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

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The shot pattern density isn't too good because these shells were loaded with #7.5 shot (all I had at the time).
Although the 7.5 shot gets the job done, #8 or #9 gives a much denser pattern.
And the plastic shot cups don't hold as much shot as using gas checks when loading the shells.

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RONSTAR
sounds like waste of money id rather just use a stick or rock they have never failed me yet
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I've shot three Copperheads from the tractor and a BIG Rattlesnake that was about a third of the way into the dog house (with the dog inside).
A 38 in my pocket beats running around looking for a stick or rock any day.:)

And chances are if I had to find a stick to kill that Copperhead, a couple weeks ago, the snake or his friends might have got one of us.

No thanks, I'll spend a dollar or two a year for shotshells.
 
I can understand killing POISONOUS snakes that wander too close to the homestead, but killing snakes just because they are snakes is no different than killing wolves on sight, or slaughtering buffalo to make room for cattle. Its POOR stewardship in every sense of the word, and its NOT High Road.
 
Ever had a Diamonback watersnake chase you half-way home from a fishing pond? I don't care if it's HR or not, or poison or not, dang watersnake attacks me, it's very likely to get dead real fast.

rcmodel
 
GP100man,

Tell me more about your loads using #9shot & cards. What kind of card? Cardboard, I assume. How thick is this card? How do you cut them to shape? Do you put one over the powder & one over the shot? What holds the outermost card in place?

Not a whole lotta venomous snakes where I live, but I'd sure like to have it handy for big honkin' rats when working in the garden.

Robert in the hills of Tennessee
 
I guess I need to get out more.... when a black snake is in the way I pick it up and move it somewhere else. Yes, watersnakes could use some anger management but I can get out of their way....maybe I should try out for the Millrose games. I've had to kill more rats than the pied piper and more mice than any 10 cats. Now I know why.
 
I don't and WON'T kill snakes just because they are.

But this is a semi good neighborhood with a LOT of kids and so venomous snakes get it around here.
 
I wouldn't kill most snakes if I could help it, but water moccasins are an exception.

John
 
I can understand killing POISONOUS snakes that wander too close to the homestead, but killing snakes just because they are snakes is no different than killing wolves on sight, or slaughtering buffalo to make room for cattle. Its POOR stewardship in every sense of the word, and its NOT High Road.
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I feel the same way.
Just this week I carried a snake away from the house and out into the field to get it away from my cats that were going to kill it.

But I'll shoot every Rattlesnake and Copperhead I come across.
Just can't have them around to get on the front porch, in the barn, in the flower beds and biting the dogs in the face. (all of which they did)

All the good intentions go out the window if one of these buggers gets a hold of you.
Like the man said, "The bite may not kill you, but it will make you wish you were dead".
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n5odj
hello & welcome to the madness!!!LOL
first off i take a 38 case & file notches in it then drill the primer hole out to push out the cards , then sharpen it with a chamfer tool.
spin it in a cordless drill using a lee trimmer base, this works & lasts longer than hammering the case.
i use card board from cereal boxes , its thick enuff to do the job with out taking up alot of room.
small pistol primer & on 357 i use 2.5 grs. of clays ,push the card down with a 16 penny nail head & titer the better more room the better!
add my shot ,#9 is the best , retains energy & decent load density.
some times i go to wally world & buy the cheapest #9 12ga stuff they have & cut the shot out , save the powder to burn on july4
fill up the case ,leaveing just enuff room to place the top card , push it down tite with the nail head, crimp a little , then seal it all with elmers carpenters waterproof glue it`ll take 24hrs to completely dri
this has evolved over 2 yrs. of trial & testin & gives the best patterns out of a 4" GP
more powder just scatters shot & any less won`t kill.
the capsules are convienent but ya gotta push em hard or they won`t break , then ya gotta crimp em tite enuff so they don`tjump & bind the cyl , then they break alot so i wanted summtin more reliable for the family to dispatch snakes with & this is what i came up with.
i have loadings for 38 spl. & 44 mag that i`ve worked on also
if you plan on shootin alot of shot in a revolver i`ve entertained the idea of treating the shot with alox or johnson wax to help on the leading a bit , but a couple of shots is all ive ever had to use .


