I'm looking to take my Pietta 1851 Navy .36 on a hike with me this spring. I know it isn't the best tool for self-defense, but hiking in western PA isn't all that dangerous; it's more for ease of mind than anything else. The one thing that I do worry about is snakes though. Plenty of rattlesnakes. My question is, do any of you have a favorite load for a .36 revolver that isn't a round ball, or do you see any problems with loading something else (birdshot/mustard seed/chili powder/etc.) that would be a 'snake round' or pepper spray round or something that could work that isn't just a ball? OR do you have any suggestions? Thanks a lot!
Non-Traditional Loads
- Thread starter ZachK
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I look at it this way....If a snake or something is close enough to be a threat it is close enough to hit with a ball.....and likewise, any threat farther away than that would be out of range of birdshot or pepper spray and would require a ball.
Also, check your local laws....in some areas carrying a hand gun is illegal...even a cap and ball pistol, and without a concealed carry permit would be considered "hunting".
A long stick like a broom handle is very effective on snakes....
Lastly and most importantly....
Also, check your local laws....in some areas carrying a hand gun is illegal...even a cap and ball pistol, and without a concealed carry permit would be considered "hunting".
A long stick like a broom handle is very effective on snakes....
Lastly and most importantly....
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I don’t enter the woods without a gun. And I have been rattlesnake bit once copperhead bitthree times. The rattlesnake was a surprise as was one of the copperheads. I could not have shot it if I wanted to. The two other copperhead was my own fault as I was having a red neck moment.
Snakes don’t want to bite you and will do best to avoid it. Unless you can hit the brain of a snake it can still bite with an incredible amount of body damage. Backing a step from a seen snake will mostly end the threat.
Water moccasin are an exception to that. They can be aggressive but not often on land.
Snakes don’t want to bite you and will do best to avoid it. Unless you can hit the brain of a snake it can still bite with an incredible amount of body damage. Backing a step from a seen snake will mostly end the threat.
Water moccasin are an exception to that. They can be aggressive but not often on land.
Phil Coffins
69 Cal.
I made up shot loads for my 36 a long time ago. Half charge of powder a card wad then as much #8 shot as would allow a over card to seat. It was very much USELESS! Poor pattern at ten feet and wouldn't kill a tin can. I believe anyone can take one step back faster then they can draw and fire when startled. Carry that 51 but don't count on it for snakes as the strike is done by the time you notice it. :v
Snake boots. Encounter more than half a dozen copperheads a year doing yard work. Can't imagine trying to use a revolver loaded with shot. Proper boots eliminate threat.
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In southeast Texas, snake hunting I most always used my trusty Briggs & Stratton. One time bailed off into a thicket with a dull machete trying to keep the dog from getting bit and realized I didn't have room to swing it... once was all that took. An 1851 sure woulda been a better mouse trap. Besides, with the first shot the dog woulda bailed and stopped trying to help me kill the snake.
Pukka Bundook
54 Cal.
SDSmlf said:
What this gentleman says. Much better than trying to shoot one. If it's out of stick range, no need to shoot it. Rattlers aren't aggressive.
rodwha
58 Cal.
Unless you intend on eating it. Tastes like chicken. But then I usually used a stick.
Exactly how long did you boil the "stick" before you ate it? :hmm:rodwha said:
Fred
rodwha
58 Cal.
No boiling. Flame grilled like Burger King, though once a friend made stir fry with it.
Elkeater
45 Cal.
SDSmlf said:
:thumbsup: And if you have time to pull a gun there's time to back off. That's my experience with rattle snakes on the short grass prairie.
To study them is enchanting.
I dont wanna study em and dont care if I never see another. They even LOOK pure evil. I will just back off and if necessary will blast em but I will not be able to confirm if they taste like chicken.
22 years ago I saw a green mohave in the road coiled up. Son was 5, he wanted a rattle. Drove over him. Parked, walked up and he was squirming. Returned to car, drove over him 6 more times. Parked walked up.....HE STARTED STRIKING AND CHASED ME BACK TO CAR. Put car in drive and drove. Told the boy it was a girl snake and had no rattles,
Contrary to popular believe some rattlers can be aggresive (especially if driven over 7 times).
22 years ago I saw a green mohave in the road coiled up. Son was 5, he wanted a rattle. Drove over him. Parked, walked up and he was squirming. Returned to car, drove over him 6 more times. Parked walked up.....HE STARTED STRIKING AND CHASED ME BACK TO CAR. Put car in drive and drove. Told the boy it was a girl snake and had no rattles,
Contrary to popular believe some rattlers can be aggresive (especially if driven over 7 times).
