Rabbits?
Really?
I can guarantee you I will NOT be eating any sick rabbit that will allow me to get close enough to it that it could be killed with a .38 revolver loaded with shotshells.
The snake thing is only slightly more probable. I mean, we ARE talking about "self-defense" snake killing, and not opportunistic snake hunting - right?
In 99.9% of the cases where you are close enough that you might kill the snake with a .38 revolver loaded with shotshells, you have an equally-available ability to just move away from the snake, and go on about your business.
Alright buddy,
I dont usually respond to these but this needs it bad.
I have caught a rabbit bare handed before just by running it in a circle until it winded itself. It sounds far fetched, I know, but just ask your grandpappy how its done and he might be nice enough to tell ya.
Another thing, if you have ever been rabbit hunting, is that you usually jump them when you, SURPRISE, get CLOSE to them. Meaning you just may see them before they get skiddish enough so make a run for their lives. A 38 or 357 bird shot load will be more than enough to kill them deader than dead at less than 10 yards.
On to the snake thing.
If it was me, then yes, it would only be in self defense. You appear to be from VA so you know about copperheads and how docile they are right. Maybe you do maybe you dont but copperheads wont bite unless really provoked. Here in GA there are more copperhead bites per capita than any other state mainly because people dont leave them alone. But all it takes is news of someone getting bitten and everyone is out for them. Plus we have coral snakes and cottonmouths down here. Combine that with the three rattlers we have as well and you could say that there is a veritable bevy of dangerous slitherers around.
Like I said, Im not going to shoot one willy nilly but there are plenty of people who will and I am not going to make a rash judgement about it right now. But even so, that shotshell loaded in your revolver is going to make short work out of a snake with less margin of error than a wadcutter or a hollowpoint.
Rant off. PM for any more clarification.