First did this back in the mid to late 80’s from a Mike Venturino article. I found it more effective than the commercial snake shot. I used 8 grains of unique.
I must admit Mike was definitely the inspiration behind this and the shot size selection as well! They work wonderfully well and have saved my horse and dog from danger close death noodles. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
You are very welcome, that is what SAAMI calls it so I am sticking to that. I must admit I am a bit of a stickler for getting things like that correct. We greatly appreciate the kind words and the feedback it is always appreciated! --Jeremiah
Very Educational video from start to finish. I grew-up learning the art of reloading, as my father started me with lubing 45 Long Colt .255gr. bullets at age 5, I am still reloading to the day and time. One thing my Dad would always start out saying anytime we were around firearms was Safety, safety, safety come first, foremost, and last. The same rule(s) are use in reloading ammo. The thing about Snakeshot loads Shotshell, or even Shotgun shells load for that matter, they are not very consistent in pattern, meaning no two will ever be exactly the same, close maybe, but not the same on paper pattern anyways, and or otherwise. Really enjoy your show. Will always tune in again, keep up the good work. And always remember, as an Old Cowboy once said "May your Boots never get Dusty and your Gun never get Rusty.
That is really cool to hear, I love stories like that where the passion for the craft was passed down from generation to generation. Safety is certainly the most important factor involved in all of this. Indeed the coverage can vary and the variance is relative to distance for sure, at close range your coverage will be pretty good but the further out you get the more variance in pattern there is. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your story and experience along with the kind words! Good shooting and handloading to you! --Jeremiah
Great video! Several years ago I read Mike Venturino's article and experimented with Speer's shot capsules. Using #12 shot in a 44 Special Colt New Frontier. He made the point that you need to get a pellet into the snake's brain to disable and maybe kill it. I made some targets by copying a skull diagram of North America's largest snake, the indigo, from my herpetology textbook. At six to seven feet the #9 shot in the Speer factory shot loads left some gaps. You and Mike are right, #12 is the way to go. I still have about 4lbs of #12 from Ballistic Products. My buddies in bat research swore by #12s in shotshell loads - hits within reasonable range were not too difficult and you had a much nicer museum specimen.
Thank you very much, I know the exact article you are referencing and it had a lot of influence on this video here. Mike is a good friend of mine and he has greatly helped advance my knowledge and skills as a handloader. I agree in full with the No. 12 shot, it works wonders and you get more range as well. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience as well it is always nice to hear that it is working well for others. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Thank you very much for taking the time to watch and share those kind words the feedback is greatly appreciated! Hope you had a great Easter and look forward to seeing your comments in our other videos! --Jeremiah
Great video, thank you. I started loading shot shells in the old Speer shot capsules back in the early 70's. Did not like the results so went to 444 rifle brass cut down to cylinder length, 45 Colt and then sander the rim down to fit. I don't remember the shot weight but it was over 200 grains,I also used 6 gr of Unique. I cut strips of plastic sheeting and put two in each case then trimmed them offend folded them over under the gas check. Seemed to have a little less lead in the barrel. Thanks for your time, Don
Thank you for sharing your experiences, that sounds like a very interesting yet effective way of doing things. Perhaps that is something I will have to tinker with in the future! Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
You are well spoken. The information provided is useful. As a subscriber to the magazine, you present information better than most articles. Thank you.
It is a lot of fun and works well for close range aerial targets as well as poisonous pests. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
You are very welcome thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment, snake loads are a great thing to have for sure. Every time I go riding I make sure I have some with me. --Jeremiah
Fantastic video and very well done Jeremiah!! Now I just have to find me some shot and get to work. I really like how versatile the .45 Colt is. Thank you for sharing, stay well and God Bless.
Thank you so much for the kind words and the feedback, it is always appreciated!! That was actually a bit challenging for us to find, we wound up ordering it from ballistic products No. 12 shot doesn't seem all that popular. I too love the .45 Colt It is one of my favorite cartridges one day we'll do an in depth load development series on it in the magazine. Thank you and God bless you as well! --Jeremiah
I think that will be the subject of a future video in this series if there is enough interest in it! Thank you for the kind words and taking the time to watch! --Jeremiah
Great video, Jeremiah! It exemplifies true handloading very well. I made up some rodent rounds in .35 Whelen using CCI/Speer .357 shot capsules. I used enough Unique to produce 1300 fps. #10 Magnum shot. Well done, sir!
Thank you very much I really appreciate the kind words, I was under the weather when we filmed the intro and I really felt I did not do it justice so it is always nice to hear that folks still enjoyed the video! That sounds very cool! I would love to give that a try one day! .35 Whelen cases are getting hard to come by these days. I appreciate you taking the time to comment as always and appreciate the continued support! --Jeremiah
Good to remember, you are shoving that shot load down a RIFLED barrel and that just spreads the pattern out like crazy. But these kinda loads are pretty much rattle snake medicine to be delivered at about twice handshaking distance. So that wide pattern works for you, up so close.
Indeed the pattern opens up very quickly out of a rifled barrel as demonstrated on paper as we pushed the distances out further. That they are and speaking from experience they work very well at that. If I do my part with the 200 SWC and #12 Shot I don't even have to cut the head off the snake it's just gone. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
I do love the 22 LR pest shot, it is good stuff, I only wish there was a way I could reload it!! I am a bit biased with the .45 Colt, it is probably my favorite handgun cartridge for a number of reasons. I don't think you would be disappointed with it especially if you handload. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! --Jeremiah
Jeremiah I always enjoy your video’s, very informative and well down. The 45 Colt came out in 1873, it’s one of if not the oldest center fire cartridge still in production for 149 years. I’ve been hand-loading for my Ruger Bisley Blackhawk for over 20+ years, so much fun and versatile.
Thank you for the kind words it is greatly appreciated! Indeed it is an amazing cartridge and among one of my favorites it's versatility is essentially unmatched. Thank you so much for watching and for your continued support! One day we'll do a video dedicated to the 45 Colt and working up loads for it! --Jeremiah
@@VitoBb1978 I really am trying to get a buddy to do that with me and then we can discuss the various pressure levels you can load the .45 Colt to. It is in the future I am just unsure exactly when we can do it! When we do though it'll be worth the wait. No fluff like all the other videos out there on the cartridge it'll be a deep dive! --Jeremiah
Welcome aboard and thank you very much for the subscription and the kind words we greatly appreciate it. I have a lot more ideas for these specialty loads I just haven't gotten around to them yet sadly. Hopefully come 2025 we'll pick this back up. --Jeremiah
It is a great holster no doubt! I have thoroughly enjoyed using it over the years, it's nice to see that others are familiar with it. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Powders: I used to use Unique extensively, but the darned stuff just burns too sooty. It took some work, but I now use American Select for the sort of work in this video. Much cleaner burning.
I agree with you there it is not a clean powder by today's standards but it is very versatile especially for this kind of work. I have not tried American select though I'll have to give that a whirl. Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience we greatly appreciate it! --Jeremiah
I have hand loaded snake loads for 45 ACP and 45 Auto Rim for about 20 years. I use them in my Smith and Wesson Revolvers. Nice to see you address it. I highly suggest Number 12 shot - the difference can be seen by comparing the common 22LR and 22Magum shot loads with the common 38 Special loads - the 22s use Number 1s hot, and the 38s Number 9 shot, the patterns are spotty with Number 9, and as far as terminal performance - snakes are not going to shrug off Number 12 shot. Velocity is a none issue too, If your loads clear the barrel they are moving fast enough. I am in love with Lee's Taper crimp dies!
I could not agree more! I want to do a video on loading shotshells for the .45 ACP eventually I think that would make for a great video and there is some very interesting aspects to it as well. This is the first episode in a series I want to do dedicated to specialty loads. I agree in full the number 12 shot is the way to go as far as I am concerned and I agree no snake will shrug that off, velocity is a non issue when it comes to that. Which is also why I did not shoot these through a chronograph. Thanks for watching and thanks for sharing your experience. I do need to get more of Lee's taper crimp dies and their factory crimp dies. I have quite a few but they are great dies. --Jeremiah
Thank you very much and thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! I am a huge fan of the .45 Colt and I have big plans for videos on this cartridge in the future! We'll keep making these videos as long as RUclips will let us, the views, likes and shares really help keep us going over here! --Jeremiah
Most canned drink cartons have plastic or wax reinforcement. They make good wads. Check a sample for wet strength. Seal overshot with thin hot melt glue. I use multiple loaded cases near the end of life. Should be a low pressure load.
That is a great idea, I know the chocolate milk cartons from our local dollar store make great wads and it feeds my chocolate milk addiction as well so it's a win win. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
I grew up running swamps in Florida, and I've shot a couple wheelbarrow loads of venomous snakes. #12 is indeed the best medicine to anchor them. The best factory stuff was the CCI 22 Mag shotshells. I honestly don't think my handloaded 38 Special and 45 Colt shotshells did a better job, but with more pellets they did increase hit probability.
Sounds like you have a lot of experience as well thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience with everyone here in the comments! I am a bit of a fan of the 22 magnum, I agree, I also notice you get more range with the .38 Special and .45 Colt, probably just because of the sheer volume of shot you are sending downrange. Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I'm sure you are right about the range with the centerfires. I just never bothered shooting snakes unless they were pretty close, and there weren't any big predators where I went, so the 22WMR was sufficient.Out here in Wyoming however, we have some big dangerous critters, so I carry a 454 Casull, and the first chamber is a 45 Colt shotshell. 👍
@@noahmercy-mann4323 I generally speaking get pretty close but in preparation for this video that changed a little bit that summer working off horseback with snakeshot in my 45 Colt. I really like the .454 Casull as well and I do the exact same thing as you the first chamber during the summer months is loaded with a snake load. Sounds like we are on the same page there! 👌--Jeremiah
Nice video.No worries about 30 feet - snake loads are meant for a rattler at your feet out to maybe 7 feet away - good shot density at 10 feet is more than enough. Your loads look like they will work if need be with #8 shot, with just shot, at up to 10 feet or so - that's good to know as #12 shot is not as available as #8. I was surprised there was not a donut hole pattern at any range due to the rifling. I wonder why? Maybe powder choice can make a difference with that? I wonder if anyone has any ideas.
