HELP - 38 Special Bird Shot?

Greetings All, am interested in finding a round for my .38 Special Six round revolver for Snake control. Unable to carry a Long Gun while walking dog(s), used Google but it just brings up one brand & I’d like options. Any help/links/brand names would be great!
Stay Thirsty my friend

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My wife’s step-dad used to carry this in .22 revolver and got good use out of it. It looks like they have it in all calibers. I don’t know if I would personally use it in a super expensive gun. He had an “old beater” .22 revolver as he called it that was fully safe and functional, just not his nicer every day carry.

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@Shepherd you beat me to it

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If it wasn’t for my wife’s step-dad, I would never have known about it. He absolutely hated snakes.

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I use the same round mentioned for snake control.

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I think BB gun that powered with CO2 chamber either .177 would do the job!! It will kill small size animals. I owned a BB Glock 19 licensed replica. It looks and feels like real Glock 19. I use it for my dry fire training at home. You can get this BB gun on amazon.

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I’m not sure anyone besides CCI makes shotloads, they seem pretty pricey for what they are. Myself, I have a single shot Derringer in 45 long colt caliber which allows me to shoot .410 shotshells which are much cheaper.

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This totally reminded me, S&W makes the Governor, which shoots 410 shells as well as .45. You may want to check that out, always good to find a reason to buy a new gun! :slight_smile:

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Greetings, yes my first choice was a polymer Taurus Judge, still on my radar as a purchase bc it has many different shell options for both human & wild animal. Suspenders required I would think lol it’s a beast but has its usefulness :peace_symbol:

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Just carry a Mossberg Shockwave :grin:

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CCI I believe still makes snake loads but any of the legit well known companies that produce them I’d be fine with trusting.

Fair warning, they are extremely ill advised for self defense so if the gun is intended for both uses my recommendation would be to alternate snake loads with self defense loads and be very mindful of which will be firing first.

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Take a look at the Taurus 44m and 44m TI. It’ll shoot 44m or 44spl and I think you can still find the spl’s in snake shot.

They also make a five shot 4" model in .45 Colt that is excellent for SD and also has available snake loads.

The Ruger SP101 in .357 is also another good choice.

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You do not want to shoot a rattlesnake or other poisonous snake with an air rifle. There are a million ways that can go and most of them are very bad.

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FYI Walmart carries (haha) CCI shotshell. I’ve seen it there in .22LR, 9mm, and .38SPL… I forget if I’ve seen it in .40SW or not.

All the “data” I’ve collected from the online collective beehive points to this advice:

  1. Use sparingly.
  2. Don’t use in really nice guns you care a lot about.
  3. Immediately clean barrel (do this for sure, more important than that post-range cleaning!), definitely before firing standard ammo.
  4. Use sparingly.

Those tips I’ve compiled come from the plastic holding the multiple projectiles in a capsule, and how the powder/heat will melt the plastic to the inside of your barrel.

I haven’t fired any of it, although I do myself have a box in each of a few calibers.

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I prefer a straight edge shovel for buzz worm medicine

I used my 38spcl SW Chief’s Special with the bird shot on a water moccasin in a pond’s edge. Took his head right off. I don’t think think anyone else makes this type ammo though.

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CCI snake shot for .38 revolver. Used it to shoot many rattlers while working patrol. Would thumb the hammer back, get within 15 feet and blow their heads off.

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The only option to CCI snake shot that I’m aware of is to hand load your own.
Ballistic Products carries no.11 shot, and if I recollect correctly, that is what CCI loads.

When I was ranching I had a bunch of feeders made from old skip loader tires with plywood bottoms.
Mice loved 'em and where there are mice, there are buzz worms. Having livestock bitten on the nose is fatal if not promptly treated, so once a year I’d get a wrecking bar and flip those skip loader tires over with a snub nose .38 loaded with CCI snake shot close at hand (it took both hand to pry those tires out of the dirt) to discourage the serpents
Not a job I enjoyed.

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