Need advice - .357 birdshot

[deerdown2]

Is this ammo sufficient for dispatching raccoons? And if so, what distance? Thanks.

[deerdown2]

Thinking about this post, I probably should have posted it on another forum, moderator - please delete.

[Soilarch]

The factory available kind? No. Unless by "dispatch" you mean get them to jump out a tree and let the dogs go for it. Even handloaded stuff I don't think would work. The biggest shot you could practically use would be much much smaller and travelling considerably slower than a .22LR....It's what I always saw used for coons and it is in no way "too much gun".

[whiskeysnoot]

NO. I've loaded and shot a lot of .357 and .44 shotshells and they are fantastic for snakes, birds, and very small vermin. But anything larger (cats, coons, opossums, dogs, etc.) and you're looking at a wounded animal making a huge mess. Those 50 pin pricks in their skin bleed a lot. Trust me on this one. And on a coon you may be looking at a very p@#$ed off animal.

[HighDesertWolf]

12 ga #6 shot game load. works great on coons.