Snake shot in a pistol?
- Thread starter Clark
- Start date
- Replies 49
- Views 1,049
jjwestbrook
Happy to be here
they cycled well in my sig p220 45 acp
Last edited:
Got in the chicken coop, he would not have stopped. I didn't want to, he had been around for years.
I knew as soon as I posted that pic.....
Last edited:
You should have known 'cause that isn't justified.
I've seen one in the coop with an egg in his belly. He couldn't get out with the bulge so he was trapped. I got him out and he went on his way.
Haven't seen him trapped in there again. Small tax to pay to keep out rodents (which are worse around chickens).
Last edited:
I’m gonna start a NC snake rescue nonprofit.
To OP, only way to know is to burn 4 or 5, but there are very few snakes that you can’t push away with a walking stick faster than you can draw and shoot. I’ve shot a few.
To OP, only way to know is to burn 4 or 5, but there are very few snakes that you can’t push away with a walking stick faster than you can draw and shoot. I’ve shot a few.
I don’t blame you - sometimes it has to be done. I had one like that around for years, and got some video of him eating some eggs in a “rogue” nest that was laid outside the coop. Was happy to have him around, even though a year later we found a dead hen who had been sitting on eggs in the coop - looked like he tried to eat the hen, but spit it back out when he couldn’t swallow the whole chicken.
Then a year or 2 later (and 7 feet long) we found him in our baby chick coop where he had eaten 4 out of our 7 one-month old chicks, and then couldn’t fit back out the way he got in.
I was trying to get him to leave the remaining chicks, and kept throwing him out of the coop, but as soon as he hit the ground he kept racing to get back in. I told my wife that if he charged back to the coop on one more throw, I was going to have to shoot him. Luckily he changed direction and gave me time to close up the coop and get him into a trash can. My younger daughter and I relocated him to some gamelands a few miles away.
It was awesome having him around, but when he started eating animals that large, he couldn’t stay.
You can still see some of the chick “lumps” in him in the pic below, when we released him.
Snoopz
Well-Known Member
Snakes yes...only as a last resort, I prefer not to shoot em.
Used to reload the "shot capsules" from Speer they worked good in the 357 / 44 mag revolvers. Dont know about semi-auto
Bear all you'd do is piss em off with the shot.
I used to carry a Contender with a 410 / 45 Colt barrel in a shoulder holster. The Colt was loaded with Heavy SWC bullets / 250 JHP's. Used a handgun 《Contender》 for most of my hunting.
-Snoopz
Used to reload the "shot capsules" from Speer they worked good in the 357 / 44 mag revolvers. Dont know about semi-auto
Bear all you'd do is piss em off with the shot.
I used to carry a Contender with a 410 / 45 Colt barrel in a shoulder holster. The Colt was loaded with Heavy SWC bullets / 250 JHP's. Used a handgun 《Contender》 for most of my hunting.
-Snoopz
Burt Gummer
May Have Shorter Meme Posting Times Than U Normies
Staff member
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Charter Life Member
Benefactor
Vendor
Supporting Member
Salesman of the Year
Multi-Factor Enabled
I've worn snake boots for decades, never had a problem. Different when wearing waders, I don't think they would stop a bite.
I was in a deer club for 4 years where rattlesnakes were a problem, farmer asked us to kill any we saw to keep 'em away from his family. Never saw one.
Hoping to be hunting a new area where moccasins are an issue, not too comfortable with sharing a duck blind with one.
While I don't believe in just killing every snake I see. Specially black snakes I relocate them 99% of the time. But water moccasins is another story. There about the only snake I know of around these parts that will actively come after you instead of snakin away. Hanging rock state park and several other areas real close to me are covered in timber rattlers and while I've seen them they usually scurry off same with most other species. But a damn water moccasin will come straight for you. So they usually get killed.
