Has anyone made their own "snakeshot" in 9MM?

[ChrisStock]

I just went through another round of steroid injections in my back, so I am ready for another season of hitting the trails again. I have purchased 9MM snakeshot from CCI, but the plastic caps were so died out that some of them would not feed, but cracked in the magazine and on the feed ramp. I don't have a wheelgun for my hikes, but I refuse to hit the palmetto patches and swamps unarmed, as reducing the rattler and moccasin population around my camp areas with my 6' hickory staff is getting old. I'm not as quick as I used to be, and sometimes a detour or breaking camp would be more hazardous than dealing with the offending reptile.

I have walked up into some "farms" deep in the woods where they had all of these green plants in black plastic pots, but the owners weren't in, thankfully. It's funny how an anonymous call brings helicopters and lots of excited and heavily armed men in green to such farms, but that's another story altogether.

I have a few thousand dollars invested in reloading supplies, so there has to be a way to crank out some autoloader proof anti snake rounds that function like the commercial ones from CCI. If anyone has put any thought into this or has experience, I'm all ears. Thanks,

Chris

[DMS42]

I used to make my own snake loads for a .45. I used either a gas check, cut cardboard or half jacket up against the powder with a half jacket on top of the shot. I would stack the shot up as tall as I could then carefully try to put the half jacket on top. They wouldn't feed or work the action, but I could put them in the chamber. Did some testing at 25 yards one time. I was using #8 shot. There was some holes from the shot on the target and once in awhile there would be one or more holes from the half jackets. They worked very well at ranges less than 10 yards. Got some snakes and a couple grouse with them.

[dajarrel]

Stand by for dumb question.

I load .38 cal, 148 gr hollow base wad cutters over 3.0 grains of titegroup. This is a light target load I shoot. If I were to fill in the remaining void with 'rat shot' would there be a drastic increase in pressure in the round?

I kinda feel like it would be higher, but I'm not sure and thought I would throw it out there for enlightenment.

thanks

dj

[buddy_fuentes]

Speer sells the blue capsules that hold the shot. They are sold in boxes of 50 and have several recipes for the load to use. I have some .45 and have seen 38/357 and I'd bet they sell 9's.

I live on the river in a resort area and needed them for snakes in the yard and on my pier. I asked a local store to order them for me and in about two weeks I had them. A friend gave me enough shot to load a couple of hundred. They will cycle your auto, too.

Buddy

[1911user]

I checked and speer only sells the blue shot capsules for 38, 44, and 45 revolvers. I've loaded them for 38 and they work as advertised. The spread was about 1" per foot of distance using the speer powder data. I used #9 shot (1/4 ounce, about 100 pellets) and it had a pattern density that will kill snakes at 5 yards.

If I were in your situation, I'd see it as an opportunity to buy an airweight 38 snubby revolver for snake duty. You could then reload 38 snakeshot easy and cheap plus get a pistol out of the deal. win-win You could still carry the 9mm for 2-legged snakes.

EDIT: I looked at RCBS and could not find any 9mm shotshell forming dies. Someone makes them, but you could probably buy an airweight 38 for about the same price.

Edited January 6, 2008 by 1911user

[GentlemanJim]

One more option

several inexpensive derringer type pistols in 45lc and 410 shot shell are out there.

410 will adjust the attitude of any type of snake you may encounter...and at greater range.

Just thinkin

Jim

[HoMiE]

If they don't sell them for 9mm, I bet the 38/357 ones would work. I mean what is .001" or .002" nominal size when your talking about a plastic wad?

[1911user]

If they don't sell them for 9mm, I bet the 38/357 ones would work. I mean what is .001" or .002" nominal size when your talking about a plastic wad?

The problem is the 38 shot capsule is the shape of a full wadcutter bullet and close to an inch long. It's perfect for 38 special, but would not feed or chamber in any normal 9mm.

[HoMiE]

If they don't sell them for 9mm, I bet the 38/357 ones would work. I mean what is .001" or .002" nominal size when your talking about a plastic wad?

The problem is the 38 shot capsule is the shape of a full wadcutter bullet and close to an inch long. It's perfect for 38 special, but would not feed or chamber in any normal 9mm.

Gotcha.

[kurtm]

CCI makes a shotshell specifically for the 9mm. It is loaded ammo and a 10 pack costs around $13. Midway USA has them in stock! They DO work the action in most 9mms and I have used them to good effect on N.M. rattlers! A couple of packs last quite a while. KurtM

[Intel6]

I have made my own .45 ACP snakeshot out of cut down and formed .308/30-06 cases. The same principal could be used for 9mm (.223 cases?) but the problem as I see it is coming up with a suitable wad. In the .45 ACP loads I use a cut down .410 wad to carry the shot but in a 9mm I don't know what you would use? And since You neck down the brass to make a "fake" bullet so it feeds in an autoloader, you can't use gaschecks.

Neal in AZ

Edited January 7, 2008 by Intel6

[Jeff686]

I was playing with a steel shooting load the other day, and got some plated RN bullets that were hollow on the inside. I forget how much they weighted, but they were .45 cal.

Maybe get yourself some 85gr RN 380 bullets (.355). Drill out the bottom to make them lighter and to make more room. Load powder/wadding/shot/bullet, in that order.

You'll have some shot, plus a solid projectile...

Edited January 7, 2008 by Jeff686