cci shotshells vs. snakes????

ker2222

Does anyone have any experience shooting CCI shotshells from a pistol?? I hike through rattlesnake country with some frequency and have often carried a shotgun but would much rather have a pistol. Will the CCI shotshells coming out of a 357 or a 45 longcolt be effective against snakes??

Char

Yes. I have dispatched numerous snakes with those. The 38/357 version takes 2 or 3 shots for big snakes. I have used the 45 acp version also, 1 on those works real well. The 45 colt should too.

Contender Man

A TC Contender with a 10" 45-410 barrel and 410 load does wonders for the little buggers.

I've also used shot shells in 357, 44 and 45 in revolvers and they are effective. And of those, the 44 is my favorite. However the first round I load in the revolver is not a shot shell ... and neither is the last ... just in case[}:)]



If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!

beantole

I have killed numerous poisonous snakes with CCI .38 /357 magnum shotshells. It may take 3-4 shells to kill a big one. But there is no sense in killing a snake while hiking................just go around it.
The ones I killed were poisonous ones on my property and I have kids.

Bruce

cussedemgun

Mr. 2222;
The range of the pistol shot shells is very limited due to the rifling spinning the charge. When the shot is out of the barrel, centrifugal force acts to scatter the shot in a rather wide pattern.
I suggest getting a few and try them out. They can be really fun.

"all I really need to know I learned in kindergarten" Robert Fulghum


anyone who says "nobody needs a full auto" has never been in front of a brown bear charge

pack rat633

The .40 and .45 work well, .44 mag is almost as good as a .410 Shoot all the snakes you can, they are nasty good for nothin.

SEMPER FI MAC, SEMPER FI

hissinggoose

My personal favorite is the Bond Arms Texas defender in .45/.410 21/2". With a load of any # bird shot, I know from personal experience it'll take out a 4' moccassin with 1 shot. Versatile, compact, light to carry, effective and lot's of changeable cal. bbl's. Looks cool, too! [8D]

Laredo Lefty

I have shot snakes with .22 snake loads out of an Anschutz Woodchucker, with good results. I prefer a .22 rifle as I dont have to get so close.

I have also shot them with 9mm, .38, and .45acp all brass Rem shotshells both in the desert and my backyard. All of these rounds performed well, but when using a handgun you have to get fairly close for max results.

As mentioned above the rifling spins the shot causing it to spread very fast, so getting close really makes a difference in the effectiveness of the shot charge.

"Never let school interfere with your education"

bambihunter

I greatly agree with cussedemgun about the reduced effective range due to rifling. That said, I have dispatched snakes most commonly with .22 birdshot. Simply put, if the snake is too far away for the .22 to be effective, then it is causing me no immediate danger and I will just leave it alone.

gunrunner1911

This is good info I have used the 22 shotshells for pests that get in the house and refuse to leave. I will be moving to Nevada and coming from the northeast I have no experience dealing with poisonous snakes. I can hear the sighs from all you westerners another yankee coming here to show us how to live and change things.[:D] Just believe me when I say I want to get away from the Msweeties that I live around. I was planning on trying to look for some "snake loads" that I saw cooked up in a magazine some years back. I reload and if I remember thay were for 44 mag. If the 44 shotshells from CCI do the trick then I'll just use those. I know they would work on our northern species but you guys have those maneaters down there that grow to like 20' and spit flaming poison![:p]

bobski

if the snake is so far away that the rifling scatters the shot, the snake isnt a threat. poisonous or not, wildlife conservation is our responsiblity. unless its in your back yard, youre in his environment. respect it. if he's on the trail, its his trail. go around him. shoot responsibly and as a last resort. how you act casts the right image around tree huggers and liberals. show them that you care and that you are a rational thinker, not some crazy with a gun. thanks. [8)]

captkirk3@dslextreme.com

Ski's Right....! Why Kill something that was here 1st...I'm No Posie Sniffer and lived in Rattlesnake Country for over 50 years..and have only killed 1/2 dozen or so...and only because they were in a situation where it was necessary...But in the wild, given a chance the Beast will slither away...

Captain Kirk, Tech Staff