GP100man
 
Thanks for the info. Cereal boxes..... I have. I will give this a try.

Robert
 
Sorry, I have no use for rattlesnakes. We also have bull snakes and hognose which I leave alone. Funny, I saw a redtail hawk yesterday flying with a snake in its talons.

I've wondered about loading a light bullet or round ball over the top of some snake pellets. Anyone ever try that ???
 
"I've wondered about loading a light bullet or round ball over the top of some snake pellets. Anyone ever try that ???"

Sort of a lite "Buck & Ball"? I doubt you could fit enough shot in the shell (along with a bullet) to make it worth while
 
My 70 dollar snake boots are far more effective at snake protection than a firearm. Oh, I killed a few snakes, never had to use shot loads, can hit the head with a bullet just fine, thanks, and there's always a good backstop, dirt. I occasionally fry up rattler, decent eating. :D My snake boots saved my butt this spring already. I felt it hit, but thought it was brush until my buddy behind me jumped 5 feet in the air and screamed like a girl. LOL! Snakes startle me now and then, but it's really dumb to be scared of 'em. They're not out to eat you, just protect themselves. Just be observant and smart in snake country and you'll never have a problem with 'em. And, wear your snake boots or leggings for those times you just don't see 'em.

I doubt there's a person on this board that's seen more snakes than I have unless they work at a snake farm. LOL We have 'em out the wazola down here.

BTW, that hand drawn target looks a bit erotic. :D
 
I pretty much kill any snake except a King Snake. Is it High Road? I don't really care. I don't like snakes. Never will like snakes. Cats take care of mice around here, no real need for snakes. If that bothers you then I don't know what to tell you other than to get over it.

Never used rat shot. Always kept a .22LR pistol or a .410 handy.
 
Still, even if you kill every snake you see, don't mean the gun is protecting you. It's the one that you don't see that'll get you. That's why I'd rather buy some good snake boots for PROTECTION. What you do with the snake once he bounces off your boot is up to you, well, so long as it's legal. If it's protected, just shoot, shovel, and shut up I guess. Not any illegal poisonous snakes that I know of down here. :D

I don't take issue with anyone killing a snake that isn't illegal to kill. I just take issue with the "need" for a gun for snake defense. NO, the better tactic is prevention by proper foot wear and not reaching into culverts blind and other such dumb moves.

I've shot several snakes in the head with a 1 5/8" NAA .22 mini revolver shooting Federal HV hollow point. If I can do it with THAT, you can hit one from a 4" .38 and a wadcutter.
 
The Taurus Judge in .410 is the pistol for this particular job, but I confess to having a speedloader filled with CCI shotshells for snakes in the yard, and the only .38/.357 we currently have is a 1 7/8" barrelled Smith 642, but have I used it yet - no.
 
Only ever killed one snake deliberately. Little coral snake down in Florida when I was visiting some friends. It was in the garage -- I grabbed the shovel that was by the door and chopped its head off.

I have shotshells for my .38 and .22, but I've never had a reason to shoot anything living with them.
 
WOW!!!
Reading all the input from you southern fellers sure makes me glad to live up here in God's Country!

There are no poison snakes up here in the Frozen Northwoods eh!
 
I have not shot a snake with a .38 snub, but I killed three Water Moccasins on one paddleboat trip up a local creek. All three of them were trying to get into the boat with us to enjoy the scenery. All three got "The Gauge" :).

I keep a magazine full of CCI 9mm shotshells for snakes around the yard and stuff, but have not used them...yet :).

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
Yep.

With pistol shot, I have killed rats mostly and a snake or two.

All were killed with commercial "shot cup" type pistol ammo. This is rather hard to find anymore so I am going to try the reloads discussed above.

I guess I am a little bit "low road". I kill every stinking snake I see. They all die. That goes for yotes, too.
 
not with a snub, but cci .38spl out of my m66 6in has done the job very well about a dozen times now.

I agree that seeing them is the biggest challenge, and a rock or machette is cheaper.
 
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