357 maximum brass for snake/rat loads?

Anyone with experience, please!:D
How much more #9 or #12 shot will 357 maximum brass hold, compared to a Speer Shot Capsule? Are they more effective, and if so, how much and at what range?

My thought is that what I load should be effective (deadly) from 8-12 feet...15 would be nice, though.
I will start at 4.5 gr. Unique in 357 brass/Speer capsule/#9, and go from there.

If Maximum brass holds a significant advantage, it may be worth the added expense for brass and a .222 Remington size die.

What say, boolit gurus? :bigsmyl2:

Yes - it is definitely worth using the Max brass. I believe the loads I have made hold 1/3 oz of nickel plated #9. I used a thin card wad with a light roll crimp to seal the case. I may have had to make a special die to neck the case to fit the chamber.
I'll look my data up tomorrow.

Next day. Shot payload is 130 grains (close to 1/3oz). I used a cardboard cup wad over the powder, skirt down. The necks were sized using a modified carbide die, don't remember which one, now. It's been a while since I made these, but they do make a wonderful pattern at 15 feet out of a 4" barrel. You can probably go up a little with the Unique - that's what I used.

use .357 gas checks over powder and crimped over shot, elmers glue over the end.

One of those projects that I have wanted to do for a long time, but never got to. Assume you are using the 222 die to size down the end. Do you fire form, or just load and shoot.

Estimate on velocity? My limited experience with .410 in pistol and derringer was that lower velocities tended to pattern much better.

The problem with gas checks is it`s more prone to cause a hole in the center of the pattern.also too much push powder will do the same.

Size the max case in a 222 die & the check is too large to fit into the case , size/ load shoot as is , it`ll fire form then ya can load & it`ll hold a bit more payload.

I ran into some #10 shot & at 10 feet the pattern is awsome for snake control !!

This last batch i loaded with 4gr greendot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nashandra

I don't see why you would want to shoot at a snake.Isn't it a waste of firearm?

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If it's a cottonmouth between me and my basket of fish it gets shot. I've lost dogs from cottonmouths.

I use my case prep tool to.sharpen a 38 special case to cut shot cards out of milk or bleach jugs.