Handgun shotshell ammo?

[The Heretic]

I was packing some of my ammo into ammo cans and moving them into my shop yesterday in an effort to organize (I was also labeling most of the cans).

I came across some Federal shotshell ammo for .22 LR - the kind the is all brass with a nose crimp - no plastic capsule.

I have a problem with mice getting into my house. Yes, I have traps - I catch them occasionally. I also use poison and yes I need to plug up the holes where they get into the house, but they always manage to get in anyway. And no, I don't want to get a cat right now (they are not always good hunters) - neighbor dogs used to help, but they got into fights amongst themselves and now are kept on leashes.

Recently when I was mowing my field around my house I must have come across 40 or 50 mice - big fat ones. I was using a 500# two wheel flail mower which is not the easiest thing to maneuver over rough ground, so I was never able to run over them - they always got away - too fast.

So it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to carry my .22 revolver when mowing so I can deal with the mice when (not if) I come across them, to reduce the outside population. The are coyotes, but they won't come near the house. There are a couple of owls but they obviously are doing enough.

Anyway, I tried the ammo and it seemed to work well enough at about ten feet, but the brass was hard to extract - sticky. The crimp expanded and that was probably the problem. Did some googling and it seemed the Federal was more powerful but had extraction problems in rifles too.

I have some Remington .45 ACP shotshells, and I think some CCI .44 Mag shotshells too somewhere.

Did some looking around and determined that the CCI .45 Colt shotshells have a lot more shot than the .44 mag shotshells. Got me to thinking about these for rabbits and doves and such - lots of both here.

Feedback on these?

TIA

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[Alexx1401]

The .22 shells were for a long time commonly known as "rat shot" for just this reason. That is about all they would work on and it had to be close.
Now the larger bore rounds, those have a lot more hit but they are pricey. They would certainly kill the mice. If you can get shots at them not on the run a good air rifle would work wonders. I almost bought one of the new Gammo one a couple years back. Was having a time with Roof Rats here after our last cat died. Trap and poison would work for a while then they would seem to learn to avoid both. I would often see the damn things in the back yard. At that place I found I could enlist the neighbors cats though. Found some "food grade" catnip. Don't know what the hell people do with it, guessing tea maybe? Anyway would put some out in the drive and many cats would show up going nuts for it. They started roaming the front and back yards when the dogs were not out and soon I no longer saw the rats

 

[Kruel J]

I've used them on small critters at close range. Eh, not really my personal preference.

 

[The Heretic]

Yeah, the .22 would be what I use for the mice. They are always on the run - if I can see them, they are moving. I was surprised how big and fat they were compared to the ones that get into the house - and no, they are not rats, just fat mice.

The centerfire shotshells would be for hunting - used while in the woods. I see mourning doves quite a bit and sometimes rabbits. This would be for survival purposes - e.g., noticing small game while hunting for larger game or patrolling in a SHTF situation.

 

[The Heretic]

Anyway would put some out in the drive and many cats would show up going nuts for it. They started roaming the front and back yards when the dogs were not out and soon I no longer saw the rats

Rare that there are cats around here - the coyotes make short work of them. Anybody who has lived here for any length of time has learned to keep them inside or to keep an eye on them. New people post signs about their "lost" foo foo dog or cat - sorry newcomer, your little pet is breakfast for coyotes or cougars or bobcats.

 

[Cavedweller]

Did some looking around and determined that the CCI .45 Colt shotshells have a lot more shot than the .44 mag shotshells. Got me to thinking about these for rabbits and doves and such - lots of both here.

Feedback on these?

TIA

Good for rattlesnake. I like to carry a couple rounds when hiking in snake country.

 

[Alexx1401]

Rare that there are cats around here - the coyotes make short work of them. Anybody who has lived here for any length of time has learned to keep them inside or to keep an eye on them. New people post signs about their "lost" foo foo dog or cat - sorry newcomer, your little pet is breakfast for coyotes or cougars or bobcats.

LOL, yep. When I lived out in the "country" we often had to sadly tell new owners that. Would lose a cat or small dog that was allowed to roam. I said if you see and hear Coyotes, they will eat them. Many were shocked to hear this. Had to explain to them that to them any critter smaller and weaker than them is just food.