38-357 rat shot loads

[rickt300]

My garage has been turned into a home for rats in the last week or so. I have had no issues using ratshot loads in a 22 but they are out of sight in price. Even the cheapest ones are going for $22. for fifty. The only shot I have laying around is #9. At what speed should I push it? Planning on using aluminum can material for the overshot wad and paper plate or pop can cardboard doesn't really matter. Kind of don't want to do any more damage than the rimfire shot loads.

[Ed_Shot]

You can use paper plate material for both over-powder and over-shot cards for you "indoor" purpose. Seal the over-shot card with Elmer's. Don't know what range you envision, but to avoid collateral damage I'd recommend okra or maze or some other small hard seed instead of lead shot. Be safe.

[rickt300]

You can use paper plate material for both over-powder and over-shot cards for you "indoor" purpose. Seal the over-shot card with Elmer's. Don't know what range you envision, but to avoid collateral damage I'd recommend okra or maze or some other small hard seed instead of lead shot. Be safe.

Maise might work, good idea. Okra seed way too big. What kind of powder charge? 3 grains of Unique?

[Ed_Shot]

I'd recommend Bulleye or Red Dot/Promo and try 2.5 ~ 3.0 gr with a load of maise. Recommend testing outdoors.

[rickt300]

Don't have any red dot, or any faster powder than unique.

[Ed_Shot]

Try Unique 3.0 gr.

[recumbent]

From the Speer reloading manual using their plastic shot sheel capsuls.
38/357 mag 5.5 grn Unique muzzle velocity 6" bbl 1111 fps

[rickt300]

That might be a bit rough on the garage!

[Ed_Shot]

For you intended purpose I'd sure start with Unique 3.0 gr with paper over-powder and over-shot cards and a load of your favorite seeds. Start low and work up. Let us know how that works.

[HWooldridge]

A solid wax bullet might work better if you are shooting toward the floor or baseboards - with 2 or 3 grs Unique.

[brassrat]

Get some big rat snap traps, marshmallow well ground into the catch. Trying to hunt em seems maybe unlikely but would continue with your plan too

[rickt300]

Get some big rat snap traps, marshmallow well ground into the catch. Trying to hunt em seems maybe unlikely but would continue with your plan too

I do use rat traps. My method with marshmallows is to get a side hot to melting and stick that to the catch with the middle part sticking up. Not as fun though as shooting them on the run.

[rickt300]

For you intended purpose I'd sure start with Unique 3.0 gr with paper over-powder and over-shot cards and a load of your favorite seeds. Start low and work up. Let us know how that works.

It's raining so may just get on this project right after I load some 260 shells I have been procrastinating.

[woody1]

I believe you'll find you need much more powder for the seeds than you think. IMO they're too light to get any kind of payload in a 357 case. Wax bullets are more likely to do the job for you.

Just my opinion. Regards, Woody

[brassrat]

I do use rat traps. My method with marshmallows is to get a side hot to melting and stick that to the catch with the middle part sticking up. Not as fun though as shooting them on the run.

Shooting them on the run or not sounds great. I only have experience with a pellet pistol and a mouse along my electric baseboard heater. He would know I was in motion while raising gun. I waited with a bead on a cheese piece and nailed him. I figured the rat hunt would be similar with them one step ahead.

[Whit Spurzon]

This method worked for me. Rats had tunneled a nest under the slab outside my shop.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrFp2MYJrj4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nizifmTQ1co

To be effective it needs to be able to penetrate a gatorade bottle at the range you'll be hunting. POI for the pattern center was 2" below POA at 10'

[rickt300]

Pretty cool. Wonder if 4 grains of Unique would up the ante enough. Next gun show I will look for some Bullseye, very useful powder.

