The tiny #12 shot loaded in this 22 WMR ammo actually serves an excellent purpose: The “snake killer” round offers effective one-shot deterrence of rattlesnakes and the like. It offers a pellet filled plastic projectile pill that allows all the shot to scatter at the muzzle exit to help get a wider pattern on a snake’s head than you’d be able to get with another round. The .22WMR loading makes this extra potent as it allows a lot more powder charge and a bigger projectile compared to the .22LR version. This round is very effective at killing snakes in horse country or on ranches; in the hills while on hiking trips or anywhere you would need close range pest eradication. This could also easily be used for other small game up to about 15 feet, after which it might lose too much power to be effective, given the tiny shot.

Acting like a mini shotgun shell, this is a very good round for very close-in work. It also avoids penetration concerns while ensuring close range devastation to small animals and snakes. This has been a perennial offering in the CCI product portfolio for a very long time, and while they don’t sell a ton of the ammo by volume it is a well known brand offering that many people use on a regular basis for their specialized needs.