Number of snake loads

[Warren]

Next week I'll be going to a place where I'm told there are rattlesnakes.

My plan is to avoid them and avoid any behavior that might bring me into contact with them.

If that fails how many snake loads should I have in my 5-shot revolver?

 

[yongxingfreesty]

I went to Vic, TX and carried 2/5 in the S&W 642. Ended up using two the first hour upon arrival to kill a Copperhead and Water Mocassin. Went back to town(Walmart, 30min drive) to pick up some more.

I've actually got some CCI in 10packs(38/357mag) for sale if you want any.

4 packs(40rounds) for $33shipped to your door.

 

[20nickels]

Snakes, or lots of snakes, Indiana Jones. I voted one.

 

[TampaSsgt]

I'd have the first three loaded with snake loads, save the last two for normal loads in case you run into snakes with two legs.

 

[jrpbullrider]

When I go out on horse back I have my S&W mode 19-5 loaded with 6 snakes round in it and 6 in my belt. The rest in my gun rig keepers I carry .38 sp +p fed hydro shock (12 rds).
That is what I use and do, But I go where there is a lot of snakes and we eat them for dinner that night.
John

 

[Triphammer]

A snake needing to be shot is already striking. Even if there is one in striking range that you realize you 're next to, you can back off & go around. The ONLY ones I'll kill are ones too close to my residence. Or if I'm hungry & in a position to make use of the meat.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I'd say 1. The likelihood of seeing a snake is marginal at best. And triphammer is right; 99% of the time, simply slowly walking away is the easiest, safest, and best option. Unless the snake is around a residence or populated area(and if it is, discharging a firearm is probably a bad idea). 1 snake load should cover your bases more then well enough.

 

[okiebuckout]

Come on. There's no need to kill snakes. If you are going somewhere that has them, then you are invading there space. Just use caution, and stay situationally aware. Give them the respect they deserve and leave em alive.

Josh
Bio Tech
BLM

 

[bogie]

Back off and nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

 

[koja48]

Back off and nuke it from orbit

I prefer to carpet-bomb the area prior to my visit . . . seriously tho, in line with what others have posted, exercise situational awareness, wear snake boots/leggings, and avoid them. I guess I just haven't encountered many snakes bent on attacking me in the outdoors & in every instance, we have gone our separate ways with no harm/no foul experienced. I tend to keep my gun/guns loaded with ammo that would deter predators, 2-legged or 4-legged as appropriate.

 

[TAB]

none... keep an eye out and carry a walking stick.

I actually like snakes... they keep the rodent populations down. In my book that makes them great.

 

[Knotthead]

I just posted the following reply in another thread regarding shotshells for self defense:

Here's another issue to consider when using CCI shotshells for self defense, or any other reason. Last summer I began loading one in the first chamber of my Taurus M85UL in response to a rash of copperheads near the house. After having to use them once, I began loading them in the first two. When I had the occasion to use it again, the first shot did not do the job well enough so I attempted to fire again, but the cylinder wouldn't turn. The recoil had caused the plastic shotshell cap to back out enough to jam the gun. The following day I fired off a few target rounds with a shotshell in the cylinder and found the cap to back out far enough to jam the cylinder more often than not. I would suggest you examine this problem with your own gun before you decide to use them for any reason. As for me, I still will load one, and only one, when I consider it may be called upon, but I don't consider it a valid choice for self defense.

 

[22-rimfire]

You should be able to avoid the rattlesnakes. If you see one and it is not near a residence, walk around it. There really is no need to kill them on sight as is commonly done.

Carry a walking stick and keep your eyes on the ground in front of you. You should be able to avoid them. You really don't need a handgun for them. Kodak moments. Take your camera.

 

[Titan6]

If it takes more than two you can always reload. Keep the other chambers for more serious work.

