If I had a choice between using a 40 grain hi-vel cartridge to shoot a snake or a shot shell, I'd choose the 40 grain every time. My P4 is accurate enough to hit and kill a 46 inch or smaller copperhead, water moccasin or rattler from a reasonable distance. I've lived around snakes down here in the sunny south all my life and shot shell would rank behind a hoe, shovel, big stick or other bad intrumentality.