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myusername · June 19, 2013, 01:50 AM

OK - here's today's results.

Guns:
.45/.410 Bond derringer
Judge .45/.410 2" barrel (Public Defender, not the 3" whatever it's called)

Ammo was:
.45LC Winchester PDX1 JHP
.410 PDX1 Disc
.410 Federal 000 Buck
.410 Federal #4 shot
.45LC Snake Shot

Targets:
Plastic tea jugs and an old kitchen door with plywood and 2X4 sections

Hypothesis:
Minimal results from Derringer except for the .45LC which expected to be a killer. Expected Judge to perform slightly better but for the #4 shot to be dismal. I was pleasantly surprised.

Results: All shots at roughly 10-15 feet.

1) I shot the derringer with .410 000 Buckshot. Very effective! Solid holes in jug, blew backside completely apart as a result of hydrostatic pressure.

2) Derringer with PDX1 Dics (which also have 12 bb's) - produced three nearly 1/2 holes and a bunch of little holes and blew the back of the jug apart.

3) Derringer with .45LC HP - as you might expect about the same as hitting with a .45acp or .44mag. Major destruction of jug - big hole going in and the backside split apart with jug flying into air in blast of spray! One jug per shot.

4) Derringer .45LC HP shot into 2x4 section of door from 20 feet - blew a hole going in and a much bigger one - about 3" of splintered wood, leaving. I would pretty much assume a coiled snake hit with this would be in multiple pieces and a two legged snake would be picking their sternum out of their spine.

5) Derringer with .410 buck into plywood portion of door - 4 nice (about .30) holes grouped about 5 inches going all the way through. Same with the 2X4 section.

6) Derringer with .410 PDX1 Disc - three good size holes in plywood about a 4 inch spread and a bunch of little holes and a few dents from the bb's spread about 18 inches. In the 2X4 section the discs penetrated all the way leaving a splintered mess on the backside. A snake would not do well. A two legged snake inside the average room would probably go down and not get up, especially with a face full of this hurt on.

7) Judge with .45LC snake shot. Effective at 10 feet - a bunch of little holes, shot didn't not penetrate the backside of the jug.

8) Judge with .410 #4 birdshot. Effective at 10-15 feet, about a 15 inch spread. Bunch of small holes. Hydrostatic pressure blew back of jug apart.

9) Judge with .410 000 Buckshot. Effective at 10-15 feet about a 4 inch spread. Good size holes going in and out, hydrostatic pressure blew back of jug apart.

10) Judge with .410 PDX1. Effective at 10-15 feet very similar to the buckshot but with a bunch of little holes from the bb's.

11) Judge with .45LC HP. Typical expected results - pulverized the jugs! Smithereens I think would describe it.

12) Full penetration through 2X4 sections of door with Buck, PDX and .45LC HP. All would be deadly to snakes of any type at close range. #4 Birdshot penetrated 3/8 plywood section fully. Ran out of the snake shot so didn't shoot the door.

*****
CONCLUSIONS:
The .45/.410 derringer can be effective against snakes with buckshot, dics or solid bullets. Insufficiently effective with birdshot or snake shot, probably due to lack of barrel length and lightweight projectiles. Yes a heavy jug isn't a snake - .38 snake shot will probably take out a snake, but I "guaranty" the heavier rounds will stop the threat immediately! Though there might not be any large enough pieces left to eat.

The Judge with a longer barrel would be effective against snakes with all rounds from .45LC shot to buck, PDX or birdshot. It should also be effective at SHORT RANGE against human targets with buck, PDX of .45LC rounds. Effective range with shot I would give about 15 feet, with .45LC you could probably score hits to 30 yards maybe more. Say snub nose ranges.

I could see carrying a derringer in a horizontal cross draw holster appendix position while hiking with buckshot or PDX discs as snake defense, perhaps as a second weapon to a .357 or .44 for pig or bear or hooligans.

The Judge would also make a decent hiking/snake companion. It will shut a snake down pretty easily I'd say up to about 20-25 feet with any of the various rounds. My choice I think would be the PDX1 disc rounds.

The .45LC would "probably" be sufficient for medium predators, cougar, hogs, maybe a black bear if you loaded some kind of hot flat nose copper round. The only issue with just one gun and two different missions is having a snake load when you need a bear round and vice versa.

