Anyone ever killed a snake with shotshell out of a .38 snub?

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bdjansen

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Just wondering if you'd get enough energy out of a snub barrel to make shotshell work on a snake?

Would a snubbie make for a good snake defense tool for hiking in snake country?
 
snakes

The trick is not in killing them. You can do that well with a stick. The trick is seeing them. In the brush and leaves it is difficult for us city types to spot them before we step on them.

PigPen
 
It should but I never tried it. I did kill a cotton mouth a few weeks ago with my 642 snub but I was using 158 Gr cast.
 
Too many to count!
I hate rattlesnakes in the outbuildings, and them big black nasty water-snakes almost as much.

A Chiefs Special & CCI .38 shotshells is my carry gun when pond fishing & wading shoreline. At snake range they crumble a water-snake up like he got hit by lighting!

rcmodel
 
Anyone ever killed a snake with shotshell out of a .38 snub?
Click to expand...

Many Rattlesnakes and Copperheads since 1966.

Killed a fair size Copperhead a couple weeks ago on a friends 170 wooded acres that he just bought. I told the four people that were there to watch their step because I KNEW there would be Copperheads where we were walking. Sure enough my friend was just fixing to walk by a coiled Coperhead.
The 38 shot about blew the snake in half.

This time of year the first round up in my 2 inch S&W J Frames is a shot shell that I load myself.
 
My property backs up to a rice canal and I got cottonmouths and mocassins. The CCIs in my Smith 36 take care of them out to six paces or so, as close as I want to get. I know for the price I pay for them, I need to roll my own. Maybe someday...
 
Never shot one, but almost stepped on a rattler while fly fishing on the Deschutes. Did actually step on a water snake that went shooting out from under my boot. I made a noise I don't think I've ever made before and my son laughed his butt off. :eek:
 
I have killed snakes with shot loads in my 45, 44, 357, and a lot with a 22. A Taurus 94 3in rides great on the hip and 3 shot with 6 velictors will take care of most pest.
 
Never a .38, but with a .44 special out of a redhawk. Checking targets out in the desert while shooting my rifle. Redhawk on hip with 44special 200gr hollowpoints for "just in case." Snake was coiled up on the path back to my shooting site and I couldn't detour around it without walking through cactus. Cut the diamondback in half.
 
I've done it a few times with a .38 snub, often blows their head off. I'm usually closer than 3 feet though, the only ones I shoot are the more aggressive ones that don't move out of the path.
 
Took a water snake of one sort or another who had a fish it was trying to take out of the pond with a CB from a Browning BL-22.

Have .22 rat shot but see no real use for it.

Actually killed rats with .45 ACP rat shot in buddies old garage.
 
i live in the swamps of nc & usually between 30-70 per yr.
home brewed #9 shot with cards.
they`ll work up to about 12ft.
was walkin the run & killed a big cotton mouth 6.8 lbs. on my scales
he was a big mean one but one load & he did`nt even wiggle!!!
wanted to add: the load was in a 357 case & shot out of a 4" ss GP100.


GP100man
 
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I've got a bad copperhead problem here near the house, and for years take out 4-5 per season with my Ruger Single Six using 22 Magnum shotshells. Head shots from about 5-6 feet away. Never ever needed more than one shot, so I'd guess .38 in a snubbie would work fine up to about 8 feet or so.
 
Shot one twice at 6-8 feet with the CCI stuff out of a 4" Model 10. Didn't kill him. As a matter of fact, as fast as he took off it must not have hurt him too badly. I was underwhelmed.
 
Do it all the time. Couple of years ago was a record year for snake termination at my place:

1 four ft. rattle snake
12 copperheads of various sizes
3 black racers
 
I make shot shells using gas checks - one over the powder and the second one over the shot, then a crimp. My friend used my rounds to dispatch a snake and told me they were superior for the task. :)
 
They were all hanging out in or near my mother-in-laws garage. I got tired of the screams and come get rid of this snake! So they went to a better place.
 
Here in SW Florida we have a variety of venomous snakes and rabid critters, of which some have been dispatched with .38SPL shotshells. As a matter of fact I carry my ultra-lite Taurus M85 with the chamber #1 & 2 w/shotshell, #3 .38+P and #4 & 5 .38 Federal HP., while walking my dog every day. This has worked in the past for me and will until something better comes along.
 
Doesn't shooting shot through a handgun score the barrel? I have never used it, but have often wondered about that.

I don't get many snakes around my place, but the ones I do get are always rattlers. I have thought about picking up a single shot Commanche 410 pistol for this exact situation. If I still lived down south, I'm sure I would carry a Judge for snake control.

The Commanche is cheap at about $150...seems like it might be money well spent if it saves a good SD snubbie from premature wear.
 
Been here two and ahalf years now and haven't had to dispatch, but one snake. My colt got hit on the nose with a copperhead and survived, but never seen the snake. Did dispatch a black bull snake with a garden hose this spring...That worked pretty good...:D

I do carry my 9mm pretty much where ever I go on the place though.
 
Snapping Twig
I make shot shells using gas checks - one over the powder and the second one over the shot, then a crimp. My friend used my rounds to dispatch a snake and told me they were superior for the task.
Click to expand...

That's how I load mine.
Sometimes the gas check will "paper punch" a hole right through the snake.

Some years ago when I shot a Copperhead the gas check cut a slot out of the snake's side. When I used a stick to picked the snake up a Green snake was sticking out of the hole. The Copperhead must have recently ate the Green snake. (yes it was dead :) )

Doesn't shooting shot through a handgun score the barrel?
Click to expand...
No. The shot is loose lead pellets. Probably not nearly as hard on a barrel as jacketed or lead bullets.
 
sounds like waste of money id rather just use a stick or rock they have never failed me yet
 
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