Let's talk snake loads...

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Peakbagger46

Peakbagger46

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I just experimented with two different types of snake loads and ran both through my 4 5/8 Blackhawk in .45 LC.

The first load consisted of the load found on Gunblast.com, with the .454" lead round ball over a charge of 7 1/2 pellets. This load patterned very poorly at 15' on the styrofoam plate I used as a target.

The second load I made with 5g of Win 231, followed by a wad made by "cutting" a styrofoam plate with the top of the brass, followed by 7 1/2 shot, followed by a second styrofoam wad. The final touch was some elmer's glue to keep it in place. This load was very impressive at 15', leaving a good pattern. I'm not sure how fast the pellets would be going with this charge and I may try to up the powder a bit.

What are your favorite home-loads for snakes?
 
Why 15 foot for a snake load? I'm thinking 5 foot max if I'm shooting it when it comes to snakes.
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For snakes, I'd nuke 'em from orbit. It's the only way to be sure ;)

If you can find some .45 cal gas checks, you can use those in place of Styrofoam, and the results are good.
 
Not sure where you are at, but usually a long sturdy stick and hands can easily move said snakes to where they should be. I don't see a reason to smoke them but hey, it is what it is.

The way I look at it, if it weren't for the snakes the varmints would be running around dancing on the cars, so I like to let the snakes live. Unless of course, you have nothing else to do once you are done smoking the snakes, you will have to create new load for your new varmint pe(s)ts. :neener:
 
Not sure where you are at, but usually a long sturdy stick and hands can easily move said snakes to where they should be. I don't see a reason to smoke them but hey, it is what it is.

The way I look at it, if it weren't for the snakes the varmints would be running around dancing on the cars, so I like to let the snakes live. Unless of course, you have nothing else to do once you are done smoking the snakes, you will have to create new load for your new varmint pe(s)ts.
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I cant speak for the OP but I wouldnt hurt a non poisonous snake, I just stay away from them. If its a venomous snake though, its a dead snake.
 
I made my snake loads about like you except that instead of styrofoam I used cardboard over the powder and plastic over the shot which I crimped in place. From 5 to 10 feet they were quite impressive. I too was using W-231, but would use something different toady. Then W-231 was the most compact appropriate charge I had. I wanted all the space for shot I could get.
 
I use #9 shot for my snake loads, but also use the Speer Shot Capsules, which are very effective. I haven't made any in years, since I moved to where there aren't any poisonous snakes. Where I lived before, I had found a rattlesnake on my front porch and many times in the yard. They're hard on dogs, so they got eliminated.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
I home-made a bunch of this stuff years ago using gas checks over powder & over/under shot. Worked fine, but...if I was going to do it again, I'd use the nifty little Speer capsules Fred referenced, better in every respect. I scarfed up a few boxes (10 to the box at the time) when they hit the market and still have 2 of them. They seem to pattern about an inch per foot of travel for 10 to 12 feet. Don't know beyond that.
 
I use the speer shot capsules and #12 shot the 45 LC ones hold aroud 770 pellets 5.7 grains of titegroup is good for 920 fps.
 
I have a lot of cottonmouth and copperhead here. I do leave the good snakes alone.
My snake load in .45 colt is 8.5 grains of Unique under a 230 grain TC. It becomes a two piece snake.
It also works great on coons, possum, two legged snakes, ect.

jim
 
Just saying nothing wrong with trimming down a .410 wad if you got some laying around. You'd be surprised how much difference a shot shell type load will preform with a shot cup vs without.

I dunno bout the rest of the people but those 3 dram 1 1/8th loads of 9 shot in 12 gauge seem to work wonders on snakes.
 
i used just enough titegroup to reliably hit 700+ fps, dont rember the charge, then a stiff cardboard overpowder wad, then as much shot of whatever size i chose would fill the shell, another card wad and a hearty roll crimp to hold it in place,very good load at 10-15 feet
 
I use cereal box cardboard as wads, and load up #8 shot over 6gr bullseye. Patterns very well at 10 yards.
Why 15 foot for a snake load? I'm thinking 5 foot max if I'm shooting it when it comes to snakes.
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I'm using them for quail.
 
CCI makes my snake shot. I've had to dispatch so many venemous snakes in my life time that I still have four .38/357 shot shells left out of a 6 pack I bought several years ago. The last copperhead I dispatched was with a 9mmX19 loaded with a 124 grain HP/XTP last summer...
 
Get yourself some of these if you can find them.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=682652

FAR superior to naked shot squealing down the barrel, and all the outer pellets deformed by the rifling.

About 30 years ago, I worked up a similar load using a gas check over the powder, with a large pill capsule from the drug store. One wrap of scotch tape to protect it from the crimp.

Still not near as good as Speer shot capsules though!

rc
 
RC your link is the speer capsules I use. I've also use the 38/357's as well. 10#'s of #12 shot will last at least a few lifetimes loading these.
 
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