# 38 special



## Bones (Jun 15, 2011)

Since I had a run in with a timber rattler I have given serious thought of carrying a pistol with me in the woods.  I also thought that during hunting season if I or one of my hunting party wounded a deer I could dispatch the deer with a pistol.  I have a 38 special that my brother gave me and was wondering if this pistol would get the job done?  I was also told that I could possible get ammunition with rat shot is that possible?  What type ammunition and what grain would you suggest?  All help would greatly be appreciated.

Bones


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## 7dawg9 (Jun 15, 2011)

*38*

I carry a 38 with rat shot or " shotshell" ammo for snakes. You can usually get it online from Midway or Cabellas.


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## Dub (Jun 15, 2011)

I carry a .38spl quite often but don't worry about "rat shot".  A 125gr-158gr hunk of lead dispatches them quite nicely.


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## 7Mag Hunter (Jun 15, 2011)

Dub said:


> I carry a .38spl quite often but don't worry about "rat shot".  A 125gr-158gr hunk of lead dispatches them quite nicely.



Yep....Snake shot out of a short barrel is gonna spread
out pretty quick and be largely ineffective past 8'-10' or so.....
I would prefer a real bullet with a rattler....


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## fredw (Jun 15, 2011)

7Mag Hunter said:


> Yep....Snake shot out of a short barrel is gonna spread
> out pretty quick and be largely ineffective past 8'-10' or so.....
> I would prefer a real bullet with a rattler....


It's been my experience that most rattlesnakes you see are within 8 to 10 feet.  A vote for the shotshell here.

Besides.....how many folks can hit a snakes head with a pistol?


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## 7Mag Hunter (Jun 15, 2011)

fredw said:


> It's been my experience that most rattlesnakes you see are within 8 to 10 feet.  A vote for the shotshell here.
> 
> Besides.....how many folks can hit a snakes head with a pistol?




If I see a rattler, I ain't gonna be 8-10 feet from it...I'm
gonna back up quick and start shootin !!!

I have a 6" Smith 686 and hand loaded some snake shot
years ago and used a coke can for a "snake"....After
testing, I just went back to real bullets....You "might"
get 2-3 shot pellets into a "snake" at 10-15 feet.....
I ain't takin no chance with a rattler...I am unloading
6 each 158gr HP at it !!!


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## fredw (Jun 15, 2011)

7Mag Hunter said:


> If I see a rattler, I ain't gonna be 8-10 feet from it...I'm
> gonna back up quick and start shootin !!!
> 
> I have a 6" Smith 686 and hand loaded some snake shot
> ...


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## Dub (Jun 16, 2011)

fredw said:


> It's been my experience that most rattlesnakes you see are within 8 to 10 feet.  A vote for the shotshell here.
> 
> Besides.....how many folks can hit a snakes head with a pistol?




Excellent point.

This is the exact scenerio that made me quit carrying my .32acp Seecamp.

I'd thought that it would make a great "snake gun" as it is small, light but well made and solid.  It slips in a pocket with ease even when I'm hunting "light".  It's no burden and the 60gr Silvertip hollow points it prefers are not that loud.

Anyway, the gun proved to be a poor "snake gun" in my hands.  The first and last time I used if for such I shot all around it.....no sights, long trigger pull.....perhaps I scared old no-shoulders a bit....sure didn't hit 'em.

I'm a good bit more accurate with my .38spcl....sometimes.


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## Richard P (Jun 17, 2011)

Wouldnt several rds of 22lr from a semi auto or revolver do about as well at ''snake encounter'' distances?  22lr is cheap enough for lots of practice, which is what most folks need. 
 The .38 would certainly be effective if you have the skill to place the bullet. Remember, 38spl lead bullets such as target wadcutters or round nose are slow and there is enough mass so a bullet that encountered a rock could ricochet in any direction or return some of that mass toward you. As always, be aware of the backstop of that bullet.


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## Rich M (Jun 17, 2011)

If you can get within 10-15 feet of the snake, why not a little closer?  It's not like it will bite you when you are shooting it.  Only snakes I've had issues with were 18-20 inch cotton mouths, rat shot would have worked fine.  I used a machete instead.  Yup - they have to be able to touch you to be a threat.

All the rattlers I have seen have been getting out of dodge when I was around.  Two exceptions - a beautiful 8-inch specimen laying out catching rays in the evening on a sandy rd, and a 16-inch pygmy all coiled up into a ball with his head down on a cold morning.

Back when I wanted a rattlesnake skin and would kill them,  I saw one crossing behind my truck - it was longer than the wheel base of my full sized chevy - 8 ft+  That snake fled when I hopped out with a shotgun.  another one was about 5 ft long on the side of a paved road - I stopped to turn around and that snake also got out of dodge.  Moral is that they generally avoid people.


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## Migraman (Jun 22, 2011)

Having some experience with this, I thought I might add:
For most of us, seeing the snake causes a slight case of the jitters (in my case, this is an understatement).  Of course, some folks are completely calm at this point - Most of us aren't.  Whip out a pistol and start shooting - at any distance - and most of us will miss.  6 shots from a 44 mag that miss are just as effective as 6 shots from a 22 that misses and every bit as effective as 17 shots from a Glock 9mm that miss.  I vote for the snake shot - get as close as you can (for some folks, that isn't very close) and shoot.  The shot is worthless beyond 10 feet but, again, it's better than missing completely at 25.

Your 38 will kill a snake just fine.

My 2 cents..


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## SOUTHERN WOODS (Jun 23, 2011)

Dub said:


> Excellent point.
> 
> This is the exact scenerio that made me quit carrying my .32acp Seecamp.
> 
> ...



I had the same experience with a Beretta .32 Tomcat.  After firing six shots out of a seven round magazine, I killed the snake with a pine limb.  Lesson learned.