Indeed that is very true these are intended for close range use. I can attest from personal experience that the No. 8 shot will work on snakes and I used it quite a bit before I used the No. 12 shot with great success especially at close range 10 Ft or less. I do think powder can effect pattern shape and size as can charge weight. I must admit though that I haven't thoroughly tested other powders or done enough patterning to comment too much on the donut hole pattern. I did find Alliant unique powder to offer the best accuracy and patter size overall of the 4 or 5 powders I tested. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Jeremiah, let me try to teach you the old trick to dispatch a rattler's head in a single well-placed shot with a standard 45 lead bullet from a safe distance. Since the rattlers are pit vipers, they can pick up on movement of the shooters hand as it is pointed at the snake's head. Of course, you practice shooting at a model of a snake's head as it would be raised after it has coiled. Then you move your hand holding the handgun ever so slightly left and then right as to allow the snake to pick up on your movement the once you have seen the snake move, you hold steady cock the hammer if you had not done so already and fire your shot. Of course, with practice your aim improves, and the snakes head comes off clean from the neck. Be sure you bury the head in the ground at least 5-6 inches below the surface. The venom in the sacks in the head of the rattlesnake can inflict a bite wound years after the head is removed, so you don't let anyone have the chance to harm themselves.
I have heard of that very trick and I have used it with success in the past with my .45 ACP. I will admit it takes a little bit more effort but It did work quite well in my instance. I am always sure to bury the head or dispose of in a manner where it can not bite myself or any of my livestock. It is amazing how long they will wriggle around and even bite long after death and decapitation! I have had a lot of trouble with rattlesnakes in the past and I don't like having them around especially with the livestock. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment and share that information with me! --Jeremiah
Jeremiah, remember if you're on horseback and you are packing iron, your loads are the black powder kind, so in the event you have to shoot from the saddle or worse pointing your gun barrel over the back of a horse while shooting modern smokeless ammo you will destroy your horses hearing. The army overlooked that back in 1912 when the Calvery received the first issue of the 1911. Horses threw riders as soon as someone fired this pistol over the head of his mount.
@@georgeholt8929 I have a set of earplugs tied on to my bridal for my horse for that exact reason. In the most recent video on the Marlin 1895 SBL you can see how well they work I think my horse flinches less than I do most the time! I imagine smokeless or black powder the noise would not be particularly good for the horses ears. My horse will tolerate a shot or two from a supersonic unsuppressed rifle round but after that he gets a little antsy. This works find if I happen to encounter a snake or coyote while on horseback. It took a lot of time to get him that far. The youngster I am working with is entirely another story. It just goes to show how amazing the true war horses of the gunpowder era to early World War I, were to be able to withstand such noise and chaos. I usually use handloaded blanks to introduce the horse to gunfire making the blanks progressively louder until the horse is able to withstand a shot or two from an unsuppressed rifle. This seems to work well and thankfully I have never been thrown from a horse due to gunfire. --Jeremiah
Terrific video! Snake loads are well out of my realm of experience as we just don't have worrisome snakes here. My only experience is factory loaded rounds using a plastic capsule. On the other hand ... I know a guy. A couple of guys at my favorite gun shop like to use the Taurus Judge with three of the four inches of rifling removed. While still being a legal pistol they created, in effect, a paradox rifle to minimize the blown out patterns created by spinning the shot cup. Paradox rifles aren't exactly common and I thought it was a brilliant idea to use with a pistol like the Judge. Really fascinating video and a terrific idea for Handloader TV
I really appreciate the kind words, I feel like the intro was rough I was feeling a little under the weather and I did not do it justice in my eyes so it is always nice to hear that others still enjoyed it! That sounds very interesting I do wonder what kind of patterns that would produce! That does make a lot of sense to me and I really am curious now. I may have to see if I can find a Judge sometime in the near future! Again I am so glad you enjoyed the video thank you so much for watching! --Jeremiah
Indeed, they are a similar concept, I wish those were still in production I miss those things! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@jmd1743 I suppose if you had a threaded barrel it may be possible to work up some kind of choke for it however, I could also see the potential for increasing pressures as well with such a device but I am unsure to be perfectly honest I am unaware of any kind of experiment being conducted. It would be interesting to see. I also know that the rifled barrel is not conductive to accuracy with shot loads. Great idea and question I wish I had an answer for you! --Jeremiah
Thank you for calling the Colt cartridge by it's proper name. I have yet to see a headstamp that says "45 Long Colt". The heavy crimping used on the gas checked cartridges will shorten case life considerably. Case annealing every two to three times of this may increase case life some. I have seen some shot shell examples use a thin over shot wad similar to the over powder wad, seated at least 1/16" below flush and crimped no more than you would for a bullet, then topped with hot melt glue to flush with case mouth. I might opt for a thicker over powder wad or use two of the thinner ones. Speer shot capsules work well for revolver shot shells. They afford a larger shot charge. Be sure to use their data. I find they are not as durable as ones capped with gas checks. Thanks for sharing............
That is a very hotly debated topic the SAAMI designation for the Cartridge is .45 Colt so that is what I call it. Indeed case life will not be terribly good with the extremely heavy crimps. You could probably get away with less crimp but I have has the gas checks come loose under recoil so I air on the side of caution. I have never annealed pistol cartridges to be honest that also seems to be hotly debated topic as well many folks are concerned with heating up the case head too much. I have seen those as well and I have loaded those as well and they do seem to work well. I have not tried the hot melt glue method though. I wonder if it would gum up the barrel over time? Might be something to consider in the future. I do really like the Speer shot Capsules the only problem is they are often hard to find and often expensive, I do really like those though and the data that comes with them is extremely helpful. I too agree with you they are not quite as durable as the gas checks and you must use cation when applying crimp, so you don't crack the plastic capsule. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I've seen pistol cases annealed in a shallow pan of water maybe 1/4"deep. The case may then be easily annealed without the case head getting really any warmer than the water. Weakened case heads are no longer a problem, and the method is a very simple habit to get used to (and good habits are a very important part of reloading safety). As a bonus your workbench is protected from the heat.
@@deandeann1541 Perhaps this is a topic I should look further into, to be honest I have never felt the need to anneal pistol cartridges I know I can get 23-25 firings out of Winchester 9mm Luger brass before I get a split case as I have tested that and I feel I am more likely to loose the cases before I hit that many reloadings. However I think that may make for an interesting test! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, we need all the support we can get to keep going and the likes, shares and comments are greatly appreciated! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV Annealing is not worth it for 9mm. It is more important for high pressure magnum revolver rounds like .454 Casull, where the cases are quite expensive to begin with and don't last very long. 45 Colt can be worth it too, especially if you like hot loads. Also any cartridge that has a shoulder. 38 Special is not worth it either. Off the subject but 45/70 might be an interesting shot round, wouldn't you think? There are 45/70 revolvers - they might hold enough shot if you should happen upon quail or a ruffed grouse. I've never heard of it being tried, but someone must have some experience with it.
@@deandeann1541 That does make more sense, I could see it being more practical in the .454 Casull and other magnum pistol cartridges and bottleneck pistol cartridges. I do think it would make a very interesting project and may be something to look into in the future! I love the versatility of the 45-70 and something like that would make it even more versatile of course you have the issue of the riffled barrel but performance thus far has been acceptle for shot loads from rifled revolver barrels. I think that may make an interesting video! Thank you for the suggestion! --Jeremiah
I just checked out his channel and was trying to find his snake loads but I could not seem to find them. I am also not very good at searching and am still learning about this constantly changing platform but I will keep looking and try to check it out! Thanks so much for watching! --Jeremiah
Now try this with longer cases such as .460S&W. You would have to find a way to size down the front part of the case, maybe use a .44amg size die. I haven't checked but does Speer not sell the plastic capsules that they used to sell pre-loaded with shot?
I do have plans to do similar things with the .45 ACP but I have not gotten around to it yet and components are still really hard to get sadly. They do still sell the plastic capsules and loaded ammunition but this is a much cheaper alternative and in my opinion is more effective on snakes as well. Thanks for watching and for the suggestion. --Jeremiah
I have loaded 2 .452 round balls in a 45 colt case it might be interesting to load one add shot load the other or use a round ball instead of the 200 swc for more shot
That would be interesting for sure!! I wonder how that would effect point of aim and accuracy. I know the 200 grain SWC shoots nearly to point of aim at "snake killing" distances. Certainly something to try though! Thank you for sharing and for taking the time to watch! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV i know 2 rb shoot to the same point as my 200gr swc loads I use the key is hard lead round balls i flatten slightly and run through a .452 sizer for more bearing surface at 50yds they are about a 4" spread
@@marcussamson7640 That really doesn't sound bad at all especially considering the distances we are testing and the practical ranges that this load would be used for. I really appreciate you sharing that!! --Jeremiah
I use a 22wmr for shellshot out of a 9” Heritage, and it works okay…but it’s only available in #12 from CCI. So, I’m waiting for a Pietta 1873 to be transferred to my FFL to be able to use their #4. I need something with enough power to rearrange the heads of large Burmese Pythons. I never did my own loading, but maybe you inspired me. I know nothing about this at ALL, so I have to find a beginner’s how to on this…but only for 45 Colt.
