Snake shot carried in cylinder

Copperheads and the occasional timber rattler share my neck of the woods. As a result, I usually carry a factory round loaded with snake shot under the hammer. My reason for charging my chambers in this manner is that I feel that I'm more likely to encounter a coyote or have need of a self-defense round for two-legged snakes in more of a hurry than I am to have need of a snake load in a rush.....Friday, after shooting 38 Special and .22 revolvers, I decided to fire a round of stout .44 Special from my snubby 629 just to make sure I'm familiar with her zero.

I noticed no issues until I unloaded my 44 at home before wiping her down, I noticed the shot capsule had jumped crimp and indeed spilled onto the floor as I took the rounds and one empty from the chambers.

Not sure I'd ever fired a warm 44 load topped by a 240 grain bullet from a cylinder that also contained a factory shot shell. I can foresee a possible hazard here if the capsule fouls the cylinder like a bullet can when it jumps crimp.

Tried it with 5 middle-of-the-road-for-power .357 hand-loads with a shotshell occuppying the 6th chamber of my M-65-5 today. I could detect no apparent movement of the plastic shot capsule.

Anyone else ever experience a shot-capsule jumping crimp under recoil?

I think you answered your own question already. I would suggest loading several along with whatever the normal carry load that will be used in your firearm and make sure that this will not occur. You may have just experienced an anomaly

Here in Montana, I too carry a revolver (M66 2") that is loaded with my own shot shells for snakes. I carry it with 6 of them in the the cylinder.....no problems with crimp.......

If I need a solid projectile then I re-charge the cylinder with an HKS speedloader and .357 magnum loads. Simple and efficient for ME.

Randy

I've had CCI shotshell loads "jump crimp" when taking them out of the little package they come in. Not a lot of pressure can be applied to the plastic shell case without cracking it, and the aluminum case won't apply much pressure. The shock from even a standard .38 or .44 load can loosen them up if they are chambered along with other loads. My suggestion is to carry a speed loader of the snake loads. If you get surprised by a snake, you'll be too busy jumping and side-stepping to draw anyway, and can dump your solid loads and load the shotshells once you get clear of Mr. Wiggles.

BTW, when I said 'dump your solid loads', I meant the JHP's or whatever else is in your cylinder, not to **** yourself.

I carry the first round up ( or two) in .45 Colt with shot shells here in warmer weather. If the first or second round are shot shells, capsule creep is not a problem.
If I fired several solid bullet rounds first, then yes, the capsule would start creeping out.

As much as I like carrying one of my single action revolvers in .45 Colt, I find myself packing the .45 Shield a lot lately.
It is thinner, lighter, and more comfortable to pack, but still has 8 rounds of .45 Auto on tap. Also, for camping trips, it has night sights and a small 100 lumen light and green laser, while my revolvers do not.

The Shield shoots the CCI .45 ACP shot shells as reliably as FMJ, and will sever the head of a rattlesnake no problem.

When out walking in the desert I carry one gun with nothing but snake shot on my left side and one with JHP on the right side.
Carrying one gun and then trying to remember which load is in it when things start happening just doesn't work out for me.

Doesn't anybody make shotshells for handguns that are actually loaded like ordinary shotgun shells, with the brass itself crimped shut? That would solve the whole crimp-jumping issue.


Granted that this is a Taurus Judge with .410 Shotshells, but the point is that shells like this lack a plastic shotcup at the tip, so there's nothing to jump the crimp, so you want a shell like this.

"As a result, I usually carry a factory round loaded with snake shot under the hammer."

Hopefully, you meant to say that you have your snake shot cartridges chambered so that when you fire, SA or DA, the cylinder revolves and the shot round fires.

Forte Smitten Wesson, a straight round like a shot shell would require a long, straight chamber. Most revolvers have a cylinder with chambers with a ledge.

SHOTSHELLS

Forte Smitten Wesson said:

Doesn't anybody make shotshells for handguns that are actually loaded like ordinary shotgun shells, with the brass itself crimped shut? That would solve the whole crimp-jumping issue.

Granted that this is a Taurus Judge with .410 Shotshells, but the point is that shells like this lack a plastic shotcup at the tip, so there's nothing to jump the crimp, so you want a shell like this.

Click to expand...

I load several versions of shot shells-- here are a couple-

That's what I'm talking about, he needs shells like those.

shotshells

J. R. WEEMS said:

I load several versions of shot shells-- here are a couple-

Click to expand...

These are the shells that I am using....thanks JRWeems!!!

Randy

I have found the 99.9% of snakes shot, chopped or clubbed are secondary reaction. You would have to be mighty fast to outdraw a striking snake. I think highest value of shot loads is to kill snakes and other vermin in places you can’t use a bullet. I’ve personally not had the rimfire type work loose.
357 yes but only once. The hand loaded 357 and 44 are prone to walk. I was putting light coat fingernail polish in case mouth and that helped some.
I quit carrying them in gun and just carried cast bullet for snake load.