[Stephen Cohen]

I primed a fired and unsized 357 shell loaded 3 gr Bullseye covered with 3 wads cut from a primer box using a 9mm shell as punch, as much shot as I could get in allowing for 3 more of said wads the put heavy roll crimp while sizing shell and sealed with candle wax. made short work of snake that came into my house and went under refrigerator. Regards Stephen

[trapper9260]

I do use rat traps. My method with marshmallows is to get a side hot to melting and stick that to the catch with the middle part sticking up. Not as fun though as shooting them on the run.

Put peanut butter on the pan of the rat trap or a #1 long spring or jump trap you will get the rats. Have it that they walk between the jaws of the trap, Rat shot is another way of getting them beside works on snakes too. I use a gasket hole cutter to make my wads out of cracker box ,the cutters is from Snap On . Also use them to make my wads for shotgun also beside other straight wall cartridge to use for rat or snake shot. I put 2 wads over the powder and one over the shot . It works for me .

[sniper]

From the Speer reloading manual using their plastic shot sheel capsuls.
38/357 mag 5.5 grn Unique muzzle velocity 6" bbl 1111 fps

In the same manual, or maybe the paper that comes with the shot capsules, it advises that lower loads may give better patterning. I've shot the 5.5 gr. Unique loads, and the next batch I test will try 5.0 and 4.5 gr. to see how they pattern. Old School Wheelgunner on some site...I disremember which...used 3 gr. Bullseye and #6.5 shot, because " that's all he had", and the damage it did to the center of the target at 3 yards(?) was impressive! Sooo...Tribal wisdom being that #12 and maybe #10 penetrate soft targets better, but I wonder? That combination looked like it wold do the business. 3 yards is the closest I want to get to any venomous snake, anyway! Eye protection! smaller shot can and will ricochet! (Don't ask!)

[sniper]

That might be a bit rough on the garage!

OYes! The owner of a nursery's son invited me to go rat shooting in their barns with him one night. We used our. 22 rifles. We saw one large rat perched on a red wall-mounted First Aid cabinet. He shot, the rat disappeared, but there was a round .22 caliber shot pattern on the cabinet. I don't know what he told his dad, but the invitation was not repeated.

[barnetmill]

Wear eye protection for sure.
If there are no pets around like cats or dogs; poisons will work. There are even some poisons that are dog and cat safe that consists of corn(maize) products that rats not being ruminants cannot handle in the GI tracts.

Powdered Corn Cob (PCC) is marketed as a natural and environmentally-friendly alternative to anticoagulant rodenticide. The preparation was approved in July 2013 under the European Biocide Directive Program (Annex 1/1A BPD 98/8EEC) . It works by causing acute and ultimately lethal dehydration.
History

Formulated and manufactured by Zea Sciences[1] over 15 years, PCC was granted EU under the European Biocide Directive Program, known as Annex 1/1A BPD 98/8EEC, in July 2013.[2][3] The patent covers the principle of using any suitable natural dehydrant to kill rodents.[4]
Effect

Similar to other rodenticides, the preparation requires 3–7 days to be effective. Rather than killing rodents through internal haemorrhaging as anticoagulants do,[5] PCC affects a rodent’s digestive system, causing acute dehydration due to its extremely absorptive nature (corn cob has been used in applications such as oil spills in water bodies, seed drying and de-icing).[6] Physiological digestive pathways are disrupted, preventing normal regulation of water and salt levels, leading to hypovolemic circulatory shock through reduced blood volume and blood pressure, oxygen deprivation of the blood, and ultimately death.[7]

It is by nature biodegradable, thus not an environmental pollutant. It poses no risk of contamination to crops, nor to the food chain. There is little threat of toxicity to children, pets, livestock or birds—including through secondary poisoning.[8]

[rockrat]

I use 357 max cases trimmed down to fit cylinder length. Load with 3 gr. bullseye, a card wad on top of the powder, then fill the case with ancini de pepe pasta. Card wad on top and crimp. Use on snakes, maybe 5 ft. at the most. Hits the ground, the pasta will shatter probably. Might try some black peppercorns. Use eye protection

[shaggybull]

You might try barley seed or rice

[Adam Helmer]

I have used No.6 shot and 4 or 5 grains of Unique in .357 cases and gas checks to control rats in my barn around my feed bins. Be SURE to wear good eye protection because shot bounces back into your face!
Adam

[Alferd Packer]

Unless you have a dirt floor, ricochet can easily blind you.
Wax slugs using primer power will kill rats as will hot glue bullets but they also tend to bounce.also primer powered.
But. Much safer and quieter.

