Snake Gun Shotshell Unofficial Comparison

K

kel

New member
The topic usually comes up every year around Spring so I figured since I have most of the popular size shotshells laying around I would do a pattern test at 5 feet and 10 feet to show how they stack up. I chose not to shoot closer than 5 feet as all guns will do an effective job within 5 feet, besides, I’m a believer that if you encounter a poisoness snake within 5 feet you are either going to walk by without knowing it’s there, get bit before you can react, or your reflexes will have you opening the distance very quickly. The 10 foot distance is there because it’s my comfort zone and I don’t like to approach closer than that.

Let me just say that I am far from a tree hugger but I do have to say I also don’t believe a snake gun is probably going to bail you out of getting bit. Awareness of where you put your hands and feet and a good pair of snake boots are your best protection. I carry a gun loaded for snakes with the specific purpose of killing them, with the intent of myself, family or pets not getting bit by them in the future. Unless you are playing with them it’s normally the unseen snake that ends up biting.

I used 6 guns in 4 calibers with a short and long barreled .22, and .38 to see just how much, if any barrel length played a part. I did not perform the shooting with the 8” Barrel .38 as I had run out of my own .38 ammo. I would’ve perhaps taken another shot with the gun to center the pattern a bit better but since the CCI shotshells are not cheap I decided not to ask that it be reshot. Keep that in mind when looking at the results. One thing it does suggest is just like any other type shooting it is still a good idea to practice to know where you’re aim point needs to be for the best pattern.

Guns used were: 2 ½” and 5 ½” .22lr revolvers, 2” and 8” 38/357 Revolvers, .45 Auto 3.9” barrel, Taurus Judge 3” barrel.

Now on to my results and yours may vary: I used an orange 2” circle as the aim point and let it represent a fairly large snake head like an Eastern Diamondback. Thanks once again to Mytargets.com for saving me money. That being said, I used a black marker to mark the hits so it would be easier to see. It gives the illusion that the holes are the same size for all ammo. Keep in mind that is not the case. Also, I’m sure there are instances where pellets made it thru the same hole. When I was counting if I could not find evidence of multiple pellets in a hole it was counted as one. The only change was with the .45 as the pattern was so tight I had to take the total amount of pellets and subtract the pellets outside of the orange circle.

I counted each round to see how many of the pellets would end up in the orange and how many would end up on the target which was standard 8 ½”X11” paper. Remember, shot sizes are different and do make a difference.

5 Feet Orange Hits:

1. .45 Auto 174 hits
2. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 43 hits
3. .410 17 hits
4. .38 2” Barrel 16 hits
5. .22 2 ½” Barrel 16 hits
6. .38 8” Barrel 7 hits

10 Feet 2” Orange Hits:
1. .45 Auto 24 hits
2. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 15 hits
3. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 9 hits
4. .38 2” Barrel 7 hits
5. .410 5 hits
6. .38 8” Barrel 5 hits

Overall Hits on Target 5 Foot/10 Foot Range:

1. .45 Auto 210/144
2. .410 129/66
3. .38 8” Barrel 102/62
4. .38 2” Barrel 104/85
5. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 104/86
6. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 97/90


Approx Amount of Shot in Each Type:

1. .45 Auto 210
2. .22lr 165
3. .410 155
4. .38 135

Velocity as advertised, not tested. Will vary with length of barrel:
1. .22lr 1280 fps
2. .410 1135 fps
3. .45 Auto 1100 fps
4. .38 1000 fps

Weight of Individual Pellet:

1. .410 1.99 grains
2. .45/.38 .75 grains
3. .22lr .188 grains

Total Weight of Pellets (In Grains) in 2” Circle From 5 Feet:
1. .45 Auto 130.5
2. .410 33.83
3. .38 2” Barrel 12
4. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 8.084
5. .38 8” Barrel 5.25
6. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 3.008

Total Weight of Pellets (In Grains) in 2” Circle From 10 Feet:

1. .45 Auto 18
2. .410 9.95
3. .38 2” Barrel 5.25
4. .38 8” Barrel 3.75
5. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 2.82
6. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 1.692

Ammo Comparison from L to R: .22, .38, .45, .410.

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First up is the .22lr 2 ½ Barrel.

Winchester 25gr which converts to .057 ounce. #12 shot or as is sometimes referred to as dust shot. Approximately 20 cents a round.

.22lr 2 ½” from 5 feet

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.22lr 2 ½” from 10 feet

1056.jpg


.22lr 5 ½” Barrel.