Muley Gil, I meant just the opposite. I've found that I usually have time to index the cylinder, dialing up some snake shot, when I see a snake, so set a cast bullet load to fire first. As someone else pointed out, a bullet that beheads ol no-shoulders but then glances into a distant neighbors picture window makes for poor neighborly relations....,Guess I'll just load 6 standard rounds and carry a snake load in my watch pocket from here on.

Snake shot is just snake oil. Leaves a big hole in the center of the pattern and only good for a few feet anyway. If a snake is going to strike NOBODY is fast enough to draw and fire before he does. Stepping away is quicker. A 6 ft rattle snake probably can't strike even 3' and its actual speed crawling is lees than a slow walk. They got a very primitive brain. You have a big one. Use it.

Most people get bit trying to handle snakes, sticking their hands where they don't belong, are not wearing boots and pants where they should and flat being careless.

Easiest thing in the world to shot a snake with is a 22w rifle. Fire a round and then stick the muzzle close to the snake and he will focus on the heat from the muzzle, Pull the trigger.

Anymore I just use my brain and just walk away and let the mouse and rat killer go on about his business. If I found one on my place I would just use a shovel.

I seriously doubt anyone reading this thread carries a shot cartridge thinking they are going to be able to shoot a snake before they strike.
I use them to eliminate a rattlesnake that lounges around on a hiking trail.
The snake sure isn't striking when I shoot, but might be small and moving around.

If I am off trail bushwacking, I don't bother snakes, but if one is on a trail where people might be going by with dogs and small kids, I don't walk by and leave it.
The one pictured above in my reply above was by a parking lot going to a creek where lots of people walk down to swim, or let their dogs and kids swim.
Anywhere else, and I'd likely have left him alone.

Small rattlers are more trouble that big ones, big ones will rattle, aren't afraid of everything walking by stepping on them, and save their venom for gathering food (rodents).
Small ones like the ones pictured, often don't rattle, and when they bite they inject all their venom. Bad news for a costly bird dog to get bit in the face.
They might be moving their head around and it is much easier to connect with a shot shell. Most of the shot pattern will go into the head even if you are off a bit.

I am surprised someone would think that we are all just waiting to get to draw and shoot as a snake is striking. That is just humorous.
Big hole in the pattern ? Not the ones I use. If you are smart you should pattern them, like any other shot charge firing gun.
These do just fine at 3 to 6 feet, the big hole was from the over wad:


Do you see the snake's head in my reply above ? That's because he doesn't have one. The .45 ACP shot shell removed his head, and he didn't even twitch or squirm. Good luck hitting a 1 inch wide head that's moving around with your .22. Pretty easy with a shot shell of any caliber.

I spent 38 years in central Montana before moving down to Arizona 2 years ago, and saw way more rattlers in Montana, but the Ranch I grew up on is at the western end of the Gallatin Valley in the foothills.
Cactus, Sagebrush, Antelope, Rattlesnakes and hot summers.
I guess the Rattlesnake Hills above the ranch were aptly named.

I always have a handgun going into the wilderness canyons around here, not too convenient to carry a shovel or hoe with you for miles.

When we were kids uncles always telling us to watch for snakes. I was only 5 or 6 when uncle died and aunt moved to town. Cousins only kept a garden there and family would go down from time to time to shoot or swim in creek. Well when I was hunting snakes in the 1980s I didn’t realize just how many Copper Heads there were. It a good thing they weren’t aggressive snakes our we would all have be bitten.

When in the Army some 50yrs ago we use to drink in little joint on main drag near White Sands. They always had a little Sidewinder in a pickle jar like you see in cowboy movies. I forget what the deal was, you had to lay out price of a shot, if you didn’t flinch got shot free. I never saw one guy that won. I tried it like 4 times in a row and still flinched and I’m not afraid of snakes. Did it cold sober too. Name of place was the Sand Piper, I think.

.455 converted to .45 Auto Rim back in the day. .45 ACP shot shells in full moon clips. Deadly on snakes, possums, raccoons, etc. at up to 20 feet. Great around the place here in the country. No worries about over penetration. Have to try very hard to miss.

For more years than I can for sure remember, I've carried CCI shotshells in either .38/.357 or .44/.44Mag. I've also from time to time had some .45 ACP shotshells. Those I never had occasion to fire. The rest were fired with perfect results on snakes at distances of 3 - 7 feet. Shredded the heads and bodies of everything I used them on. Never jumped crimp. Sincerely. bruce.

I had ok results with the CCI plastic shot cups but not leaving well enough alone, decided to load my own. I found that if I used an upside down gas check on top of the shot load I could use a heavy roll crimp to hold it in place. I never had one of those loads loosen up or spill its load. We don't have many dangerous snakes here in the North East, but many a deer camp mouse lost it's life to a handgun shot load.

J. R. WEEMS said:

I load several versions of shot shells-- here are a couple-

Click to expand...

OK J R, we need a thread on how you did those crimps!