Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns birdshot out of a 22 lr revolver?

Yep.

And, while picking fox grapes in Southern creek bottoms in late summer, that "oh SHOT!" encounter situation happens more often than most would find comfortable.

But, it does lend itself to testing a variety of snake loads...

The .38/.357 is what I settled on. Works great on large rats and snakes (mainly copperheads) from 10 feet. Travels with me anytime I'm outside.

I've shot & killed many rattlers with pistol shot loads over the years, as well as with bullets. Due to close encounters (this old guy is approaching 60, and could STILL jump a vertical 10 feet as of 3 days ago), I've started carrying a shot load up first. I've found that from about 6-8 feet, a 22 CCI shot load leaves the snake lying still, where the larger caliber shot loads (38, 44, and 45 Colt) leave the snake wiggling a bit, although dying.
Al Miller did an article in Handloader years ago, and decided that the density of the shot pattern was the deciding factor. I agree.
Mark

Yep, I used that model 29 S&W .44mag more than once for copperheads and rattler's alike. It does steal the show when it comes to those lower calibers but if you really want to be impressive, just try that 3-inch Judge with a 3/4 ounce .410 shotgun shell of #7.5 or #6's by golly!!!

Come now, any one who has ever visited an internet message board knows that the Judge is worthless for EVERYTHING and has absolutly zero capabilities to kill or even scare any living thing, .

CB

No, the Judge is perfect for exactly that: a close-range snake blaster. In fact, most of the one's that first came into the local shops back home ended up as exactly that, and they live in boats and farm trucks because of it.

For anything else, the Judge basically sucks hind teat.

what if you threw the Judge at a snake? Would it make an effective rock?

Yep. I used to kill mice caught in glue traps with .22 long rifle shot loads from a Charter Arms revolver. Turns them into hamburger. At close range, should work on snakes too.

I've never seen a 3/4 oz loading in a .410. The heaviest I've ever been able to buy is 9/16 oz. in a 3" shell. Who makes the 3/4 oz?

I suspect Tonk just misrememberizerated it.

The crimped .22 shotshells work fine at close range. We even used to shoot rats and mice at night. Bait them with crumbled crackers, sit real still, listen, and then hit them with the beam of the flashlight held in your left hand and blast them with the revolver loaded with shotshells in your right.

I've killed a couple of rattlesnakes with both capsule and crimped .22 shotshells, as well as handloaded capsules with #12 shot from .38/.357, .44 and .45 Colt revolvers. I swear by the small shot size and denser patterns. Those .45 capsules hold a decent amount of #12 shot!

I load my 17 with two capsules,then four HP's after he coils up from the first two shots,,been workin for 25 years...

another thought, I have not seen much 22 ratshot on the shelves lately. They used to make it in the longer all brass crimped shells. I guess I have not looked since using a 2 inch 38 for most everything. In a ruger single six the ratshot worked pretty well for me, another pistol I wish I had not ever sold.

Your going to at least need a .357 mag and those shotshells are high in my opinion, around $15 dollars for 12 shells. Those .410 shells in 3/4 oz 3 inches cost me around $8.00 dollars for 25 of them.

Really? Who'd a thunk it?

I've shot a few snakes with CCI shot cartridges in 22 LR, 22 MRF, 38/357, and 44. All have worked, but I generally carry a 22 MRF, Rossi 515, or 44 SPL, Rossi 720, when I'm afield during snake season.

JEff

What is the "snake season" in NE? Our's in NC will run April thru December.I think they head to Florida in Jan-Feb and start heading back in March...

.410 3/4 ounce:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=181106

There are much cheaper loads for the 3-inch Judge than paying Winhester $16 dollars a box for your ammo. The last 5 boxes I purchased cost me $8.oo dollars a box!

My farm is on the Nebraska - Kansas border and the copperheards are out in the limestone from late April thru mid to late October. The only rattlesnakes that I've seen in NE are Massasaugas and Timbers in the southeast and Prairies in the west.

JEff