Shot Shells for a .380 ACP

[Pop Green]

Has anyone tried this? I live out in the country in Central FL. Very soon it will be time to start mowing the yard again. Since I live on a small lake and have a few acres to mow I can get covered up with snakes during the summer. I don't bother any of the non-poisoness ones and actually prefer having them around to keep the rodents down. I haven't been bothering the poisoness ones either since they usually flee from the old John Deere. But, I have a passel (14) grandkids and they like grandpas big yard. It's not against our laws for me to discharge a firearm on my property nor is it illegal to shoot snakes or other pests for that matter.

One of the handguns that always rides in my pocket is a small 2 barrel .380 ACP derringer. It's not my primary carry gun but it's always with me. Since the .380 head spaces on the case mouth and since my derringer doesn't have an issue with a magazine do you think the plastic shot capsules filled with number nines would function? My concern is the capsule could engage the rifling in the barrel and increase chamber pressure, possibly to an unsafe level. Any thoughts? I'm thinking I would be better off with my SA .22 and 'ratshot'.
Thanks,
Pop

[rockbilly]

For the trouble and exxpense of loading a .380 shiot shell I think I wowuld just stick to the .22.  JMHO!

[oldfort]

I'm not sure about pressures, but I once read that handguns with short rifled barrels throw better patterns than longer rifled barrels. I had a 2 3/4" Charter Bulldog Pug .44spec that I always woods carried with two handloaded #12 shot cartridges and three hard casts. It was deadly with the shot out to 8-10yds. I was once in the woods with a buddy, blowing on how good I could shot a snubnosed  revolver. He doubted it, so I say, throw up that can. I hit the can. WOW! He didn't realize that I was shooting shot, until I told him. Life is good.  

[Tommyt]

I live in Fl myself our moccasin and rattlers are fair size so first let me say
YES I think you maybe on to something with the pressure,Now back to the 22
I feel no shot just a reg.22 the shot in either (if you find its OK in 380)will not be
nowhere enough to Kill one,up in Cross City I shot one off a Quad I'm on it
 The moccasin is two foot from rear tire and peed off my buddy see this hands
me a 357 with shot I hit it 1bang 2 bang and we drove off was one of those days
we needed to get woods work before the heat came up too much
Well maybe 2 or 3 Hours later we come back and where driving slow to find him
as I pull up to where he should be He struck the Tire on the Quad
Now I would if I where you get a cheap 20/12 H+R Nef and carry it or
 If your confidant enough with the 22 give um six little hard pieces of lead
Making them dead, is better than making them Mad, I'm a witness
ad for those read not from Fl I do not mean we have more or Much Larger
than other states, but I feel we have healthy ones(hate to say it that way)
30 years hunting these area's and only a handful of meetings

Tommyt

[Lloyd Smale]

id want something bigger then that to shoot something that can get pissed when wounded.

[Pop Green]

Tommy, you are absolutely correct about the size and tenacity of our cotton mouths and diamond backs here in FL. I killed a rattler out near the Deseret Ranch one morning while deer hunting that when laid across the hood of my old F100 his head touched the ground on one side and his tail on the other. He/she had 18 rattles and a button, two sets of fangs and a disposition worse than my first ex-wife. I'll be using something more potent this summer for 'pest' control.
Thanks,
Pop

[coyotejoe]

The .380 just isn't big enough to hold a powder charge and an effective load of shot. For under 200 dollars you can get a Super Comanche .45 Colt/.410 single shot which, with a 10" barrel and choke tubes makes very effective use of 3" .410 shells. With the choke tube installed it is deadly on small game out to 25 yards and with the cylinder bore tube it throws a larger pattern still deadly at 15 to maybe 20 yards. It will blow a snake to bits but is not limited to snakes. I've taken several grouse with mine and I enjoy busting clay birds with it. It throws a tight enough pattern to bust them every time if I'm on them. I don't shoot .45 Colts out of it, just .410's and it's a hoot. It resides permanently under the seat of my truck, loaded and ready, maybe some day I'll get a turkey with it.

[Lloyd Smale]

personaly id want a 12 guage and a roll of toilet paper! 

[demented]

Heck, just mount one of those nylon shotgun scabbards from Cheaper than Dirt, cost about 25 bux, on your John Deere and carry anything from a Benelli Super Black Eagle on down

[Mikey]

Isn't this where a new Taurus Judge would come in pretty handy??

[coyotejoe]

Sure would, if you don't mind paying five hundred bucks for a snake gun that is of absolutely no use for anything else.

[oldfort]

Pop

About twenty years ago I picked up a .45LC/.410 little double barreled derringer (Cobray?) at my local gunshop for about $80, sort of for a joke. It set in the box because I wouldn't shoot it. A little later I changed out the Pachmyer Rubber Presentation grips on my Ruger Blackhawk to Hogue. I found that with a little trimming with a knife that the Pachmyer Blackhawk grips would fit the little derringer grip. With the bigger grips I do shoot it now and it is not a joke. I pocket carry or use a cordova holster for a Colt Python. Good luck.

George

[dakotashooter2]

It could probably be made to work but the #9 shot is not gonna give you a dense enought pattern. I'm making my own shot shells for the .41 mag  with #9s and consider the patterns marginal. Your gonna get about 1/3 the shot in a 380. BPI does sell 12 shot in 10# bags for about $30. The issue you are gonna have with the capsuls is length. You would probablly have to cut them for length and you are probably going to bust them in the process as they are supposed to be a bit fragile.