Need advice on small caliber gun for pest control

[60hertz]

I've always owned shotguns, and I love them.

Problem is rodents and snakes. I moved from a densely populated cookie-cutter subdivision to an area that's a little more spread out. In the subdivision I'd occasionally see a snake or a rat, but now I have a vacant overgrown lot (big oaks, but the undergrowth is out of control) on one side, an open field with planted pines behind me, and a pool in the back yard.

I frequently encounter snakes in the yard trying to use the pool. Sometimes they get stuck in the pool and die, other times I have to shoot them with my air rifle or hit them with the business end of a shovel.

I hate having to be so accurate with my kill shot and I'm looking at getting a .22 that shoots rat shot style shells - research says these are "garden guns." The barrel is smooth and it's specifically built for 22 WMR ammo.

I've already spoken to my only neighbor and he says he always shoots them too - but, I've never heard a shot our houses are about 50 yards apart. So, I don't think that it will be a problem shooting the .22 in my yard. I really don't want to shoot a 12, 16, or 20 ga in the back yard - too much boom!

What would be a nice .22 that would be good for shooting snakes and rats at close range? It would have to be one capable of shooting rat shot (22 WMR ammo.)

What's everyone's thoughts.

 

[MarkS]

I use a revolver chambered for 22 LR. I kill rats with it when I'm bush-hogging
The revolver is an old H&R 9 shot


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[Welldoya]

Any old .22 revolver will work, doesn't have to be smooth bore.
But it does have to be a revolver because rat shot won't usually work the action of a semi-auto.
Find an old High Standard Sentinel for about $200.

 

[16gauge]

I use a Heritage Arms 22 revolver for pest control. They are inexpensive and you can get them with the long rifle and magnum cylinders. I use 22lr snake/rat shot in my neighborhood and no one knows I've fired a shot. Academy has them in stock most always and puts them on sale from time to time. Even quieter is a 22 rifle using shot shells, the shot shell rounds won't cycle most semi-autos but you can hand cycle each round if needed or use a bolt action instead. Smooth bore not necessary for the shells as most are loaded in plastic shot cups anyway and usually fired at close range so the rifling isn't an issue.

 

[SAWMAN]

Most likely not what you want to hear . . . BUT . . . would suggest that you study up on the different species of snakes that we have in this part of the country. IMO,95% of the ones we encounter are the "good" variety. Read up on what they eat and in general what good they do to the "big back yard" type of environment.
Also IMO,to simply just kill every snake you see is not the way that we should get along in this environment. If you have children and/or a wife,take the time to educate them about all the "goods" that snakes do in our part of the world. NOW . . . . the poisonous varietys. Personally,I kill every one that I see. --- SAWMAN

 

[fl57caveman]

what 16gauge and Sawman said...


heritage .22lr/.22mag, with ratshot, they make magnum ratshot also, but leave the black snakes, corn/rat snakes, king snakes, and esp if you see a shiny black snake with large scales, indigo snake, protected species and trying to make a comeback, they eat rattlers also...

I relocate the poison ones, unless they are in an area where my animals roam...

bing florida native snakes and you will see pics to id them

 

[Zeroed in]

How about a snake pole? I made one using plastic coated 1/8" stranded cable, a small machine bolt w/nylon nut and a 5/8" thin-wall metal tube. A crank-up baby swing leg works great. You could catch and release them down the road. If you're gonna shoot them, a Heritage .22 is all you need. I bought a Heritage .22lr w/.22mag cylinder for $139 at Academy (price match). I have small live traps out to trap and shoot the rats that wonder over from the neighbors yard because he don't take care of his jungle. I use the crimped rat shot. If a snake wonders over, I catch and relocate them, poisonous or not.

 

[60hertz]

Most likely not what you want to hear . . . BUT . . . would suggest that you study up on the different species of snakes that we have in this part of the country. IMO,95% of the ones we encounter are the "good" variety. Read up on what they eat and in general what good they do to the "big back yard" type of environment.
Also IMO,to simply just kill every snake you see is not the way that we should get along in this environment. If you have children and/or a wife,take the time to educate them about all the "goods" that snakes do in our part of the world. NOW . . . . the poisonous varietys. Personally,I kill every one that I see. --- SAWMAN

Thanks for the feedback - I'm going to pickup a .22 from Academy Friday.

I know I SHOULD take the time to ID them; but, it just ain't going to happen. If it's daylight and the snake is all black, all green, or obviously non-venomous then I might let it go. But, telling the difference between a banded water snake and a moccasin while it's in the pool at night - well, snake gonna die. Kids are 17 and 22 (22 yo is away at University) and they agree with my philosophy. Please don't judge me - I personally don't think there's much shortage of water snakes, moccasins, or copperheads, or rattlers.

I'm thinking that the snakes are chasing the bullfrogs as the pool also has a bullfrog problem too.

We've been in the house for about 6 weeks and harvested about 30 frogs the first week. Nothing better than fresh fried frog legs! Too bad there's not enough meat on the snakes or I might whip up something. We definitely put a dent in the bullfrog population!

 

[FNHman]

Folbert 9mm shot shells in an old "garden gun".

 

[shadeogray]

Careful, there are protected species, I would highly suggest you make the time to ID.

http://www.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imperiled/profiles/reptiles/

 

[60hertz]

Careful, there are protected species, I would highly suggest you make the time to ID.

http://www.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imperiled/profiles/reptiles/

Thanks for the tip...all of the snakes I've killed so far were either banded water snakes or water moccasins. In 6 weeks I've killed 4, but seen an all black snake, an all green snake, and something that actually turned out to be a legless lizard. All of those guys are still slithering around somewhere. Neighbor said he killed a copperhead earlier this summer.