under recoil. Now looking at the case mouth it may look like a vanilla cookie with a whole bunch of chocolate chips in it. The 30-40 Krag brass that has now been loaded once and fired is now fire formed can be reused, but it has to be necked sized. To do this I used a .41 mag die, the secret it to just bump the fire formed shoulder back a very minimal, little, minor bit so it again chambers easily. Bump it back too much and when fired it may force the case back against the breech face and bind the cylinder.

.38 Special load using .357 Maximum brass is similar, using 4.0 grains of Bullseye and #9 shot. The one difference is that you have to neck size down the case so that it can chamber in the .38 Special. I used a 9mm die for this, but really never played around with it much more than that, I usually used the .44 mag load with 30-40 Krag brass.

Flame suit is on, but I don't care, I am getting use to it around here.

[Seismic Sam]

Actually, I did something similar to Cobb a looong time ago with a TC single shot in 44 Mag, and used 444 Marlin brass and I think some 410 wads or something similar. Just to see if it could be done, and I think I used soft modeling clay to seal the mouth. BTW, rattlesnakes are quite common along the bluffs and valleys along the Mississippi from Red Wing downriver. You had to keep an eye out for them on warm days when you were hang gliding off the bluffs near Hager City, Lake City, and Frontenac.

[LePetomane]

Next question: Does this stuff bugger up your barrel?

[aht_six]

I load my own using CCI shot cups and #9 lead. Out of my 638 I get a nice 12 inch pattern pattern a 3 yards, the plastic cup also goes through the target. I've never shot a snake with one, but I'm sure it would be very effective at close range.