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45 acp Shotshells How Effective on snakes

35K views 41 replies 32 participants last post by  Calif. Hunter 
#1 ·
I know this topic has been rehashed before but I am moving to an area where they are ripe with snakes half of which are poisonous. Where I am at now there are not anything poisonous and kids make pets out of them. I just saw a YT video demonstrating the CCI brand and since we plan on buying a wooded lot it may be to my advantage to possibly carry on the property.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Have tried them in a 1911 several times and they tend to be a one shot show. None of my 45's like 'em. I could suggest a good alternative is the CCI (and others) in 410 shotshell in a Taurus Judge. There are tons of them around and bring next to nothing used. Bought one for the specific purpose that you're describing and found them very efficient out to about 15'. Any further and the pattern opens enough not to be confident in.

I'm with you on mixing poisonous snakes and kids ... no good. If it's longer than a potato worm and wiggles I blow it up ... :)
 
#7 ·
Don't eat those poisonous snakes and you won't have a problem.

There's a difference between poisonous and venomous.
 
#11 ·
I use a LOT of the CCI .45 shot shells.

We are in rattler country. Some years worse than others, but they live where we live and are ever present.

As others have said, they are great to about 15 feet, or maybe 18, but the pattern starts to open up fast after that.

I have had great luck with them feeding in all my 5" 1911's, not so with the shorter guns, so check reliability before relying on them. They have a slight bottleneck at the case mouth, which eases feeding a bit.

My wife uses the .38 special shotshell loads in a revolver. We have used hundreds of these as well, and they are not without their problems. These shells have the plastic tip which is full of shot. We usually find that after two shots, the recoil starts to pull the plastic tip off and it sticks past the face of the cylinder and keeps the cylinder from turning. You then have to push the tips back in before opening the cylinder or firing again.

The .22's, with the crimped brass case mouth, from a Ruger 22/45, work just as good as any of them (and feed reliably). I honestly cannot see any difference in effectiveness between .22, .38, and .45 with snake shot (rat shot).

Regarding shooting them with solid projectiles...I have killed a lot of snakes like this, but a 2" wide head weaving along the ground through rocks, grass, and cactus makes a hard target. And, if you don't shoot them in the head, you still have a very lethal snake to deal with. Once you place a .45 somewhere else on the body, the head gets exponentially harder to hit! They can whip about in a frenzy after taking on a load of lead...

Multiple pellets to the head is far more authoritative as a snake-stopper; once they're sufficiently cowed, I give them a good boot heel to crush their skulls. That usually does the trick, although it hasn't helped my plantar fasciitis much.
 
#12 · (Edited)
If memory serves, you're moving to my neck of the woods, NC.... we have 6 varieties of venomous snakes, one of which (the pygmy rattler) is protected, and one of which (the coral snake) is exceptions uncommon and limited to the southeastern coastal region.

If you're near a swamp, pond, lake, or river, cottonmouths are a concern. Despite myths to the contrary, they're not aggressive, only territorial. They will stand their ground. They're also rather courteous as vipers go- they rarely actually inject venom on the first bite; its a "warning shot"...

Copperheads are another worry. They give birth to live young,which are venomous andcannot control the amount of venom injected. They live in crawlspaces and woodpiles... I had a few under my house when I bought it. The best fix: a couple of black/rat/ corn snakes, depending on local verbage. They're non venomous constrictors, and they eat baby and adult copperheads. I introduced 2 years ago, see them a couple times a year in the summer. They're over 4' now, and no problems with copperheads or rodents...

There's also a couple other varieties of rattlers; they'll let you know if you're too close...

Now that NC snakes 101 is done, on to snakeshot.... most autoloaders won't cycle it, the cartridge doesn't have enough energy to cycle the action. My solution was a cheap, beat up, used SW36, with CCI shot, in .38SPC. Toss it in a pocket when in the fields or fishing the ponds. It works, its effective within its 10ish foot range. Like a shotgun, you need to pattern it and determine point of impact in your gun.

I'll kill the cottonmouths or copperheads on sight. On the very rare occasion I've seen a rattlesnake, I leave them be. They're not prolific, and present little threat.

https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/venomousnake.htm
 
#14 ·
Not to argue with any advice you have been given and certainly not in any way to be contentious with anyone. but I have roamed Florida swamps and woods for more than 70 years, and have personally seen too many exceptions to said advice.
Bear in mind that animals vary just as much as regards temperament and toughness to kill as do we humans.
Your best protection for your children is for you to impress upon them how important it is to be aware in the woods, to look carefully where they are walking, and to stand still without movement sometimes when they see danger. Usually it will move away, and sudden movement only encourages aggressive behavior.
Snakes are often tough to kill. You do need accuracy and penetration. I ended up on my present property relying on a .22LR H&R snubbie revolver, that I carried in a back pocket whether riding the tractor or hoeing the garden. Always there when I needed it. Due to sweat damage to finish (also, salt tends to lock up cylinder rotation) I would advise carrying something inexpensive.
Revolvers have become more expensive, but you might look at the Phoenix HP22, has good reputation for being accurate. Shovels are good too, but who wants to carry one around!
Number 4s in a SG will sometimes kill small snakes, but even a single bbl 20 GA isn't a frequent carry.
The .22LR is cheap enough also to shoot so you will be able to practice so that you can hit effectively.
Good luck. Keep those kids safe.
 
