[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Snake Gun Recommendations (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 4/16/2008 1:34:26 PM EDT
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It's that time again and the snakes are plentiful at the ranch. I need recommendations for a gun that I can keep with me at all times or at least leave on the ATV while roaming around the ranch. There are lots and lots of copperheads and rattlesnakes that don't bother us, but there are some that make their way into the yard and other people populated areas. I've looked at rat shot in .22s, the Taurus .410 revolver, the Snake Charmer and few others. Please let me know what you use ammo or gun wise. Thanks. |
How is this thing to shoot? |
on that note I offer a Nevada Bull Snake  Comepletely harmless and sometimes mistaken for a Western DiamondBack just Sunning itself etc. until we came across it. Hiwa thats a Rattler! Naw it's a Bull Snake! It's trying to crawl up your Leg! No big Deal and never fired a shot |
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When it comes to snakes, I don't consider a 40mm grenade launcher to be overkill. With that in mind, Serbu makes a really short 12ga that you can get with an AOW stamp. The Judge is another fair option. I don't like the idea of a single shot, what if you step in the middle of a nest? |
Great Basin gopher snake. Bullsnakes are east of the Rockies. As per the snake gun, a .22 with shotshells would be plenty enough. Even a pellet gun will smoke them. |
One of my guys beat a snake to death awhile ago thinking it was a cobra. The ironic thing was, he used his ASP. It was just an oil snake, which the locals here like to put on skewers, roast, and eat. I've had some, and they're tasty.I just prefer to let them eat the rats, even if they are cobras. Kraits and Russell's Vipers, though, I will call and have removed. I've seen these guys eating scorpions, but they go apeshit when it's a snake that isn't bothering them at all. BTW: one for a .45 with CCI shot up the pipe. |
If they are in flight, a 12 gauge with 7.5 shot. If they are sitting in a tree on on a wire, a .22 long rifle bullet does the trick. |
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http://www.gunshopfinder.com/marlin/410.jpg from marlin...its a .410 that is of course if you want a whole new dedicated shotgun...or want an excuse to buy another one |
God Dots are a bit overkill for a snake. I would be concerned about ricochets, over-travel, over-penetration, etc. "But officer, I was shooting at a SNAKE" aint going to cut it if you kill a 5yo on a playground half a mile from your snake encounter. Not a flame, JMHO. I generally don't like to kill snakes unless as the OP stated thaey start to get a little too close to home and family. That being said, I have carried #9 shot in my .44Mag. the .22 shotshells are useless against anything bigger than a cricket. I don't own one but IMHO a .410/45LC revolver would be perfect for snake patrol, even the two-legged kind
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I might be concerned about those things to if I lived in an urban environment I live in the woods. If I see a snake that simply must be killed it will most likely be on my property. I see hundreds of snakes, I kill maybe 1 or 2 per summer. Rarely do I shoot one, but if forced I would use my carry gun like I said in my OP. i do understand that city dwellers have different concerns than country folk.
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Sure, but snakes can be hard to hit. And if you shoot 3 times that's like $2.00 worth of ammo. |
truth main reason I really can't think of one that I have shot usually whack them with a stick or machete if I find it imperative to kill them now if I lived in a place that was given to black mamba infestation or something I might feel differently about needing a dedicated "snake gun" |
I agree with you. I see lots of them around. In fact I prefer having them around. They eat lots of rats and mice, which I consider more of a problem than any snake. Snakes don't carry disease, rats and mice do. Snakes won't tear up your property, rats and mice will. |
I leave mine around, mainly copperheads, corals, and rat snakes. I don't think they eat too many mice compared to a feral cat, but life is just that much more exciting with predators around. 
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 Meet the Serbu Super-Shorty. This one is built on a Remington 870 frame. I recommend it over the Mossberg version even though it's more expensive as an 870. Gotta love that it's only an AOW; the tax is only five dollars. I used one for rattlesnake defense in Arizona. Mike |
