The topic usually comes up every year around Spring so I figured since I have most of the popular size shotshells laying around I would do a pattern test at 5 feet and 10 feet to show how they stack up. I chose not to shoot closer than 5 feet as all guns will do an effective job within 5 feet, besides, I’m a believer that if you encounter a poisoness snake within 5 feet you are either going to walk by without knowing it’s there, get bit before you can react, or your reflexes will have you opening the distance very quickly. The 10 foot distance is there because it’s my comfort zone and I don’t like to approach closer than that.
Let me just say that I am far from a tree hugger but I do have to say I also don’t believe a snake gun is probably going to bail you out of getting bit. Awareness of where you put your hands and feet and a good pair of snake boots are your best protection. I carry a gun loaded for snakes with the specific purpose of killing them, with the intent of myself, family or pets not getting bit by them in the future. Unless you are playing with them it’s normally the unseen snake that ends up biting.
I used 6 guns in 4 calibers with a short and long barreled .22, and .38 to see just how much, if any barrel length played a part. I did not perform the shooting with the 8” Barrel .38 as I had run out of my own .38 ammo. I would’ve perhaps taken another shot with the gun to center the pattern a bit better but since the CCI shotshells are not cheap I decided not to ask that it be reshot. Keep that in mind when looking at the results. One thing it does suggest is just like any other type shooting it is still a good idea to practice to know where you’re aim point needs to be for the best pattern.
Guns used were: 2 ½” and 5 ½” .22lr revolvers, 2” and 8” 38/357 Revolvers, .45 Auto 3.9” barrel, Taurus Judge 3” barrel.
Now on to my results and yours may vary: I used an orange 2” circle as the aim point and let it represent a fairly large snake head like an Eastern Diamondback. Thanks once again to Mytargets.com for saving me money. That being said, I used a black marker to mark the hits so it would be easier to see. It gives the illusion that the holes are the same size for all ammo. Keep in mind that is not the case. Also, I’m sure there are instances where pellets made it thru the same hole. When I was counting if I could not find evidence of multiple pellets in a hole it was counted as one. The only change was with the .45 as the pattern was so tight I had to take the total amount of pellets and subtract the pellets outside of the orange circle.
I counted each round to see how many of the pellets would end up in the orange and how many would end up on the target which was standard 8 ½”X11” paper. Remember, shot sizes are different and do make a difference.
5 Feet Orange Hits:
1. .45 Auto 174 hits
2. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 43 hits
3. .410 17 hits
4. .38 2” Barrel 16 hits
5. .22 2 ½” Barrel 16 hits
6. .38 8” Barrel 7 hits
10 Feet 2” Orange Hits:
1. .45 Auto 24 hits
2. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 15 hits
3. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 9 hits
4. .38 2” Barrel 7 hits
5. .410 5 hits
6. .38 8” Barrel 5 hits
Overall Hits on Target 5 Foot/10 Foot Range:
1. .45 Auto 210/144
2. .410 129/66
3. .38 8” Barrel 102/62
4. .38 2” Barrel 104/85
5. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 104/86
6. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 97/90
Approx Amount of Shot in Each Type:
1. .45 Auto 210
2. .22lr 165
3. .410 155
4. .38 135
Velocity as advertised, not tested. Will vary with length of barrel:
1. .22lr 1280 fps
2. .410 1135 fps
3. .45 Auto 1100 fps
4. .38 1000 fps
Weight of Individual Pellet:
1. .410 1.99 grains
2. .45/.38 .75 grains
3. .22lr .188 grains
Total Weight of Pellets (In Grains) in 2” Circle From 5 Feet:
1. .45 Auto 130.5
2. .410 33.83
3. .38 2” Barrel 12
4. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 8.084
5. .38 8” Barrel 5.25
6. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 3.008
Total Weight of Pellets (In Grains) in 2” Circle From 10 Feet:
1. .45 Auto 18
2. .410 9.95
3. .38 2” Barrel 5.25
4. .38 8” Barrel 3.75
5. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 2.82
6. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 1.692
Ammo Comparison from L to R: .22, .38, .45, .410.
First up is the .22lr 2 ½ Barrel.
Winchester 25gr which converts to .057 ounce. #12 shot or as is sometimes referred to as dust shot. Approximately 20 cents a round.
.22lr 2 ½” from 5 feet
.22lr 2 ½” from 10 feet
.22lr 5 ½” Barrel.
.22lr 5 ½” from 5 feet
.22lr 5 ½” from 10 feet
Conclusion: Although it does put a fair amount of pellets on target they are the smallest sized pellets of the group. CCI makes a version with 33gr that comes out to .075 ounce that ups the price to about 27 cents a round. My personal opinion from my own experiences: Like bringing a knife to a gun fight.
Next up the CCI 38/357. ¼ ounce of #9 shot as taken from the info on the package. About $1.40 a round.
First the 8” barrel version.
.38 8” 5 Feet
.38 8” 10 Feet
2” Barrel
.38 2” 5 Feet
.38 2” 10 Feet
Conclusion: Not too bad. I went to this after I had deemed the .22 not powerful enough. Never had the chance to shoot a snake before I discovered the .45 loads. Not really much of a difference between the longer and shorter barrel. In a snub nose this makes a hard hitting package for the size.
