44-40 Shot Shells?

Bryan Austin · August 24, 2009, 08:07:26 PM

I hate to post this but what ya think fer kill'en snakes?

20 gr BP allows slight compression by hand with a slight crimp.

EDITED WITH PHOTOS
Two shots fired, one at each target TEN FEET away.
Uberti Cattleman 5.5 barrel.

Grogan · August 24, 2009, 08:16:01 PM

Well IF the snakes need killin (I'm thinkin they usually don't)

That should do it!

Delmonico · August 24, 2009, 08:55:52 PM

They loaded 44-40 shot rounds in the 19th Century, it evolved into the 410 shotgun.

Bryan Austin · August 24, 2009, 09:46:20 PM

Quote from: Delmonico on August 24, 2009, 08:55:52 PM
They loaded 44-40 shot rounds in the 19th Century, it evolved into the 410 shotgun.

Been reading about all that. Pretty cool!

I wanted to load mine but did not want to use smokeless. I wanted to keep pressure on the wad/cap so it wouldn't fall off since it slides down in the wide part of the case, unlike the 44 mag/spl. Though about using trailboss but just didn't want smokeless. If the first shot don't kill it, I'll stick the barrel in its mouth and try again

Delmonico · August 24, 2009, 09:50:07 PM

The late elmer keith always said you really don't need shot loads to kill a snake with a pistol. When it's coiled up to strike he said just point and fire as quick as you can and the snake lines up it's head. Have done it twice from about 6 feet on nasty tempered but non-poisonous black snakes. Don't know if it works all the time but I ended up with two headless snakes.

fourfingersofdeath · August 25, 2009, 01:12:00 AM

We have some of the nastiest snakes in the world here, but I always say that when you kill a snake, a lot of things snakes eat don't get eaten, nature abhoors a vacuum and pretty soon, shucks, yer got enough food for two snakes. Best be setting up a flat rock an inch or so off the ground in a secluded part of the yard/garden that the dawgs cain't get to and the kids know to avoid and relaxing a bit.

Bryan Austin · August 25, 2009, 05:16:14 AM

Listen, I have a five year old that plays outside as well as a few horse that drink out of the pond. I will kill any poisness snake in the area. Other than that....I don't kill snakes for the hell of it!

Lone Oak · August 25, 2009, 05:49:31 AM

I have a couple of old, old 44WCF shot shells here with wooden bullets crimped in place. I hate to tear one down to see how it's put together. No nasty snakes (at least ones that crawl on their bellies) here in central MN so I'll keep the old rounds intact. BTW, they have small pistol primers.

Where did you get those plastic shot capsules Savvy Jack? Might need to load some for my 44 Colt to use on pigeons around the farm.

Wolfgang · August 25, 2009, 06:08:08 AM

I've got some of them same shot filled plastic gigets loaded up. Got 'em from Midway I think. Never have tried 'em out. I've heard of folks shooting snakes with 'em . . . and then having the snake "come back to life" $:-\$ . Seems the shot spread out and the snake wuz just stunned by the buzzle blast. No pellets had hit the snake at all

. So . . . don't pick up an "dead snakes" that you've shot with them things !

Delmonico · August 25, 2009, 01:22:50 PM

Wolfgang,how far away were you? Those shot loads work best at a few feet. Course beyond that they ain't really dangerous.

BTW both those blacksnakes I shot took over our outhouse, hard to get someone to use it when there is a 7 foot snake with a bad additude try to strike folks as they go in, and they will bite the hell out of you and the ifection can be nasty.

Bryan Austin · August 25, 2009, 04:05:00 PM

Quote from: Wolfgang on August 25, 2009, 06:08:08 AM
I've got some of them same shot filled plastic gigets loaded up. Got 'em from Midway I think. Never have tried 'em out. I've heard of folks shooting snakes with 'em . . . and then having the snake "come back to life" $:-\$ . Seems the shot spread out and the snake wuz just stunned by the buzzle blast. No pellets had hit the snake at all . So . . . don't pick up an "dead snakes" that you've shot with them things !

lol, happened to me last year. Shot at a swimming snake came towards my wife as she was brushing the horse by the pond. If I had not seen it, the horse may have spooked and run over the wife. I told her to move away from the horse.

Anyhow, I shot at it in the water, it flipped over, half the body was under water, the middle was floating, and the tail was under water...as if it had an airpocket in the middle. Anyhow after about ten minutes, it woke up...I shot it again but didn't miss the second time!

Bryan Austin · August 25, 2009, 08:08:38 PM

EDITED, PHOTO ADDED IN ORIGINAL POST!

Dalton Masterson · August 25, 2009, 08:19:45 PM

Looks like they should work if your close enough.
Around here, my boss has lost several cows, not calves, but cows, due to snake bites. A few months ago, one of our employees went up on some of our city property north of town, and about got taken by a BIG rattler. Was about 5 ft long, and nasty looking. This came from the same pasture as the dead cows.
I will be shooting if I am in the vicinity. Otherwise, I usually leave stuff alone.
DM

Wolfgang · August 25, 2009, 08:34:49 PM

As I said . . . I'd never tried out mine. Heard on another forum about snake loads and stunning them with the pellets missing. I don't carry them and just bought some of the plastic giggets as a novelty. If ya know how to shoot then ya don't need shot loads anyway.

Bryan Austin · August 25, 2009, 08:45:35 PM

Quote from: Wolfgang on August 25, 2009, 08:34:49 PM
As I said . . . I'd never tried out mine. Heard on another forum about snake loads and stunning them with the pellets missing. I don't carry them and just bought some of the plastic giggets as a novelty. If ya know how to shoot then ya don't need shot loads anyway.

lol, the last two I shot at wouldnt be still!

w44wcf · August 25, 2009, 09:17:58 PM

Lone Oak,
I also have several .44-40 U.M.C. shot cartridges with the wooden shot carrier. Interesting technology back in the day.
Here's a pic of a cutaway U.M.C. b.p. shot cartridge.....this one in .38-40

Jack,
Looks like you're getting a pretty good shot pattern.

I have used the Speer shot capsules in my .44-40. Very effective on carpenter bees! Just a bit of an overkill........

w44wcf

Bryan Austin · August 25, 2009, 10:10:54 PM

Quote from: w44wcf on August 25, 2009, 09:17:58 PM
Lone Oak,
I also have several .44-40 U.M.C. shot cartridges with the wooden shot carrier. Interesting technology back in the day.
Here's a pic of a cutaway U.M.C. b.p. shot cartridge.....this one in .38-40

Jack,
Looks like you're getting a pretty good shot pattern. I have used the Speer shot capsules in my .44-40. Very effective on carpenter bees! Just a bit of an overkill........

w44wcf

Looks like my powder measure was about right too!

Delmonico · August 25, 2009, 10:22:22 PM

My understanding is the wooden onew were for rifled barrels and would not always break up in smooth bore barrels making sometimes a solid projectile.

Bryan Austin · August 25, 2009, 10:30:17 PM

If you will look at my targets closely, you might notice a few large items hit them as well. Maybe the plastic and wad cap. The prairie has a nice chunk in his gut and the round circle, well you can see those.

Wolfgang · August 26, 2009, 05:31:08 AM

Quote from: Savvy Jack on August 25, 2009, 08:45:35 PM
lol, the last two I shot at wouldnt be still!

Didn't ya tell 'em to hold still so you could shoot ?