.38 shotshell patterning - 08/26/20
Been enjoying a new2me Smith Model 60-4 .38 Special and went out this morning to try some CCI shotshells. The box says they carry 135 pellets but I didn't count each one so will take their word for it.
The patterning targets were set to emulate a viper's head, basically triangular shaped 1 1/2" base x 1 1/4" height. I know you'd normally see a snake head at something of an angle or looking right at you but needed some standard so used a profile. I was going to draw a snake body under the head but that quickly took on a phallic appearance. Shooting at that would be way too Freudian so that idea was abandoned.
Patterns were shot at 5, 8 and 10 feet, those distances set up carefully with a tape measure. Rounds were fired single action, aiming point was the center of the triangle. After firing one round at each distance I brought the target holder back to 5' and fired two shells.
Some take-aways. All patterns remained circular and had a regular dispersion out to 10 feet, no "doughnut hole" appeared where the rifling spun the shot outwards. Patterns were centered slightly below point of aim but with 20/20 hindsight that makes sense since the revolver is sighted in for standard 158 grain bullets and these loads recoil less. They do recoil some, not a lot but I was a bit surprised at the first shot.
Are they effective? I'd say they definitely are but hits are kind of random. if you're going to shoot a snake you'll want to get as close as the snake will let you, and I'd take the stance of "keep boomin' 'til it ain't movin'". Two rounds didn't give twice the hits but did give more hits.
On the subject of shooting snakes in general, I'll leave that up to each of you. I'd just as soon live and let live but if I found a venomous snake around a house with kids and dogs it would be bang bang arrivederci to that snake. On the subject of using a snake load vs. just hitting them with a stick, again that would be reader's choice. This is a gun forum so here are the results for those who would use a firearm.
Now on to the pics.
5 feet. 5 hits in the head, pattern is circular with a 6" diameter.
8 feet. Only two hits in the head and one of those just grazed the nose. Pattern is 11" tall by 9 1/2" wide.
10 feet. 3 hits in the head, you can see that hits are really kind of a random chance thing. Pattern is over 11"+ tall by 12 1/2", several pellets went off the paper top and bottom. The target is 2" by 1 1/2" so this is a bigger snake and not something I'd want to approach closer than 10 feet.
Back to 5 feet, two shots. 7 hits in the head, pattern is 6 1/2" tall by 5 1/2" wide. The shot cup itself would add to the destruction, you can see a nice wadcutter style hole right in the neck and there are shards of blue plastic stuck around the paper.
Hero picture with the revolver and a shotshell.
Hope this helps and has been of some interest to y'all.
The patterning targets were set to emulate a viper's head, basically triangular shaped 1 1/2" base x 1 1/4" height. I know you'd normally see a snake head at something of an angle or looking right at you but needed some standard so used a profile. I was going to draw a snake body under the head but that quickly took on a phallic appearance. Shooting at that would be way too Freudian so that idea was abandoned.
Patterns were shot at 5, 8 and 10 feet, those distances set up carefully with a tape measure. Rounds were fired single action, aiming point was the center of the triangle. After firing one round at each distance I brought the target holder back to 5' and fired two shells.
Some take-aways. All patterns remained circular and had a regular dispersion out to 10 feet, no "doughnut hole" appeared where the rifling spun the shot outwards. Patterns were centered slightly below point of aim but with 20/20 hindsight that makes sense since the revolver is sighted in for standard 158 grain bullets and these loads recoil less. They do recoil some, not a lot but I was a bit surprised at the first shot.
Are they effective? I'd say they definitely are but hits are kind of random. if you're going to shoot a snake you'll want to get as close as the snake will let you, and I'd take the stance of "keep boomin' 'til it ain't movin'". Two rounds didn't give twice the hits but did give more hits.
On the subject of shooting snakes in general, I'll leave that up to each of you. I'd just as soon live and let live but if I found a venomous snake around a house with kids and dogs it would be bang bang arrivederci to that snake. On the subject of using a snake load vs. just hitting them with a stick, again that would be reader's choice. This is a gun forum so here are the results for those who would use a firearm.
Now on to the pics.
5 feet. 5 hits in the head, pattern is circular with a 6" diameter.
8 feet. Only two hits in the head and one of those just grazed the nose. Pattern is 11" tall by 9 1/2" wide.
10 feet. 3 hits in the head, you can see that hits are really kind of a random chance thing. Pattern is over 11"+ tall by 12 1/2", several pellets went off the paper top and bottom. The target is 2" by 1 1/2" so this is a bigger snake and not something I'd want to approach closer than 10 feet.
Back to 5 feet, two shots. 7 hits in the head, pattern is 6 1/2" tall by 5 1/2" wide. The shot cup itself would add to the destruction, you can see a nice wadcutter style hole right in the neck and there are shards of blue plastic stuck around the paper.
Hero picture with the revolver and a shotshell.
Hope this helps and has been of some interest to y'all.