#SnakeLivesMatter.
I think this guy is full of carp
I suspect the #9 shot is the problem, not the .410. I use #4 shot for most pest control, and killed a snake that was messing with my dog at ~30 feet, a shot which resulted in complete separation of head from body (snake, not dog, who was behind me at the moment).
Life is full of experiences. Here’s another bit of wisdom, don’t whizz on an electric fence.
I have a Cimarron Titan Derringer which is basically a short Bond arms two barrel tip up. 45 LC/410. Barrel probably 2.5 inches.
Number 9 shot is about .08” in diameter and with that short a barrel, I’d expect that the “direct” hit discussed was like rock salt spread out to the snake.
If you want to eff up a snake, hit him with a 12 gauge at that same distance and see what happens.
Your problem is 2 fold #9 shot and a 3” barrel bond arms gun. No barrel length = no velocity and “9 is very small shot and will not retain what little energy you are getting through that short barrel. An H&R single shot full choke with some #6 or #4 would have easily done the trick.
I thought he would be talking about ricochet off the surface of the water.
There’s a lot to be said for crew-served weapons. I don’t like snakes either.
I’ve shot quite a few water moccasins.
The first time I used a .22, nearly point blank range. The guy was swimming right at me, finally stopped about a foot away. (Yes, I was on shore and about to run.)
I fished him out of the lake and counted the holes.
It took seven hits to finally stop the guy.
After that I used a 20 gauge shotgun. Cut the little guys in two, and put a big hole in the big ones. Always shot at the part that was on the surface of the water. Stopped ‘em all.
#9 shot works fine on wasps but is too small for a snake.
7 or larger. Take the shot cup out and replace with wads as the shot cup spins and produces a hole in the middle of the pattern.
#8 shot
410 load
Basically an inch of muzzle to achieve velocity.
Not a big suprise.
I have a Judge revolver that is essentially the same barrel length (although w/5 rounds), and I wouldn't rely on it to bother anything more than 6 feet away with birdshot. I keep buckshot in it in the car (probably 4 pellets per round) for that special guest.
You can also just shoot 1 inch or so to the side of the snake and it will take him out.
Always worthwhile to shoot at paper and find out where and how big the hole is.
Part of his problem is he used a 3” derringer instead of an 18” shotgun.
Did I mention that I really hate snakes, especially water moccasins?
I got bit by one 60 years ago when I was 10. My dad killed the critter with a steel bar and then took me and the snake to the hospital, where I received antivenom, a tetanus shot, and had a surgeon extract several dozen teeth and fangs from my hand.
Did I mention that I really hate snakes?
Right outside my front door was a moccasin laying on the grass. I grabbed the first gun I could find, a deer rifle and shot him at close range, about 3 feet. It blew him up on the roof of the house and dug a hole in the yard.
Then I had to get a ladder, get up on the roof, get him off. Work work work!
The #9 shot works just fine on snakes. It is what is used in the Speer 38 and 44 shotshells. I reload those myself and they kill snakes dead no problem.
When I’m in a heavily populated area and run into a Water Moccasin, I find that I get the best results by using the natural enemy of the Water Moccasin.....the Reindeer.
I bring out a reindeer and the Water Moccasin sees it and he gets all happy and excited because he thinks Santa is there to give him a present. Remember, Water Moccasins have a pea-sized brain, just like Al Franken.
So the Water Moccasin is standing there grinning and clapping his hands and thinking he’s going to get a new video game system from Santa and the Reindeer just stomps him into the dirt.
For every solution, there is an easy problem. Or something like that.