.45 Auto. CCI 1/3 ounce of #9 shot, $1.50 a round.
.45 5 feet
Let me just say that I am far from a tree hugger but I do have to say I also don’t believe a snake gun is probably going to bail you out of getting bit. Awareness of where you put your hands and feet and a good pair of snake boots are your best protection. I carry a gun loaded for snakes with the specific purpose of killing them, with the intent of myself, family or pets not getting bit by them in the future. Unless you are playing with them it’s normally the unseen snake that ends up biting.
I used 6 guns in 4 calibers with a short and long barreled .22, and .38 to see just how much, if any barrel length played a part. I did not perform the shooting with the 8” Barrel .38 as I had run out of my own .38 ammo. I would’ve perhaps taken another shot with the gun to center the pattern a bit better but since the CCI shotshells are not cheap I decided not to ask that it be reshot. Keep that in mind when looking at the results. One thing it does suggest is just like any other type shooting it is still a good idea to practice to know where you’re aim point needs to be for the best pattern.
Guns used were: 2 ½” and 5 ½” .22lr revolvers, 2” and 8” 38/357 Revolvers, .45 Auto 3.9” barrel, Taurus Judge 3” barrel.
Now on to my results and yours may vary: I used an orange 2” circle as the aim point and let it represent a fairly large snake head like an Eastern Diamondback. Thanks once again to Mytargets.com for saving me money. That being said, I used a black marker to mark the hits so it would be easier to see. It gives the illusion that the holes are the same size for all ammo. Keep in mind that is not the case. Also, I’m sure there are instances where pellets made it thru the same hole. When I was counting if I could not find evidence of multiple pellets in a hole it was counted as one. The only change was with the .45 as the pattern was so tight I had to take the total amount of pellets and subtract the pellets outside of the orange circle.
I counted each round to see how many of the pellets would end up in the orange and how many would end up on the target which was standard 8 ½”X11” paper. Remember, shot sizes are different and do make a difference.
5 Feet Orange Hits:
1. .45 Auto 174 hits
2. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 43 hits
3. .410 17 hits
4. .38 2” Barrel 16 hits
5. .22 2 ½” Barrel 16 hits
6. .38 8” Barrel 7 hits
10 Feet 2” Orange Hits:
1. .45 Auto 24 hits
2. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 15 hits
3. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 9 hits
4. .38 2” Barrel 7 hits
5. .410 5 hits
6. .38 8” Barrel 5 hits
Overall Hits on Target 5 Foot/10 Foot Range:
1. .45 Auto 210/144
2. .410 129/66
3. .38 8” Barrel 102/62
4. .38 2” Barrel 104/85
5. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 104/86
6. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 97/90
Approx Amount of Shot in Each Type:
1. .45 Auto 210
2. .22lr 165
3. .410 155
4. .38 135
Velocity as advertised, not tested. Will vary with length of barrel:
1. .22lr 1280 fps
2. .410 1135 fps
3. .45 Auto 1100 fps
4. .38 1000 fps
Weight of Individual Pellet:
1. .410 1.99 grains
2. .45/.38 .75 grains
3. .22lr .188 grains
Total Weight of Pellets (In Grains) in 2” Circle From 5 Feet:
1. .45 Auto 130.5
2. .410 33.83
3. .38 2” Barrel 12
4. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 8.084
5. .38 8” Barrel 5.25
6. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 3.008
Total Weight of Pellets (In Grains) in 2” Circle From 10 Feet:
1. .45 Auto 18
2. .410 9.95
3. .38 2” Barrel 5.25
4. .38 8” Barrel 3.75
5. .22lr 5 ½” Barrel 2.82
6. .22lr 2 ½” Barrel 1.692
Ammo Comparison from L to R: .22, .38, .45, .410.
First up is the .22lr 2 ½ Barrel.
Winchester 25gr which converts to .057 ounce. #12 shot or as is sometimes referred to as dust shot. Approximately 20 cents a round.
.22lr 2 ½” from 5 feet
.22lr 2 ½” from 10 feet
.22lr 5 ½” Barrel.
.22lr 5 ½” from 5 feet
.22lr 5 ½” from 10 feet
Conclusion: Although it does put a fair amount of pellets on target they are the smallest sized pellets of the group. CCI makes a version with 33gr that comes out to .075 ounce that ups the price to about 27 cents a round. My personal opinion from my own experiences: Like bringing a knife to a gun fight.
Next up the CCI 38/357. ¼ ounce of #9 shot as taken from the info on the package. About $1.40 a round.
First the 8” barrel version.
.38 8” 5 Feet
.38 8” 10 Feet
2” Barrel
.38 2” 5 Feet
.38 2” 10 Feet
Conclusion: Not too bad. I went to this after I had deemed the .22 not powerful enough. Never had the chance to shoot a snake before I discovered the .45 loads. Not really much of a difference between the longer and shorter barrel. In a snub nose this makes a hard hitting package for the size.
.45 Auto. CCI 1/3 ounce of #9 shot, $1.50 a round.
.45 5 feet
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