Rossi "Tuffy" Snake Charmer

[richhodg66]

Anyone have experience with one? Been thinking I oughta have something on the rider while I'm mowing the place and I'd do better with something like this than a pistol.

[samari46]

I had one of the Homer Koon's snake charmers in 410. Took both the 2 3/4 and 3" shells. Not much recoil and fun to shoot. That went down the road awhile back. Now have one of the New England pardners in the same caliber. Usually stick in the cart behind the riding mower when picking up branches and tree limbs in the back of the property. For fast reloading I stick one or two shells between my right hand fingers and just stuff them in. Does a nice job on snakes and you don't have to get up close and personal. Frank

[Mk42gunner]

Doesn't look like Rossi is still making them to me, at least I couldn't find it on their website. It does look like any of the three or four other versions of the snake charmer I can remember seeing since Homer Koon (IIRC) brought out the first named one back in the late seventies.

It would work for snakes, and that is probably about it. It would also be a PITA to carry while mowing your yard. The best thing I found for that use is an old High Standard Model B loaded with CCI shotshells, it is flat and doesn't get in the way. No it won't cycle the action, but the first shot with a couple of hits gives you time to reload.

Honestly, I was not impressed with the single shot Rossi's of the last decade or so. I would rather have just about any of the old hardware store .410's suitably shortened for the task.

Robert

[richhodg66]

There's still a few on Gunbroker new.

It seems they are made on a small frame. Looks like most .410s are made on what is a 20 gauge frame anymore. One article I saw a guy had fitted one of the black plastic stocks H&R used to put on their youth shotguns, added a couple of inches overall length, but made for a handy, 3 pound grouse gun he could pack in with and could actually hit something with.

Truth be told, I have never shot a .410. I have one I oddly came in possession of, nice old Iver Johnson, but long and relatively heavy and actually a bit too nice for the rough and tumble treatment I think it would get as a yard tractor gun. I would think a short, open choked .410 would do for what I'd need it for, we don't have many venomous snakes around here, but you never know.

[Hamish]

rich,

Taurus Judge?

Personally, I like the H&R's.

[w5pv]

There's still a few on Gunbroker new.

It seems they are made on a small frame. Looks like most .410s are made on what is a 20 gauge frame anymore. One article I saw a guy had fitted one of the black plastic stocks H&R used to put on their youth shotguns, added a couple of inches overall length, but made for a handy, 3 pound grouse gun he could pack in with and could actually hit something with.

Truth be told, I have never shot a .410. I have one I oddly came in possession of, nice old Iver Johnson, but long and relatively heavy and actually a bit too nice for the rough and tumble treatment I think it would get as a yard tractor gun. I would think a short, open choked .410 would do for what I'd need it for, we don't have many venomous snakes around here, but you never know.

Is that Iver Johnson the old double barrel 410 pistol that they called a snake charmer.Saw one years ago when I was an youngster but never got to shoot it.It was about 12" long and had outside hammers soon after the gun haters had it outlawed.

[Katya Mullethov]

I prefer a pistol , but keep finding myself walking around for a of couple days with a cylinder full of ratshot

[WebMonkey]

Classic firearms has them right now for less than 150.00

[Tackleberry41]

Rossi stopped making that series of single shot. Thats why the price has dropped. Usually they go up in price like H&R, but cheap Rossi are not very good. I have a 20 ga barrel thats a bit bent to one side, probably from them using a mig welder to put on the hand guard stud. It came with a used 44mag, 20 ga combo.

[montana_charlie]

Anyone have experience with one? Been thinking I oughta have something on the rider while I'm mowing the place and I'd do better with something like this than a pistol.

I have one. It's one of the Homer Koon guns.
It is one type of gun I would never consider buying, but I inherited it when my Dad passed.
As a livestock owner, it sometimes happens that an animal needs to be put down.
My Snake Charmer is the gun I use for that in situations where a shot can be carefully fired into the forehead.
The result is instantaneous ...

[richhodg66]

Is that Iver Johnson the old double barrel 410 pistol that they called a snake charmer.Saw one years ago when I was an youngster but never got to shoot it.It was about 12" long and had outside hammers soon after the gun haters had it outlawed.

No, just a plain old Champion, but a rather nice gun nonetheless. They were not high end guns in their day, but things like the wood to metal fit and a nice if rather plain, walnut stock. I just bought a box of 2 1/2" #6 loads fr it, think I'll pattern it this week and go after a squirrel or two soon with it.

[richhodg66]

Rossi stopped making that series of single shot. Thats why the price has dropped. Usually they go up in price like H&R, but cheap Rossi are not very good. I have a 20 ga barrel thats a bit bent to one side, probably from them using a mig welder to put on the hand guard stud. It came with a used 44mag, 20 ga combo.

I might be willing to take that 20 gauge barrel off your hands for a stubbing project. I have a Rossi single in 20 gauge I leave out in the shop with buckshot as a just in case gun. Really nothing wrong with them, though I haven't shot it a whole lot. Wish it didn't have that wretched safety on it, but I can ignore that.

[leeggen]

Wife has one of the Snake Shooter I beleive it is called, in 410. Dang thing is like shooting a slug, the choke is major in it. At about 20 feet it will openup to about quarter size hole. Carries 40 or 5 in the buttstock behind the buttplate. weighs about nothing, my 40 S&W weighs more. It does a job on snakes though.
CD