best shot size for rats

hello all I am looking to make some shot shells for .44 mag and wondered what size shot would be most suitable for rats and possibly rabbits out to a range of 15'

I would say 7 1/2 , or 8 shot should do well. I shoot 9 shot out of my 4" bbl .357 and they pattern pretty well at 15'. I would shoot a rabbit that far with mine, so a .44 will hold quite a bit more payload than my .357 . Just my .02 - CASTER

7-1/2 would be my minimum size, you need some decent penetration for those.
weight will get you there easier than velocity.

I particularly like 6's in my Contender 45/410 pistol if rabbits are the primary target.

I am partial to something in the 330 grn to 500grn myself but our rats here are huge and walk upright they've even taken to invading homes in the urban areas, but in the barn I prefer #6or 7 1/2 they're the four legged ones there

A point that hasn`t been addressed is the pellet count for pellet size used. I believe at the distance mentioned #7 1/2 would be the choice.Robert

I suggest the 1 1/2 ounce size or larger depending on the rat in question.

Since you mentioned rabbits- #7-1/2. For just rats- #12 is the ticket. And easier on the barn.

In the past people, I don`t see often, are prone to ask "Why do you own an elephant gun like your .416 Taylor"? I reply with as straight a face as I can "To control the rat and mice populations out in my barn - I`ve already got the rogue elephants in check"!Robert

how many rats you got? chickens? hogs?

I've loaded #9 in my .44spl shot loads and they perform well on rats.

To answer ascast's question, it doesn't take much to attract rats. I have a few laying hens and once a rat finds out there's a food source, the whole family moves in before you know it. I shot close to a dozen this summer with a variety of guns, but most with .22lr shot shells out of my single-six. The .44 was a little loud...I also had to move the chicken and dog food into steel cans, as the damn rats chewed through the heavy-duty Rubbermaid cans I was using.

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When I was raising ducks the only way I got the rats under control was to put all the laying mash and cracked corn in those steel/galvanized cans that have a locking lever otherwise the rats will get into anything not made out of steel. I had one rat terrier that was h--l on wheels for rat control he was also good at chewing up snakes too.

An air rifle and a night scope for rats...https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...th+air+guns... you can baggem all night long.

Use 7 1/2 in 444 Marlin brass shot out of a H&R 410 rifle. Use the same ammo in a S&W Governor for shooting rattle snakes at the deer lease.

Back in the day we used to hunt rats around the hog and chicken lots at night with standard 22 lr rat shot and it did a fine job on them so I think anything within reason out of a 44 mag. would do fine. If you have the ability I would load up some test loads with various shot sizes an do some pattern test and see what your particular gun likes an go form there.

Use a air rifle on the rats. Sharpen your rifle skills.

I made a comparison between the CCI .22 LR and the brass old school Winchester here while back. The target was a coke can in front of a cardboard box at 15 feet. The Win. load was clearly superior. Test gun was my Single-Six.

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Don't have any rats? THANK the POSSUMS! They compete with rats for the same food groups. Best rat control you can get!

Doug- years ago my wife and I were lounging on the beach in Ziuatanejo, Mexico on a moonlit night. I saw what I thought was a rat scrounging for food under the beach chairs of the people in front of us. I ran up there and grabbed it by the back of the neck. Lo and behold it was a black possum! After the screams died down I carried him to the trees and chunked him back into the jungle. The tour group kept one eye on me after that.....

For rat sized critters I would say #12. Rabbits I would want a larger shot like 7 1/2. I get overrun by packrats. They make huge messes. #12 works just fine on them.

best shot size for rats

.432 Keith

When you bring up the bunny, you change the dynamic. The smallest shot you can find is best for the removal of rats andminimalizing damage to the barn and its content. I used number 9s, only because I could not find anything smaller at the time. They worked Ok but don't accidentally hit a spray paint can, unless you want that part of the barn that color...
But bunny busting changes things. You need to use larger shot, 6's or even 4's would be best, though 7 1/2s might do ok. Those will chew up the walls and beams.

I have # 8, 9, and 12. Probably will settle on #9 and 12, in Speer shot capsules, depending on how they pattern at 12-15 feet.