 

[RonE]

One very cool spring morning while turkey hunting my buddy and I were sitting very close together. We discovered a lathargic (sp?) rattlesnake about 16" long crawling across our boots. We jumped up as you might imagine (like a couple of 12 year old girls) and shot the snake six times with 12ga turkey loads. From a range of 3 or 4 feet, we missed all six shots and the snake because it was cold, just laid there. I reloaded when we had calmed down from 200 heart beats a minute to around 150 and shot the snake. I don't like snakes, my advice is to take a shotgun.

 

[Ash]

A long hiking stick is best for snakes. I work around snakes for a living (in the woods) and never worry about shooting them. I have killed my fair share, mostly water moccasins, but a snake that needs to be killed can be killed fairly easily with a long stick. If you are in his country, though, it's best to leave it be. Most snake bites come from messing with snakes. In 17 years in the woods for work, plus all the years growing up before college, I have never been struck though I have had several close-encounters. I have never had rattle snakes even try to strike, that being reserved for moccasins who, while not being as aggressive as reputation says, can still be strike-happy.

I would carry a revolver for other animals than snakes, and so keep the loads more traditional. If a good hiking stick is too short to mess with a snake, then leave the snake alone, it's far enough away anyway.

Ash

 

[uneasy_rider]

I kill rattlesnakes when I find them. I have used sticks, hoes, and machetes mostly. The machete gets you a little too close for comfort though, and is a bad idea if the snake is longer than about 18-24", because he can strike about half his body length. I accidentally got on a small once without realizing it, and just ended up stomping its head with the heal of my boot in my panic. It just sort of happened. These were snake boots though.

There is always some tree hugger that comes along in threads like these and wants you to just let them be. Screw that plan.

 

[Ash]

Well, I am literally a tree hugger because I am a forester. Indeed, we are the only ones who actually hug trees because that's how you stretch a diameter tape around them to determine their size.

However, as to rattlesnakes, it is a needless war that cannot be won if you go out and kill every one you find. Rattle snakes are dangerous and cannot be allowed to live in human communities such as a subdivision or in somebody's yard, but they also eat rats and such. I'd rather have a rattle snake living in the woods than a rat.

In the end, you can screw that plan all you like. Me, I kill only when I have to. I don't feel regret when I dispatch them, but nor am I on some Quixote crusade against them.

Ash

 

[MikeLD]

If you live out in the woods with a river running behind your farm and you take your big Labrador with you, you kill all the copperheads and timber rattlers that come close to you or your dog. Bear has been bit 2 times by copperheads and it knocks him to the ground until I can get some Benadryl in him and it still takes about 20 minutes for him to come around. S&W 686 with 357 #10 about 135 pellots 1 shot usually does it.

 

[Ash]

Again, if the snakes are in your home/yard/stomping grounds, all bets are off as far as letting them live. However, your dog is more likely to get bit if you stop to mess with a snake than if you kept going and left it be. You won't kill them all. You won't even kill enough to run them off.

Ash

 

[TAB]

Snake avoidence class... If you have a dog in rattle snake country, send them to the class.

 

[koja48]

some tree hugger

I'm an outdoorsman & hunter. I kill when doing so is justified. If a rattler was posing a bona-fide threat, I'd have no reservations about killing it., however they are easily avoidable. Guess I'm a tree hugger . . .

 

[uneasy_rider]

Admitting it is the first step to recovery.

I am curious though. Lets say you are walking on woods you own. You park your truck, get out and start walking through the woods. You are walking from Point A to Point B. Lets say half way along your walk you encounter a nice big rattlesnake. He is 20 feet away from you when you spot him. He is posing no immediate threat. You have a gun, and for the sake of argument we will say you are 100% accurate with it.

Do you:

Shoot the snake, and continue on your hike

or

Leave the snake alone?

 

[M2 Carbine]

This time of year the first round up, in my walking around J Frame, is shot.

If I'm going where I'm sure there's Rattlesnakes and Copperheads the first three rounds are shot, plus several more shot shells in my pocket.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

Zero.

If you need to kill it, it's already too late.

Let the snakes be and they'll return the favor...I've heard of snake bites, but I've never heard of a snake attack.