Something like a S&W  642 with snake shot alternated with reg. lead would probably be lightweight and ideal. Better yet a 317 Kit Gun but they are a bit expensive.


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## Kendallbearden (Jun 24, 2011)

I killed a 4 foot timber rattler with 11 rattles and a button a few years back using a 357 mag loaded with 38sp shotshells. I was about 8 feet away. It took the entire top jaw off of the snake. It does the job quite nicely. I was using a 4 inch barrel too. I have also dispatched a copper head and 2 cottonmouths with the same gun/load. So take it from someone who has experience...it works. I usually loaded mine with two rounds of snake shot and 4 hollow points. That way, if you need more range, all you have to do is open the cylinder and rotate it, and you'll have 4 hollow points at your disposal.


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## Sargent (Jun 24, 2011)

I carry a Dan Wesson .357.  I usually load it with 3 rounds of 158gr JHPs and 3  rounds of CCI shotshells.

I figure if I have an encounter with a rattler I will empty all 6 rounds towards him.  If I miss, hopefully he will die of a heart attack.


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## dick7.62 (Jun 24, 2011)

Dub said:


> Excellent point.
> 
> This is the exact scenerio that made me quit carrying my .32acp Seecamp.
> 
> ...



When I was in my 20's I bought a .32acp and wanted to try it out.  I bought a box of 50 fmj and walked around the woods looking for something to shoot.  My "snake" dog found 2 large rattlesnakes breeding and I cut loose at them.  I was hitting them most of the time but those fmj bullets weren't doing much damage.  I ended up shooting 38 times before I killed them.  The 32acp doesn't seem to be a good snake gun.
In recent years I have used large caliber snake shot.  From a distance of 2 to 4 feet it usually blows their head off completely.


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## fishfryer (Jun 24, 2011)

Get you a Ruger Single Six in .32 H & R magnum with a long barrel. Wonderful snake dispatcher! Practice,practice,practice,if you still can't hit a snake,buy you a contender with a .410 barrel,and sell me the .32.


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## Toxic (Jun 24, 2011)

seen a buddy who is an excellent shot with his Ruger 9 mm, unload 2 clips at a rattler that was about 10 feet away, I ended up killing it with a shovel....was awhile before I stop laughing


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## LanceColeman (Jul 1, 2011)

As someone who grew up killing cotton mouths with a single six maybe I'm missing something here. So fellers I don't mean to be rude here so please don't take this the wrong way. But if you're not able to hit a snake at 8-12 feet away with your weapon of choice?? You truly need to do more practicing and shooting with that weapon.

Most folks seem to do two types of practice shooting. Semi close-midrange (15-30yds) and their opinion of longer range (50-70yds or 80-100yds depending on caliber). Almost no one tends to shoot and practice at whats considered, "ultra close" (point blank-10 feet) And the vast majority of people tend to shoot right over the top of the intended spot. They tend to view those type situations as a "gimme"

I have a good friend who holds a spectacular group with his 44 mag at 50yds. I sat and watched him from my tree stand last year completely miss an entire 6 point 5yds from the base of his tree. As I sat and thought about it. 50yds is pretty much the only distance I've ever saw him practice at.

I'm not meaning to offend anyone here and I'm not saying I'll hit a quarter or snake head at 12 feet every time.. But I truly believe we would all be better shots if we were all familiar with exactly what our weapon does not only at practical and longer ranges .. but also upclose and personal ranges. This will not only give you better insite to your sighting system. But it will also enable you to develope a "feel" for your weapon. That "feel" is crucial for your best performance.

That said I bought my wife a 38spl just to keep her off my 357 mag. If you ask me the only two better snake dispatchers than a 38spl are a 410 shotgun and a shovel. And they don't make easy to carry holsters for either of those.


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## JohnK (Jul 1, 2011)

I would think any snake on the ground could easily be dispatched with a stick.


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## Barry Duggan (Jul 1, 2011)

LanceColeman said:


> If you ask me the only two better snake dispatchers than a 38spl are a 410 shotgun and a shovel. And they don't make easy to carry holsters for either of those.



I disagree brother Lance, since I've always be partial to a weedeater for dispatching snakes.

I have a cut down, single shot .410...yep it's legal length, with a sling swivel in the pistol grip and a barrel band sling swivel up front. Wear it slung over my back like a back quiver. It don't miss. It's not that I can hit em with a handgun, it's just that little .410 does a better job when they are about to get away.


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## redlevel (Jul 1, 2011)

CCI .38 sp snakeshot does fine out to 12 or so feet.  I keep my 3" Model 36-1 with shot in the first chamber up during snake season.  I carry it in the woods and on the tractor in the flap holster.  It is one of my favorites.  I killed this one in my back yard about two years ago.  One shot to the head at about ten feet.


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## trial&error (Jul 2, 2011)

If I'm out in the woods and he's going away I let him go, however if he's coiled up and looking for a fight I don't care if I hit him in the head or body so rat shot isn't needed regular lead works 22lr.  Now if I'm in the yard or he's hanging around my stand he'll meet his demise by any means available.


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## CAL (Jul 2, 2011)

To each his own I guess.I use a North American Arms 22 mag.with snake shot.year before last I killed 17 with the little gun.None got away!The barrel is only an inch long!


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## LanceColeman (Jul 3, 2011)

CAL said:


> To each his own I guess.I use a North American Arms 22 mag.with snake shot.year before last I killed 17 with the little gun.None got away!The barrel is only an inch long!



Does snake shot have any effect on the riflings?? I wouldn't mind giving it a go in a couple of my calibers.... BUT!! the two I have in mind are my two favorite revolvers. and if there's any chance of it messin up the riflings?? I'll buy a beater to try it in. I always just used holla points for snakes.


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