Snake shot?

They will work to ~5-7 FEET, not yards. I have always used snake shells in revolvers so I can't answer as to whether or not they will function the semi

I have never tried snake shot in a semi-auto either so I can't say. They work in revolvers chambered in .38 Spl., 45 Colt and 22lr.

I hike in rattler and copperhead country. I was curious about that ammo. I did a bit of research and found these reviews.
This one is directly relevant to snake defense.
This one shows shot patterns ar different distances. https://youtu.be/D6ty4pLJfT0

My quick interpretation and conclusion:
1. Test them in your semi because you want to be certain the pistol will cycle. A FTF can break the plastic dome and fill the receiver with pellets.
2. Know the pattern at different distances. It is very poor at 10 feet and at 5 feet it might divert but not kill the snake.
Conclusion — it is not for me. A rattler is not going to strike at 5 feet. It warns you. Walk away. Always have a walking stick. If you come across one very close just use the stick to flip it.
https://youtu.be/D6ty4pLJfT0

I used a .45 Colt on a copperhead once. Blew his head off
from about 10 feet. Don't know if it was hit by the plastic
capsule or not. Pellets were #9.

But you decide just by "bullet weight" using #9 pellets from the CCI site:

.45 Colt/150 BW
.45ACP/120 BW
.44//.44 Mag 140 BW
.40/88 BW
.38/.357/100 BW
9mm/53 BW

Pretty clear 9mm delivers barely
half the punch than the .38/357--
OAL is .357 but using a .38 case.

I've only shot them in a bolt single 22 rifle, but they worked on two copper heads less than 5 feet. I wouldn't count on them over that distance, at least the 22 version.

I gave my neighbor in North Carolina some .38 Special CCI snake shot ammo years ago as he had a some Copperheads taking up residence in his woodpile.
He killed every snake he shot with them but I do recall he double-tapped them. He also got just a few feet away to make the shots.

To ensure a kill with them, you just about have to be within their own striking length from them, and hit them in the head. I keep .38 shotshells and carry a revolver with me when I'm down around my pond, have seen quite a few copperheads there over the years. The small shot loses energy fairly quickly and the pattern grows fast from a short barrel (6" or less). I have more success from a .410, but the long gun is less convenient to carry along with a weedeater. Of course, the weedeater can be pretty deadly to a snake, too.

I keep a speed-loader of them (38 Special) in my box I carry with me out at the property. Last year dad, while uncovering the wood pile next to the hunting cabin, found what turned out to be a nest of rattle snakes. The pile was on the slab so I grab that speed loader of shot shells. I went 5 of 6 with the shot shells missing the last one as he ducked back into the pile. Had to switch to regular ammo at that point to finish off the last two and thus had to be much more conscience of the slab and where the bullets where going incase of ricochets. At the 5-10 feet I was shooting, from a 4-inch Model 10, the shells killed the rattle snakes with authority. I still carry them in my box.

My wife often carries her Chief Special with the first one up a shot shell for snakes....the other 4 being 125 +p JHP’s for the unlikely contact with a Mountain Lion or vermin of the 2 legged sort!

I have some homegrown shot shells for my 460 S&W, which have pretty good performance out to 25 feet. For summer snakes and fall small game/birds! Not a great picture.....must look pretty closely to see the shot pattern! Still dense enough to be pretty lethal! memtb

I used to carry a trail gun loaded with a couple snake-shot rounds when I was a young man traipsing around in the backwoods. Right up until I fired one and got some pellets deflected back in my face. Since I didn't wear safety/shooting glasses while hiking trails, it was more than a little distracting and bothersome. Lucky that time, but I stopped carrying them. Tall walking sticks seem a more practical, at times (or a large rock, handy one time when a guy with us found a curled rattler on the trail that didn't seem inclined to leave).

I tried the in a Shield, and wouldn't cycle the slide at all. At the risk of stating the obvious make sure your stepdad tries them first. I do have them in .38. The difference in the spread between my SP101 with a 2 inch barrel and my Model 60 with a 3 inch barrel is noticeable.

