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March 15, 2013, 12:25 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: February 4, 2006
Location: East TX
Posts: 69
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classic revolver for snakes / rat shot
Friends,
I'm a fan of the older (no lock - perhaps 1970s - 1980s) S&W revolvers. For those of you in the know, I'd like a recommendation on a nice "snake gun" to use with rat shot loads but also regular loads from time to time. I don't care too much about caliber but I would like to stick with S&W (I'll consider other brands with good references). I'd also like the gun to have some "history" to it - perhaps the 1911 of the revolver world but not so precious that it's not a shooter. Thanks for your suggestions!
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Joe “God grant that men of principle shall be our principal men.” – Thomas Jefferson |
March 15, 2013, 01:18 PM | #2 |
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my go to snake gun is a S&W mdl 60. Shorter barrels are better. I have killed 5' rattlers with 1 shot. An old flat latch 36 would be ideal.
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March 15, 2013, 01:31 PM | #3 |
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Join Date: February 4, 2006
Location: East TX
Posts: 69
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Thank you Sir - will consider.
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Joe “God grant that men of principle shall be our principal men.” – Thomas Jefferson |
March 15, 2013, 01:41 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: August 19, 2004
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Shot dispersal (patterning) is greatly affected by both velocity and rifling twist rates.
The S&W .38 Special snubs are among the best choices with Speer snake loads. Longer barrels give faster velocities & create wider patterns. Denis Last edited by DPris; March 15, 2013 at 08:05 PM. |
March 15, 2013, 04:08 PM | #5 |
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Model 19/66 .357 snub-nose
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March 15, 2013, 04:29 PM | #6 |
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A few years ago I fired a 4" barreled double deringer chambered for .45 Colt/.410 Shotshells. Out of curiosity, I fired some .45 Colt rounds downrange at the berm, 110 yards away. The barrels shot about eight feet apart.
I set a 7.62 Russian case up at seven yards and fired four rounds of .410 shotshells. After four rounds, the case was still standing. Have never trusted shotshells in a handgun again. Bob Wright |
March 15, 2013, 10:22 PM | #7 |
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Join Date: November 29, 2007
Location: Everett, WA
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I'd look at .45 for rat shot. A SAA clone will be a bit less expensive than a double action.
The revolver equivalent of a 1911 is either the 1873 SAA or the S&W Military and Police/the Model 10. |
March 15, 2013, 11:10 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: July 30, 2011
Location: Savannah TN
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I have carried both .357 and .44 cal. handguns while hiking loaded with shot shells. Both will do the job and barrel length seems to make no appreciable difference.
These days I carry my old Model 29 with a snake shot as the first round. The rest are 240 grain hard cast Keith style semi wadcutters. |
March 16, 2013, 01:27 AM | #9 |
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Join Date: February 4, 2006
Location: East TX
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Thanks for the replies.
That's a nice looking model 29; in fact, that's just about what I had pictured in my mind as ideal. A check on gunbroker.com shows the .357 variant is not very common. I suppose most of these were in .44 magnum?
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Joe “God grant that men of principle shall be our principal men.” – Thomas Jefferson Last edited by jp_over; March 16, 2013 at 01:33 AM. |
March 16, 2013, 09:18 AM | #10 | |
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Join Date: July 30, 2011
Location: Savannah TN
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Quote:
Gunbroker prices are usually on the high side compared to what they can be had for locally. Be prepared to pay $500+ for a nice HP and $700+ for a 27. The above information about the Model 27 is also true for the Model 29, with the 29-2 being the version that is encountered the most. Really nice guns in the original presentation case with all the accessories fetch closer to $1000. Sometimes a deal can be found if you keep looking hard enough though. The Mod 29 four screw (produced from 1957~61) I posted the picture of was found in a local gun store for $600. A few months later I found this NIB 29-2 in the same store for $900 OTD. |
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