Snake shot in minis?

[swolf]

Snake shot test today:
Sunny and 55, breezy with 10 mph crosswind gusts.
Wet phone book target.  The book was soaked but not swollen.
Ron Diaz rum and fruit punch was involved.  Per firearms safety rules, alcohol was not mixed with the firearm--I used a stirring stick and didn't even touch the firearm until the alcohol was gone. Operator was soaked but not swollen.
Gun used was 2" Black Widow with my favored Vang grips (color smoke, but not stolen.)
Shots fired from 15 feet (about as close as I care to get to a snake, rabid rodent, or drug-crazed perp.)
Ammo: #12 shot .22 LR Federals (crimped shell), LR Winchesters (crimped), LR CCI (shot capsule), and WMR CCI (shot capsule.)

Federals penetrated to page 261.  Winchesters were significantly louder and penetrated to pg 327 (about 5/8 inch).

And the shocker:  My beloved CCI blue capsule LR (that I use exclusively in squirrel assassination for better distance) penetrated to a miserable 197 pages!  The capsule carries the shot in a tighter kill group farther than the others, but is weaker!  I was also hit by ricochet pellets more than the other rounds--Most likely bounced off the wood target frame.  Other rounds seemed to mostly stick in the wood with a couple bouncers.

And now the double shock:  CCI MAGNUM rounds only went to page 230 !?!  I couldn't believe it, but further testing only got ONE pellet to page 244--just over 1/2 inch.  Significantly less that Winchester LR shots.  Very audible difference too.  Winchester and Federal LR rounds are loaded hotter than CCI mags.

These results are entirely non-scientific, NOT under controlled circumstances, and completely my own personal rum-induced experience. 

[adp3]

Just shot a 3 plus foot Copperhead in my garage with my LR Mini and CCI Snake Shot.  Distance 5 feet.  Proper load and the proper application.

Best Regards,
ADP3

[swolf]

Adp3;
Nice!  Wet phone books never killed nobody.  CCI LR rounds are lethal.  Thanks for restoring my faith in that ammo (although not really lost since I've dispatched a numerous critters with it anyway.)  Real life trumps tests any day!

[TwoGunJayne]

Thanks for the snake shot informals. Since it's what (was) on the shelves near me, I've been pretty much using CCI lr shot capsule ammo as far as rimfire shot.

It's very interesting that there is such a difference between the loadings, and it sounds like the crimped Winchester LR might be the ticket instead of the (likely more expensive) magnums.

Good stuff.

[swolf]

I'm baffled by the apparently weaker result from the magnum rounds.  Only thing that makes sense is the heavier load slows down behind the plastic nose.  I checked the CCI website but it didn't have any powder load info to compare.  I also looked to see if anyone else had a .22 WMR shot load but found nothing.  I'd like to do a distance test comparing the rounds as well.  I wonder if a mag round, though apparently weaker, would still carry the load farther with enough force to do the needed damage.

[TwoGunJayne]

...and is a bigger charge of shot at somewhat less velocity a better thing?

Also, CCI LR and mag shot use the same capsule, don't they?

[G50AE]

...and is a bigger charge of shot at somewhat less velocity a better thing?

I agree, a better solution would be to have a more "tactical" load of shot leaving the muzzle at a more "tactical" velocity.  Because being more "tactical" is in all ways more "tactical".

[swolf]

2Gun;
CCI website says payload is 31 GR on LR, 52 GR on the mag.  My plastic GI Joe secret decoder micrometer says CCI LR plastic nose shell diameter is .195"  and the mag is .21".  Height looks the same on both capsules.  If I were a little more bored I'd pull the capsules and count pellets too.  But it's a sunny day off and I'm planning to take some of my precious hoarded ammo out and shoot a zombie target and maybe a pesky red squirrel.

[stantheman86]

NO do not use .22 LR shot shells for any kind of self defense!

I won't go over what was already said, if you carry a .22 LR Mini like I do, load it with Stingers or Velicitors and call it good. You want powerful .22 slugs that will stab deep and penetrate, not a shot shell that will basically be a step better than throwing hot coffee in the bad guys face. I shot an empty jug of Lipton iced tea with shot shells from my LR Mini at point blank range and most of the pellets failed to even pierce the plastic.....is this what you want to shoot an attacker with? You'd be better off just carrying a knife or a pepper gun like the one Kimber makes.

You may blind the attacker, sure but if you don't you'll be facing one ticked off attacker with a face or gut full of tiny pellets and you'll have a mini with 4 shot shells left.

Lets face it, with a mini loaded with good .22 LR slugs you already have a last ditch holdout emergency weapon, don't put yourself at a further disadvantage by loading it with sand shot.

[bud]

Sthantheman86,

Your experience with.22 cal. snake shot is the same as mine, doesn't penetrate much even at close range out of a rifle, let alone a mini. 

[Kevin55]

I had lunch with a woman police sergeant.  She said the policy was to only use a firearm / deadly force in a life threatening situation.  Shoot to kill.   

Why did you shoot and not kill the perp?
Just wanted to wound them...Not life threatening? Didn't shoot to kill. Off to class to relearn policy.
Just missed... Off to the range to become a better shot.

First, are you going to remember which is first shot or bullet? Oops, wrong round. Snakes hot to the face could leave someone blind.  Imagine getting sued for that.

Second, NAA Minis are hard to shoot rapid fire.  Follow up shots are slow.

third, .22lr for defense is like a pinball machine.  You don't know where the bullet is going.  One round can drop someone dead, a dozen shots can do almost nothing.  Heavy jackets and hopped up people are know to make larger rounds ineffective.

[Kevin55]

Old joke.
Do you know why a .22lr Mini is better against bears than a .38 Special?  After you shoot the bear and it catches you.  Having the Bear shove the Mini up your arse should hurt less than the 38.

[MadDogStafford]

Heh! Good joke there Kevin55!