Will a BB gun kill a snake?

[Grump]

.22 shot cartridges are a bit light on penetration. Good for sparrows out to about 15 FEET. Then-local chicken pen had a little problem with small birds getting in and raiding the chicken feed... Farther away and their feathers stop too many of the tiny pellets, and the pattern gets really thin. All this is from a rifle.

Have killed probably only three snakes myself, but from what I've observed digging non-poisonous ones out of the car's A/C system and other hiding places, a BB or pellet gun of reasonable power will do for any head or neck/spine shot. Can't recommend anything for gut-shooting them, based on what I've seen of runover snakes and those others have beaned with rocks. I just don't know if 450 fps inside of 10-15 feet is enough power.

.22 shot cartridges, I'd use them only out to 10 feet but no closer than 5 with a clear path to jump back. No feathers to act like a ballistic vest, but for poisonous ones the stakes are a bit high and they CAN move surprisingly fast even when injured.

[Ihsarah]

If it's a pellet and not a BB it shouldn't be a problem, a BB might even do it depending on the fps and if the snake is wearing a helmet or not.

[MusicMan]

The only BB I would trust is about 1-1/8oz from a 12 ga. at 15ft.

[Jedman]

This has been fun reading ! When I was a kid I had some sort of BB gun and later pellet rifles with me throughout the summer . I shot about every kid of small cridder with them except a snake. I hav e killed snakes by clubbing them , stoning them , and even with a arrow but never shot one with a BB gun. At around 10 feet I would think I could head shoot most any snake I have seen ( 4 feet and smaller ) and kill it with my Daisy mod. 25.
Sounds like fun !

Jedman

[fouronesix]

45 posts (now 46) re: "will a BB kill a snake?". The only question I have is, why! Seems like you'd be better off just walking away from the snake instead of screwing around and risk getting bit getting close enough to have a high % chance with some kind of questionable gun or load.

A shovel works well as does a 410 shotgun. On the other hand, a BB gun might be OK for putting an eye out.

[dualsport]

OP said, more or less, he shoots the snakes for sport. If it was me I'd get one of those new pellet rifles with the built in silencer. Put a scope on there. Boom, you're a SF sniper! Keep it clean, like you said, make a quick kill. Maybe even night vision? I ate rattlers long ago in survival school. Better than starving.

[Markbo]

1st Rattlesnake I ever killed was with my trusty Red Rider. I was 6 years old out accompanying my Dad while he was dove hunting. Hit it right in the temple. Didn't even twitch. I don't know exact measurement but it was about twice as long as I was tall and I couldn't barely lift it on a stick

[Markbo]

FYI I don't kill every critter I see like I did growing up in the desert of El Paso. Let me go there own way as long as the they are not close to cabin or kids

[Mauser48]

Yes speaking from experience...

[slohunter]

My .177 scoped Gamo will easily shoot their eye out.

[Markbo]

And of course tbats not a BB gun so ...

[Motard]

an olive three woden slingshot with 45 lead balls, glass billess chewingum size, or a good rounds river's gravels where my medicine for vipers about 50 or more years ago. never had big troubles if a well placed head hit. and recall often seeing both the poisonus thoots smashed out the base of the mouth of the dead snake. beeing this thoots normally folded i have realized only years later that those poor beasts where in an aggressive mode and not only my personal quarries. i bet i was too stupid and excited by the hunt to consider the possibility of beiing hunted and bited myself. at the time i had also access to a 50 diana bb fixed barrel under lever charge. it was capable to get way more than any snake lives in this side of the world. but we don't have big snakes. small size either if poisonus

[Latheman]

I used a Crosman 2100 .177 pellets to kill rattlers in NM.

[lightload]

Yes sir. Graveyard dead. I've shot numerous snakes on the ground with a .22 lr, and they kept on traveling until I hit a vital spot. The same will be true of the BB and snakes. If I ran across a poisonous snake, I would avoid shooting it with a BB unless there was a lot of distance between me and it. I've killed snakes while fishing with the BB. A head or neck shot stops the clock.

In my old age I avoid killing snakes if at all possible. Of course, I don't want poisonous ones in my yard or barn. I most certainly will not attempt to kill any snake with a stick and will only use a hoe or shovel if the snake is small. Believe me when I say that in close quarters, the snake is faster than you are, especially if you fall and have to retreat on all fours.

[EDG]

For snakes in the water a shotgun or a centerfire is a lot more fun. If they are within about 20 feet with the shotgun shoot about 6 inches under them and big blast into the water will toss them about 30 to 40 feet into the air.

[retread]

I go with the long handles shovel, and it is legal within the city limits!

[Motard]

I go with the long handles shovel, and it is legal within the city limits!

+1 on the showel, terribly effective wapon

[DLCTEX]

When I was nine I was rabbit hunting with my uncle and spotted a rattlesnake in a thorn bush. I shot it seven times in the top of the head with my 22. My uncle came to the other side of the bush and decided he wanted the rattles, but was unable to quite each it due to the thorns so he grabbed a short stick to drag it closer. When he touched the snakes side it turned and bit the stick. Lesson learned for both of us.

[grizzlyadams]

a decapitated snake head can bite for hours after being seperated from the body

[HABCAN]

Yes, a BB gun can kill a snake if it doesn't break first while you're beating away on the snake.