.357 Mag Shot Shells

[Waldo]

Anyone have any experience with either handloaded or factory .357 shot shells? I went to the range the other day and saw a fox that acted kind of funny. Normally all I see is the back end of one running away. This one was stalking a goose on the pond. It sat and watched me for 2 or 3 minutes before running away. I was about 50 yards from it. I always make plenty of noise walking back there so I am reasonably sure he heard me coming. I generally carry a Mod. 640 with me loaded with regular bullets. But I was thinking that if I ran into a rabid fox or raccoon I might be better off with maybe the first 2 chambers loaded with shot. Anyone have any ides or suggestions on this? I would only shoot one if it was coming after me and I could not scare it away.

 

[Ron H.]

Sir, stick with your regular bullets. Handgun shotshells are better suited to snakes and rats than something as big as a fox. Many folks call them "ratshot" or "snakeshot" for that reason. Moreover, they're very much a short range proposition, as in 10 feet or so. FWIW, I wouldn't want to get within 10 feet of a rabid animal.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[Jellybean]

I agree with Ron, except I wouldn't even use them on a snake or rat.

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

I have used CCI's .38SPL shot shells on rattlesnakes while out metal detecting. They work well out to about 10-12 feet, wouldn't trust them any farther than that. They only work in a revolver, not enough power to cycle a semi-auto(9mm). I haven't seen any in .357.

 

[Class III]

I used them last fall to knock off a few bushy tail rats that decided to take up residence in the attic after chewing a hole in the the cornice. I shot 6 of them with 22 rat shot from about 7 - 8 feet, all one to two shot kills. Two were a little far away for the 22 so I went to 38 Spc rat shot at about 15 feet. The last bastich would not get within 30 feet, had to use the .410 2-1/2 #11 shot on him. As far as defense againts anything larger than a tree rat, forget about it. They don't have enough energy per pellet to do anything but pi$$ off the critter and make it want to chew off your leg.

Class III

 

[keith44spl]

Waldo,
Back in the winter I was recovering from a busted knee, about mid-nite wife advises there's a critter on the back deck. She opens the back door, stomps her foot and tells it to scat. It just looks at her, she says I think it's a fox...

I tell her nah, a fox would be long gone. No, she not satisfied till I get up (on my walker) hobble to the door and sure nuff it is a red
fox. I shuffle out there in my draws with my 2 1/2" 19. Fox just watchin' me scooting around on this walker, he's looking at me like I owe him money or something.

Line up front sight as best I could, didn't have glasses on, have to shuffle over a couple feet so shoot thur won't hit hot tub. Let him have a 38 +P golden saber...Have to wobble over to throw dead fox off porch till morning.

Yeah, use regular ammo, not shot cartridges IMHO

Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[beemerrider]

They work fine for snakes, but aimed head-shots are advised. Buy a box and shoot it at a target from 4' and another from 8 ft to"pattern" it, just like you would a shotgun. You get 10 or 12 in a box, so experiment to see what they'll do. Other than the tears from the plastic shot cup and cap, you'll be surprised at the results. The shot size is #12 I recall; very small and spread rapidly sith not alot of penetration or damage. At 4-6 feet you need to aim at the snakes head area; you don't need to be any closer or further; an American rattler would need to be in the 10-12' range to strike 4'. An absolute "No" to shooting mammals with those unless a squirrel mistakes your nose for a nut, in which case you might as well let him have a bite, because you're going to have a helluva time explaining to family & friends how you shot a squirrel off your nose and gained a third nostril in the process. It would be like you or me getting shot in the butt with a .22 short at 25 yds.

 

[bigt5150]

I agree with the previous posts. Shotshells are great for rats and snakes and maybe even small birds if you can get to within 8 to 10 feet of them. If you do use them make sure you know what kind of pattern they will make out of your gun.

 

[H Richard]

If you hand-load, Speer sells capsules for loading. The 38 load recommended is 5.5 gr. Unique. Most people use #9 shot, I have used #12 as recommended by Taffin for 44 shot loads. Either way, limit them to snakes and under 10 ft.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

I went to the range the other day and saw a fox that acted kind of funny. Normally all I see is the back end of one running away. This one was stalking a goose on the pond. It sat and watched me for 2 or 3 minutes before running away. I was about 50 yards from it. I always make plenty of noise walking back there so I am reasonably sure he heard me coming.

The shotshell pistol cartridge question has already been answered, so i tought i would focus in on the fox part. WE have a lot of fox around here. I saw one on the golf course last Tuesday. Plenty of people around, and he (or she) just trotted across the fairway, unhurried, about 50 yards away. You said that this fox was stalking a goose. Could be that he just wanted to see if you were a threat before giving up on his meal.

I am no expert on four legged foxes ( If you live to be 1000, you will never completely figure out the two legged ones either!), but I do not believe that they are totally nocturnal. I see them during daylight hours regularly.

WG840

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

We have a family of Kit Fox living close to our house. This is the third year we have watched them raise their pups. This year there were four in the litter. They are fun to watch and don't seem to mind us getting close and taking photos.

 

[lcdrdanr]

I don't think they make factory shot shell loads in .357, they are all .38 special.
I load my own using 3 of the balls out of single ought buck shot loads and about 30 pellets of #7 shot. The shot forms a circle that the first ball sits in, then the next layer of shot forms a circle around the top of the first ball and the second ball sits on top of the first ball and so on.
It's a pain to load each shot shell but you don't load many and I get a load that will pattern the 3 balls in a triangle about an inch apart (shooting at 7 yards) and a spray pattern of the shot in a circle about 18 inches.

I've taken many snakes with that load. Funny part is that the blue shot shell container breaks up also and imbeds plastic shards in them also. So, next time you see a snake with bits of blue plastic sticking out of it, you will know what hit it !!

I would never rely on these loads for anything except a snake or similar size varmint. They will kill a possum or a raccoon if you are close enough but you really need more "oomph" for heavy furred critters.

Dan R

 

[truckemup97]

Originally posted by keith44spl:

Yeah, use regular ammo, not shot cartridges IMHO

Su Amigo,
Dave

My opinion, too, although I'm pretty sure I would not be able to get a one kill shot on a moving fox at 50 yards with my 640-1.

That's why Marlin made my 336.

 

[oldRoger]

I have tried various shot sizes with and without buffering and do not like any of my results, pattern is non-existent. Perhaps the shot mixture is an idea worth pursuing.
I carry a 640, my concerns when walking the cats are Eastern Diamondbacks and Coyotes, plenty of both here. We also have rabid critters to watch for.
I used to carry the first round as a shotshell, I think perhaps I could rely on it to 6-8 feet against snakes, worthless for anything else. What I do now is practice more with the 640.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Me and another detective were in the woods one June day checking out a report of a marijuana patch. Before we left the vehacles I loaded the "first up" roqnd in my Model 65 .357 with a .38Spl. Speer shotshell load for snakes. I offered one to my partner and he took it.
About 15 minutes later we're walking slowly and quietly through the woods when I noticed he'd stopped abruptly. I looked at him and then looked where he was intently staring and saw a coiled copperhead in our path about 8 feet away.
I immediately drew and snapped off a quick hip-shot, as did he. The two shots were absolutely simultaneous, just one BANG! The shots were so close together I didn't think he'd shot at all. I asked him, "Did you shoot?" He replied, "Yeah, did you?"
The copperhead had a load of shot in his head and another load about 3 inches below that in his body and was dead as a doornail.
We tried to continue our mission but we were done for the day, believe me! Every time one of us stopped walking for even a second the other would jump and draw his pistol. We finally gave up and went back to the office.