I am actually a big fan of the no. 12 shot, I think it works really well on pests and snakes but it's hard to fit enough into a 22 WMR case to make it as effective as I would like. I think the .45 Colt is the perfect candidate for snakeshot loads. I have not tried no. 4 shot in the .45 Colt but perhaps in the future i'll have to give it a try. It is not as hard as some folks make it out to be. We actually did a video on how to handload I will leave a link at the end of this comment. Between this video and the 101 video it should help you get started on the right path. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah ruclips.net/video/tQ6agaXw0tA/видео.html
I shoot Blackhawk in 41 mag and have wads for .410 shotgun in different thicknesses and materials. I also have a universal pointed crimp die that I have used to make black powder blanks in 45/70 and 45 long colt. Case life is short needless to say. My concern with making shot loads is with the over powder wad is it hanging up in the barrel. If t
The .310 Shotgun wads work very well for snakeshot loads in the .41 Mag I have used those with great success over the years. I can imagine that does greatly effect case life. The heavy crimps I use are not good for case life either though. I do need to pick up a "star" crimp die for a couple of cartridges! hopefully one day! I think you comment is missing the last part. I am thinking you are concerned with something to do with the wad? Let me know if there is anything I can help with. --Jeremiah
@@deandeann1541 They do work very well in the .45 Colt it is a bit of a squeeze in the .41 Rem Mag and often times can require shaving a little off but I to am working off of my memory and I could be mistaken! --Jeremiah
Excellent video, I have a Ruger single action revolver in 44 mag. I would like to load similar snake rounds with #12 shot loads. It should be as good as the 45 Colt. Thanks
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the video! Thank you for taking the time to watch and share your feedback with us! I do plan on doing this in other cartridges and doing more on specialty loads in the future! --Jeremiah
How does the gas check,go down the barrel,without twisting or turning? What happens to the gas check, after it leaves the barrel? Does it fall away like a shotgun shot cup,or does it hit the target? And lastly what is the gas check made of? It looks like brass.
To be perfectly honest I don't think it does, I think there very well could be some twisting and turning involved. I have had them stick in the target sideways a couple of times, The primary reason for the gas check is to contain the shot and allow enough time for pressure to build and get enough velocity to kill a snake which does not take very much. It seems more often than not the gas check does just fall short of the shot pattern of course this depends on how far you are shooting as well. The gas checks are made of copper and I believe these ones were made by Hornady if I recall correctly. Thanks for watching and great question! --Jeremiah
Test results are very telling. I've been looking to reload .45 Colt with snake shot & been told that #8 or 7 will work fine (although #9 is originally used) -- but I see the #12 used in the 22LR has the best pattern of impact. Do you know where I can get the #12?
Indeed, a lot of folks say that #7, #8, #9 shot will work fine but the performance of #12 shot is quite impressive and it maintains pattern better even at extended range possibly due to the sheer amount of pellets in the case but it works quite well. I have used this load for a long time and it's results on snakes have always been satisfactory provided I do my part. I got mine from ballistic products, it is a little pricey but the bag lasts a long time so I find it worth it! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! --Jeremiah
I think there are a lot of better options for projectiles and finding washers that would be the correct diameter would be pretty tricky. It might be interesting just to see what happens but at this point I am probably too backlogged to attempt such a thing unless there was a ton of interest in the results. Thanks for watching though and we always appreciate suggestions! --Jeremiah
Jeremiah, please in future videos remind people that every state has its own laws in regards to shooting rattlesnakes, in UTAH, for instance, you CANT shoot them. **
Very nice,I was expecting the shot cap Speer had available at one time..I learned something. Just how much shot will charged 45 colt hold n still take a gas check???
I almost included those in the video I do have some but I figured most people know about those and I could always cover those in another video. I am very glad to hear that you learned something!! That is what we are all about sharing information and knowledge with others! Roughly 190 grains of No. 12 shot but it varies depending on case manufacturer and shot size. Thanks for watching and the continued support!! --Jeremiah
I do imagine they would perform a lot better! Maybe one day I will shoot the rifling out this Uberti and then I can test that as well! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
I wish I could be more specific, A good friend of mine Ethan Douglas made this for me, he calls it the Suspender holster and it's based off one from the 1880s but he is not sure who the maker is. It really is a great holster though, It was a last minute addition to the video and I really did not do it justice here. You can find Ethan on Instagram @the_classic_outdoorsman I highly suggest checking him out! --Jeremiah
That is a good question and there are a couple of reasons for the bullet, I usually keep both on my person so it would be easy enough to switch and sometimes i'll even have the first shot with a bullet and the 2nd will be all shot in a cylinder so I can quickly and easily swap depending on situation. The main reason I load a bullet is for versatility, If I kick up a rabbit, coyote, fox etc I can shoot it and still be effective. I also like it when working off horseback, if you can hit the snake in the head it will decapitate it at close range and does not require me dismounting to cut the head off and having to worry about my horse stepping on the snake and getting bit while we are working in that area. I suppose in a nutshell the main reason is for versatility no matter what animal I encounter I have a single round in the cylinder that will put it down without having to switch. It may sound a little excessive but my first badger I shot was less than 2 feet from me and he wasn't going to stop unless I stopped him. Great question though and I hope that makes sense. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
I like what you are doing. But I have a question. What is the reason for capping off the shot with a bullet? For example if a varmint gets in the garage you don't want a bullet. I understand about the gas check. I like that.
That is a good question and there are a couple of reasons for the bullet, I usually keep both on my person so it would be easy enough to switch and sometimes i'll even have the first shot with a bullet and the 2nd will be all shot in a cylinder so I can quickly and easily swap depending on situation. The main reason I load a bullet is for versatility, If I kick up a rabbit, coyote, fox etc I can shoot it and still be effective. I also like it when working off horseback, if you can hit the snake in the head it will decapitate it at close range and does not require me dismounting to cut the head off and having to worry about my horse stepping on the snake and getting bit while we are working in that area. I suppose in a nutshell the main reason is for versatility no matter what animal I encounter I have a single round in the cylinder that will put it down without having to switch. It may sound a little excessive but my first badger I shot was less than 2 feet from me and he wasn't going to stop unless I stopped him. Great question though and I hope that makes sense. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I never thought of it that way. See when I go home I put on my single action. First 2 rounds are shoot. The next for a Hollow points. I have had raccoon, Whistle pigs and our varmint come up on the deck and try to scratch their way through the screen door. So if I have to shoot them I didn't want a full slug going through them and into the deck. I figured 2 shoot well get them running off the deck and kill them with the 3rd round in the yard. But your rounds make sense for self defense against coyotes snakes and other varmints while out in the woods or on horses 🐎 back. Thank you very much for taking to me.
@@edshultz9760 You are very welcome, always happy to chat with the good folks on here. We have a great comment section on all of our videos and i'd say 95% of the folks are a pleasure to chat with. It is entirely situation dependent, i'd say your situation makes a lot of sense as well. Thank you very much for the kind reply and your interest in the subject. I look forward to chatting with you again in other videos! --Jeremiah
Great video! Not sure if you'll see this since the video is a few months old, but where did you get the cool holster? Didn't catch it in the video. Thanks!
Thank you for the kind words and the feedback, It may take me a while but I still try to respond to comments especially those with questions. I got this from a good friend on Instagram @the_classic_outdoorsman he makes leather holsters on the side and does a really good job doing so. --Jeremiah
@@mtskies8077 You are very welcome, sometimes RUclips does not notify me of the comments such was the case with your reply so if ever a questions goes unanswered don't hesitate to ask it again! Thanks again for watching and all the support! --Jeremiah
Very informative and interesting. Any chance of a 44 SPL/Magnum shotshell video or article. I don't own a single 45 Colt but own several 44 magnums. I'm a subscriber of Handloader magazine so either one would be great.
This is the first episode in a series I want to do dedicated to specialty loads I would love to cover more ShotShell loads for several cartridges and 44 Mag and 44 Special is on the list. As well as some high velocity lightweight 5.56 Loads that I use for coyotes. I have so many ideas I want to put into place it's just finding the time to do them. The more suggestions I get and the more views and interest this video has the more it will help us keep producing videos like this. Share it with your handloading buddies! Of course as always thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment I appreciate all suggestions! --Jeremiah
@@rogerpemberton79 I am glad we do our best to try and publish stuff the viewers would be interested in hopefully one day we'll be able to put more time into these videos and publish them more often! --Jeremiah
Imagine using a light hollow point bullet on top of #12 shot for home defense...hmm, could there be a '45 Colt HD Load Video' in the near future..?? Gets my attention if you do. Thanks...thumbs up..!!
To be honest with you the light hollow point would do almost all of the work. I don't think the No. 12 shot would penetrate a human enough to do much damage. It could blind them potentially but I am hesitant to suggest using it for self defense, I think a 255 grain Kieth style bullet might do better in a single shot. I have big plans for the .45 Colt in 2023 for both video and print coverage. I know Brian Pearce has covered HD .45 Colt loads a lot in the magazine over the years if you are interested in that. I plan on doing some black powder loads in .45 Colt along with rifle barrels vs. pistol barrels in .45 Colt. That is all on the calendar for 2023. Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
Why isn't an air space for the powder needed? Wouldn't this be considered a compressed load? Now if you were using black powder I could understand tamping the card against the charge.
Great question there is no airspace needed and it's just a gentle tamp to ensure that card won't move. You don't want your powder and shot to get intermixed. It could lead to a potentially dangerous situation and that's why we lightly tamp the card in place. it also ensures that powder is always flush with the primer for consistent and reliable ignition. I've packed these loads for several hundred miles on horseback without a single issue and that is partly due to the card separating the shot and powder ensure they don't get mixed up. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment we greatly appreciate it! --Jeremiah
That is a great suggestion I love that place for all the odds and ends you can find that make life easier when it comes to handloading! Thanks for the suggestion and thank you for watching! --Jeremiah
Thanks for the feedback and kind words. We use Inline fabrication mounts and adapter plates. It is a really neat system and makes swapping tools a breeze! --Jeremiah
You can use a card over the shot instead of the GC , I make these in 44 mag, 44 spl, 357 mag , 38spl, 327 mag and 32 H&R mag . I use the card I also put 2 cards over the powder. It works for me
For shot I fill the case with shot after I put in the powder and 2 cards and leave about 1/16 "or little more from the mouth of the case so you can put a card over the shot and you can glue the card in place or crimp
Yeah there will be variations in case capacity depending on the manufacturer of the brass and also the size of the shot will also determine how much you'll be able to fit inside the case. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV kind of figured that was the issue. New to reloading 45 colt. From what I can tell, the slight decrease in shot weight should still function ok at close distances.
