Is .22mag snake shot enough for moccasins?

[IDman]

We don't live (or travel) in moccasin country so I have no experience shooting them. HOWEVER...we have to go to Mississippi to clean out a vacant tenant dwelling owned my my mother-in-law so we can list it for sale. The property is 15 acres with house, barns, sheds, pool and pool equipment bldg. plus a couple of greenhouses. It has been neglected for a couple of years and we have now evicted the tenant.

We have been told by others living in the area that there is trash, debris, etc. all over the property so we know we will encounter snakes and other varmints.

I have been searching for .38/.357 snake shot but cannot find any! I can find 9mm but I don't trust the plastic shells to load properly. I can find lots of .22 mag at Bass Pro so may have to settle for it as it will be in a revolver.

Is .22 mag enough for Mississippi moccasin, copperheads, and rattlers?

Thanks!

[Laman]

I get a kick out of people who quote only death statistic's when championing the "leave them alone they do more good then harm" mantra. Yes thankfully not many people die from snakebites but there are hundreds that suffer painful bites and many times permanent after effects and I happen to know 3 such individuals. I am sorry but if it's a poisonous snake in an area that I or other people will frequent he is going to be dispatched. On my hunting lease in Ga. we will have taken out probably five eastern diamondbacks a year for over 20 years, we still have plenty. Habitat destruction by develoment is more of a danger to snake poplutation than individuals taking them out when encountered

[down_home]

Redsky wrote:
If you can see the snake to shoot it you can get out of its way and let it go about its business of keeping the rodent population down. A lot more people die from diseases and parasites carried by rodents than from snake bites.

In all of the USA in 2013 there was one death from a snake bite. In all of the USA in 2012 there was one death from a snake bite. In 2011 there was only one death from a snake bite. In 2010 there was only one death from a snake bite. Get the picture? More likely to get killed by someone with a handgun.

There has already been one death in 2014 at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Middlesboro, Kentucky who was playing with a snake during a church ceremony and where the man refused medical treatment and died - Darwinism at its finest.

Weeeeell... I don't want to get sick and nearly die, from snake bite, neither. I don't want to get bit neither, even if I don't get sick. If there is one there are a hundred. If is is in your daily use or access area, it won't leave because you are in it's territory.
Fortunately we have few here and no Moccasins because of weather, and viruses and molds that get them. Do have, somewhat, more Copperheads and...they will chase you. They introduced, a lot, of the Rattlers, west, of here, a few years ago, where there were very few, because of the same environment, I think. Nobody is happy about it. No big problems with Rodents. We have a variety of other snakes including monster Rat Snakes. Rattlers eat a lot of ground dwelling birds and eggs. They are slower than rats.
It ain't much fun, out west, to have to put snake leggings on, if you want to go anywhere. Some must think it is for fashion and want some big rattlers here. It is illegal to kill them here. I find one crawling up the wall I'm supposed to grab it, I guess, pet it and let it go. I have picked the things up. It is tougher letting go, I want you to know. A car can run over a bigun and it will just crawl off. Got a couple Copperheads ,that shed their skins, on the garage door opener rails last year. I ain't gonna make friends with them or understand their problems, around the house. 🙂 🙂

[Redsky]

If you can see the snake to shoot it you can get out of its way and let it go about its business of keeping the rodent population down. A lot more people die from diseases and parasites carried by rodents than from snake bites.

In all of the USA in 2013 there was one death from a snake bite. In all of the USA in 2012 there was one death from a snake bite. In 2011 there was only one death from a snake bite. In 2010 there was only one death from a snake bite. Get the picture? More likely to get killed by someone with a handgun.

There has already been one death in 2014 at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Middlesboro, Kentucky who was playing with a snake during a church ceremony and where the man refused medical treatment and died - Darwinism at its finest.

[Winged_One]

PastorCharlie wrote:
Beware of the crossbreeding between the Copperheads and the Rattlers....known as locally the "Rattlehead-Coppermoccasin" They are known to be very vicious and aggressive...they bite their victim with one end and sting with the other end.....need this just to get their attention. :B

Go with the S&W. It gives me one more round in the chamber (which I might need), AND it's made in America (which matters, at least, to me).

[MrWizard]

Nah thats the "hoop" snake

they are native to the land of tall tales

[down_home]

PastorCharlie wrote:
Beware of the crossbreeding between the Copperheads and the Rattlers....known as locally the "Rattlehead-Coppermoccasin" They are known to be very vicious and aggressive...they bite their victim with one end and sting with the other end.....need this just to get their attention. :B

Grand Ma and Mama and others, of their generations and a couple, of younger Folks told me about snakes taking their tail, in mouth and rolling after you. Last one was a young man, in the eighties,east of here. He swore to it. I dunno. Grand Ma and Mama said they experienced it. And..whip snakes. 🙂 Be a hard shot rolling after you.

[trb46]

One day many years ago, I was playing golf at a course in Texas. Hit my ball into the rough. Went into a thicket to retrieve it. My ball was sitting right next to a coral snake (yes, color pattern was correct). He had seen me before I saw him. He moved towards me, but I was not within striking distance. I got out of there in a hurry. Needless to say, that's one ball that's still in Texas!

[mosseater]

I've tested the "snake shot" for .44 mags, and I'm here to tell you, it isn't enough unless they're within arms length. At about 30', it barely breaks through cardboard. A good hit with .22 LR or 410 shotgun/pistol would be my choice. 12 gage would be even better.

[PastorCharlie]

Beware of the crossbreeding between the Copperheads and the Rattlers....known as locally the "Rattlehead-Coppermoccasin" They are known to be very vicious and aggressive...they bite their victim with one end and sting with the other end.....need this just to get their attention. :B

[JEBar]

04fxsts wrote:
One of the .410/45 handguns made by several makers would be your best option to carry in a way it would be handy and quickly put in use. Jim.

agree .... over the years I've use 22's and 357's with snake/rat shot and they do work .... that said, when poisonous snakes are involved I prefer a 410 pistol

Jim

[04fxsts]

One of the .410/45 handguns made by several makers would be your best option. Second would be rat shot in at least .357 or better .44 or .45 caliber. A shotgun would be best of all but with clearing brush and cleaning up would be difficult to carry in a way it would be handy and quickly put in use. Jim.

[traveylin]

Its the snake you do not see that will bite, making guns pretty much useless. Carry a good walking stick and thrash around congested weeds before entering. If you see one a whack across the back works.

Killed many blackberry picking in south Louisiana

pops

[Campinghoss]

A 22 mag hollow point will do the best for a snake in that caliber. 22 rat shot not that great. I only use my 44 now for snakes when needed. They do make CCI shot for the 44 and for the 357. I think you will be able to find it at a good gun shop.

[FlatBroke]

When it comes to snakes even a Howitzer isn't too big for me. However, a rocket launcher would be handier.