[Crestliner]

If I can find some, what can I expect or not expect from such cartridges? I'm figuring this might be a decent snake/varminter rounds for the camp this summer. Here in MA, we can't buy ammo thru catalog, so I'll probably have to order it thru a dealer. I am not even sure if they make shot loads in .357 Mag. caliber? Do they come in various loads, or just one loading per caliber. Thanks folks.

 

[RNettles]

Good question... I've often wondered the same thing... I can't wait to hear the answer!

 

[Wuchak]

CCI makes if for 38/357 along with other cartridges. According to the CCI site it is a 109 grain charge (that's the weight of the charge, not number of balls) #9 shot going about 1000fps. It's $11.49 +shipping for a box of 10 from MidwayUSA http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=757831. It will probably kill a mouse or snake inside of 10 feet.

My general rule for snakes is that if I can see them and have time to draw my gun and shoot them, then I have time to take a couple of steps away and go around them. They eat a lot or rats and mice that carry disease. There is almost never a reason to shoot a snake. About the only reason I can think of is if a child has stumbled onto one and the snake looks ready to strike, or if you are climbing a very narrow trail and the snake is in the middle of the path and there is no way to go around it and it won't leave. I'd use the shot shells to help the snakes out and shoot some mice but at ~$1.20 a round it's not worth it.

If you really want to carry them head over the gunblast.com and use their instructions to roll your own, or get a friend who reloads to make some for you. If you buy the components to make some up for the two of you he'll probably be glad to put them together. You'll end up with a much better cartridge for a fraction of the price and as bonus your friend will have some too.
http://www.gunblast.com/Snake_Stopper.htm

 

[cruelshoes]

A great local company, here in Santa Rosa, has .38 shot shells (50 for $30). I have no idea how the shipping charges are, because I drive there to get my ammo. Here is the link to their site:
http://www.loadxammo.com/index.html

 

[REB]

I carry the 38 CCI shot shells in my SP101 but I have never shot a snake with it. I did do some testing with it and it should work just fine at close range. Even a five paces it seems to have a decent pattern. My woods load is two rounds of shot and three rounds of hand loaded 140 grain XTPs.

I personally never shoot a nonpoisonous snake. Rattlesnakes and copperheads are fair game in my book especially if they are anywhere close to my house.

 

[rantingredneck]

I did a range report on 9mm vs. .45ACP CCI shot loads awhile back here:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=256843&highlight=9mm+vs.+.45+shot+shells

Looks like the .45ACP shot loads are about the same weight as the .357/.38's.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I've done some reading on them and imo anything smaller than the 38's are useless. They come in 22. 9mm, 38/357, 40, 45acp, 45 colt, 44 mag. The bigger ones seem to pack a pretty good punch. I honestly don't know what they'd be good for other than small rodents. The 45 colt and 44 mags might chase off something as big as a fox or coyote, but they might also just make them mad. They're kind of expensive to plink with too.

 

[jimbo1096]

I've made them up and used them on ocassion. I use to do a lot of hiking and outdoors time and carried two first up in a .357 BKH or SecSix. They work in a short range shot. I loaded with #6s.
Any dealer should be able to order the factory loaded ammo.

 

[REB]

Jimbo, Did you use the shot capsule to load your own? I have been thinking about loading some in 357 cases using some type of wading and probably wax to seal the top wading. You should be able to get a healthy dose of shot over a light charge of universal in a 357 case.

 

[tn gun runner]

Speer makes empty capsuls 38, 44 and 45 , you can fill them with size shot
you want , and they work good ..completed they look like the CCI which
work great .. I've kill cotton mouth with my 6" SW in the pond 15 yds away
the water shows pattern good.. my SP101 has a pattern shot best between
10 and 30 feet which is perfect for hiker with the CCI..

 

[REB]

I have used the CCI shot capsules but I was thinking I could get more shot in there using 357 cases with waddings.

 

[Crestliner]

Thanks guys. Great information! I think I'd like to try them, just for the sake of trying them - if you know what I mean. I think for the times when you are bank fishing or kayaking, these would be a nice load to take along. Thanks again!

 

[trh53]

At 20 feet the CCI .38/357 load makes a pattern about the size of a paper plate out of my SP101.

 

[jimbo1096]

Jimbo, Did you use the shot capsule to load your own? I have been thinking about loading some in 357 cases using some type of wading and probably wax to seal the top wading. You should be able to get a healthy dose of shot over a light charge of universal in a 357 case.

Yes sir, No problem using the listed charges on the box. I don't have that info with me right now, but I believe I always used 5 .5 Unique. Easy to load in 38 spl cases, just being easy on seating pressure not to crack the plastic shell. In the 357 Mag you need to be careful with the OAL. I used both 7 1/2 and 6 shot, but liked the pattern best from the #6 at 10 - 12 feet.
I read a post at the .com site awhile back where they were using 357 mag and 357 max cases to load their own shotshells, using the same charge listed for the speer load, an over powder wad cut from milk carton, and a reversed gas check as the top cap. Seems a lot of work to avoid paying the 9 bucks for the Speer shot capsules, but I guess they just liked inventing their own way of doing it. I wouldn't use the wax, It'd be a pain to get it right and keep it from being too messy, JMHO.

 

[wa0cqa]

Shot shells in Ruger SP101

I have been reloading my own shot shells with 5.5 grains of Unique. The first 100 rounds were all great, but after a good cleaning I am still getting shot coming out between the cylinder and the barrel. Any thoughts?