.22lr 5 ½” from 5 feet

1057.jpg


.22lr 5 ½” from 10 feet

1058.jpg


Conclusion: Although it does put a fair amount of pellets on target they are the smallest sized pellets of the group. CCI makes a version with 33gr that comes out to .075 ounce that ups the price to about 27 cents a round. My personal opinion from my own experiences: Like bringing a knife to a gun fight.

Next up the CCI 38/357. ¼ ounce of #9 shot as taken from the info on the package. About $1.40 a round.

First the 8” barrel version.

.38 8” 5 Feet

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.38 8” 10 Feet

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2” Barrel

.38 2” 5 Feet

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.38 2” 10 Feet

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Conclusion: Not too bad. I went to this after I had deemed the .22 not powerful enough. Never had the chance to shoot a snake before I discovered the .45 loads. Not really much of a difference between the longer and shorter barrel. In a snub nose this makes a hard hitting package for the size.

.45 Auto. CCI 1/3 ounce of #9 shot, $1.50 a round.

.45 5 feet

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Continued

.45 10 feet

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Conclusion: My favorite snake round. My .45 only cost me $275 as I wouldn’t use a high dollar 1911 to drag around shooting snakes. I have a Star PD and it cycles the shotshells without fail. Like having a mini semi-auto shotgun in the holster. A drawback is that at the closer ranges you’d better be able to aim a bit as the pattern is so tight up close. I have never shot a snake with the .45 within 15 feet that wasn’t finished immediately, except for the small cottonmouth from 6 feet that I missed completely due to being off target. Luckily he waited for me to take another shot. I’m not sure if the small disc out front holding the shot in the case is responsible for such tight groups up close as compared to the shot cup on the CCI .38 version.

And now the Judge. I don’t own one but my in-law across the street has a stainless version that I was able to borrow. I figured this would be the ringer. Shells were Winchester 3 inch #6 shot, 11/16 oz. About 50 cents a round.


Judge 5 feet

1065.jpg


Judge 10 feet

1066.jpg


Conclusion: I misread the shell casing as a #8 shot instead of the #6 that it was. I found that out while looking at the box to find out the weight of the load. Had I known that I would’ve purchased some different ammo but it was discovered after the shooting was done and I just don’t need an extra box of .410 sitting around, so this is what I went with. The #6 should hit much harder than the #9’s, although the #9’s would fill in the pattern better. While searching for data I found the ammo company Rio is producing a 2 ½” shell filled with #12 shot for $8.95 a box of 25. If I owned a Judge I would try it out but I think it really needs an 8 or a 9 to hit hard and blanket the target. Love my .45 but if I had to buy just a dedicated snake gun……..and had $450 or so dollars laying around it would be the Judge. Weight and size could be a negative for some. I thought recoil was very manageable.

Edit: As I’ve spent the last few days gathering data and typing I keep thinking about whether or not I can justify buying a Judge. I have enough snakes, but other than that I’m not sure what I’d do with it.

I’ll turn it over to the experts now and let them chime in.

One more note. I also found a company online selling 12 gauge with #12 shot loaded. I think the count was around 2500 pellets per round. Talk about coverage. $1.50 a piece.

And a final note. Each time you’d fire these groups the numbers would change but hopefully this shows the basic differences between the choices out there. They do make shotshells for .22 mag, 9mm, 45 colt and probably more but I didn’t test any of those options.
 
Kel,

Great write-up and test. That's as good a test and data as I have seen pertaining to shot loads.

Over the years I have shot the .38 / .357 revolvers of both 2" and 4" barrels with shot loads. I also loaded some of the CCI plastic cups that are available to roll your own, loaded with #9 shot. As well, I used a .44 Special Charter Arms Bulldog revolver with a 3" barrel as I recall, and a Smith & Wesson model 29 .44 mag with a 6" barrel. I didn't much care for the .22 shot loads.

However, when I tried the .45 ACP CCI factory loads in my government model Kimber, all I can say is "WOW." Man, I have been really impressed with that load in my .45. It does indeed shoot tight as you mentioned. It's hard to imagine the .45 being that good, but it is for some reason. It kind-of defies logic.


.45 Kimber and CCI loads

SnakeLoad.jpg


SnakeMedicine.jpg





 
6mm06, If you were closer I'd come up just for the snake hunting! The last snake I shot was an Eastern Diamondback about 3 weeks ago. My brother in law got one last week. Seeing more this year than last. I normally carry an 870 youth 20 gauge on the atv as it fits within the width so I don't snag it on any branches, etc. The 45 goes fishing and during any work out in the woods behind the house. Also gets to ride on the lawn mower too. It's not like I see a snake everytime but it sure seems when you leave the house without a gun that you wish you didn't.

