cheap and light snake gun?

[Pizzapinochle]

I have seen the "as the snake tries to escape into a hole, grab its tail, jerk and whip it in a circle before smashing its head on a rock" technique.

Definitely worked, the snake won't try to back out of the hole and as long as you whip it hard and fast it can't bring its head around to bite you.

Definitely NOT advised.

See post #21 for a significantly better option.

"BIG ROCK" is also another viable, readily available solution in many areas.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

^^^^

Ummmm...yeah...about that whipping the snake in a circle thing...

Don't stop without either smacking it's head on something hard or flinging it away from you.

Don't ask how I know this. Let's just say there's a story involved as a young boy. And the snake wasn't happy about it...

 

[WardenWolf]

Ruger Blackhawk with .45 shotshell cartridges. Pistol cartridges can reach much higher pressures than shotgun shells, and thus provide greater velocity. Additionally, their powder charge is optimized for the short barrel length of a pistol. Overall it's a superior option. Lighter weight and cheaper than a Judge, and you get better .45LC accuracy.

 

[22-rimfire]

How about a stick? Free

 

[dogtown tom]

Pizzapinochle I have seen the "as the snake tries to escape into a hole, grab its tail, jerk and whip it in a circle before smashing its head on a rock" technique.

Definitely worked, the snake won't try to back out of the hole and as long as you whip it hard and fast it can't bring its head around to bite you.

Definitely NOT advised.

When I was twelve, i was spending the weekend at my grandparents in Bismark, AR. As soon as we arrived one of my uncles asked if I wanted to help him check "a trap"..............oh heck yeah!

As we walk down to the barn he explains to my cousin and i "snakes have been stealing eggs and causing a racket in the chicken house.....so I loaded an egg with fish hooks inside".

We get to the hen house and sure enough, the bait egg had disappeared, the fishing line leading down a hole that didn't look much larger than any egg.

Unc started pulling on that fishing line and the snake started pulling back, as soon as the snakes head cleared the hole he put his boot heel on that ole black snake and the rest of the evil serphent came squirming out. Unc grabbed that black snake by the tail and started whirling it above his head like a whip.....forgetting about the fishhook embedded in the snakes gut.

As he was whooping and showing off for my cousin and i (both of us terrified but laughing hysterically) he popped that snake like a bullwhip..........and bloody snake guts flew all over my leg and my cousins face.

This is why I prefer sticks. (i'm sure my cousin does as well)

 

[Mainsail]

I think I'd rather keep my hearing and let the snake walk.

 

[jrdolall]

When I'm working the beaver dams I put a small frame 22 in my pocket with snake shot in the magazine. I shoot poisonous snakes but not just any snake I see. None of my semis will cycle with snake shot so I use them like a single shot. I don't normally try to shoot them if they are more than 5-7 yards away but have peppered a few at that distance. I hope they died quickly but I consider them to be a dangerous animal around my place with kids, dogs and livestock wandering around.

My apologies to all the snake lovers.

 

[Sam1911]

[Mr. Pedantic]Venomous, not poisonous. If they're venomous, they can inject you with a toxin. If they are poisonous you'd get sick if you ate them.[/Mr. Pedantic]

Just a public service announcement!

 

[doc2rn]

As an EMT in S. Carolina I responded to a roadside call with 3 dead young teens. Evidently they where using biters as bate, one of the kids uncle (who showed up) swore that they where the best bate. When we looked in the kids bucket we saw a bunch of little copperhead snakes. I now shoot all the venomous snakes I see.

 

[Magoo]

nevermind...

 

[bikerdoc]

Our most common venomous snake here is the water moc.
They get dispatched post haste. The rest get a pass.

 

[gearhead]

Just mind the four rules, it's sometimes easy to panic when startled by a snake in close quarters. I had a friend when I was growing up who allegedly put 6 .38 caliber holes in the bottom of his boat when a moccasin dropped out of the brush alongside the bayou and into his boat.

 

[jaysouth]

I can't imagine why you would kill a snake in it's habitat unless you are hungry.

Check your state laws, here it is illegal to kill any reptile except snapping turtles.

A 4 foot stick trumps any firearm for handling snakes issues.

 

[ROAshooter]

a common weed hoe.....sharpened to a razors edge...witnessed field hands using on a rattlesnake enfested melon patch.....while picking melons....never needed reloading...never jamed....and did not make that much noise....can a gun of anykind make that claim??

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

^^^^

Sure! Hollywood guns never need reloading, never jam, and don't made that much noise. And I can show you all kinds of video proof...after all, cameras don't lie!

 

[gbw]

Maybe a different view. I live in the country in the deep south & do a lot of walking in workout shorts and tennis type shoes on my land.

I carry a Kel-Tec PF9 with a Kel-Tec metal IWB clip, with snake shot for the first 3 of the mag., clipped to the shorts.

Change mags and good to go CCW.