June 19, 2013, 01:50 AM	#10
myusername Member Join Date: May 11, 2013 Posts: 99	OK - here's today's results. Guns: .45/.410 Bond derringer Judge .45/.410 2" barrel (Public Defender, not the 3" whatever it's called) Ammo was: .45LC Winchester PDX1 JHP .410 PDX1 Disc .410 Federal 000 Buck .410 Federal #4 shot .45LC Snake Shot Targets: Plastic tea jugs and an old kitchen door with plywood and 2X4 sections Hypothesis: Minimal results from Derringer except for the .45LC which expected to be a killer. Expected Judge to perform slightly better but for the #4 shot to be dismal. I was pleasantly surprised. Results: All shots at roughly 10-15 feet. 1) I shot the derringer with .410 000 Buckshot. Very effective! Solid holes in jug, blew backside completely apart as a result of hydrostatic pressure. 2) Derringer with PDX1 Dics (which also have 12 bb's) - produced three nearly 1/2 holes and a bunch of little holes and blew the back of the jug apart. 3) Derringer with .45LC HP - as you might expect about the same as hitting with a .45acp or .44mag. Major destruction of jug - big hole going in and the backside split apart with jug flying into air in blast of spray! One jug per shot. 4) Derringer .45LC HP shot into 2x4 section of door from 20 feet - blew a hole going in and a much bigger one - about 3" of splintered wood, leaving. I would pretty much assume a coiled snake hit with this would be in multiple pieces and a two legged snake would be picking their sternum out of their spine. 5) Derringer with .410 buck into plywood portion of door - 4 nice (about .30) holes grouped about 5 inches going all the way through. Same with the 2X4 section. 6) Derringer with .410 PDX1 Disc - three good size holes in plywood about a 4 inch spread and a bunch of little holes and a few dents from the bb's spread about 18 inches. In the 2X4 section the discs penetrated all the way leaving a splintered mess on the backside. A snake would not do well. A two legged snake inside the average room would probably go down and not get up, especially with a face full of this hurt on. 7) Judge with .45LC snake shot. Effective at 10 feet - a bunch of little holes, shot didn't not penetrate the backside of the jug. 8) Judge with .410 #4 birdshot. Effective at 10-15 feet, about a 15 inch spread. Bunch of small holes. Hydrostatic pressure blew back of jug apart. 9) Judge with .410 000 Buckshot. Effective at 10-15 feet about a 4 inch spread. Good size holes going in and out, hydrostatic pressure blew back of jug apart. 10) Judge with .410 PDX1. Effective at 10-15 feet very similar to the buckshot but with a bunch of little holes from the bb's. 11) Judge with .45LC HP. Typical expected results - pulverized the jugs! Smithereens I think would describe it. 12) Full penetration through 2X4 sections of door with Buck, PDX and .45LC HP. All would be deadly to snakes of any type at close range. #4 Birdshot penetrated 3/8 plywood section fully. Ran out of the snake shot so didn't shoot the door. ***** CONCLUSIONS: The .45/.410 derringer can be effective against snakes with buckshot, dics or solid bullets. Insufficiently effective with birdshot or snake shot, probably due to lack of barrel length and lightweight projectiles. Yes a heavy jug isn't a snake - .38 snake shot will probably take out a snake, but I "guaranty" the heavier rounds will stop the threat immediately! Though there might not be any large enough pieces left to eat. The Judge with a longer barrel would be effective against snakes with all rounds from .45LC shot to buck, PDX or birdshot. It should also be effective at SHORT RANGE against human targets with buck, PDX of .45LC rounds. Effective range with shot I would give about 15 feet, with .45LC you could probably score hits to 30 yards maybe more. Say snub nose ranges. I could see carrying a derringer in a horizontal cross draw holster appendix position while hiking with buckshot or PDX discs as snake defense, perhaps as a second weapon to a .357 or .44 for pig or bear or hooligans. The Judge would also make a decent hiking/snake companion. It will shut a snake down pretty easily I'd say up to about 20-25 feet with any of the various rounds. My choice I think would be the PDX1 disc rounds. The .45LC would "probably" be sufficient for medium predators, cougar, hogs, maybe a black bear if you loaded some kind of hot flat nose copper round. The only issue with just one gun and two different missions is having a snake load when you need a bear round and vice versa. Last edited by myusername; June 19, 2013 at 02:17 AM.