[racepres]

Having been near a pig barn in the past... I learned that a 357 "rat shot" will Not down a rat (squirrel either) it will roll em over, and when they escape, the others will Canibalize him...quite satisfying really!!!
.44 will anchor Rats with Lead... Nothing I have tried besides Lead will. I do Use Rice for Birds, in the Barn.. again .44. Sometimes 38/357 if Close.
Feed 'em Double Bubble Bubble gum...If they will eat it (don't even need to unwrap) they Will Die!!!

[trapper9260]

Having been near a pig barn in the past... I learned that a 357 "rat shot" will Not down a rat (squirrel either) it will roll em over, and when they escape, the others will Canibalize him...quite satisfying really!!!
.44 will anchor Rats with Lead... Nothing I have tried besides Lead will. I do Use Rice for Birds, in the Barn.. again .44. Sometimes 38/357 if Close.
Feed 'em Double Bubble Bubble gum...If they will eat it (don't even need to unwrap) they Will Die!!!

I never heard of the use of Bubble gum, great idea . Thanks also for what you found of what you have used .

[racepres]

Bubble Gum...The Cheapest you can find, works best on WoodChucks.. but, other critters that eat it suffer the same Fate...Dead!!!
have had all manner of critters sample such bait!!! Betting Rats will Love It.
My Best "Rat Shot" in the pig Barn.. 44spl, with Speer shot capsules loaded to end of Cylinder..filled with #7-1/2, Thinking 8 would be fine but Not Smaller. Don't need to be loaded very heavy at all to be effective. If I owned a 45LC, I would Blow out some 303 brass..Cut to cylinder length, and Make up loads with Wads. Gots me thinkin now...Dangerous stuff

[cwlongshot]

I have my own iteration and find the gas check covers a bother.

I made a couple videos.


https://youtu.be/M3Ry9IV4ttQ

I make more of these for my 327's then 357. But they work really well for me!!

CW

[trapper9260]

Bubble Gum...The Cheapest you can find, works best on WoodChucks.. but, other critters that eat it suffer the same Fate...Dead!!!
have had all manner of critters sample such bait!!! Betting Rats will Love It.
My Best "Rat Shot" in the pig Barn.. 44spl, with Speer shot capsules loaded to end of Cylinder..filled with #7-1/2, Thinking 8 would be fine but Not Smaller. Don't need to be loaded very heavy at all to be effective. If I owned a 45LC, I would Blow out some 303 brass..Cut to cylinder length, and Make up loads with Wads. Gots me thinkin now...Dangerous stuff

Thanks Now you got me thinking also on my 44 mag , and about Bubble Gum for what you look for and have it on hand when needed .

[trapper9260]

I have my own iteration and find the gas check covers a bother.

I made a couple videos.


https://youtu.be/M3Ry9IV4ttQ

I make more of these for my 327's then 357. But they work really well for me!!

CW

I watch your video , give me a different way to load them, it is interesting to use a ball on top then a card or GC. Thanks

[racepres]

I watch your video , give me a different way to load them, it is interesting to use a ball on top then a card or GC. Thanks

But... Too destructive to the Barn!!!! Goal is to Shoot Inside, without undue damage to Walls etc!!
The pig barn we were de-Ratting, had wooden short walls inside a Pole Barn. The floors were slatted, (I believe concrete, but never saw it Clean).. afraid a Ball would have Not been kind to the wooden walls, 60/40 Chance of Not hitting the Floor!! Our Loads worked exceptionally well, and No Destruction... But, again Nothing smaller than 44Spl, which was Ideal. Considering no one had a .45... Wish It would have been an option.