Both the use of a bullet and gas check seem a little extreme why not wad essentially you have bbuck and ball. Have you tried wad over the shot. For clays it works for me
It probably is a little excessive for some situations but for situations on horseback where I may need to dispatch a snake or a coyote it allows me to not have to rotate the cylinder to an appropriate load. Sometimes time is of the essence in those types of situations. I have tried a wad over the shot and it works just as well as the gas check and is a viable alternative. We would've showcased that in the video but sadly we did not have enough time to showcase all 3 different loadings. By all means use what works best for your application a wad/gas check and shot may be all you need. That is generally all that is kept in gun when i'm working around the house or the barn but on horseback I carry the shot W/ bullet load. Thank you very much for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I didn’t realize you were using in that fashion. And just to be clear you are some shot I could never hit a clay hard enough stationary on the ground
@@joemolf3894 That is the wonderful thing about handloading it adds a ton of versatility to your arsenal what was once two completely different loads is now combined into a single load and a rather fool proof system. In addition to that each person can tailor the load to their needs by using our data and substituting the gas check for a wad or whatever would suit your application. Hopefully they'll have a lot of fun in the process. As the for the compliment thank you very much! It is easier than it looks with a 45 colt case packed full of shot! I appreciate the kind words though and you taking the time to comment back. I truly believe that we have the best subscribers, viewers and comment section on RUclips because of kind folks like you who are willing to listen and share their thoughts as well! So thank you very much! --Jeremiah
Thank you very much all of the load data will be displayed in the target review portion of this video on the screen so you can see the target and load data all in one that will start at 29:20 on the video and you can see which load you like the best. All bullets used were the 200 grain speer lead cast SWC. Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
To be perfectly honest with you I am not 100% sure but if memory serves me right it was somewhere around 700 FPS but don't quote me on it, this testing was conducted a long time ago and pressure was somewhere around 13,400 PSI. I can say it is very effective on rats, snakes and other small vermin. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to watch the video! I have tried a few times with decent results I would love to do a video on that but I would also like to feature the RCBS dies made years ago specifically for that. Sadly they are very hard to find these days and have long been out of production. It is on the list though and I hope to produce a video on it one day! --Jeremiah
Indeed it is quite possible to do it with the .38 special and .357 Magnum a good would be 5.5 grains of unique and fill the rest of the case with shot leaving enough room to cap it off with a Wad or gas check, for .38 Special and I would not deviate far from that, it'll work well. As for .357 Magnum I would start at 5.7 grains of unique with 92 grains of shot and cap that off with a wad or Gas check. That should produce about 11" patterns at 12 feet. Eventually I would love to do a video on .357 magnum snake loads as well. Thanks for watching and great question! --Jeremiah
@@dustymathy6729 I do plan on doing something similar in the .357 Magnum but this is still in the experimental stages. It most likely will be a while before I get around to it. The difficulty is finding or working up load data with that much lead going downrange. I plan on making many more videos in this series on specialty loads. Thank you for watching and the suggestion! --Jeremiah
I have seen those and they look quite impressive, I imagine you can fit a lot of shot inside a 500 S&W case! Might be something to look into in the future! --Jeremiah
It is still pretty dirty, I have gotten good performance out of it but I think it's just as dirty as it was 40 years ago as far as I know and can tell. I have not done any significant testing though just observations while shooting and cleaning. --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV LOL... you are one of the few 'experts' who will tell the truth on this... next you will be saying 2400 is dirty! You could get kicked out of the club with that kind of thinking. LOL I love #5 and #9 True Blue is my latest fling There are dozens of powders I would like to try before it is over. I basically do the loads and then sandbag em at 25 yards throwing out fliers. if it looks promising I will chrono em with my cheap chrono I learned years ago to put targets and chrono stuff in binders otherwise I will forget.
Great question we used a 200 grain Speer Lead Semi Wadcutter you can view the load data at 32:00 in the video we always showcase the load data for every video we do. Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
I would love to conduct some more testing with 357 Magnum shotshell loads. Perhaps sometime next year we can work on that! Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
Hate rattlesnakes. I load speer shot caps in my 44 spl cases so they will work in 44 spl and mag. Generally it is a one shot kill out to 30' 10 feet is for sure.
Agreed in full, I have a lot of livestock and do a fair bit of work from the back of a horse and I always take snakeshot with me I have had a few too many close calls not to. I would eventually like to cover loading .44 Magnum and .44 Spl shotshell loads as well and continue this series on specialty loads. I also have some interesting high velocity loads I would like to add to this series as well. --Jeremiah
It really depends, some of our writers for our magazine have access to state of the art pressure testing equipment. The gold standard in our book is the Oehler System 83 I think it does a very good job at measuring pressure and providing accurate data that you can trust. We have used many different methods over the years though and are also testing many new products on the market as well. There is some new and exciting things in the works with Oehler as we speak however I must refrain to say more in that particular area. We have also worked closely in the past with the ballisticians at Western Powders, Hodgdon and Shooters world in the past and have had them conduct pressure testing and proofing for us. Good question and thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
@@Cyotis In all honesty the best thing you can do is to stick to published/pressure tested data, the second thing I would highly suggest for you is a Chronograph velocity is the best indicator when it comes to pressure. --Jeremiah
so sad to see this channel go... are you thinking of continuing to post on other platforms (utreon, vimeo, odysee)? Imho youtube community guidelines are getting out of hand. Somehow, they are getting more restrictive than the ATF themselves...
We are still going to post videos here on RUclips we average about 1 video every 2 weeks just because of how much work it is to produce these videos. We currently do not post on Utreon, Vimeo or Odysee. Perhaps we will in the future but we are unsure at this time. The guidelines are getting extremely restrictive we are experiencing the same issues on our social media platforms. The best thing you can do is share the videos with your friends and keep spreading news of the channel! --Jeremiah
Perhaps it is a little long when including the testing, we do our best to answer all the questions before we get them and try to provide the most accurate and detailed information we can if information is not included we will get questions in comments so we do our best to address them before in the video itself. Feel free to skip through the video to find the information that you need. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment, the feedback is always appreciated positive or negative so long as it is cordial we are happy to get it! It helps us tailor our videos to our audience. --Jeremiah
I would have to beg to differ with you if given the choice between a flyswatter and a full cylinder of 45 Colt snake shot I would choose the snake shot every single time. The snake in the intro photo is one that I shot with these loads at 15 feet. It was dead in one shot and wasn't even writhing around in typical dead snake fashion. While certain loadings of snake shot are not very effective I assure you these do work well with the right load at the right distance as displayed in this video. Currently my sample size for the number 12 shot is somewhere around 50 snakes most of them killed with a single shot all ranging from 5 1/2 feet to less than 1 foot. Plus loading your own snake shot is only slightly more money than handloading standard cartridges in 45 Colt. At any rate though I still respect your opinion and appreciate you taking the time to share it and watch the video as well. --Jeremiah
Ha ha that would be a lot of fun, I will admit I have used these on enough real snakes to know they work quite well and I rarely have to ever shoot them more than once and when I do that is because I was way too far away. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
I have not tried powder coating the shot, that may make for an interesting test and perhaps is something we could look into for the future. I wonder if that would effect pressure though and that would be my main concern. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
First did this back in the mid to late 80’s from a Mike Venturino article. I found it more effective than the commercial snake shot. I used 8 grains of unique.
I must admit Mike was definitely the inspiration behind this and the shot size selection as well! They work wonderfully well and have saved my horse and dog from danger close death noodles. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Same inspiration for me only early 90's, that and dual round ball load
Thanks Mike😊
I also want to say thank you for calling the 45 Colt with the correct name. I always enjoy your videos and Hand Loader magazines.
You are very welcome, that is what SAAMI calls it so I am sticking to that. I must admit I am a bit of a stickler for getting things like that correct. We greatly appreciate the kind words and the feedback it is always appreciated! --Jeremiah
Very Educational video from start to finish. I grew-up learning the art of reloading, as my father started me with lubing 45 Long Colt .255gr. bullets at age 5, I am still reloading to the day and time. One thing my Dad would always start out saying anytime we were around firearms was Safety, safety, safety come first, foremost, and last. The same rule(s) are use in reloading ammo.
The thing about Snakeshot loads Shotshell, or even Shotgun shells load for that matter, they are not very consistent in pattern, meaning no two will ever be exactly the same, close maybe, but not the same on paper pattern anyways, and or otherwise.
Really enjoy your show. Will always tune in again, keep up the good work.
And always remember, as an Old Cowboy once said "May your Boots never get Dusty and your Gun never get Rusty.
That is really cool to hear, I love stories like that where the passion for the craft was passed down from generation to generation. Safety is certainly the most important factor involved in all of this.
Indeed the coverage can vary and the variance is relative to distance for sure, at close range your coverage will be pretty good but the further out you get the more variance in pattern there is. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your story and experience along with the kind words! Good shooting and handloading to you! --Jeremiah
Great video! Several years ago I read Mike Venturino's article and experimented with Speer's shot capsules. Using #12 shot in a 44 Special Colt New Frontier. He made the point that you need to get a pellet into the snake's brain to disable and maybe kill it. I made some targets by copying a skull diagram of North America's largest snake, the indigo, from my herpetology textbook. At six to seven feet the #9 shot in the Speer factory shot loads left some gaps. You and Mike are right, #12 is the way to go. I still have about 4lbs of #12 from Ballistic Products. My buddies in bat research swore by #12s in shotshell loads - hits within reasonable range were not too difficult and you had a much nicer museum specimen.
Thank you very much, I know the exact article you are referencing and it had a lot of influence on this video here. Mike is a good friend of mine and he has greatly helped advance my knowledge and skills as a handloader. I agree in full with the No. 12 shot, it works wonders and you get more range as well. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience as well it is always nice to hear that it is working well for others. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
don't fool with gas checks when you can get shot capsules. & 12 shot in my 44.40 & 44 spl. .
Excellent!!! Best reloading video I’ve ever experienced 😎👍 happy Easter 🐇🐣
Thank you very much for taking the time to watch and share those kind words the feedback is greatly appreciated! Hope you had a great Easter and look forward to seeing your comments in our other videos! --Jeremiah
Great video, thank you. I started loading shot shells in the old Speer shot capsules back in the early 70's. Did not like the results so went to 444 rifle brass cut down to cylinder length, 45 Colt and then sander the rim down to fit. I don't remember the shot weight but it was over 200 grains,I also used 6 gr of Unique. I cut strips of plastic sheeting and put two in each case then trimmed them offend folded them over under the gas check. Seemed to have a little less lead in the barrel. Thanks for your time, Don
Thank you for sharing your experiences, that sounds like a very interesting yet effective way of doing things. Perhaps that is something I will have to tinker with in the future! Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
You are well spoken. The information provided is useful. As a subscriber to the magazine, you present information better than most articles. Thank you.
