how do you make a snakeshot load for your revolver?

[badbob454]

im wanting to make some snakeshot loads no.9 shot for my 45 colt /454 casull revolver .i am too cheap to buy the plastic cases , and was wondering if anyone here would share how they make theirs. i love having a snake shot first in the chamber when hiking /hunting..... i will attempt to make some , and share , if you will too , thanks ... bob

[boltons75]

The old .22 shot shells were just crimped closed at the end keeping the shot in. Maybe use a wad between the powder and shot and seal it with wax? To keep the shot in....

[429421Cowboy]

I use 6 gr (I think? Have it written down but not with me now) of Unique, an over powder wad, no 9 shot to fill the case (Smaller would be better) and another wad to hold it all in, then seal with glue in my .44 mag cases. Gear has an awesome method for getting enough shot it a revolver to make it worth it, i am sure he will post up soon! I find that a good boolit is better at clipping a snakes head off than birdshot out of a pistol, especially at anything over about 5 feet.

If i was you and really wanted to make birdshot, i'd load a light charge of fairly fast powder in a .454 case to hold as much shot as i could, then wad, shot, wad. I like to use shotgun shell boxes for wads, just about the right thickness. I spun a case in a drill and sharpened it with my chamfer tool, per Beagle's method, to make a cutter for properly sized wads to use.

[Grapeshot]

With a .45 Colt you can use 6.5 grains of unique, a .45 gas check seated cup side up, #12 shot to fill the space and then another .45 gas check seated cup side down. What that does to potatoes matches what it will do to snakes.

[sundog]

this style load works quite effectively and does not use up your gas checks

http://www.castbullet.com/reload/44shot.htm

[Viper225]

480 Ruger Shotshells
I use I believe 4 grains of Clays.
A 1/2" Card Stock Wad cut with a 1/2" Leather Punch, with a 50 cal muzzle loader over powder felt wad over the card.
Fill the case with #12 shot.
Seat upside down Gas Check and Crimp.

The glue on the card stock wad did not work well for me.

A snake killer Delux.

I would go with the 454 Case. Bigger is better when making shotshells. I would try a 45 muzzle loader over powder wad, and a 45 Gas Check on the top and crimp in place. Nothing bigger than #9 shot, and #12 is probably better yet.

Bob

[Down South]

With a .45 Colt you can use 6.5 grains of unique, a .45 gas check seated cup side up, #12 shot to fill the space and then another .45 gas check seated cup side down. What that does to potatoes matches what it will do to snakes.
Same here. I've made rat shot loads with the 44 Mag and 357 mag too.

[1Shirt]

Have used Sundogs method, and it works just fine. That said, I like the plastic cups sold by Speer. They arnt that expensive, and they hold more shot. Just my opinion.
1Shirt!