Finally found a use for .22lr snake shot

[shibumiseeker]

A few years ago as a novelty I bought some .22lr with snakeshot capsules. I'd never carry them since I don't really believe in shooting snakes. When I encounter copperheads around the house and shop I dispatch them with whatever is at hand, and when I encounter them in the woods I go around them, no big deal.

I am in the process of building a tree platform for high angle training and today when I was out and about I noticed the carpenter bees had found it and were already starting to chew on it. So I got the air pistol out and just couldn't seem to nail the little buggers. I don't practice with it much, so I was hitting with in inch or so and it'd fly off and then I'd have to wait ten minutes for it to return. I tried loading several pellets in the barrel with no luck. Years ago I used to use one with table salt and tp wadding to nail wasps in the house but gave that up as messy and not accurate enough (though fun!).

So I loaded the snakeshot rounds into the Buckmark, took careful aim and nailed the little chewer. The wood had pellet marks but no real penetration and at the 20' distance the spread was about a foot across. One bounced back and hit me in the center of the forehead, didn't even leave a mark (and yes, I was wearing eyes and ears). It didn't cycle out of the Buckmark though, so a followup shot would have had to have waited.

Anyone else done anything different with snakeshot?

 

[shooter521]

Anyone else done anything different with snakeshot?

I shot a 1L bottle of water at about 7 feet with a round of .22 snakeshot once, and none of the pellets penetrated penetrate. Never thought of it as "bee-shot," though!

 

[6birds]

Balloons and ice-cube-on-a-string for my kids, either through the Browning lever, or a Ruger Single Six, the rat shot will get them blowing up stuff fast, builds confidence with open sights.

Now take helium filled balloons and rat shot, you can teach trap shooting with a light shooting 22, not hammer them with a shotgun. We use a lever or breakaction in 22 mag too, it doubles the shot count.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Now take helium filled balloons and rat shot, you can teach trap shooting with a light shooting 22, not hammer them with a shotgun. We use a lever or breakaction in 22 mag too, it doubles the shot count.

Now there's a great idea! I'll keep that in mind when I'm teaching someone new who is either younger or timid around guns.

 

[bmwdud]

hey that is some good info .
i have a big wasp nest at the top of a tree in my front yard and i am to old to climb any more i think i will try that thanks

 

[LEaSH]

sounds like too much fun

 

[6birds]

Now there's a great idea! I'll keep that in mind when I'm teaching someone new who is either younger or timid around guns.

Another trick is a remote control car with a helium balloon tied to it, you can get several tries if they miss, just zig-zagging around. A section of heavy cardboard on either side of the car will keep it from getting destroyed (ask me how i know this, target fixation perhaps?)

It works well with adults and pistols too, we learned this trick from a cowboy action shooter in AZ, he has his grandkids drive the cars, he shoots two handed with a 45 and cast loads, but you need more than cardboard to save your ride!

4 kids under the age of 8, we shoot a ton of 22!

 

[CountryBoy19]

Balloons and ice-cube-on-a-string for my kids, either through the Browning lever, or a Ruger Single Six, the rat shot will get them blowing up stuff fast, builds confidence with open sights.

Now take helium filled balloons and rat shot, you can teach trap shooting with a light shooting 22, not hammer them with a shotgun. We use a lever or breakaction in 22 mag too, it doubles the shot count.

Wow, that's a great idea.

Do you set them on a table etc. and wait for the ice to melt enough that they being to float?

Either way, this is an excellent idea.

 

[6birds]

We use the red 16 oz plastic cups, they are a good size to shoot at with open sights. Just fill them with water, put a string in them, and freeze. The next day, hang them from the bar that holds your spinner targets, and they can get 4-8 shots of 22-Rat for each ice chunk. The kids love it!

 

[cosermann]

hey that is some good info .
i have a big wasp nest at the top of a tree in my front yard and i am to old to climb any more i think i will try that thanks

Let us know how it works out.

 

[CountryBoy19]

We use the red 16 oz plastic cups, they are a good size to shoot at with open sights. Just fill them with water, put a string in them, and freeze. The next day, hang them from the bar that holds your spinner targets, and they can get 4-8 shots of 22-Rat for each ice chunk. The kids love it!

Ah, ok, I get it now... the balloons and ice-cubes are separate targets. I thought you were saying you tied the balloon to the ice cube and then waited for it to melt enough that the balloon began to rise and therefore gave a very slow rising balloon as a target. It would also be a surprise as to when it began rising.

 

[1946]

I have an old Stevens single shot .22. I've used it for years down by my barn with bird shot to shoot carpenter bees on the fly. Usually get one down about one out of four shots. Not easy for me to do, as they continually change direction while in flight. Lots of fun tho and another reason to shoot. (not that I need a reason to go shooting)

 

[mrussel]

hey that is some good info .
i have a big wasp nest at the top of a tree in my front yard and i am to old to climb any more i think i will try that thanks

You better be WAY back. I dont want to read in the news about some guy who shot a hornets nest and ended up in the hospital and think "I read that guys post"

 

[dieselman]

made the mistake of unloading on some coke cans on top of a plastic barrel with a .22 revolver with snake shot... caught a vast majority of the pellets in the face.... hurt like a mother but no penetration. good thing i had eyes and ears on i had a bunch plink off my glasses.

 

[Astrocreep]

hey that is some good info .
i have a big wasp nest at the top of a tree in my front yard and i am to old to climb any more i think i will try that thanks

Yeah...
I have to agree that this is a bad idea.
Snakeshot on carpenter bees is awesome!
Snakeshot into a big wasp nest is Fail.

Now, if you were to set up a video camera and shoot it with a 12ga, I would be interested to see the results.
I'd run fast if I were you.

 

[CSK22]

Yeah...
I have to agree that this is a bad idea.
Snakeshot on carpenter bees is awesome!
Snakeshot into a big wasp nest is Fail.

Now, if you were to set up a video camera and shoot it with a 12ga, I would be interested to see the results.
I'd run fast if I were you.

12ga dragon's breath?!?!?!?!!

 

[PatriotPride]

Oh boy...this has *BAD IDEA* written all over it!

 

[stormryder]

I could use this, those bees are becoming a PITA w/my patio.
Could also take care of the neighbors cat who craps on my lawn chairs.

 

[bonzaiberger]

This past winter my brother in-law had a rat problem in his garage, so we wouold camp out with flashlights and 22pistols loaded with these. The only problem was the rats were the size of squirrels so they just ran off when you shot them unless it was within about 5 feet! It was alout of fun but def need eye protection when shooting indoors! That is where my avatar pic is from.

 

[Stimp]

I love all the tips and tricks that I learn on this site. Thanks and I'll have to use the balloon and bird shot method for trap shooting.
Thanks again