Interesting. Gotta try that. Been reloading for over 50 years. Enjoyed.
It is a lot of fun and works well for close range aerial targets as well as poisonous pests. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Thanks for the video, I always take my Ruger 45 long coat with me when I'm fishing and it is definitely loaded with shotshells.🇺🇲
You are very welcome thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment, snake loads are a great thing to have for sure. Every time I go riding I make sure I have some with me. --Jeremiah
Fantastic video and very well done Jeremiah!! Now I just have to find me some shot and get to work. I really like how versatile the .45 Colt is.
Thank you for sharing, stay well and God Bless.
Thank you so much for the kind words and the feedback, it is always appreciated!! That was actually a bit challenging for us to find, we wound up ordering it from ballistic products No. 12 shot doesn't seem all that popular. I too love the .45 Colt It is one of my favorite cartridges one day we'll do an in depth load development series on it in the magazine. Thank you and God bless you as well! --Jeremiah
Great video. I was hoping you’d show some loads using the plastic shot cups. But still an informative video. Thanks.
I think that will be the subject of a future video in this series if there is enough interest in it! Thank you for the kind words and taking the time to watch! --Jeremiah
Great video, Jeremiah! It exemplifies true handloading very well. I made up some rodent rounds in .35 Whelen using CCI/Speer .357 shot capsules. I used enough Unique to produce 1300 fps. #10 Magnum shot. Well done, sir!
Thank you very much I really appreciate the kind words, I was under the weather when we filmed the intro and I really felt I did not do it justice so it is always nice to hear that folks still enjoyed the video! That sounds very cool! I would love to give that a try one day! .35 Whelen cases are getting hard to come by these days. I appreciate you taking the time to comment as always and appreciate the continued support! --Jeremiah
Good to remember, you are shoving that shot load down a RIFLED barrel and that just spreads the pattern out like crazy. But these kinda loads are pretty much rattle snake medicine to be delivered at about twice handshaking distance. So that wide pattern works for you, up so close.
Indeed the pattern opens up very quickly out of a rifled barrel as demonstrated on paper as we pushed the distances out further. That they are and speaking from experience they work very well at that. If I do my part with the 200 SWC and #12 Shot I don't even have to cut the head off the snake it's just gone. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Excellent video,thanks
You are very welcome thank you for watching! --Jeremiah
I use 22lr pest shot. Inside is used #12 shot. Works great on water moccasins. Thinking about getting a 45 colt for carry. Thanks for the information
I do love the 22 LR pest shot, it is good stuff, I only wish there was a way I could reload it!! I am a bit biased with the .45 Colt, it is probably my favorite handgun cartridge for a number of reasons. I don't think you would be disappointed with it especially if you handload. Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! --Jeremiah
Jeremiah I always enjoy your video’s, very informative and well down. The 45 Colt came out in 1873, it’s one of if not the oldest center fire cartridge still in production for 149 years.
I’ve been hand-loading for my Ruger Bisley Blackhawk for over 20+ years, so much fun and versatile.
Thank you for the kind words it is greatly appreciated! Indeed it is an amazing cartridge and among one of my favorites it's versatility is essentially unmatched. Thank you so much for watching and for your continued support! One day we'll do a video dedicated to the 45 Colt and working up loads for it! --Jeremiah
Your so welcome, looking forward to that 45 Colt hand-loading video.
@@VitoBb1978 I really am trying to get a buddy to do that with me and then we can discuss the various pressure levels you can load the .45 Colt to. It is in the future I am just unsure exactly when we can do it! When we do though it'll be worth the wait. No fluff like all the other videos out there on the cartridge it'll be a deep dive! --Jeremiah
Great minds collaborate, so many different pressure levels, from Cowboys loads to Magnum/hunting loads it can handle em all 😉
@@VitoBb1978 Indeed the .45 Colt is a king in my book! Certainly one of my favorites hopefully we will cover it in depth soon! --Jeremiah
Just liked and subbed. Excellent video.
Welcome aboard and thank you very much for the subscription and the kind words we greatly appreciate it. I have a lot more ideas for these specialty loads I just haven't gotten around to them yet sadly. Hopefully come 2025 we'll pick this back up. --Jeremiah
I reinvented the suspender holster to carry a derringer when Cowboy Shooting back in 1989.
It is a great holster no doubt! I have thoroughly enjoyed using it over the years, it's nice to see that others are familiar with it. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Powders: I used to use Unique extensively, but the darned stuff just burns too sooty. It took some work, but I now use American Select for the sort of work in this video. Much cleaner burning.
I agree with you there it is not a clean powder by today's standards but it is very versatile especially for this kind of work. I have not tried American select though I'll have to give that a whirl. Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience we greatly appreciate it! --Jeremiah
Really appreciate your work. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for watching without the subscribers to both RUclips and our print magazine this would not be possible so thank you! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV Yep get them both.
@@thisoldjeepcj5 We greatly appreciate it!! --Jeremiah
Excellent. Thank you sir.
You are very welcome! Thank you very much for taking the time to watch and comment! --Jeremiah
I have hand loaded snake loads for 45 ACP and 45 Auto Rim for about 20 years. I use them in my Smith and Wesson Revolvers. Nice to see you address it. I highly suggest Number 12 shot - the difference can be seen by comparing the common 22LR and 22Magum shot loads with the common 38 Special loads - the 22s use Number 1s hot, and the 38s Number 9 shot, the patterns are spotty with Number 9, and as far as terminal performance - snakes are not going to shrug off Number 12 shot. Velocity is a none issue too, If your loads clear the barrel they are moving fast enough. I am in love with Lee's Taper crimp dies!
I could not agree more! I want to do a video on loading shotshells for the .45 ACP eventually I think that would make for a great video and there is some very interesting aspects to it as well. This is the first episode in a series I want to do dedicated to specialty loads. I agree in full the number 12 shot is the way to go as far as I am concerned and I agree no snake will shrug that off, velocity is a non issue when it comes to that. Which is also why I did not shoot these through a chronograph. Thanks for watching and thanks for sharing your experience. I do need to get more of Lee's taper crimp dies and their factory crimp dies. I have quite a few but they are great dies. --Jeremiah
Great video bro and no im not gonna count the shot lol i have a rough rider 45 colt i love it and yur rite very versatile keep em coming man
Thank you very much and thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! I am a huge fan of the .45 Colt and I have big plans for videos on this cartridge in the future! We'll keep making these videos as long as RUclips will let us, the views, likes and shares really help keep us going over here! --Jeremiah
Nice video. Subscribed.
Thank you very much and thank you for subscribing we greatly appreciate it! --Jeremiah
Most canned drink cartons have plastic or wax reinforcement. They make good wads. Check a sample for wet strength. Seal overshot with thin hot melt glue. I use multiple loaded cases near the end of life. Should be a low pressure load.
That is a great idea, I know the chocolate milk cartons from our local dollar store make great wads and it feeds my chocolate milk addiction as well so it's a win win. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
I grew up running swamps in Florida, and I've shot a couple wheelbarrow loads of venomous snakes. #12 is indeed the best medicine to anchor them. The best factory stuff was the CCI 22 Mag shotshells. I honestly don't think my handloaded 38 Special and 45 Colt shotshells did a better job, but with more pellets they did increase hit probability.
Sounds like you have a lot of experience as well thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience with everyone here in the comments! I am a bit of a fan of the 22 magnum, I agree, I also notice you get more range with the .38 Special and .45 Colt, probably just because of the sheer volume of shot you are sending downrange. Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I'm sure you are right about the range with the centerfires. I just never bothered shooting snakes unless they were pretty close, and there weren't any big predators where I went, so the 22WMR was sufficient.Out here in Wyoming however, we have some big dangerous critters, so I carry a 454 Casull, and the first chamber is a 45 Colt shotshell. 👍
@@noahmercy-mann4323 I generally speaking get pretty close but in preparation for this video that changed a little bit that summer working off horseback with snakeshot in my 45 Colt. I really like the .454 Casull as well and I do the exact same thing as you the first chamber during the summer months is loaded with a snake load. Sounds like we are on the same page there! 👌--Jeremiah
Great job buddy !
Thank you very much! --Jeremiah
Nice video.No worries about 30 feet - snake loads are meant for a rattler at your feet out to maybe 7 feet away - good shot density at 10 feet is more than enough. Your loads look like they will work if need be with #8 shot, with just shot, at up to 10 feet or so - that's good to know as #12 shot is not as available as #8.
I was surprised there was not a donut hole pattern at any range due to the rifling. I wonder why? Maybe powder choice can make a difference with that? I wonder if anyone has any ideas.
Indeed that is very true these are intended for close range use. I can attest from personal experience that the No. 8 shot will work on snakes and I used it quite a bit before I used the No. 12 shot with great success especially at close range 10 Ft or less. I do think powder can effect pattern shape and size as can charge weight. I must admit though that I haven't thoroughly tested other powders or done enough patterning to comment too much on the donut hole pattern. I did find Alliant unique powder to offer the best accuracy and patter size overall of the 4 or 5 powders I tested. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Jeremiah, let me try to teach you the old trick to dispatch a rattler's head in a single well-placed shot with a standard 45 lead bullet from a safe distance. Since the rattlers are pit vipers, they can pick up on movement of the shooters hand as it is pointed at the snake's head. Of course, you practice shooting at a model of a snake's head as it would be raised after it has coiled. Then you move your hand holding the handgun ever so slightly left and then right as to allow the snake to pick up on your movement the once you have seen the snake move, you hold steady cock the hammer if you had not done so already and fire your shot.
Of course, with practice your aim improves, and the snakes head comes off clean from the neck.
Be sure you bury the head in the ground at least 5-6 inches below the surface. The venom in the sacks in the head of the rattlesnake can inflict a bite wound years after the head is removed, so you don't let anyone have the chance to harm themselves.
