Newbie Revolver question

S

Sierra280

Moderator
I'm not a new to guns, I love rifles and go shooting at least 1 once a week.

However, I don't really know much at all about revolvers. I just picked up a Ruger Single Six, Stainless steel, with 2 cylinders (22lr and 22 mag), I got the revolver because Memorial Day I saw a 3foot rattler about 30min south of my house, and last week my neighbor shot a smaller rattle snake.

My question: I realize that this is a nice Ruger, and I'm a terrible shot with handguns...so I was planning on buying some 22 shot shells (for snakes); Will shooting shot shells out of this hurt the bore or any part of the gun? Is it okay to shoot shots shells out of it?
 
The 22 shotshells are very underpowered. I consider them fairly useless beyond a few feet and I wouldn't get that close to a viper. I would just raise my voice and chase him back to the wild.
 
You know, snakes you see are no problem at all. And a pistol won't help against those you don't see. That said, the "rat shot" won't hurt your pistol. Great choice, by the way. Enjoy it, shoot much, and pretty soon you'll be taking head shots at rattlers with your hollow points.
 
Was the snake near your house ? threatening anyone ? why does every snake need killing ? You like rats and mice,squirrels better ? It's not hard to out walk a snake,they are far more beneficial alive than dead.:cool:
 
Enjoy your revolver IMhO it is a very, very nice one and like the others have said you can shoot shotshells out of it or regular ammo and probably your kids and grandkids can shoot it when your done with it.

Just for kicks put a soda can in the grass (or sand), take ten regular steps away from it and fire a .22 shotshell at it. I've done it and hit it and it didn't knock it over.

(Hey great...we had a 'guns in space' thread a couple weeks ago, now a 'snake' thread...time for a 'bear' thread and then we can start over again.
 
Please take a course from a competent instructor. Learn to shoot accurately and practice as much as you are able. You have a very good gun there and with the right ammo it will do the job. The only other guns I would suggest in this situation for you would be a Taurus Judge or S&W Governor with .410 shells or a good .410 shotgun. Rattlesnakes are nothing to mess with so be very careful and don't get too close.
 
Shotshells are great for potting balloons, but not so good for snakes. Use 22 Shorts if you want to, or Long or Long Rifle, just watch backstop for stones and such.
 
Great choice! A single six was my first handgun. Take care of it and it will last several lifetimes. I have used 22mag shot shells before. A little more oomph than the 22lr shot shells. Since you have both cylinders, and CCI 22mag shot shells seem to be the only 22 ammunition available anymore, try em out.
 
A perennial question, for some reason. :)
The stuff's been in constant manufacture for over 40 years.
It's designed to be fired in guns, why would you think it'd hurt yours?

38 years ago I killed a sizable snake at about 15 feet with my Single-Six.
The stuff does work, it's an OK choice for snakes that can't be allowed to hang around the yard, and its short-range performance works FOR you in providing NO risk whatever of ricochets that a solid lead bullet can.

Re the "not every snake needs killing" idea- out in the open country when passing through their territory, no. Hanging around the house or outbuildings in my territory where people regularly live & walk everyday, yes.

A larger caliber can work better with a heavier shot charge, but the .22LR version can & does kill, within its range.
10 feet or less, for best results.

Denis
 
The 22 shotshells are very underpowered.
Click to expand...
This is true. At 10' they wont break a stationary clay pigeon. All you'll do is irritate & create a wounded animal.
Just avoid the snake, who doesn't really want to meet with you anyway.
 
Even snakes wandering through the yard don't need killing. They keep on wandering if you let them. They don't like to hang around people so they move on.
 
Always stirs up differing opinions.
If I find a rattler on the property, it's dead.
I do not take chances or wait for it to peaceably mosey along to somebody else's back yard. :)

Your choice.
Denis
 
I've killed several rattlesnakes with my Single Six, CCI Mini-Mag HPs. Practice and you'll be able to dispatch a snake at close range with a shot to the head. If he's further than 10ft away you probably don't need to worry about him anyway.
 
If it's in my yard or heading in that direction, the only good snake is a dead snake. .22 shotshells are better than stones. I've shot a few snakes with .22 shot.Now I use shot shells in 45colt.
 
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I recommend the 22Magnum shotshells over the 22LR variant simply because the magnums have more power. Neither type will hurt that gun. The Single Six is way overbuilt and has been successfully converted to stronger calibers such as 32Magnum, 38Spl (5 shot) and 9mmPara (5 shot). So that tells you it's basically a monster in terms of strength for the caliber (22Mag or 22LR).

Big recommendation: don't shoot .22LR ammo in the .22Magnum cylinder. Bad idea.
 
22 shot can work. Snakes are not particularly robust. 10 feet max, aim for where the head stops and the rest of it begins. The head itself is mostly jaw.
 
I owned a Single six from 1969 till the mid-80's when like a fool i got rid of it.
Take my word on it............single six using hv .22 ammo will take care of a rattler with one shot if you do your part.
Mine did it twice; once while camping in the sierra Nevada mountains and another time in the high desert in Southern California. Normally I'd leave them alone but when they were to close to my kids or camp site.
They were shot!:mad:
 
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