rat shot for pistol

[P1ZombieKiller]

My place has more rattlesnakes this year than ever before. I'm tired of toting around my single shot shotgun, and wanted to know if some one can guide me in making my own .357 rat shot rounds. It's a lot easier to just carry a side arm while working in the field.

 

[M700]

I've only used the factory CCI shotshells, they work pretty good up close. The shot pattern spreads out real fast, likely due to the rifling in the barrel. Have used them in .22, .38/.357, and .45 auto.

Speer's reloading manual has a pretty good section on handloading their equal. I've never done it.

Guy

 

[SteveNC]

Order the shot shell capsules from Midway, fill with shot and have a blast. You can even safely shoot thrown targets...hitting them is something else!

 

[dfry]

There are several ways to roll your own, I have had to do it in the 41 mag for years. For the 357, put in about 5 grs. of Unique, then seat a gas check edge up then about #9 shot, then another gas check edge down with a light crimp. You may want to start at 4.5 grs. of Unique and see what works for you. 6 grs. of this in a 41 or 44 kills the heck out of snakes. You can also use poster board for the gas checks and some hot glue on top. I just found the brass GC to work better, Dave

 

[Travelor]

Get the shot capsules and then locate some #12 shot. It works MUCH better than #9 shot. Also, I use 38 Spec cases and 2 gr of bullseye. The faster you shoot these the worse the pattern gets due to the spin caused by the rifling.

The #12 shot is very interesting as the snakes do not twist and squirm - they just take a deep breath and go limp and die. You will see very small drops of blood come to the surface where th shot penetrated the snake.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=814885

George

 

[Rustystud]

Just a note:

I use to buy the Speer shot capsules for 38/357 and load them with a wide variety of shot sizes from #12 through #1 Remington Buckshot. Loaded some up for my Captain at the Sheriff's Department. He got them mixed up and was trying to run off a stray dog when his dog was in heat. Thought he was using snake loads and shot the stray at about 60 yards with the buckshot. He killed it grave yard dead. Be fore warned the buckshot loads will ricochette wildly.
Nat Lambeth

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

George,
Not really looking to buy 10# of shot. I'll look into the capsules from Midway. I am only looking to load 25 or 50 tops.

Nat,
These rounds will only have 1 purpose, and that will be to shot snakes. So only 1 size of lead shot will be needed. I choose the 357 because it's a revolver instead of a clip fed auto. Coupled with the fact I have a bucket full of 38 and 357 brass, I figured loading a few of these should be simple once i get what I need.

 

[dfry]

If you don't want to buy a bunch of lead shot, cut open some shotgun shells with the shot you want to use and salvage it for your snake loads.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Dave,
This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I'll pop open some 12 gauge 9 shot shells to use the lead out of.

 

[dfry]

Where Dave Berg got the info above is where I originally got my info for the 41 mag. But I decided to just use gas checks, it was less time comsuming for me. I don't reload shotgun so I didn't want to buy 25# of shot either, so a few shotguns shells sacrificed for the snake shells worked perfect and made enought shells to last for years. For 38/357 I still had some capsules so have just been using those, but when I run out, I will do the home made casings. I have killed a many Texas rattlesnake with the 41 mag load, Dave

 

[Gadget]

Hey Guy's
I just folowed the instructions to the letter, and they loaded easy as pie, I'll shoot a few of tomorow just to be sure.
What a great tip, thanks so much.

Gadget

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Hey Guy's
I just folowed the instructions to the letter, and they loaded easy as pie, I'll shoot a few of tomorow just to be sure.
What a great tip, thanks so much.

Gadget

Please let me know how those shoot. It will be a few weeks until I get to make my own. Would love to see some pics of the wad making and glueing steps.

 

[Gadget]

Hi,
The wad makeing was sooooo easy
Sacrfice one .357 case, grab the wifes note pad turn it over for the card backing, belt the heck out of the case with a blody big hammer on a backing board, repeat several times. ( now scrap this case )
Return wife's note pad with a nice series of holes in the backing card ( wont be a problem till she gets to the last few page's )
Poke out the card wad's and assembel as per previous instructions.
I made 3 up but it only took 10 minits total, including finding a #9 shot shell to carve up. so easy

 

[Samdweezel05]

LMAO, you guys are awesome. I have looked into the little rat shot capsules from midway but never thought it would be worth it. I never gave any thought to making my own wads. Now the real question is, how do you think they would work from a distance of say 20-30 feet? We have pigeons in our barns that I shoot with a pellet gun. I used rat shot in my .22 mag (rifle) in the past but it's fricken expensive. Now I am thinking about making some up in 45LC and shooting them through my 8" .454 Casull. I like the rat shot because it generally won't go through the roof.

 

[Gadget]

I shot the load's off this morning, and all I can say is WOW, they are just fantastic.
I put 3 shotgun clays at about 15' to 18' on a soft sand area, the patern left was 15" wide and 30" long the barrel was chest high. the clays were smashed and shot was visable at about 1" to 1 1/2" cheker board patern.
If I were to make a comparison, 12 guage ground shot at 25 yrd's would be similar.
I used ADI ap70n 5.5g and 90g of #9 shot with the card wad's, I had about 1/8" left at the top of the case.
Just go make some, these things are fun and while I could not get a snake to come out to play, I think they will be just what we were looking for.
Gadget

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Thanks Gadget. I needed to hear this. I will be making mine this week some time.
I figure I will make me 50 of them, and that will last me 10+ years. Anyone think that if I make them with the cardboard wads, and with wax on top that they will last 10+ years in storage sitting on a shelf. I see no reason why they wouldn't.

 

[ChasinElk]

Where Dave Berg got the info above is where I originally got my info for the 41 mag. But I decided to just use gas checks, it was less time comsuming for me. I don't reload shotgun so I didn't want to buy 25# of shot either, so a few shotguns shells sacrificed for the snake shells worked perfect and made enought shells to last for years. For 38/357 I still had some capsules so have just been using those, but when I run out, I will do the home made casings. I have killed a many Texas rattlesnake with the 41 mag load, Dave

Dave, we got some 41 mag snake shot loads with (8 shot) loaded up , will give them a try tomorrow. Thanks for your help.