I have heard of that very trick and I have used it with success in the past with my .45 ACP. I will admit it takes a little bit more effort but It did work quite well in my instance. I am always sure to bury the head or dispose of in a manner where it can not bite myself or any of my livestock. It is amazing how long they will wriggle around and even bite long after death and decapitation! I have had a lot of trouble with rattlesnakes in the past and I don't like having them around especially with the livestock. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment and share that information with me! --Jeremiah
Jeremiah, remember if you're on horseback and you are packing iron, your loads are the black powder kind, so in the event you have to shoot from the saddle or worse pointing your gun barrel over the back of a horse while shooting modern smokeless ammo you will destroy your horses hearing. The army overlooked that back in 1912 when the Calvery received the first issue of the 1911. Horses threw riders as soon as someone fired this pistol over the head of his mount.
@@georgeholt8929 I have a set of earplugs tied on to my bridal for my horse for that exact reason. In the most recent video on the Marlin 1895 SBL you can see how well they work I think my horse flinches less than I do most the time! I imagine smokeless or black powder the noise would not be particularly good for the horses ears. My horse will tolerate a shot or two from a supersonic unsuppressed rifle round but after that he gets a little antsy. This works find if I happen to encounter a snake or coyote while on horseback. It took a lot of time to get him that far. The youngster I am working with is entirely another story. It just goes to show how amazing the true war horses of the gunpowder era to early World War I, were to be able to withstand such noise and chaos. I usually use handloaded blanks to introduce the horse to gunfire making the blanks progressively louder until the horse is able to withstand a shot or two from an unsuppressed rifle. This seems to work well and thankfully I have never been thrown from a horse due to gunfire. --Jeremiah
Terrific video! Snake loads are well out of my realm of experience as we just don't have worrisome snakes here. My only experience is factory loaded rounds using a plastic capsule.
On the other hand ... I know a guy. A couple of guys at my favorite gun shop like to use the Taurus Judge with three of the four inches of rifling removed. While still being a legal pistol they created, in effect, a paradox rifle to minimize the blown out patterns created by spinning the shot cup. Paradox rifles aren't exactly common and I thought it was a brilliant idea to use with a pistol like the Judge.
Really fascinating video and a terrific idea for Handloader TV
I really appreciate the kind words, I feel like the intro was rough I was feeling a little under the weather and I did not do it justice in my eyes so it is always nice to hear that others still enjoyed it!
That sounds very interesting I do wonder what kind of patterns that would produce! That does make a lot of sense to me and I really am curious now. I may have to see if I can find a Judge sometime in the near future!
Again I am so glad you enjoyed the video thank you so much for watching! --Jeremiah
Thanks J. That's good information. Happy New Year and Be Well.
No problem thank you for watching and happy New Year to you as well!! --Jeremiah
well done video, good job young man
Looks fun. Will try
It's a blast! Good luck with your handloading! --Jeremiah
Great content. I am going to load some up this winter.
Glad you enjoyed it Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! Best of luck to you with your loading! --Jeremiah
This reminds me of the TC Hotshots.
Indeed, they are a similar concept, I wish those were still in production I miss those things! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I wonder if a threaded muzzle extension would preform well for a choke.
@@jmd1743 I suppose if you had a threaded barrel it may be possible to work up some kind of choke for it however, I could also see the potential for increasing pressures as well with such a device but I am unsure to be perfectly honest I am unaware of any kind of experiment being conducted. It would be interesting to see. I also know that the rifled barrel is not conductive to accuracy with shot loads. Great idea and question I wish I had an answer for you! --Jeremiah
Thank you for calling the Colt cartridge by it's proper name. I have yet to see a headstamp that says "45 Long Colt". The heavy crimping used on the gas checked cartridges will shorten case life considerably. Case annealing every two to three times of this may increase case life some. I have seen some shot shell examples use a thin over shot wad similar to the over powder wad, seated at least 1/16" below flush and crimped no more than you would for a bullet, then topped with hot melt glue to flush with case mouth. I might opt for a thicker over powder wad or use two of the thinner ones. Speer shot capsules work well for revolver shot shells. They afford a larger shot charge. Be sure to use their data. I find they are not as durable as ones capped with gas checks. Thanks for sharing............
That is a very hotly debated topic the SAAMI designation for the Cartridge is .45 Colt so that is what I call it. Indeed case life will not be terribly good with the extremely heavy crimps. You could probably get away with less crimp but I have has the gas checks come loose under recoil so I air on the side of caution. I have never annealed pistol cartridges to be honest that also seems to be hotly debated topic as well many folks are concerned with heating up the case head too much. I have seen those as well and I have loaded those as well and they do seem to work well. I have not tried the hot melt glue method though. I wonder if it would gum up the barrel over time? Might be something to consider in the future. I do really like the Speer shot Capsules the only problem is they are often hard to find and often expensive, I do really like those though and the data that comes with them is extremely helpful. I too agree with you they are not quite as durable as the gas checks and you must use cation when applying crimp, so you don't crack the plastic capsule. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I've seen pistol cases annealed in a shallow pan of water maybe 1/4"deep. The case may then be easily annealed without the case head getting really any warmer than the water. Weakened case heads are no longer a problem, and the method is a very simple habit to get used to (and good habits are a very important part of reloading safety). As a bonus your workbench is protected from the heat.
@@deandeann1541 Perhaps this is a topic I should look further into, to be honest I have never felt the need to anneal pistol cartridges I know I can get 23-25 firings out of Winchester 9mm Luger brass before I get a split case as I have tested that and I feel I am more likely to loose the cases before I hit that many reloadings. However I think that may make for an interesting test! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, we need all the support we can get to keep going and the likes, shares and comments are greatly appreciated! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV Annealing is not worth it for 9mm. It is more important for high pressure magnum revolver rounds like .454 Casull, where the cases are quite expensive to begin with and don't last very long. 45 Colt can be worth it too, especially if you like hot loads. Also any cartridge that has a shoulder. 38 Special is not worth it either.
Off the subject but 45/70 might be an interesting shot round, wouldn't you think? There are 45/70 revolvers - they might hold enough shot if you should happen upon quail or a ruffed grouse. I've never heard of it being tried, but someone must have some experience with it.
@@deandeann1541 That does make more sense, I could see it being more practical in the .454 Casull and other magnum pistol cartridges and bottleneck pistol cartridges. I do think it would make a very interesting project and may be something to look into in the future! I love the versatility of the 45-70 and something like that would make it even more versatile of course you have the issue of the riffled barrel but performance thus far has been acceptle for shot loads from rifled revolver barrels. I think that may make an interesting video! Thank you for the suggestion! --Jeremiah
Interesting. There's a guy on youtube by the name of cavedweller 1959 who has an excellent snake shot load.
I just checked out his channel and was trying to find his snake loads but I could not seem to find them. I am also not very good at searching and am still learning about this constantly changing platform but I will keep looking and try to check it out! Thanks so much for watching! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I wasn't very clear about it. He has a review of the Ruger SP101 and it's toward the end.
Now try this with longer cases such as .460S&W. You would have to find a way to size down the front part of the case, maybe use a .44amg size die. I haven't checked but does Speer not sell the plastic capsules that they used to sell pre-loaded with shot?
I do have plans to do similar things with the .45 ACP but I have not gotten around to it yet and components are still really hard to get sadly. They do still sell the plastic capsules and loaded ammunition but this is a much cheaper alternative and in my opinion is more effective on snakes as well. Thanks for watching and for the suggestion. --Jeremiah
I have loaded 2 .452 round balls in a 45 colt case it might be interesting to load one add shot load the other or use a round ball instead of the 200 swc for more shot
That would be interesting for sure!! I wonder how that would effect point of aim and accuracy. I know the 200 grain SWC shoots nearly to point of aim at "snake killing" distances. Certainly something to try though! Thank you for sharing and for taking the time to watch! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV i know 2 rb shoot to the same point as my 200gr swc loads I use the key is hard lead round balls i flatten slightly and run through a .452 sizer for more bearing surface at 50yds they are about a 4" spread
@@marcussamson7640 That really doesn't sound bad at all especially considering the distances we are testing and the practical ranges that this load would be used for. I really appreciate you sharing that!! --Jeremiah
Great video. Thanks!
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment we greatly appreciate it! --Jeremiah
Keep hammering with your powder pan & you will be buying a new one soon!
I use a 22wmr for shellshot out of a 9” Heritage, and it works okay…but it’s only available in #12 from CCI.
So, I’m waiting for a Pietta 1873 to be transferred to my FFL to be able to use their #4. I need something with enough power to rearrange the heads of large Burmese Pythons.
I never did my own loading, but maybe you inspired me. I know nothing about this at ALL, so I have to find a beginner’s how to on this…but only for 45 Colt.
I am actually a big fan of the no. 12 shot, I think it works really well on pests and snakes but it's hard to fit enough into a 22 WMR case to make it as effective as I would like. I think the .45 Colt is the perfect candidate for snakeshot loads. I have not tried no. 4 shot in the .45 Colt but perhaps in the future i'll have to give it a try. It is not as hard as some folks make it out to be. We actually did a video on how to handload I will leave a link at the end of this comment. Between this video and the 101 video it should help you get started on the right path. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
ruclips.net/video/tQ6agaXw0tA/видео.html
I shoot Blackhawk in 41 mag and have wads for .410 shotgun in different thicknesses and materials. I also have a universal pointed crimp die that I have used to make black powder blanks in 45/70 and 45 long colt. Case life is short needless to say. My concern with making shot loads is with the over powder wad is it hanging up in the barrel. If t
The .310 Shotgun wads work very well for snakeshot loads in the .41 Mag I have used those with great success over the years. I can imagine that does greatly effect case life. The heavy crimps I use are not good for case life either though. I do need to pick up a "star" crimp die for a couple of cartridges! hopefully one day! I think you comment is missing the last part. I am thinking you are concerned with something to do with the wad? Let me know if there is anything I can help with. --Jeremiah
Mike - iirc the .410 wads are too big for 41 mag. They work for .45 Colt though.
@@deandeann1541 They do work very well in the .45 Colt it is a bit of a squeeze in the .41 Rem Mag and often times can require shaving a little off but I to am working off of my memory and I could be mistaken! --Jeremiah
That mid air shot! 😍
Ha ha with snake shot it makes it much easier! And it is a whole lot of fun a great way to spend an afternoon! --Jeremiah
There is a jungle snake that glides like a flying squirrel. I think it is venomous, too.