Old School
Active Member
Decades ago I shot a few rounds of the CCI shotshell .22 LR through a Ruger Bearcat and a Ruger Mk 1. It is a valid question to wonder at what range it would kill a snake. The CCI would not consistently cycle the Ruger. Federal made a crimped end .22 shot shell that was too long to reliably eject from the Ruger. No reliability issues with the Bearcat (love my Bearcat). I don't know if either round is made any more.
I'm accustomed to dirty shooting .22 ammo and these 2 rounds were VERY filthy, even by bulk .22 LR standards.
I'm accustomed to dirty shooting .22 ammo and these 2 rounds were VERY filthy, even by bulk .22 LR standards.
Burt Gummer
May Have Shorter Meme Posting Times Than U Normies
Staff member
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Charter Life Member
Benefactor
Vendor
Supporting Member
Salesman of the Year
Multi-Factor Enabled
Here we go with the “water moccasins will chase you” bit.
Jmoser
Well-Known Member
.22 shotshells wont break a ritz cracker at any decent distance. The #12 shot or so is miniscule. Save those for Carpenter bees at 4-6 feet away.
Just for S&G I loaded some .45 Colt with #7.5 in the empty capsules you used to be able to buy [maybe still can?] Decent pattern at 15 feet out of a Vaquero but it starts to 'donut' pretty fast. Velocity is limited as too much just blows the pattern apart. Like 800 fps with Unique powder as I recall was the recommended high end. One of these days I'll test my loads on a raw chicken drumstick to see what happens.
I bought a set of snake tongs off Amazon for backyard relocations [copperheads not eligible.]
Just for S&G I loaded some .45 Colt with #7.5 in the empty capsules you used to be able to buy [maybe still can?] Decent pattern at 15 feet out of a Vaquero but it starts to 'donut' pretty fast. Velocity is limited as too much just blows the pattern apart. Like 800 fps with Unique powder as I recall was the recommended high end. One of these days I'll test my loads on a raw chicken drumstick to see what happens.
I bought a set of snake tongs off Amazon for backyard relocations [copperheads not eligible.]
Last edited:
Water snakes go for the water, where they are most comfortable. People get between them (sunning up on a bank, etc) and water and then believe they were attacked.
Or, they get under them in a boat. The snakes like hanging in trees because they can drop right into the water where they are safer. Startle them and they can drop into your boat.
Moccasins are not really very aggressive and don't attack people.
Being I've spent my whole life in the sticks around everything that creeps and crawls and have had moccasins come toward me instead of shy away like other critters I would say from experience that moccasins are alot more aggressive then other species. On numerous occasions have had them come up the river bank toward me when they could have just dropped in the water and been gone.
Which river?
Last edited:
It's highly unlikely your encounters were with water moccasins because the areas you are talking about are outside the established range for water moccasins in NC. With that many run-ins I'm sure the NCWRC would love to hear from you.
That's the reason I asked about which river. It seems like every snake in NC is either a copperhead or cottonmouth.
Cottonmouths in North Carolina: Where They Live and How Often They Bite
There are many snakes in North Carolina, one of which is the venomous cottonmouth. Let's learn about cottonmouths in North Carolina!
Cottonmouth - North Carolina
bio.davidson.edu
Last edited:
I don't care- 2, 4, or no legs- don't mess with me, I don't mess with you. But you get where I don't want you, your lucky to get 1 free pass.
But you also might not get lucky.
I don't kill every snake I see around the house, but I will probably kill everyone I see twice. I know a black snake bite is not going to kill a human or pet most of the time (it can cause infection, and not going to chance it with my 84 year old mom..) but not going to live with them in the "human" zone, lol
But you also might not get lucky.
