Range Report on Snake Shot

Very interesting test "DPris." Thanks for the info on the patterns. I didn't have enough ammo to really do a thorough testing. Just did enough to get a general idea.

"WV-Gunner" yes I agree with you about barrel length. But if I'm going to carry a gun with an 18" barrel it's going to be either a shotgun or an AK, and I'm pretty sure either will solve any snake problems - even a 30' anaconda. LOL :)

As for whoever mentioned shooting a snake at 2 or 3 feet away - it ain't gonna happen - if a snake is that close to me I'm going to be jumping 5 feet into the air, running! I'll shoot it on the return trip after I clean my shorts. :) :)
 
The longer the barrel, the faster the velocity & the more rapid pattern spread.

The rifling is what screws up the pattern on any rifled barrel used with shot charges, unless you have some method of stopping the resulting charge spin.

Just like it does with a bullet, rifling imparts spin to a shot column.
That spin opens up the shot charge, spinning pellets outward as the shot column travels forward.
The farther it goes, the more pellets spin outward away from the center.
The faster the spin (from velocity) the shorter the effective range because by the time the shot gets to where a target is the pellets are too widely dispersed to get enough of them into the target to be effective.

In a rifled barrel, you get that "doughnut" effect, where with increasing distances the pellets all gravitate to something of an outer "ring", leaving the center pretty much free of pellets.

With enough distance (and it ain't much), if your target is small enough to sit in the middle of the doughnut ring, the pellets just pass on by around it, and don't strike in it.
Denis
 
I've run no experiments. But in my personal experience, I've come across no ratttlers in the Rocky Mountains capable of striking more than 5 feet.

At that distance, my snake loads in Speer capsules, loaded with #12 shot in a 6 inch barrel .357 have been devastating.

If the serpent is more than five feet away, one can simply walk around it, and/or use standard ammunition to despatch it.
 
^^^ Bears out the longer barrel pistol theory, allowing more pressure but not causing excessive shot spread.

I'm thinking of a better solution. Anybody got some grenades? :D
 
A distance of five feet bears out no longer barrel theory whatever.

Take that Ruger & take a Smith Model 36, set up a backboard & do some comps at distances beyond five feet.
You'll see a marked difference in .38/.357 pattern size between the two.
Denis
 
I am no expert in the rat/snake shot argument. However, having shot several hundred pounds of rats and a few snakes in the last few years, i have come to several conclusions.

1. Shooting .22 shot - if you are more than 3 feet count on several shots to kill a rat. Once in a while you may get lucky and have a one shot stop.

2. I reload .38/.357 with #71/2 shot in plastic caps. Some I have reloaded with # 6. The larger shot while not having so many in the shell resulted in more kills.

3. when shooting with the plastic caps you can get a kill with the cap out to 15 feet. Just luck though.

I use a 4 inch barrel .22 and a .357 2 inch barrel (sp101). Love the .357 with laser on rats at night. They can't see the red light. Pretty good out to about 15 feet.

Shot has its place but know the limitations and they can be fun. Just wish they would cycle a MkIII.
 
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