#21 ·
My face was less than a foot from a 6' long rattler this past fall while filling a spray rig from a 5000 gallon poly water tank. The rattlers around here have evolved to where they seldom rattle when threatened. Some say it is because the feral hogs kill them when they rattle, so the ones that don't are the only survivors. I don't know, but it makes them much harder to avoid. I really don't remember seeing a rattler that announced his presence in the past 5-6 years.

Anyway, he was coiled up against the tank. I would not have been able to safely shoot him with a solid projectile. Those tanks are expensive, and water precious. I have also killed dozens on the porch, on the steps, around buildings, or around trucks and tractors, where I would not be able to chance a shot with solids. Even a few inside the shop.

You're right, in snake country they can turn up anywhere. And, while they can be killed with sticks, shovels, etc., I'm always carrying a gun, so that is handier. And, if you turn around to grab a shovel or hoe, when you turn back, they are often gone. It really sucks to know they are in your shop, or close by, and not know WHERE they are. Puts a crimp in your daily activities.

Carrying a mag of snake shot is wise where they are commonly found.

Having said that, every spring we enjoy gathering rattlers when they emerge from their dens. We carry paper feed sacks to put them in, and snake catchers (pincers) and prowl denning sites. They are so well camouflaged that often, when we see the first one at our feet, when we slowly look around, we will see 20-30 snakes coiled up within 10-15 feet of where we stand. I have caught 40 + snakes per site, and have never had to shoot one in such situations. However, I have been near caves that were so full of snakes that the whole side of the cliff sounded like it was rattling. I am ashamed to say that I didn't have the cajones to go inside. Would have loved to see it, but just not man enough to do so.
 
#20 ·
Due to the spin imparted by the rifling, commercial shot loads from a pistol tend to have bald spot in the center of the pattern at ranges much over a few feet.

On the other hand, there are at least two styles of shot cup used for handgun shot shells. Here, the author loads his own experimental snake loads for .38 Special and .44 Mag handguns: http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-30-snakeloads-o-truth/








.38 Special at 8 feet:





.44 Mag at 8 feet:





The Taurus Judge may be a viable option for snakes when shooting .410 shotshells: http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-41-the-taurus-judge-vs-the-box-o-truth/

Not too many holes in the "snake", but this appears to be from perhaps 8 feet away:





Rifled shotgun shooting buckshot at 5 yards: http://www.theboxotruth.com/the-box-o-truth-43-buckshot-in-a-rifled-shotgun-barrel/




Smoothbore shotgun shootng same buckshot at 5 yards:

 
#22 ·
I didn't think snakes could climb, but years ago my bride and I bought a small old log cabin, several times I found snakes on the cabin floor, finally I figured out they were climbing the cabin by weaving up were the logs intersected at the corner and combing in through a tiny hole I suppose a mouse chewed. Luckily they were plain old Garter snakes, but I think I shot 18 of those little buggers, some with birdshot in my 38 and others with birdshot with a 22 rifle. I've found snakes denned up in a truck I left parked along a field for the summer, still haven't figured out how they got in there.
 
#41 ·
Oh, snakes can climb alright-and it's amazing where they can get to. Their belly scales grip and push as they wriggle along. I spent about 30 minutes one afternoon watching a bird-hungry blacksnake work it's way up through the azaleas under a bird feeder and then, even though the azalea branch should not have supported the weight of a four foot snake (the dang thing must have been using it's own muscles and grip to reinforce the branch!) it ended up on the awning the bird feeders hang under!

When you're in woods that have snakes you need to look up as well as down...
 
#25 ·
Used to hunt rattlers for food. Delicious. Folks that reluctant to taste snake meat will fight you for every last bite once they do taste it. To me, its sort of a cross between chicken and pepperoni. Used to hunt with a plain old Daisy BB gun. Rattle snakes have no skull top so a BB in the top of the head kills them.

Have been desert camping with kids and families and had a big one slither into the middle of camp and freak everyone out. Had my old S&W Model 10 service revolver loaded with snake shot. This was an up close and personal encounter. I shoved the barrel of the revolver at the snake - he struck at the muzzle and I pulled the trigger and vaporized his head. He was good eating and a nice camera strap.
 
#27 ·
Have shot a few in the recent years with all sorts of loads. 45 Hornadu TAP blew one in two, but all the ones I've shot with ball ammo were no further than 3 feet and coiled. 12 gauge with #4 birdshot does some massive damage. Shot a coiled up hissing bull snake with 44 spread shot and not impressed it took 3 shots to kill it. Usually a spade shovel or the vehicle work. Cut the head off and bury and add the rattles to the bag at home


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#30 ·
Snake loads effectiveness

I have (so far) yet to see someone actually kill a snake out to 10'-20' with any of these loads - including me However, I have:
1) Shot a 4' long water moccasin in the head from about 7'-8' away using .22 mag snake loads. It calmly slithered away. No damage.
2) As well, shot a 5'-51/2' water moccasin in the head from 4'-5' away using .38 shotshells. Nothing happened! He eventually died because I had also run him over with my car - 3X!. No doubt, he was one tough hombre.
I now carry either a .45ACP or .40S&W w/a shotshell as my first round - nothing less. Those rounds are more powerful then any smaller caliber. I also use a Ruger GP100 in .44 Special when doable. Even then, I am not totally confident.
Bottom line, I laugh when people talk about how many hundreds of snakes they have killed with .22 shotshells. GIVE ME A BREAK! Perhaps if they cornered or captured a small snake and held a rifle up next to it. However, anything less - NO!
 
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