@@deandeann1541 Quite frankly that sounds terrifying and I am glad that I am prepared should I ever encounter such a creature!! --Jeremiah
Excellent video, I have a Ruger single action revolver in 44 mag. I would like to load similar snake rounds with #12 shot loads. It should be as good as the 45 Colt. Thanks
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the video! Thank you for taking the time to watch and share your feedback with us! I do plan on doing this in other cartridges and doing more on specialty loads in the future! --Jeremiah
How does the gas check,go down the barrel,without twisting or turning? What happens to the gas check, after it leaves the barrel? Does it fall away like a shotgun shot cup,or does it hit the target? And lastly what is the gas check made of? It looks like brass.
To be perfectly honest I don't think it does, I think there very well could be some twisting and turning involved. I have had them stick in the target sideways a couple of times, The primary reason for the gas check is to contain the shot and allow enough time for pressure to build and get enough velocity to kill a snake which does not take very much. It seems more often than not the gas check does just fall short of the shot pattern of course this depends on how far you are shooting as well. The gas checks are made of copper and I believe these ones were made by Hornady if I recall correctly. Thanks for watching and great question! --Jeremiah
Test results are very telling. I've been looking to reload .45 Colt with snake shot & been told that #8 or 7 will work fine (although #9 is originally used) -- but I see the #12 used in the 22LR has the best pattern of impact. Do you know where I can get the #12?
Indeed, a lot of folks say that #7, #8, #9 shot will work fine but the performance of #12 shot is quite impressive and it maintains pattern better even at extended range possibly due to the sheer amount of pellets in the case but it works quite well. I have used this load for a long time and it's results on snakes have always been satisfactory provided I do my part. I got mine from ballistic products, it is a little pricey but the bag lasts a long time so I find it worth it! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! --Jeremiah
You should try loading 4 or 5 washer shaped copper or lead projectiles at .452 diameter, see how it patterns and penetrates.
I think there are a lot of better options for projectiles and finding washers that would be the correct diameter would be pretty tricky. It might be interesting just to see what happens but at this point I am probably too backlogged to attempt such a thing unless there was a ton of interest in the results. Thanks for watching though and we always appreciate suggestions! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV Of course! Thanks for the response.
@@vlogfriendsutopia No problem sorry it takes so long to get around to it these days! --Jeremiah
Great video! Thx.
Jeremiah, please in future videos remind people that every state has its own laws in regards to shooting rattlesnakes, in UTAH, for instance, you CANT shoot them. **
That probably is a good idea and should be stated in future videos I appreciate the suggestion and taking the time to watch and comment! --Jeremiah
Very nice,I was expecting the shot cap Speer had available at one time..I learned something.
Just how much shot will charged 45 colt hold n still take a gas check???
I almost included those in the video I do have some but I figured most people know about those and I could always cover those in another video. I am very glad to hear that you learned something!! That is what we are all about sharing information and knowledge with others!
Roughly 190 grains of No. 12 shot but it varies depending on case manufacturer and shot size. Thanks for watching and the continued support!! --Jeremiah
Thanks for your reply.
Seriously 45acp 9mm 357mag would be interesting.
@@michaelwilson9986 No problem, Those cartridges are certainly on my radar! I would love to cover them in the distant future! --Jeremiah
Instant Subscription!
Thank you very much we greatly appreciate it! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
great video, but that funny hat doesn't go with those pyjamas 🤠
Wonder how the shot loads would work in a smooth bore barrel?
I do imagine they would perform a lot better! Maybe one day I will shoot the rifling out this Uberti and then I can test that as well! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Could you please specify what kind of holster that is? Manufacture and model.
I wish I could be more specific, A good friend of mine Ethan Douglas made this for me, he calls it the Suspender holster and it's based off one from the 1880s but he is not sure who the maker is. It really is a great holster though, It was a last minute addition to the video and I really did not do it justice here. You can find Ethan on Instagram @the_classic_outdoorsman I highly suggest checking him out! --Jeremiah
Makes no sense to me to use a bullet over shot. It’s not a shot shell then. What is the application of bullet and shot?
That is a good question and there are a couple of reasons for the bullet, I usually keep both on my person so it would be easy enough to switch and sometimes i'll even have the first shot with a bullet and the 2nd will be all shot in a cylinder so I can quickly and easily swap depending on situation.
The main reason I load a bullet is for versatility, If I kick up a rabbit, coyote, fox etc I can shoot it and still be effective. I also like it when working off horseback, if you can hit the snake in the head it will decapitate it at close range and does not require me dismounting to cut the head off and having to worry about my horse stepping on the snake and getting bit while we are working in that area. I suppose in a nutshell the main reason is for versatility no matter what animal I encounter I have a single round in the cylinder that will put it down without having to switch. It may sound a little excessive but my first badger I shot was less than 2 feet from me and he wasn't going to stop unless I stopped him. Great question though and I hope that makes sense. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
I like what you are doing.
But I have a question.
What is the reason for capping off the shot with a bullet?
For example if a varmint gets in the garage you don't want a bullet. I understand about the gas check. I like that.
That is a good question and there are a couple of reasons for the bullet, I usually keep both on my person so it would be easy enough to switch and sometimes i'll even have the first shot with a bullet and the 2nd will be all shot in a cylinder so I can quickly and easily swap depending on situation.
The main reason I load a bullet is for versatility, If I kick up a rabbit, coyote, fox etc I can shoot it and still be effective. I also like it when working off horseback, if you can hit the snake in the head it will decapitate it at close range and does not require me dismounting to cut the head off and having to worry about my horse stepping on the snake and getting bit while we are working in that area. I suppose in a nutshell the main reason is for versatility no matter what animal I encounter I have a single round in the cylinder that will put it down without having to switch. It may sound a little excessive but my first badger I shot was less than 2 feet from me and he wasn't going to stop unless I stopped him. Great question though and I hope that makes sense. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV
I never thought of it that way. See when I go home I put on my single action. First 2 rounds are shoot. The next for a Hollow points.
I have had raccoon, Whistle pigs and our varmint come up on the deck and try to scratch their way through the screen door. So if I have to shoot them I didn't want a full slug going through them and into the deck.
I figured 2 shoot well get them running off the deck and kill them with the 3rd round in the yard.
But your rounds make sense for self defense against coyotes snakes and other varmints while out in the woods or on horses 🐎 back.
Thank you very much for taking to me.
@@edshultz9760 You are very welcome, always happy to chat with the good folks on here. We have a great comment section on all of our videos and i'd say 95% of the folks are a pleasure to chat with. It is entirely situation dependent, i'd say your situation makes a lot of sense as well. Thank you very much for the kind reply and your interest in the subject. I look forward to chatting with you again in other videos! --Jeremiah
Thanks great info
You are very welcome, thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! The support is always appreciated! --Jeremiah
Great video! Not sure if you'll see this since the video is a few months old, but where did you get the cool holster? Didn't catch it in the video. Thanks!
Thank you for the kind words and the feedback, It may take me a while but I still try to respond to comments especially those with questions. I got this from a good friend on Instagram @the_classic_outdoorsman he makes leather holsters on the side and does a really good job doing so. --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV Great! Thanks so much for getting back to me on it!
@@mtskies8077 You are very welcome, sometimes RUclips does not notify me of the comments such was the case with your reply so if ever a questions goes unanswered don't hesitate to ask it again! Thanks again for watching and all the support! --Jeremiah
Very informative and interesting. Any chance of a 44 SPL/Magnum shotshell video or article. I don't own a single 45 Colt but own several 44 magnums. I'm a subscriber of Handloader magazine so either one would be great.
This is the first episode in a series I want to do dedicated to specialty loads I would love to cover more ShotShell loads for several cartridges and 44 Mag and 44 Special is on the list. As well as some high velocity lightweight 5.56 Loads that I use for coyotes. I have so many ideas I want to put into place it's just finding the time to do them. The more suggestions I get and the more views and interest this video has the more it will help us keep producing videos like this. Share it with your handloading buddies! Of course as always thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment I appreciate all suggestions! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV looking forward to more content. I'd be interested in the 44spl/Magnum obviously but also the 5.56.
@@rogerpemberton79 I am glad we do our best to try and publish stuff the viewers would be interested in hopefully one day we'll be able to put more time into these videos and publish them more often! --Jeremiah
Imagine using a light hollow point bullet on top of #12 shot for home defense...hmm, could there be a '45 Colt HD Load Video' in the near future..?? Gets my attention if you do. Thanks...thumbs up..!!
To be honest with you the light hollow point would do almost all of the work. I don't think the No. 12 shot would penetrate a human enough to do much damage. It could blind them potentially but I am hesitant to suggest using it for self defense, I think a 255 grain Kieth style bullet might do better in a single shot. I have big plans for the .45 Colt in 2023 for both video and print coverage. I know Brian Pearce has covered HD .45 Colt loads a lot in the magazine over the years if you are interested in that. I plan on doing some black powder loads in .45 Colt along with rifle barrels vs. pistol barrels in .45 Colt. That is all on the calendar for 2023. Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
Why isn't an air space for the powder needed? Wouldn't this be considered a compressed load?
Now if you were using black powder I could understand tamping the card against the charge.
Great question there is no airspace needed and it's just a gentle tamp to ensure that card won't move. You don't want your powder and shot to get intermixed. It could lead to a potentially dangerous situation and that's why we lightly tamp the card in place. it also ensures that powder is always flush with the primer for consistent and reliable ignition. I've packed these loads for several hundred miles on horseback without a single issue and that is partly due to the card separating the shot and powder ensure they don't get mixed up. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment we greatly appreciate it! --Jeremiah
No problem. Thanks for the reply.
It was a great, thorough video.@@HandloaderTV
Check places like harbor freight. They may have hole/gasket punches that may be the right size for cutting wads.
Harbor Freight is a go to place for handy tools, like wad punches. I use milk carton wads over black powder in my 45/70 cast bullet loads.
That is a great suggestion I love that place for all the odds and ends you can find that make life easier when it comes to handloading! Thanks for the suggestion and thank you for watching! --Jeremiah
Enjoyed the video! I did want to ask what mount you're using for your press though!
