Taurus PT-22 Semi Auto Pistol .22 LR
Posted on 11/20/2014 9:48:01 PM PST by Paul R.
Unlike many Freepers, while I'm pro 2nd Amendment, I'm no expert on guns, so I'm, going to turn to those of you who are more knowledgeable, for some advice. See further "setup" to my questions regarding a good "snake gun" below.
I'm looking for recommendations for a .22 pistol to be used primarily to take out small to medium size poisonous snakes, and possibly on rare occasions, to kill small varmints. Many years ago, my Dad had a .22 pistol that he used fine birdshot in to kill copperheads and the like, and that is my main application, too. Unfortunately, apparently my Dad long ago disposed of the gun, or else I might not be "looking".
For convenience sake, on hikes in to fishing spots and the like, a somewhat compact pistol is desirable, but, at the same time, enough barrel length to have SOME accuracy is desirable. I'd also like to keep the loudness of the report down to typical .22 SPL's. I've tried a .38 revolver, and that baby is pretty loud. (No, I don't want to try to add a silencer!)
A secondary usage of the gun would be for my wife to learn to shoot with, and in a couple years, my daughter. I'll actually start both my wife and daughter off with a BB / pellet (air) pistol, but I think my daughter is a couple years away from a "real gun", while my wife can graduate to such after a day or so with the airgun, I am sure. (Obviously, we'd use conventional rounds, not birdshot, for target practice!)
A 3rd, even lesser usage, could conceivably be personal defense, for my wife, though obviously even the highest power .22 rounds do not have a lot of stopping power. OTOH, a .22 was almost enough to kill Pres. Reagan and James Brady, I remember well...
Cost is a big factor, as I've had to take a leave from work to help care for my Dad, and my income was modest to begin with.
I believe the ammo my Dad used was something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh0jCg8Ymuo
Now, as I researched this a little, I learned that one of the reasons .22 shotshells are typically not much good over a few feet away from the target is that the rifling in modern .22 firearms puts strong spin on the individual shot "pellets", leading to a strongly curved path for most. A smoothbore barrel is said by those who've used one with .22 shotshells to give a much tighter pattern, but apparently, no modern .22 pistols are made with smoothbore barrels? Further, on a couple of the the gunowners forums I read that this is due to gun laws enacted to prohibit sawed off shotguns -- though how someone could think a .22 smoothbore pistol with shotshells is in the same league as even a .410 ga. sawed off shotgun is beyond me...
However, on a couple forums there seemed to be discussion that smaller gauge firearms would be exempt from the short barrel length + smoothbore ban if a short section of the barrel was rifled, but I am not sure that any pistol is in fact made this way?
So far as I can tell, the Bond Arms "SnakeSlayer" series all have rifled barrels, and they are WAY out of my price range anyway.
http://bondarms.com/bond-arms-handguns/snake-slayer/
There is going to be a local gun show near, this weekend, so I suppose a good question is "what might I look for? (Brand and model #?)
One other thought: I suspect a .22 revolver will be cheapest, and will be more reliable using .22 shotshells. On the other hand, I don't care to carry around a loaded revolver, and being able to slap a magazine into the pistol quickly might be useful. Our local copperheads seem to be getting more agressive and unafraid to swim right up to people. I think they are learning. (Some states have laws making it illegal to kill a poisonous snake even if it is aggressive! **Expletive deleted** that!) Cottonmouths are rarer, here, but have an even nastier reputation. Rattlesnakes are even rarer here, usually stay out of areas humans frequent, usually give warning, and are less aggressive.
I am looking at a "Puma" Single Action Revolver, Model 1873. (see Rural King flyer, 11/1614 - 11/26/14, page 10.) I've never heard of this brand, but at $130 + tax, I could actually afford it.
http://www.ruralking.com/weekly-ad
Any thoughts? Suggestions are welcome. If anyone prefers to PM rather than answer publicly, I'll try to keep a closer eye on my PM's for a while.
Thanks!
P.S. I am not "anti snake", and in fact had many a pet (non-poisonous) snake as a boy. But, no way will I tolerate a poisonous snake that behaves aggressively or is in an area that kids frequent.
.410 shotgun? Up close, 4ft spray of .5 BB.
Forget the .22 and go for the Judge. Especially if you are dealing with poisonous snakes. Fires a 410 shotgun shell cartridge, and is the very definition of a snake gun.
If it were me, my 12ga would come to hand instantly.
Brother and wife are not gun owners and I am not about to try and get them into pistol shooting enough to reliably hit anything.
My advice when i see them will likely be a 20ga shotgun, as anyone can sight down a barrel even at close range.
Taurus PT-22 Semi Auto Pistol .22 LR
I fear the flinch factor on those for non handgun experineced shooters would cause a lot of missing.
The classic answer to the need for snake gun is something that can fire .45 Long Colt and .410 shotshells (miniature shotgun shells). You load with the former for big snakes and the latter for smaller ones. Look into the Taurus Judge.
Colt Diamondback .22 LR
*This may not fit your definition of small.
Heh, well, that’ll blow away even a BIG moccasin, but I’m looking for something compact / light & yet not too much recoil, and not loud. Weight and size is a big concern on long treks in to fishing spots; my backpack is already pretty full; also my wife is very petite (small Asian), if she was to use it.
Ideal (I think) would be a .22 pistol that could make a 5” shotshell pattern @ 10 ft. But I don’t know if such is available, unless I can find a used .22 smoothbore pistol at a gun show.
I’m not envisioning anyone that is not experienced with a side arm, intentionally messing with poisonous snakes. As for a .22, it won’t have much of a kick, but it is much harder to hit, particularly when the blood is pumping and you are dealing with a snake that can seriously hurt or kill them.
That might work ok. But is the barrel rifled?
We're selling this on Sunday; maybe it would work...may have shot a few "snakes" in its day.
There ya go. The Judge. Lordy, I want one.............
Cylinder isn’t long enough for shotshells, sadly.
I’m not sure about that but Colt stopped making them in ‘88. They are also hard to find and somewhat spendy.
First off forget about a “smooth bore” pistol. They’re completely illegal in any caliber without a very pricey tax stamp from the Feds.
For the purposes you’ve outlined here I’d recommend a .22 revolver with a 4-6 barrel. Ruger makes some very nice ones. You may be able to find something used in your price range. I’d not recommend any semi-auto as the shot shells will most likely not feed reliably due to the rather fragile plastic “bullet”.
If you’re going to use this against any sort of aggressive critter you want reliability over everything. A 4 inch barrel .22 revolver won’t weigh very much, comparatively. And you will know that it will go bang every time you pull the trigger.
Just my two cents. YMMV.
L
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