Elkeater
45 Cal.
If you drove your car at me I'd get aggressive indeed.
Saw a diamond back beside a road one time. I jumped out of the car just to take a good look at him. A station wagon pulled up beside me to ask what I was doing with the snake. Flippantly I answered ”˜going to catch him and take him home for diner. Man wife and about a dozen kids jump out to watch the crazy man catch the snake.
I looked around and found a heavy shopping bag and useing a stick and chased the snake into it. Closed and tied the bag shut and put it in my trunk.
My brother had never tasted snake and I had bragged how good it was. So I took it to his apartment and told him I had one in my trunk.he was excited for a bit and went out to grab the bag.
Standing in his parking lot. He grabbed the bag and the snake rattled. He had an embarrassing involuntary response. He cursed me a bit. I felt really bad and hung my head in shame... Mia culpa mia culpa :haha:
We did take it in to his bathtub and butcher it. He showered and changed clothes while I cooked the snake and we had a good meal, and a good laugh... or at least one of us did.
I looked around and found a heavy shopping bag and useing a stick and chased the snake into it. Closed and tied the bag shut and put it in my trunk.
My brother had never tasted snake and I had bragged how good it was. So I took it to his apartment and told him I had one in my trunk.he was excited for a bit and went out to grab the bag.
Standing in his parking lot. He grabbed the bag and the snake rattled. He had an embarrassing involuntary response. He cursed me a bit. I felt really bad and hung my head in shame... Mia culpa mia culpa :haha:
We did take it in to his bathtub and butcher it. He showered and changed clothes while I cooked the snake and we had a good meal, and a good laugh... or at least one of us did.
rodwha
58 Cal.
I would have loved to have been there to see that!
Had a friend catch a small rattlesnake but he didn’t grab it close enough to the head so that it was barely able to turn enough to get one fang into his hand. He had it in a large soda bottle he had found and kept it in the trunk of his car figuring the doctors would want to see it to help with applying the proper antivenin, which they did not. He nearly died from allergic reactions to them.
He had initially tried to suck the venom out and thought he was fine until his hand swelled up like a baseball glove from what I was told.
Had a friend catch a small rattlesnake but he didn’t grab it close enough to the head so that it was barely able to turn enough to get one fang into his hand. He had it in a large soda bottle he had found and kept it in the trunk of his car figuring the doctors would want to see it to help with applying the proper antivenin, which they did not. He nearly died from allergic reactions to them.
He had initially tried to suck the venom out and thought he was fine until his hand swelled up like a baseball glove from what I was told.
Most of the snake bites are on the hand and are due to the person trying to handle the snake.
I've come across rattlers a lot of times and I haven't figured out why anyone would attempt to pick one up. Seems just downright foolish to me.
If I'm out in the desert and I hear rattling I immediately move away from the sound. Seems to be a built in response because I'm moving before I even think about what could be making the noise.
Kinda like a cats response when the see a snake-like object that was put next to them on the floor.
So far, I've never been bitten and hopefully that record will last until I die from old age.
I've come across rattlers a lot of times and I haven't figured out why anyone would attempt to pick one up. Seems just downright foolish to me.
If I'm out in the desert and I hear rattling I immediately move away from the sound. Seems to be a built in response because I'm moving before I even think about what could be making the noise.
Kinda like a cats response when the see a snake-like object that was put next to them on the floor.
So far, I've never been bitten and hopefully that record will last until I die from old age.
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Years ago, when I was skinnier.... :grin: I use to do a lot of spelunking....Crawled into a lot of holes and crevasses that a person could barely fit through....Pistol in one hand, flashlight in the other.....Never did run into a snake or critter....Other than bats and they never bothered us.
I’ve never met a thing in the wild I’m afraid of... except caves. I don’t mind going in one with paths, electric lights and a snack bar at the end, clawing into holes that you barely fit into takes more intestinal fortitude then this boys got.
:metoo:
NO WAY
NO WAY
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You don't have to go very far in to leave any animal life behind. Bats can be found a bit further in but have no reason to go deeper than good shelter & constant temps. I can remember having to take my miner's helmet (hard hat) off & push it ahead of me as the opening was too tight to wear it & get thru (and I was narrower 50 years ago than I am now :wink: )
