Ex-CIA Officer Reveals What Happens When You Use Snake Shot for Home Defense

Published on October 15, 2025
Duration: 5:46

Former CIA Officer Jason Hanson strongly advises against using snake shot for home defense. He demonstrates its limited effectiveness at various distances on simulated snakes, highlighting the wide pellet spread and lack of penetration compared to standard defensive ammunition. Hanson recommends dedicated home defense calibers like 9mm, .45 ACP, and .223.

Quick Summary

Former CIA Officer Jason Hanson states that snake shot is a terrible idea for home defense. It's designed for small pests, not human threats, due to its limited range and wide pellet spread. For home defense, he recommends calibers like 9mm, .45 ACP, and .223.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Intro: Snake Shot for Home Defense?
  2. 00:12What is Snake Shot?
  3. 00:23Testing Snake Shot in .38 Special
  4. 01:57Snake Shot Effectiveness at 3 Yards
  5. 02:43Snake Shot Effectiveness at 5 Yards
  6. 03:44Close Quarters Snake Shot Test
  7. 04:50Why Snake Shot is NOT for Home Defense
  8. 05:08Hanson's Home Defense Firearm Choices
  9. 05:21Home Defense Ammunition
  10. 05:28When to Use Snake Shot

Frequently Asked Questions

Is snake shot effective for home defense?

No, former CIA Officer Jason Hanson strongly advises against using snake shot for home defense. Its small pellets have limited penetration and a wide spread, making it ineffective against human threats at typical home defense distances.

What is snake shot designed for?

Snake shot is specifically designed for dispatching small pests like snakes, rodents, and rats. It functions similarly to birdshot, firing a cluster of small lead pellets.

What firearms does Jason Hanson recommend for home defense?

Jason Hanson recommends firearms chambered in common self-defense calibers such as 9mm, .45 ACP, and .223 (for AR-15 platforms). He personally uses these calibers for his home defense needs.

What are the limitations of snake shot in a self-defense scenario?

The primary limitations of snake shot for self-defense are its short effective range and insufficient penetration. The spread of pellets is too wide beyond a few yards, and they lack the power to reliably stop a human threat.

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