Of all the snakes I have the hardest time picking up copperheads. We have plenty of fallen down timber that has the spots just like the snakes. Last Summer I was using the chainsaw to cut some small trees off at ground level. Saw something wriggling around under the saw blade and it ended up being a baby copperhead.
 
Very interesting report. I bought a Bond Arms Snake Slayer IV a while back for offing offending poisonous snakes. I actually like non poisonous snakes, I have no use for the venomous varieties.

Saw a comprehensive test of .410 shotshells as well as the .45 Colt version. That tester's results mirrored yours. I've shot max load .410s, 3/4 oz and with the small grip aren't really pleasant to shoot. The .45 Colt shotshells had excellent patterns at comfortable ranges and much less recoil. The .410s with their heavier load of larger shot made more fuss at the backstop but probably as good as the Colts. Don
 
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Kel, we have some rattlers here, but not many in the immediate area where I live. Other parts of the county has several.

You are right about copperheads blending in so well. They are colored to look like the forest floor and can be very difficult to see.

Three or four years ago, an old lady I know was bitten by a copperhead. She was out by the flower garden and I think was pulling weeds or something like that, and was bitten, as I recall, twice and spent three days in the hospital. I also personally know a nursing instructor who used to teach at the school where I worked, who was bitten one summer. She said her arm turned black and swelled up really bad, not to mention painful.

Copperheads aren't very large snakes in general, but they can pack a punch with their bite from what I have read and talking with these people who were bitten.
 
Have any of your compared the smoothbored .45 against the rifled bore in this sort of test? I would imagine the rifled bore opens the pattern, but is it so or is it not a meaningful difference in the 10 foot range listed above? Is using this sort of fodder hard on the rifled bore of the standard 1911/LC revolvers?
 
Originally Posted By: BubbaChickenHave any of your compared the smoothbored .45 against the rifled bore in this sort of test? I would imagine the rifled bore opens the pattern, but is it so or is it not a meaningful difference in the 10 foot range listed above? Is using this sort of fodder hard on the rifled bore of the standard 1911/LC revolvers?

I do not have any pictures but it shoots a very tight group/ I have never shot paper but I have shot a few rabbits.
 
A smooth bore .45? I learn something every day. I bet it shoots a tight pattern. For my next "project" I'm thinking of taking a cheap revolver and taking down the rifling. At that point, I would be done shooting anything but shotshells out of it as regular ammo wouldn't be worth a hoot accuracy wise. But more importantly I would think the barrel would lose a bit of strength with the material removed.

I have seen theories where the longer the rifled barrel causes the shot to spin more and have a wider pattern than a shorter barrel. The .38 in the test proves that but the .22lr disproves it. You would really need to do some serious shooting to get some data and see how it comes out. It's a plausible theory to me. But then again, how much more is it spinning than in the first couple of inches?

Virginian, I have access to some of the mini pocket .22 mag revolvers. I really wanted to shoot some of the CCI out of it to see what it looked like but since I don't own a .22 mag pistol myself I didn't buy any. The CCI is expensive, luckily I don't shoot it every day.
 
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Kel,

It's a shame we don't live closer or I would provide you my pistol and ammo for your testing. The CCI on my 22 WMR snake shot was expensive from many years ago. I want to say like $4.50 for 20 rounds 15+ years ago. After last weekend, money well spent as far as I'm concerned. From this point forward, the single six will be loaded with snake shot and in the nightstand.

I also have some SS for a .38 but I don't own one. It's on my "to own" list and was in my fathers stuff when he passed away.

Thanks for posting this thread as a reminder for folks to be prepared if you live in areas where there's a concern.

Eric
 
Originally Posted By: kel But more importantly I would think the barrel would lose a bit of strength with the material removed.

I seriously doubt you'll lose any barrel strength. The grooves are not very deep and the amount of material removed will be trivial. Don
 
I meant to tell you Happy Birthday. I think the challenge is going to be finding a revolver cheap enough for me to butcher it.
 
Originally Posted By: Jack RobertsIs a smoothbore pistol legal?
It would become a short barreled shotgun which is illegal.

Jack

No.. very UN-LEGAL. Don't pass go, go to jail, pay $10,000 fine, and never own a gun again.

You CAN register it - $200, though it has to be legal in your state also.



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Originally Posted By: Richard FederationDon't these shot shells damage the rifling?

Nope. It's just lead coming down the bbl. - still much softer than the bbl. steel. You may get some leading from repeated use, but that's easily removed.
 
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