Thanks for the feedback and kind words. We use Inline fabrication mounts and adapter plates. It is a really neat system and makes swapping tools a breeze! --Jeremiah
Great video thanks for sharing
took you long enough to get here JULIO
😂 thanks fuzz merry Christmas happy new year
@@ocean374 Cranky made me do it--Happy new years
😂
Glad to hear you enjoyed it thank you for watching!! --Jeremiah
You can use a card over the shot instead of the GC , I make these in 44 mag, 44 spl, 357 mag , 38spl, 327 mag and 32 H&R mag . I use the card I also put 2 cards over the powder. It works for me
How many grains of shot in your 357/38 Special loads ?
For 38spl Bullseye 3.5 gr. 357mag Bullseye 5gr
For shot I fill the case with shot after I put in the powder and 2 cards and leave about 1/16 "or little more from the mouth of the case so you can put a card over the shot and you can glue the card in place or crimp
@@paulmartin6895 kewl! Any guess-timate on how many grains of shot that is? Just curious on how it compares to his load.
@@Cyotis will need to load some to let you know
I bet the new Lee rifle or collet style factory crimp die in .45 Colt would be beneficial in this app.
I agree in full I somehow do not have one for .45 Colt!! It is on my long list of things to buy though that is for sure! --Jeremiah
When I tried this I could only get up to about 170grains of shot capping off with a gas check. Not 185grains.
Yeah there will be variations in case capacity depending on the manufacturer of the brass and also the size of the shot will also determine how much you'll be able to fit inside the case. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV kind of figured that was the issue. New to reloading 45 colt. From what I can tell, the slight decrease in shot weight should still function ok at close distances.
Both the use of a bullet and gas check seem a little extreme why not wad essentially you have bbuck and ball. Have you tried wad over the shot. For clays it works for me
It probably is a little excessive for some situations but for situations on horseback where I may need to dispatch a snake or a coyote it allows me to not have to rotate the cylinder to an appropriate load. Sometimes time is of the essence in those types of situations. I have tried a wad over the shot and it works just as well as the gas check and is a viable alternative. We would've showcased that in the video but sadly we did not have enough time to showcase all 3 different loadings. By all means use what works best for your application a wad/gas check and shot may be all you need. That is generally all that is kept in gun when i'm working around the house or the barn but on horseback I carry the shot W/ bullet load. Thank you very much for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I didn’t realize you were using in that fashion. And just to be clear you are some shot I could never hit a clay hard enough stationary on the ground
@@joemolf3894 That is the wonderful thing about handloading it adds a ton of versatility to your arsenal what was once two completely different loads is now combined into a single load and a rather fool proof system. In addition to that each person can tailor the load to their needs by using our data and substituting the gas check for a wad or whatever would suit your application. Hopefully they'll have a lot of fun in the process. As the for the compliment thank you very much! It is easier than it looks with a 45 colt case packed full of shot! I appreciate the kind words though and you taking the time to comment back. I truly believe that we have the best subscribers, viewers and comment section on RUclips because of kind folks like you who are willing to listen and share their thoughts as well! So thank you very much! --Jeremiah
Great video, but was wondering about the weight of the bullet you were using over the shot? I don't remember hearing you state the weight?
Thank you very much all of the load data will be displayed in the target review portion of this video on the screen so you can see the target and load data all in one that will start at 29:20 on the video and you can see which load you like the best. All bullets used were the 200 grain speer lead cast SWC. Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
What is the velocity of the 200 gr bullet?
To be perfectly honest with you I am not 100% sure but if memory serves me right it was somewhere around 700 FPS but don't quote me on it, this testing was conducted a long time ago and pressure was somewhere around 13,400 PSI. I can say it is very effective on rats, snakes and other small vermin. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
Very good work. I was wondering if you have tried to duplicate the M15 load in 45 acp? Or will in the future.
Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to watch the video! I have tried a few times with decent results I would love to do a video on that but I would also like to feature the RCBS dies made years ago specifically for that. Sadly they are very hard to find these days and have long been out of production. It is on the list though and I hope to produce a video on it one day! --Jeremiah
Is it possible to do the same with 38/357 if so what would be a good starting load
Indeed it is quite possible to do it with the .38 special and .357 Magnum a good would be 5.5 grains of unique and fill the rest of the case with shot leaving enough room to cap it off with a Wad or gas check, for .38 Special and I would not deviate far from that, it'll work well. As for .357 Magnum I would start at 5.7 grains of unique with 92 grains of shot and cap that off with a wad or Gas check. That should produce about 11" patterns at 12 feet. Eventually I would love to do a video on .357 magnum snake loads as well. Thanks for watching and great question! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV I'd love to see some 357 data using a projectile to cap it off. I wouldn't have considered that until I saw you do it in the 45 Colt.
@@dustymathy6729 I do plan on doing something similar in the .357 Magnum but this is still in the experimental stages. It most likely will be a while before I get around to it. The difficulty is finding or working up load data with that much lead going downrange. I plan on making many more videos in this series on specialty loads. Thank you for watching and the suggestion! --Jeremiah
#220_comment_YourHorseIsSafeWithTheseLoads😇
Indeed he is, I carry them regularly on horseback they work great! Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
Matt's bullets now loads 500 S&W shot loads.
I have seen those and they look quite impressive, I imagine you can fit a lot of shot inside a 500 S&W case! Might be something to look into in the future! --Jeremiah
Is Unique as dirty as it used to be 40 years ago? I gave up on way back when
It is still pretty dirty, I have gotten good performance out of it but I think it's just as dirty as it was 40 years ago as far as I know and can tell. I have not done any significant testing though just observations while shooting and cleaning. --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV LOL... you are one of the few 'experts' who will tell the truth on this... next you will be saying 2400 is dirty! You could get kicked out of the club with that kind of thinking. LOL I love #5 and #9 True Blue is my latest fling There are dozens of powders I would like to try before it is over. I basically do the loads and then sandbag em at 25 yards throwing out fliers. if it looks promising I will chrono em with my cheap chrono I learned years ago to put targets and chrono stuff in binders otherwise I will forget.
What grain bullet you used?
Great question we used a 200 grain Speer Lead Semi Wadcutter you can view the load data at 32:00 in the video we always showcase the load data for every video we do. Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
The point of shot and bullet is......??????
#8 shot in a .357 all day long
I would love to conduct some more testing with 357 Magnum shotshell loads. Perhaps sometime next year we can work on that! Thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
Hate rattlesnakes. I load speer shot caps in my 44 spl cases so they will work in 44 spl and mag. Generally it is a one shot kill out to 30' 10 feet is for sure.
Agreed in full, I have a lot of livestock and do a fair bit of work from the back of a horse and I always take snakeshot with me I have had a few too many close calls not to. I would eventually like to cover loading .44 Magnum and .44 Spl shotshell loads as well and continue this series on specialty loads. I also have some interesting high velocity loads I would like to add to this series as well. --Jeremiah
How do you test chamber pressure ?
It really depends, some of our writers for our magazine have access to state of the art pressure testing equipment. The gold standard in our book is the Oehler System 83 I think it does a very good job at measuring pressure and providing accurate data that you can trust. We have used many different methods over the years though and are also testing many new products on the market as well. There is some new and exciting things in the works with Oehler as we speak however I must refrain to say more in that particular area. We have also worked closely in the past with the ballisticians at Western Powders, Hodgdon and Shooters world in the past and have had them conduct pressure testing and proofing for us. Good question and thanks for watching! --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV good to know. Because I would like to get into reloading someday but as u would tinker with loads, I would want to stay safe.
@@Cyotis In all honesty the best thing you can do is to stick to published/pressure tested data, the second thing I would highly suggest for you is a Chronograph velocity is the best indicator when it comes to pressure. --Jeremiah
@@HandloaderTV thank you so much for the tips!
@@Cyotis You are most welcome thank you for watching and for the great questions! --Jeremiah
so sad to see this channel go... are you thinking of continuing to post on other platforms (utreon, vimeo, odysee)? Imho youtube community guidelines are getting out of hand. Somehow, they are getting more restrictive than the ATF themselves...
We are still going to post videos here on RUclips we average about 1 video every 2 weeks just because of how much work it is to produce these videos. We currently do not post on Utreon, Vimeo or Odysee. Perhaps we will in the future but we are unsure at this time. The guidelines are getting extremely restrictive we are experiencing the same issues on our social media platforms. The best thing you can do is share the videos with your friends and keep spreading news of the channel! --Jeremiah
A very long video for a very simple procedure.
Perhaps it is a little long when including the testing, we do our best to answer all the questions before we get them and try to provide the most accurate and detailed information we can if information is not included we will get questions in comments so we do our best to address them before in the video itself. Feel free to skip through the video to find the information that you need. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment, the feedback is always appreciated positive or negative so long as it is cordial we are happy to get it! It helps us tailor our videos to our audience. --Jeremiah
Snake shot is about equal to a fly swatter.
Don't waste your money.
I would have to beg to differ with you if given the choice between a flyswatter and a full cylinder of 45 Colt snake shot I would choose the snake shot every single time. The snake in the intro photo is one that I shot with these loads at 15 feet. It was dead in one shot and wasn't even writhing around in typical dead snake fashion. While certain loadings of snake shot are not very effective I assure you these do work well with the right load at the right distance as displayed in this video. Currently my sample size for the number 12 shot is somewhere around 50 snakes most of them killed with a single shot all ranging from 5 1/2 feet to less than 1 foot. Plus loading your own snake shot is only slightly more money than handloading standard cartridges in 45 Colt. At any rate though I still respect your opinion and appreciate you taking the time to share it and watch the video as well. --Jeremiah
Buy a rubber snake and try it.
Ha ha that would be a lot of fun, I will admit I have used these on enough real snakes to know they work quite well and I rarely have to ever shoot them more than once and when I do that is because I was way too far away. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah
But you now can powder coat the shot. Well you could use Alox as well to cut way back on leading.
I have not tried powder coating the shot, that may make for an interesting test and perhaps is something we could look into for the future. I wonder if that would effect pressure though and that would be my main concern. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! --Jeremiah