Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Snake Gun...It’s almost time.

My favorite snake gun is a mossburg 500 12 gauge with low base 3-1-8s. The pistol grip and 18.5 inch barrel are fairly manageable with the lighter loads.

Next up ... Contender 12 inch barrel with 3 inch .410 shells. One of the 5 shot .410 revolvers might be worthy for that use, too.

I used to roll my own .44 magnum snake loads. The plastic capsules won't take a lot of pressure but if you pour in the shot, heat them a bit, then fill the cup the rest of the way with wax it holds a better pattern at higher velocity.

I've pondered getting an 870 entry gun with a 12 inch barrel .. seems to be the $5 tax stamp, not the $200 one. Suddenly, though, I think I see a use for one of those percussion 20 gauge "howdah" pistols.

I usually carry a 22 or 38 revolver with snake shot when at the lease
Have shot more moccisans than rattlers
Going this weekend, will take the 22

We have water moccasin, copperhead and rattlesnake here.

Yikes....sure glad we don't have any snakes in Alaska! Occasionally someone will claim to have found a snake down in the southeast part of the state, but I never saw any down there either.

Good idea on them 38 sp ratshot

I need to get myself some. Always have the snub with me anyways.

I do encounter snakes believe it not out in the middle of these row crop fields. HOWEVER...the are moving a little s-l-o-w already from all the pre-emergent Monsanto juice. 2/4-D, roundup, liberty, surpass, agent orange and God knows what else.

I've used the 38 special shot shells more than a few times and they work just fine. Tried 22 same and while it worked you had shoot several times to take a rattler out of the mood.

The 38's just stopped any fight instantly. Have some in 40 cal but never got to use it.

I've used the 38 special shot shells more than a few times and they work just fine. Tried 22 same and while it worked you had shoot several times to take a rattler out of the mood.

The 38's just stopped any fight instantly. Have some in 40 cal but never got to use it.

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I load my own with #12 shot with 8.0 gr of Unique in a capsule made by Speer. I practiced with about fist sized potatoes and it really tears them up. Mike Venturino (IIRC) suggested #12 being better than #9 for killing snakes.

I had a Glock 21 that shot some really tight patterns with the city shot loads . It was 45 also , but surprising .
Kenneth.

38 works well,
44 better.

I have always figgured if I lived in Fla. I would get a 20ga H&R, cut it to 20' and put a sling on it.
Trap loads would be great python fixers.

38 shot shells work , I had a 5'3" rat snake crawl in through the drier vent . Loose in the house I finally spotted him and 1 shot at his head from 5 to 6 feet away got him . I had to or my girlfriend was threatening to leave me .

I've had great luck with .38 shot loads. I generally carry a 3" Model 60 around the farm. First round up is a shot load (Killing poisonous snakes is a job, NOT a marksmanship competition).

Last week we had a sounder of pigs run right across our path. Wife was driving. She slammed on the brakes. I stepped out and thought the quickest way to get past the shot cartridge (and to a real bullet) was to shoot it. Might as well shoot at something. So, I shot at one of the smaller pigs at about 15 yards.

Rolled it over. Yeah, I was surprised.

Anything from a .22 rimfire to a .45 ACP with snake shot.

Holly Schit! I would be replacing my floors...12g with 3” mag #6 shot would be deployed..I Hate Snakes 🐍😎

I used to get better results (at ~ 6-8 feet) from 22's - and finally realized the smaller shot had a more dense pattern.
DRT - very little movement after the shot!
I started reloading .38 SPL with #12 shot (special order) in the CCI shot columns, and have equally, or even better results from my S&W 37 3".

Yeah, I getting the impression I’m good 2 go with my Rug LCR with 38 snake shot...😎

I used a 38 LCR and 38 airweight for many years on snake's, I started having problems with the plastic protruding foward after recoil and the cylinder is hard to get open. I would reload and make sure the cylinder spun easy and shoot it not all would protrude but i couldn't take the chance in the oilfield where i drove around i had a chance of seeing them, we new where
many of the dens were and had friends that were hunter's come and get them out to sale at the Sweetwater rattlesnake round up. I had friends that had the same problem with shotshells.i started taken my judge, retired 4 yrs ago but still carry it at the farm and helping friends kill hogs I use bigger cartridges on them.

A little silicone call on the capsules before seating will help keep them in place.
Getting the crimp right is the worst part of loading shotshells.
Too loose and the slide out.
Too tight,and the case cuts the capsul.

Wonder how a taper crimp would work?

They work fine. My favorites in both .38 and .44 are the ones where I fill the capsules with
my own chop-shot. The little nasty sharp bits just work better than the nice round shot.
They're tedious to make, but I don't need too many.

Who needs shotshells?