I don't kill every snake I see around the house, but I will probably kill everyone I see twice. I know a black snake bite is not going to kill a human or pet most of the time (it can cause infection, and not going to chance it with my 84 year old mom..) but not going to live with them in the "human" zone, lol
I appreciate all the great feedback. Alot of my life if I wasn't on the water or in the woods I wouldn't have ate. And know what my encounters was with. I'm sure I'll run into another cotton mouth (water moccasin) before my days are up. I'll make sure to take some pics.It's highly unlikely your encounters were with water moccasins because the areas you are talking about are outside the established range for water moccasins in NC. With that many run-ins I'm sure the NCWRC would love to hear from you.
That's the reason I asked about which river. It seems like every snake in NC is either a copperhead or cottonmouth.
View attachment 724649
View attachment 724646
Cottonmouths in North Carolina: Where They Live and How Often They Bite
There are many snakes in North Carolina, one of which is the venomous cottonmouth. Let's learn about cottonmouths in North Carolina!a-z-animals.com
Cottonmouth - North Carolina
bio.davidson.edu
Sometimes you are not walking around when you run up on a snake. Sometimes you may be sitting on the ground waiting on a turkey or belly deep in a beaver pond hunting ducks. A pair of snake boots does little to help you in some situations. I have worn snake boots since the mid 1970s and carry a handgun when in the woods ever since I heard a rattle in some low growth and looked down to see a canebrake several feet from me heading my way. I do not like to kill snakes and very rarely do. I do like to be prepared if I need to.
I have never tried snake/rat shot in an autoloader but have shot quite a few 44 Magnum and 45 Colt shot cartridges in revolvers. I found that they need to be shot before you shoot a cartridge with a bullet because the shot capsules may move forward during recoil from a full power cartridge and lock up the revolver. Been there. Done that. No fun.
I have never tried snake/rat shot in an autoloader but have shot quite a few 44 Magnum and 45 Colt shot cartridges in revolvers. I found that they need to be shot before you shoot a cartridge with a bullet because the shot capsules may move forward during recoil from a full power cartridge and lock up the revolver. Been there. Done that. No fun.
Burt Gummer
May Have Shorter Meme Posting Times Than U Normies
Staff member
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Charter Life Member
Benefactor
Vendor
Supporting Member
Salesman of the Year
Multi-Factor Enabled
Please get some pics. There are absolutely zero water moccasins in the pilot mountain area, Dan River area, and most of the Yadkin River basin. You do however have Northern Water Snakes
georgel
Behind Every Blade of Grass
Charter Member
Benefactor
Supporting Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Around the farm, I have keep my dog off the black snakes. He hates them since he was bitten and his nose was swollen up. Took him to the vet for that one. We're pretty sure that was a copperhead. Since then he attacks them with a vengeance. I try to chase him off so they have a chance to get away or if I have something to cover them with so he can't get to them.
They are intended to be used from handguns. If they don't cycle a semi auto who cares? It's not like you're in a gunfight, cycle it yourself.
Oh yeah, assuming your target is a snake and not a bear LOL! Bear defense begins with 12ga slugs, 45/70, etc. IMO.
Last edited:
Burt Gummer
May Have Shorter Meme Posting Times Than U Normies
Staff member
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Charter Life Member
Benefactor
Vendor
Supporting Member
Salesman of the Year
Multi-Factor Enabled
Venomous?
While I don’t believe they do for the most part I have seen an exception at least once that I remember. A friend and I were frog gigging and using a rechargeable incandescent spotlight. A 3.5’ foot one came at us fast from the far side of small pond and we killed him with a .22 just before he got to us on the bank. The only explanation I have is that he was attracted to the heat of the light source. That was the only time I can think of in several hundred run ins with cottonmouths. After LED lights got better and we switched I’ve never had another encounter. Though I don’t go gigging like I used to.
To the OP I use rat shot out of a S&W 43c in my yard for copperheads if I can’t get to them with a 5.5’ fiberglass tree stake. It’s not very effective past ten feet or so but it will usually anchor them. Shotshells from my .38 or 9mm are a whole different story though. They seem like a small shotgun with a still very limited range.