Great Grandad's not-so-long-lost Luger

John Sabato · 03-16-2003, 11:51 PM

Once while departing a military pistol range at Fort Gordon Georgia, I saw a rattlesnake slither across the road in front of my van. I wasn't more that 50 yards from the range shack where my team had broken for lunch, so I called back to my team to bring me my 1911A1 and a clip of ammunition. A young sergeant brought it to me and asked me what the problem was as I was locking and loading my weapon. As I aimed at the snake I told him that about ten feet to his right was a rattlesnake about 30 inches long. He said "how can be you sure?" I told him to pick up a tree limb that was about 8 feet long and wack him with it from a safe distance. He did so, and the snake immediately coiled up and began his rattling... upon which I drew a bead on him and emptied the magazine of .45 ACP. The young sergeant asked me why I did that... my reply was that I was going to be back out here tomorrow and might NOT see the snake...

I Hate Snakes! We killed at least one rattler a week on that pistol range...

Not many rattlers here in Virginia, but my favorite weapon of choice is a riding mower... They just can't deal with the rotating blades very well... It is fatal for the snake at every encounter

I got one other great and true snake story but I will save that for another time.

03-16-2003, 11:51 PM	#11
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,156 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,309 Times in 1,098 Posts	Once while departing a military pistol range at Fort Gordon Georgia, I saw a rattlesnake slither across the road in front of my van. I wasn't more that 50 yards from the range shack where my team had broken for lunch, so I called back to my team to bring me my 1911A1 and a clip of ammunition. A young sergeant brought it to me and asked me what the problem was as I was locking and loading my weapon. As I aimed at the snake I told him that about ten feet to his right was a rattlesnake about 30 inches long. He said "how can be you sure?" I told him to pick up a tree limb that was about 8 feet long and wack him with it from a safe distance. He did so, and the snake immediately coiled up and began his rattling... upon which I drew a bead on him and emptied the magazine of .45 ACP. The young sergeant asked me why I did that... my reply was that I was going to be back out here tomorrow and might NOT see the snake... I Hate Snakes! We killed at least one rattler a week on that pistol range... Not many rattlers here in Virginia, but my favorite weapon of choice is a riding mower... They just can't deal with the rotating blades very well... It is fatal for the snake at every encounter I got one other great and true snake story but I will save that for another time. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*