[Alferd Packer]

Short barrel pistols seem to work best for shotshells.
Even a Derringer works as well.

[trapper9260]

But... Too destructive to the Barn!!!! Goal is to Shoot Inside, without undue damage to Walls etc!!
The pig barn we were de-Ratting, had wooden short walls inside a Pole Barn. The floors were slatted, (I believe concrete, but never saw it Clean).. afraid a Ball would have Not been kind to the wooden walls, 60/40 Chance of Not hitting the Floor!! Our Loads worked exceptionally well, and No Destruction... But, again Nothing smaller than 44Spl, which was Ideal. Considering no one had a .45... Wish It would have been an option.

In the barn I understand , you do not want to use a ball . For all the problems that come up. Just the use of shot is best for what you looking to use it for how it looks.For not use in any building then go the other way if that will work . I remember being told by a gunsmith that he take out the rifling out of a 22 . that way they can use the 22 lr shot shells in hog buildings to take out the birds because of the problems they cause.

[racepres]

In the barn I understand , you do not want to use a ball . For all the problems that come up. Just the use of shot is best for what you looking to use it for how it looks.For not use in any building then go the other way if that will work . I remember being told by a gunsmith that he take out the rifling out of a 22 . that way they can use the 22 lr shot shells in hog buildings to take out the birds because of the problems they cause.
Yea... birds are easy to kill... I use Rice... 22's are too expensive for that puny "birdshot"..

Reminds me... I gotta go check My barn!!!!

[SSGOldfart]

cream of wheat works great one shoot @ 25 ft. killed the rat that moved in to my Kitchen, No damage to the floor or wall just a little clean up with the broom.
I've also took out a mouse on the front porch, again cream of wheat I used bullseye.and cardboard for a wad over powder and over shot/Cream of wheat.

[racepres]

cream of wheat works great one shoot @ 25 ft. killed the rat that moved in to my Kitchen, No damage to the floor or wall just a little clean up with the broom.
I've also took out a mouse on the front porch, again cream of wheat I used bullseye.and cardboard for a wad over powder and over shot/Cream of wheat.

I never killed nuthin with COW... must be Much Courser where you are... Again, our barn yard rats are large, and Tough.. 38/357 shot loads will Not anchor them... Our Birds are the whimpy ones...Rice wrecks em... Maybe you should try the Rice Uncooked???

[barnetmill]

In the barn I understand , you do not want to use a ball . For all the problems that come up. Just the use of shot is best for what you looking to use it for how it looks.For not use in any building then go the other way if that will work . I remember being told by a gunsmith that he take out the rifling out of a 22 . that way they can use the 22 lr shot shells in hog buildings to take out the birds because of the problems they cause.

That is ok for 18 inch or longer barrels. Do it in a pistol;, the ATF may declare it to be a sawed off shotgun. At one time there were smooth bore .22 rifles sold for use with shot like just for the purposes you discussed.

[txbirdman]

I think Henry use to sell a smooth bore .22 rifle and called it a “garden gun”.

[racepres]

I think Henry use to sell a smooth bore .22 rifle and called it a “garden gun”.
I guess I thought that was an H&R

[cwlongshot]

I watch your video , give me a different way to load them, it is interesting to use a ball on top then a card or GC. Thanks
I shot some of my 327 loads here in this video. I shoot them on the Range, it was 20' or about. This loading is identical to my 357 loading with powder wad, shot & a ball. Starting @ 10 min mark.

https://youtu.be/mWN75k8H1Nc

[LabGuy]

I think Henry use to sell a smooth bore .22 rifle and called it a “garden gun”.

They still make it. https://www.henryusa.com/shotgun/garden-gun-smoothbore-22/