ratshot.

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gamedic

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what is the range of 22 cal rat/birdshot. I bought some yesterday, crimped nose. I shot at a persistant mean tomcat yesterday at about 30 yards. he slowly ran away. I don,t think it reached him. I don't want to kill him, just blister his tail.
 
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Actually, the only way to get a handle on the range is to "pattern" the shot by shooting at progressively longer ranges. Just like getting a shot pattern for turkey hunting.

Don
 
Not sure about the rat shot. At that distance I would use a BB gun. My younger brother cured a neighbor's dog of barking too much at night that way.
 
TennTony said:
Not sure about the rat shot. At that distance I would use a BB gun. My younger brother cured a neighbor's dog of barking too much at night that way.
Click to expand...

I agree with TennTony, if you just want to persuade the cat to stay away and not really injure it, then a BB gun (not pellet gun) is a better choice.

Don
 
The effective range of factory "rat" or "snake" shot is appropriately measured in feet at best, not in yards. The tiny size shot at low velocity offered by almost any shot factory load is ineffective and inhumane at ranges much beyond distances best measured in inches rather than yards.
 
You need to test it in your particular gun.
The Speer version is much better that the crimped 22LR from Remington and Winchester.

My mother in law uses it to kill rats and mice in their bird raising "houses".

She had been using the old style rat shot for years... She reported a big imrovement when I gave her some of the Speer 22LR Shotshells.

I do not think anyof it will be of much use to scare away a cat.
 
My poor old crossman 760 stopped working a few days ago. It was 30 years old. I cant afford a new bb gun right now. My only other choice is my tippmann a-5 paintball gun. I don't want to shoot the cat at close enough range with ratshot to hurt it. I don't want to be inhumane. The thing is mean and completely wild.If animal control caught it they would have to put it down. I don't mind it in the neighborhood, it keeps the rat population down. He has beat up my small young male cat a dozen times. I can run him off and he will be back in 10 minutes. He won't take no for an answer.
 
The crimped-end birdshot .22 cartridges are actually designed for use in smooth bore guns designed to shoot them (they don't build them anymore). I have an old Remington (540 or 541? - I don't recall) which is a smooth bore and marked for shot cartridges only. It may or may not be choked, but it is relatively accurate and effective at reasonable (but short) distances. We used to use it on Starlings near the house. The #12 shot they are loaded with does not retain a lot of velocity over distances, and, if it is fired in a rifled firearm, the pattern opens very rapidly, rendering it ineffective at most ranges. If you are shooting from a rifled firearm, the Speer snake shot (in capsules) will be more effective.
 
Any way you can squeeze out $25 and pick up a Red Ryder from your local walmart?

450 fps will smart, but shouldn't puncture and will give you better reach than the handgun caliber snake loads.

If that's too much, put out a Want To Buy in your local craigslist - guaranteed someone in your town has a POS BB gun they'd ditch for the price of a lunch at Taco Bell.
 
Also, regarding your Crosman.

It may be that the seal has just dried out. Pick up some Pellgunoil at your local Walmart and see if you can get that thing working again based on what you find on the net.
 
I've killed snakes with it at about 6 feet using a revolver. At about 10 feet it's useless. It's said a 3" barrel is best for shot.
 
You might want to see which neighbor is feeding him.Something or someone is keeping him around.I have a wristrocket slingshot and the ammo choices are endless.The big plus is it's very quiet.

D.G.
 
Cats also hate water. If available, a good shot with a garden hose tight spray can work wonders.
 
Crimped shot is more powerful than its capsule style relative out of smooth bore guns. However, crimped shot is only marginally effective out of rifled bore guns- the capsule style is better.

CCI is the only maker of capsule style, whereas Winchester and Federal are the only other two makers left of the crimped style- Remington discontinued it a couple of decades ago, (1980's) IIRC.

I have a smooth bore Remington (510) and did some testing, and it is true, that even in a smooth bore gun that range is measured in feet. The Federal patterned the best, and was effective out to 60 feet, but some pellets would bounce off of the 1/2" plywood at that distance. :p
 
I think I,ll get my paintball gun out. I have used it to deter several dogs and a bear or two over the years. A .68 caliber ball at 440fps is very persuasive, 10 or 15 of them enroute to a target at the same time should deal with the issue quickly. I think I will buy me a slingshot too. I havn't had one since I was a kid, and they sure are fun.
 
A sling shot loaded with a steel ball to the hind end works wonders on cats,back when I was a kid in CA that's what I used,talk about sending kitty flying :D
 
Trooperdan said:
An air soft gun would be even better, light plastic pellet that would sting but not penetrate unless really close.. heck, you can even get a full-auto one!
Click to expand...

+10 ... this much maligned "toy" has been one of the most effective pest persuader tools since my early early experiments with high voltage
 
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