Well this is at least the second time I have done this test in the last 50 years. (This is excerpted from an e-mail I sent a friend).
It was/is awesome sunny today (72* above) calm wind, perfect for some testing.
OK, 5 1/2" Barrel, cartridge .45 Long Colt "CCI" shot shell test. At a measured from the muzzle to target 7' (That is seven Feet) the pattern was perfect 12" in diameter, perfect, no gaps, no holes, shot well spaced.
Same firearm, at 44' ( Fifteen yards) pattern was 41" with some (Gaps) holes 10"X12"
Conclusion: For a snake you would need to be about 4' to 8' (one yard to three yards maximum. For a perched bird 10' to maybe 15' (3 yards to 5 yards).
I would call them pretty much useless for survival.
I decided to waste one more cartridge: Fired from the Winchester 1892 .45 Long Colt with it's 16" barrel at 33 feet (11 Yards) the pattern was 36" X 38" with some 8" and 10" Gaps. This was shot through two thickness of cardboard.
Final conclusion use a .410 or 28 Gauge shotgun & save $12.00 for a box of ten cartridges.
Just for kicks I decided to do the S&W model 17 with it's 8 3/8" barrel that I reamed out to .22 magnum, at a relative long range (55 Yards). It put 7 of the 14 shots fired into 1 1/8" Note: this was 55 Yards with iron sights, all 14 rounds were in 4 1/4" (including two flyers) at 55 yards. Now this is a survival meat getting piece of machinery.
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