Finally a commercial manufacturer is making some .41 magnum snake shot.

41 MAGNUM DT SnakeShot™ 20rds – Doubletap Ammunition

"Under the shot is a hard cast full wadcutter made to penetrate and cut into the intended target". It also says the shot does not engage the rifling so there is no centrifugal spread, giving tighter patterns.

Sounds like a real beast of a round. 240 #9 pellets and a 55 grain hard cast solid.

Unless the wadcutter is open on the top to act as a cup for the pellets, I don't see how it would keep the shot from contacting the rifling. How does the shot separate from the cup, if the cup doesn't open and slow down like a shotgun round does? 1000 fps from a 4" barrel; it doesn't give the shot weight, but probably the shot plus the wadcutter is about 100 grains or so. Not much weight to drive to 1000 fps so low recoil.

Getting shot with one of these would sure ruin your day.

Made for other cartridges too. Interesting but expensive. I too wonder how they keep the shot from touching the rifling. For most applications I think I'll stick to my Governor, 3 410s with shot and 3 45 Colts. Seems to work pretty well.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Used to always dream of having some .41 shotshells, back when I had a couple of them. Covid layoffs found me selling them for groceries unfortunately. However I did see they have some for my 631 32 H&R magnum! Another on my wish list. I'll be ordering a box of those puppies. Just in time for snake season.

Been using 44 special shotshells, but the lighter 631 won't pull my britches down so much.

Thanks for the heads up!

It clearly states wadcutter is 55gr and whole payload is 175gr. That leaves 120 gr for shot weight.

First, how could they possibly prevent the shot from being affected by the rifling! I say B.S. to this.
Years ago I made up some .44 Spl./#9 shot cartridges for the 696 I owned at the time. Shot them at a clay trap target laying on a snowbank at ca. 10 feet. In several tries, the shot made a donut around the clay bird and not a single pellet struck it!

I have played with these for 60+ years, in all calibers ever available from .22 to .44, and have reached the conclusion that "snake shot" from a revolver is absolutely useless! You have to be so close to the intended target that a bulleted load would be easy to hit the target with. Maybe if the intended target is right at your feet they might be effective.

You are 100% right, snake shot is BS. I’ve used and made it every way possible. It is going to throw doughnut pinwheel pattern if barrel is rifled. It is also only good for snake at 3’ to 4’. The smaller the shot, the lighter it is with PP penetration. You might do better with a smooth bore barrel but I have found plain old target loaded WCs are best for serious snake shooting. I have yet to run into a case where shooting snake prevented a bite. If you got time to shoot a snake it ain’t a threat. Also 38/357 and smaller don’t hold enough shot for much more than shooting bees.
When somebody says they killed a snake at 25’ with a shot load it was a very unlucky snake or story was stretched a bit.

I've been reloading 41 magnum shotshells for years. Use a cut down 410 wad under a crimped gas check at the case mouth. Shot never contacts the rifling, and I get great patterns out to the fifteen or so feet I've tried it.

Unsure if this is how they do it, but it works for me.

A friend was going to 3D print some 41 shot capsules, but decided my way was easier.

Have to disagree on snake shot being worthless. I have killed a handful at around the 5' distance with a little tiny North American Arms revolver and CCI 22 shot capsules. The little revolver lives in my fishing vest. When a snake is in, or around camp or anywhere near where I am bank fishing, it gets the bad news. I found that even just a couple of pellets does the trick, and the best part it that with tiny shot it does not tear the hide to pieces.

I load my own for 38/357 and 44mag. I use a custom duplex shot. A few number 2 pellets, shake in some 7 or 8 shot, then trickle/shake in some number 12 to really fill all the space. Very effective snake medicine!

February 1976 American Rifleman.

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"Tastes just like chicken"

Honestly, I would buy a box just to show the ammo manufacturers that there is a market for developing anything for the 41.

Been making my own for years....can be made from .41 Magnum or .414 SuperMag brass...

.414 SuperMag Shotshells - 24hourcampfire

.414 SuperMag Shotshells Part II - 24hourcampfire

Have also done shells of both lengths with just another Lyman gas check crimped over the top of the shot load...

As to the shot touching the rifling..doesn't seem to effect anything...

