Rattler vs 9mm. Handgun

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rvanpelt

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As I was mowing yesterday, I came upon a bigger than average rattler, for this area anyway. He was about to get away by going under an old mobile home. I had my Gock 26 9mm with me, fired 3 shots, hitting him with all 3. He measured 42 inches long and 14 rattles and a button. We live in the country and over the years rattlers have bit my horse, several cows, dogs and my Dad spent 3 days in the hospital and was very sick because of a bite.
Have any of you used any of the shot shells they make for various calibers? Are they strong enough to cycle the semi autos? I'd like to get some for my wife's Kahr CW9.
Thanks,
Rod
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The snake shot will not cycle the 9mm pistols I have tried it in. It is a single shot round in MY guns. I just about always forget to load up with the snake shot so I wind up doing what you did and shooting them with what I have in my pocket. Got a cottonmouth this weekend while working on a beaver dam.
 
Snake shot is best for revolvers. I have a couple in my cylinder on mowing days, and if I see a snake it's a simple matter to advance the cylinder to the snake shot when/if I need it.
 
I've popped several around here (not rattlers though) with .40 and .45 cal CCI shotshells. All fired from Glocks, all cycled perfectly and really did a job on those slithery serpents. Recoil is very light but they function perfectly.
 
I've killed a couple with a .22LR from a NAA mini revolver that I always have on me. Both were head shots. No meat damage. Fried rattler is good. :D

Get your wife a .38 revolver. Why a Glock? Revolvers are more versatile and will "cycle' anything that fits in the chambers. Too, you can pocket the brass afterwards. I'm a reloader. That counts. :D

I made some snake shot once just to be doing it, .357 gas checks for bottom and top wads, fill with 8 shot (or smaller if you have it, I didn't), 3 grains of Bullseye to power it, roll crimp the brass over the top gas check. I fired it from 10 feet from a Smith and Wesson 4" M10. Pattern would easily take a snake.
 
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I just don't care for autos outdoors for several reasons. Yeah, lack of versatility, but revolvers tend to be more accurate and can be chambered in more powerful rounds, magnum rounds, pig stoppin' rounds. That really don't apply to 2" .357 carries so much, a 9 loaded with a +P works better from short barrels and has nearly as much punch from a pocket gun. My Kel Tec rivals a 2" J frame for accuracy, too, but it won't handle shot loads, the subject of this OP. Revolvers just make better outdoor guns IMHO and a J frame ain't a bad self defense gun, either, loaded with 158 grain +P .38s. I have a Taurus M85SSUL that's a tack driver and only 17 ounces in a pocket. It can be cocked, too, for precision shooting in the field, though the DA is VERY nice on this gun. Since we moved out here, it gets a lot more carry than my 9. When I go to the big city, I arm up with a .357 revolver or a .45ACP DA auto, anyway, and the little Taurus becomes a back up.

All that said, I don't mess with shot loads....LOL I really just like my revolvers in the woods. But, for the OP, I think if shooting shot loads is an important enough concern, think about getting a revolver for country carry. Thing is, if you're like me, your carry gun is on you 24/7 every waking moment. The shotgun is back in the bedroom, most of 'em locked up in the safe. I do carry my 20 gauge spartan SxS a lot on my rounds in the woods every day, though. Never know when a rabbit or a squirrel will give you a target of opportunity. :D I just don't have it when I'm messing around the yard and I might happen on a rattler.
 
In NJ its not an issue. When I lived in NC a shovel always worked well. If they were out of reach then the 22lr worked well. Its a lot of fun shooting cottenmouths and copper heads in the pond at about 70yds. I have never encountered a rattler outside of a cage.
 
I've popped several around here (not rattlers though) with .40 and .45 cal CCI shotshells. All fired from Glocks, all cycled perfectly
Click to expand...

Do you have a stock spring? CCI .40 shotshells will not cycle my G22.

Edit: BTW, what kind of rattler is that? Both timbers and easterns I've seen in the Southeast are a lot darker than that.
 
I stepped on a small rattler, about 1 foot long, about a year ago. I was coyote hunting October, quite cool, and felt like I stepped on wet mud. I thought nothing of it until after 2 steps, I heard it rattle and looked back. I nearly peed in my pants. It was a good thing I was wearing my snake boots, which I have always had since I moved from SOuth Texas to WA. I let it go.
 
snake shot wont cycle in most semis but the shot part is what is so alluring. you only need one pointed in the right direction to end a snake.
 
Snake shot worked fine in my G19.

I prefer to just use a bullet, though. If I'm close enough for snake shot to work, I'm close enough to reliably put a single projectile through the snake.
 
Some time ago I was preparing to squirrel hunt a nearby foothill area where I always see rattlesnakes. Unless they're near the house I usually leave them alone and hope for the same courtesy but this time I wanted to get a set of rattles for my son so, in addition to the .22 I took my Redhawk .44 mag loaded with newly acquired snake shot.

The first rattler I saw was a six footer. (fat too! Must have been a bumper crop of little varmints in the area.) Anyway, I couldn't get a good shot at the head through the scrub oak it was hiding in but I figured I had a mighty .44 mag so a body shot should do it. Three rounds later with the snake showing, at most, mild irritation convinced me other wise. I holstered the Ruger and waited for a head shot with the .22. Also a Ruger come to think of it. That's all it took.

Never bought snake shot again.
 
I tried out this theory yesterday while at the range prior to the dove shoot and got pretty consistent results. Sorry I don't know exactly what snake shot I was using as I had the shells in a bag. I do know that the .22 were CCI because I just got them a couple of weeks ago and I was completely out. The 9mm I have had for a while. I only tried handguns.
.22 LR
Phoenix HP22A would not cycle.
GSG 1911 conversion 22 would not cycle
Ruger MKII would not cycle.
Browning Buckmark did cycle one out of three.
Walther P22 did not cycle.
Both revolvers cycled with no problem:)
Ran out of 22 shotshells.
9mm
Ruger P85 would not cycle.
DB would not cycle
KT PF9 and P11 would not cycle.
Glock 17 (not my gun) would not cycle
Kimber Solo Carry would not cycle.
Hi Point would not cycle.
Ran out of 9mm snake shot.

Based on this informal test using some very nice guns and some not so expensive guns I would count on shotshells being single shot ammunition. All of the guns fired properly but only the Browning actually cycles and fed the next round and that was only one out of three.

Yesterday afternoon I spent $57 to replace the shotshells.
 
Snake shot cycles fine in my P-11 and my Colt Commander, both have standard springs.

I agree just for reliability I might prefer to use them in a revolver although my experience with autos (mine at least) is that they work fine.

I'd try a few mags in your guns before going anaconda hunting just in case.
 
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