I did a thread on these a while back on the M-P forum.
Warm weather here brings rattlesnakes out, at least in the lower elevations. I have yet to see any rattlers in Northern Arizona if I am in the backcountry over 4500 feet elevation.

I had my doubts if they would feed in my .45 Shield, and also wondered if they would have decent power and penetration compared to the bigger .44 Mag and .45 Colt shotshells I've used for years.

I needn't have worried, they feed fine. I started with one shotshell cha.mbered, and the next round, a JHP chambered fine.
Then I loaded two with the rest of the mag having JHPs.
Then I shot a full magazine of the CCI shells, they feed 100%.

They contain 120 grains of #8 shot, and the aluminum case has a bottleneck ( which probably helps the feeding) and a heavy roll crimp to hold the plastic overwad in.
I patterned them back a few weeks ago at 6 feet:

The plastic overwad alone would do some damage.
I shot a thick steel Progresso soup can and got both sides penetration with ease:

Today I got to use one on a rattler. I will leave them alone if I run into one on a rocky hillside, but one hanging around congested areas is not a good thing.
I parked in a dirt parking lot to take the dog swimming in a local creek, and when I came back this one was by my front bumper.

Several other cars had parked by me in the course of the morning, and I had seen several groups with dogs and small children go past on the trail.
I keep my own dog on a leash during warm weather as I don't want him to run up to a snake.

Trying to hit a moving snake with a solid projectile isn't easy, you could just as well miss or nick him and piss him off.
With these shotshells just point in the general vicinity.
After I shot he didn't even twitch or writh around like they usually do. DRT.
I didn't see any wounds in the neck but his head was devastated.

No guarantees they will feed in every .45 ACP, but they feed great in my .45 Shield.

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U. S. Army Veteran

I hate snakes. Good job!

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No baby we aint

Just finished loading up two boxes made from 308 brass. #9 shot seems to work just fine in my 1937 Brazilian. I make shot shells for just about everything I have, from .38S&W on up. Next project will be some for my S&W 500. Now that should be a hoot.

Nice shot and a good looking Diamondback. I have never used the snake shot on snakes but I have used a 1 & 1/8 ounce load of #6 shot with very good results.

I highly recommend the .45 ACP CCI shotshell. On snakes of all size it produces one shot kills. I've used this load in both .45 ACP as well as the .38/.357 load. For the record, the latter load shredded the head of a copperhead firing from about the length of a broomstick. Made my wife happy! She called the office exclaiming, "They've got a snake!!!" I shot across the road, ran in the front of the house an grabbed my revolver, ran out the back door to find that "they" was our two cats! They had cornered a good healthy angry but wore out and tired almost to death copperhead against the house by the back steps. They were taking turns tormenting that snake. I had to get them out of the way so that I could open fire. Very effective load. The .44 load is equal to the .45 ACP. Sincerely. bruce.

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I plan on taking a K-frame with me to West Texas soon, with this exact duty in mind. CCI shotshells will be in the cylinder.

About 28 gauge, isn't it?

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Well, I didn’t have any 40 S&W snake shot in my Glock as I drove my tractor to the shed for hydraulic fluid and when I stopped in front of the bay I found something had beat me there. He started to crawl away when he sensed the tractor so without dismounting I drew and sent a Federal Hydroshock down range and cleanly decapitated him.
Luck or skill ? I will take either as an 85 year old. Don’t discount old men. We were young once with skills.

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My mother would keep a tapered point garden hoe with a sharp edge around and the copperheads (and occasional rattlesnakes) she killed with just one swipe looked very similar!

Dale