Bob

^^^^^^^^ this. I kill a couple water snakes a yr with my NAA 22 mag stoked with CCI shot. And I’ve absolutely done it at 20’ or better. Doesn’t always kill instantly but they go limp and hold still for second shot

Attached Images

IMG_7285.jpg (191.1 KB, 31 views)

I cry BS on the shot not spinning. The wad will spin in a rifled barrel.
Shot 410s out of a 45/410 12inch rifled barrel. The wad spins the shot.
There was a screw in choke at the end of the barrel to stop the spinning. But it would tighten that choke tube down tighter than a mofo if you didn't back it off ever couple of rounds.

Killing a snake at 20’ with a mini revolver in 22 mag? I think the measuring tape needs recalibrated. If it happened it was a fluke. Put up sheet of paper at 20’ and shoot for pattern. Then shoot a 2x4 at 20’ and see if shot has enough energy to even stick in it. Shoot at plywood and see if BBs stick in it. A fluke can happen at anytime, a stray BB takes some critter in the eye and kills it. Chances of this with snake is even less than a warm blooded animal.

I don't get it ? I cowboyed in SE Az and SE NM and I just used my rope to kill rattlesnakes . It was quick and simple and " quiet " . Regards Paul

Browning tried something similar called Trail Force. I was never able to find any for sale but seemed like a good idea. Not sure if if it ever did hit the market.

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USN Submarine Service '66-'71

Not totally true! A shot shell round as the first round fired from a home protection revolver is very effective! It probably would be fired in very close quarters at someone coming at you! You need not aim the gun, just point and pull the trigger! In a closed room situation the report would be deafening and the bad guy would be hit with something he is not expecting, but not lethal! Anyone with two brain cells would turn and run! If he does not run, the up coming rounds would be full house JHPs and aimed!
IMHO jcelect

A 41 Magnum shot shell would be great for snake control. The real issue I see is lugging the gun around all day. It's heavy and bulky. A smaller frame 357 magnum might be better for the average snake. Yea, big guys would need a larger shot shell of course.

I look forward to someone buying a box a showing the results of their tests.

I was always told by my elders that the snake (poisonous) left alone to leave the area after an encounter is the one that will put the bite on a child or pet later in their life. It's not made for that bite in the moment, it's for the future. I purchased a couple boxes so when I get a chance I will post the results.

All the test results you need in one photo.
About 10 feet with single shot of 38sp shot capsule filled with #4 and #12 shot, fired from a 2" S&W 442. Barely twitched until it was scooped up (with a branch) and tossed into the back of the truck. Very few, and very tiny holes in the hide so guessing most hit the targeted head. Nobody volunteered to skin the head to check for damage.
42" long with 12 rattles.
50 yards out of camp laying across the road while we were returning for the night in a tent.
My personal 2nd largest taken in SE Oregon.
#1 was also 42" but had 13 rattles taken in NE Oregon.
The usual Oregon rattlers are more often in the 18"-22" range with 4-7 rattles, at least from those I have run across.

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"Tastes just like chicken"

https://smith-wessonforum.com/attach...1&d=1711766922

Got some in this past week, here are the results. Sorry about the picture orientation, don't know why it did this. you can see the slug impact on the orange dots at 5ft and 9ft, at 12ft it is at 2 o'clock.

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41 mag DT Snakeshot.jpg (63.0 KB, 27 views)

Thanks for posting your results!

It looks like old McNett knows what he is doing over there. He is a 10mm and 41mag fan too

Great to see the ole 58 is getting out to play as well.

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On the Oak Savannah

Remembering the old original 22 long rifle shot shells of the past with the long-crimped cases. Now those were beyond worthless from my experience. Trapped a packrat in my garage last year and used one of those to kill the ray. Stuck a 22-rifle barrel so loaded at his head and shot him. from mere inches away it didn't kill him or even incapacitate him. Took a second shot to finish him off.

My wife shot a 40 incher 12 rattles here at home with a 4 5/8 inch Ruger 45 colt...CCI shot loads. at about 10 ft....close 'nuff for her. First shot stop...2nd because it was "wiggling". I had to bury it. Truly shredded. That is her under the pillow gun...loaded with 2 shot loads 4 452-454 cast bullets follow up. first two are for the face. Can't hurt ya if they can't see ya. I have some of the "old" Remington 45 auto crimped shot loads. Out of a typical 45 auto they shoot darn good patterns. I've killed about 8 rattlers with them up to at least 15 feet on one. All one shot kills. Those old things cycle every 45 I've shot them in too.. I bought one of those Rock Island 410 fold up single shots at a gun show for 90 dollars. Next to the sofa 2 -2 1/2 inch # 7 1/2 loads taped to it. Any rattlesnake around the house...but the chickens seem to keep 'em chased off. They harrass any snakes