Very light, easy to carry, inexpensive, reliable, powerful. It's a gun you actually have when you need it, and not be worried that's too nice to carry.

CCI shot shells will USUALLY function the pistol, but I don't care if it does or not. After the first one there is plenty of time. Never failed to kill reliably.

Only venomous snakes, and then only near the house or where kids are likely to be. If I mis-identify or cannot tell, I get the benefit of the doubt, not the snake.

If I could find .32 Auto snakeshot, or a way to make it, I'd carry the P32 which is the absolute lightest pistol I know of.
Does anyone know how to get .32 ACP shotshells? .22LR is really too light.

 

[Jcinnb]

I like The Judge. It is over your price, but you can save some more. My 5 loads vary between shot and .45s. Always lead with thee or mor shot.

By far the best strategy is avoidance or to give a venomous room. By far the best.

But...

Sometimes these southeastern cotton mouths get real aggressive. That's about the only real purpose of my "snake gun."

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Hit the pawn shops and used gun racks for a used 410 or 20 gauge single shot shotgun.

 

[9MMare]

if you've got time to shoot the snake, you've got time to just walk away

Well said.

For us, the horses usually notice them first. And they dont panic. I dont see the need to either.

 

[9MMare]

Enjoyed reading all the above threads.... then thought about my own situation where you might encounter a python when you least expect it.. Since I work in Everglades National Park (and they aren't exactly gun friendly) that leaves me with few choices.
A panga or machete, or..... If I have a chance I'll kill everyone I encounter (and that's what the rangers there are supposed to do as well - since they're absolutely changing the eco-system by eating every small animal they encounter). I've considered a .410 single shot for use on my skiff but haven't done it yet (as a permitted guide, my permit would probably be at risk if I started any direct action..). I have seen one python that was easily nearing 20 feet long and I have seen video of a careless snake handler that almost lost a battle with with a bit smaller specimen so the potential threat is real enough... For those who've never been down my way, I'm not in the "freshwater, sawgrass, and alligators" part of the 'glades (that's only about 2/3 of the Park). Where I am it's miles and miles of mangrove jungle wilderness with lots of small bays, creeks, rivers and all of it a long way from the boat ramp.... This thread shows a chart of part of it....
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11432.shtml

the coastline shown is 21 miles over the water from nearest facility.... Friends of mine report that the darned animals have spread now throughout the 'glades where they have no natural enemies at all. I haven't seen even a single rabbit along the only road in the Park since 2005 and figure the snakes got them all.... By the way the recent highly publicized "python hunt" was never allowed in the Park -where 90% of the animals are....

I noticed a huge lack of rabbits since Hurricane Andrew. '89? '92?

OTOH, I have no problem with removing non-native species.

 

[9MMare]

[Mr. Pedantic]Venomous, not poisonous. If they're venomous, they can inject you with a toxin. If they are poisonous you'd get sick if you ate them.[/Mr. Pedantic]

Just a public service announcement!

Heh, no one ever knows that. I stopped bothering.

 

[9MMare]

As an EMT in S. Carolina I responded to a roadside call with 3 dead young teens. Evidently they where using biters as bate, one of the kids uncle (who showed up) swore that they where the best bate. When we looked in the kids bucket we saw a bunch of little copperhead snakes. I now shoot all the venomous snakes I see.

Really?

Altho immature snakes' venom tends to be more concentrated, copperhead venom is very weak.

Not only that, it does not kill quickly. It's not like they'd all drop in place.

I think someone should have done full autopsies and check out 'uncle.'

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

I grew up out in country and never saw a copperhead among the hundreds of snakes I saw. Years later I moved to within 5 miles of where I was raised and live on a hill side in the woods and I have killed 2 to 3 in my yard every year for the last 5 years. Yes you can kill a snake with a stick, hoe, shovel and even a lawn mower but I prefer to use a gun.

 

[goon]

I have to admit that the last one I killed was with a 6' birch walking stick.
And I only killed it because it was in the driveway adjacent to an alley where the neighbor kids play. If I'd seen it in the woods, I'd have shown it a little respect and let it be.

I did kill a copperhead with a Case folder once, but that was out of necessity and was really a close call. I'd prefer to not have to get that up close and personal with one again.

We don't have cottonmouths in PA. I've heard they get nasty. If I had to deal with them on a regular basis, I'd probably shoot first and often and get philosophical about it later.

 

[lemaymiami]

9mm Andrew was 1992, our last hurricane was 2005, Wilma. Not only have the rabbits disappeared -also the racoons now and possums as well. The 38 mile run from the front gate to the ramps at Flamingo used to be something to be very careful while driving before daylight - now the only roadkill you'll see in that entire stretch are either birds or reptiles - no small mammals at all.... Wish it weren't so, I can't imagine what bobcats, hawks, owls and eagles are eating...

Never thought I'd miss those darned racoons...