# School me on snake shot



## BarbedWireSmile (Feb 2, 2008)

I seek the collective wisdom of the board:

I live near water that contains, among many other critters, snakes. I would like to load up some snake shot into my 686 for close-encounters. Are there any negatives to shooting shot through a rifled pistol barrel? Is it bad for the rifling?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts / experience

-BWS


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

I have never seen where it hurt any of my guns. I have dispatched a lot of cotton mouths and it works just fine but you need to be fairly close.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

It works well in my Ruger Single Six.

As baldy say's get close but not to close.

:smt1099


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## demented (Mar 4, 2008)

No way plastic sleeves can harm a steel barrel. As Baldy says, you'll have to be pretty close to get decent pattern density, rifling plays heck with patterns. I consider 10 ft to be the maximum range, half this to be even better. I buy the empty tubes, load my own, at near a dollar per each, factory loads get pretty expensive. I usually go through at least 50 during fishing season. In .38 caliber, we found that three number 1 buckshot will fit in a tube. We've been playing around with these as a possible self defense loads for "snubbie" revolvers. Loaded to Plus "P" specs for 158 gr. lead semiwadcutters, we're getting some interesting results, especially with copper plated shot.


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## txpete (Nov 29, 2006)

I load my own speer sells the capsules.the plastic fouling isn't a problem just do a good cleaning when your done.I like to use 7 1/2 or 8 shot.one thing is the point of impact will be a little lower than say 158 gr loads.try out a few first.when I go out to the ranch/deer lease I have the first 2 rd's loaded with snake shot the rest 158 gr swc's in my 681.
pete


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## JJB (Dec 27, 2006)

i shoot them through my s&w model 27 every now and then... i have the speer shot capsules some loaded with #2 shot some loaded with #6-7 shot and some loaded with #9 shot.... all LEAD shot so as not to damage the rifleing in my baby! the model 27 is turned into a 6" shotgun that is very effective on different critter targets....i have used it on possums and **** with good results... the bigger critters soak up more than one round of shot load but it does take em out without too much worry of a stray 150 gr swc going through a neighbors house... i haven't used any of the #9 shot rounds yet but like i said the other two work! i'm thinking if was to have snake problems i'd use the #9 shot on em for greater shot concentrations on a small target such as that.......


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## Charlie (May 13, 2006)

txpete said:


> I load my own speer sells the capsules.the plastic fouling isn't a problem just do a good cleaning when your done.I like to use 7 1/2 or 8 shot.one thing is the point of impact will be a little lower than say 158 gr loads.try out a few first.when I go out to the ranch/deer lease I have the first 2 rd's loaded with snake shot the rest 158 gr swc's in my 681.
> pete


Glad to know you're loading shot. I'm going to do some shotshell loading a little later on for my .45 Colt and the .44 mag. I'll email or call you in a couple of weeks and pick your brain a little. :smt023


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## niadhf (Jan 20, 2008)

Charlie said:


> Glad to know you're loading shot. I'm going to do some shotshell loading a little later on for my .45 Colt and the .44 mag. I'll email or call you in a couple of weeks and pick your brain a little. :smt023


Charlie, 
I will try to look thorugh some older gun rags and find the article by(?) John Taffin on 45 colt snake loads. Had a couple good ideas and loads. But I got a lot of old gun rags. Hmm maybe i'll try "Google". Anyways, it seemed like a good article. I keep saying i'll try it, but never do.


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## JohnnyFlake (Jan 30, 2008)

I have popped a few rattlers over the years, out in the desert while metal detecting. I've used both .357 snake loads and .44 special snake loads. They do the trick, but you do have to be fairly close, about 6 foot is best. One thing, for sure, never, ever try to pick up one of them critters after to pop them. That is a big No-No! I know of one guy in the Metal Detecting Club that tried to pick one up by the tail, at least an hour after it was shot and he got nailed on his thumb. 

One note of interest, a relative of mine from California came to Nevada to do some metal detecting with me and he had a Derringer with 6" barrels that was chambered for .45 LC and also accepted .410 Short shot shells. He took out a sidewinder, on the move, from about 15' with one shot! That .410 round really nailed it!


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## Charlie (May 13, 2006)

niadhf said:


> Charlie,
> I will try to look thorugh some older gun rags and find the article by(?) John Taffin on 45 colt snake loads. Had a couple good ideas and loads. But I got a lot of old gun rags. Hmm maybe i'll try "Google". Anyways, it seemed like a good article. I keep saying i'll try it, but never do.


Thanks. I appreciate that! :smt023


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## niadhf (Jan 20, 2008)

JohnnyFlake said:


> One note of interest, a relative of mine from California came to Nevada to do some metal detecting with me and he had a Derringer with 6" barrels that was chambered for .45 LC and also accepted .410 Short shot shells. He took out a sidewinder, on the move, from about 15' with one shot! That .410 round really nailed it!


I had one of them about 12 years ago with a 3 or 4 inch barrel.. Loved the gun. Sold it on account of maintaining marital bliss. It was a nice gun, but after 6 rounds, man did the web of my hand ache.

Charlie, sorry, my brain is getting sloppy. it was mike venturino and the 44 mag. here is a related link.
http://www.castbullet.com/reload/44shot.htm
The article by Mike does have some 45 stuff. If you can't find it on Handloader web page, I can scan it, like 6 pages with adds. Let me know.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

I've not used the shot shells in anything. I did do the 410 thing with a LC pistol..It made pretty quick work of it:smt083


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## milquetoast (Nov 25, 2006)

BarbedWireSmile said:


> I seek the collective wisdom of the board:
> 
> I live near water that contains, among many other critters, snakes. I would like to load up some snake shot into my 686 for close-encounters. Are there any negatives to shooting shot through a rifled pistol barrel? Is it bad for the rifling?
> 
> ...


The CCI shotshells have a plastic capsule. The shot never touches the barrel. If you are going to load your own, you can buy the capsules as components.


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## txpete (Nov 29, 2006)

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=682652&t=11082005


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## Guest (Mar 5, 2008)

I have the Speer Manual #13 and it gives instructions on loading shotshell. I loaded up some in 38 Spl for use in my SP-101. When you load up some I would go to the range to pattern and practice shooting at something like a can on the ground just to familarize yourself with them. When the time comes that you'll need them you'll be to use them.


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