I've got a mold for 75 grain wadcutters, and I've toyed with the idea of cutting a patch for over the powder and measuring out some shot and capping it with the little wadcutter. I think that would be a pretty effective snake/varmint round.

I used to use them in .38. Dispersion is 1-1, so a target 5 feet away, will be a 5 foot spread. From 4' they went off paper on the big police targets. They will stick into pine at 8' or so, but will not bury themselves. For a 3' away shot, they'll have the power and focus. These will not cycle anything. They have very little energy.

Great in 357 to 10ft, job done..

Thewelshm

I once shot a possum with a .22 shot shell just to get him off my porch. He rolled and got up and ran. Wouldn’t cycle my 10/22.

welldoya said:

I once shot a possum with a .22 shot shell just to get him off my porch. He rolled and got up and ran. Wouldn’t cycle my 10/22.

Click to expand...

Yes, 22 RF shot shells do not do much to opossums. Opossums carry diseases very deadly to horses so we trap them when we see activity then destroy them usually with a 22 round point blank to the head.

Once, I mistakenly chambered a 22 RF shot shell and just made a bloody mess of the opossum's forehead. A follow up shot with a 22 LR bullet put the opossum down for good.

P.S. We almost lost a horse to one of the diseases (EPM) that opossums' carry, they are not welcome on our small horse farm.

P.P.S. When our oldest daughter was about six, one of her friends knew live opossums were called opossums. But, she called those dead on the road, "no-possums".

I haven't used it yet as I have not needed to, but I bought some 2 1/2" 410 7.5 shot shells for my Bond Arms Rowdy.

Fun little handgun and snake medicine is a great reason to buy one!!!

I have lived my entire life in rattlesnake country. I finally realised that if you see one in time to shoot him there is no need to. I just walk around them if possible and if not I persuade them to move using a stick or little rocks to make it believe it's better off somewhere other than where it is. About 98% of the time a few step takes me out of their way and you both can go on about your business.

I'd shoot them for fun.

Snake "defense", though? Carry a walking stick.

Most cases, if you're far enough away to consider drawing and taking a shot, you're out of range of the snake anyway. If you're closer, the stick is the better way to go.

On your own property, I'm all about dispatching venomous snakes. In the wild, I'm more about leaving them alone. Around camp sites? I can see dispatching them.

Shot from a rifled barrel produces horrible patterns over a short distance.

Catching and relocating is a good idea, and what I do. But I'm not the only one in my house, and not sure I want anyone else handling a timber rattler..

They will work, but barely. I don't like snakeshot in rimless cartridges other than .45 ACP and IMO these are best used in revolvers only because of the inability to cycle a slide, but also the larger amount of shot you get in the longer cases. That's really the key here is you need as much shot as possible and in shot larger than 11 or 12 because that's basically useless especially when in 9mm and .40 it's half the amount of lead of larger calibers.

I see snakeshot handgun ammo as a very niche use because if you're like the post above and have rattlers on your deck, you don't need a handgun loaded with snakeshot to take care of him, you can get the .410 from inside and do it. So, this is very much an application where if you can't get to your shotgun and only have a handgun with you, hopefully you'll have it loaded with the right ammo and not some 180gr Buffalo Bore hardcast load.

I don't live near venomous snakes, but if I did and can tell the difference between them and non-venomous, I'll catch those that aren't and relocate them, but I'm not bothering taking a chance with venomous snakes. It's one snake, the world will not end if it dies.

I tend to make my own snake shot shells, Using a 38 SPL case with a charge of 700-X. Tap a cardboard wad over the powder and fill the case with # 9 bird shot. Tap another wad over the shot and top the case off with carpenters’ glue.

Fortunately, I’ve never had to use these on a venomous snake but the shot still holds a good pattern out to 15 feet which is the farthest I’ve shot them.

Pic:

Went golf ball hunting tonight while staying in FL on a course. Saw one decent size cottonmouth/moccasin my 10' ball retriever works well as a deterrent though, I keep my distance.
I had my LCP2 in my pocket for 2 legged snakes.