Ideas for an all weather farm gun
- Thread starter fireman 9731
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fireman 9731
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I'm open to a 17HMR. I already have a CZ 452 Lux with a full stock, its fantastic but certainly not getting tossed on my tractor.
22 mag would be OK
I would really like a 38/357
An AR is almost totally out of the equation unless its chambered in a pistol caliber. Again, the quieter, the better.
A used rifle would be ideal, the cheaper the better.
Ruger's new PC carbine would be nice but I would hate to take a new gun straight to rough use.
Anybody here used a 17HMR on coyotes? We have pretty big ones here in eastern KY. A base model Savage might do the trick, as long as it isn't too long.
To set the scene on how this will be deployed: I live in a rural area, surrounded by hundreds of hilly acres of woods and pastures. I have a small homestead and make a dozen walking trips a day between my house, barn, and garden. The chickens also meander about when I let them out while I'm home in the evenings. I walk my dogs about 1/4 mile up down the road. I have a side by side that I also travel about in and also do a lot of bush hogging on the tractor, weed spraying, and haying. The times that I see a coyote, its always on the move (except when it was nose to nose with my dog) and I have just a few seconds to get a gun into service. The gun needs to be with me (instead of propped up in the corner of the kitchen) as much as possible. That means it needs to be easily carried with a sling or mounted on the tractor/side by side, or with me in the garden, the barn, etc. It also means that I wont have ear protection unless I'm on my tractor, so the less noise the better. It needs to be rugged and it needs to be handy.
22 mag would be OK
I would really like a 38/357
An AR is almost totally out of the equation unless its chambered in a pistol caliber. Again, the quieter, the better.
A used rifle would be ideal, the cheaper the better.
Ruger's new PC carbine would be nice but I would hate to take a new gun straight to rough use.
Anybody here used a 17HMR on coyotes? We have pretty big ones here in eastern KY. A base model Savage might do the trick, as long as it isn't too long.
To set the scene on how this will be deployed: I live in a rural area, surrounded by hundreds of hilly acres of woods and pastures. I have a small homestead and make a dozen walking trips a day between my house, barn, and garden. The chickens also meander about when I let them out while I'm home in the evenings. I walk my dogs about 1/4 mile up down the road. I have a side by side that I also travel about in and also do a lot of bush hogging on the tractor, weed spraying, and haying. The times that I see a coyote, its always on the move (except when it was nose to nose with my dog) and I have just a few seconds to get a gun into service. The gun needs to be with me (instead of propped up in the corner of the kitchen) as much as possible. That means it needs to be easily carried with a sling or mounted on the tractor/side by side, or with me in the garden, the barn, etc. It also means that I wont have ear protection unless I'm on my tractor, so the less noise the better. It needs to be rugged and it needs to be handy.
jmorris
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It’s mentality problem not a gun problem. How many thousands of dollars did your tractor cost? How many hundreds of dollars does one rear tire cost on it? Now think about what you put them through.
You just need to buy a gun and treat it like a tool, the same way you treat other even more expensive tools.
somethingbenign
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How close do you normally see the coyotes? Would they happen to be in shotgun slug or buckshot range? If not I'd lean to a beatup Marlin/Rossi but I lean to levers pretty much all the time. I haven't priced out single shots yet but both H&R and Henry have offerings, I'm sure there are more options in that category. Good luck.
Ironhand54
Member
What about a used 92 Winchester copy. Pistol cal, light weight, handy and a lever action is the traditional truck gun.
IronHand
IronHand
The 17 HMR is not a reliable, humane coyote round, especially on Eastern coyotes which tend to be much larger than their western counterparts....
It sounds like you really want a 357 rifle though so get one... With 38 specials they are certainly quiet, even more so than a 22 rimfire... The main problem with the 357 is the range. Coyotes generally keep their distance from people during the day time unless you're on a tractor or in a truck and even then they learn fast when you start shooting at them... If you're on foot you'll be working at the 357s maximum range and beyond.... Also, demand for 357 rifles is usually high so they generally aren't cheap....
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fireman 9731
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Most times I see them at ranges beyond buckshot or slug range, but one has ventured into my yard to kill a chicken last week and a few mornings ago one ran right down the road.
The CZ carbine is great for walking and carrying by hand but I have yet to find a good sling setup for it. Since its short, it always wants to pitch forward or the bolts poking me. I need something that easily carries with a sling. I'm all for using guns as they were meant to be used but my CZ is too nice to needlessly bang up.
The CZ carbine is great for walking and carrying by hand but I have yet to find a good sling setup for it. Since its short, it always wants to pitch forward or the bolts poking me. I need something that easily carries with a sling. I'm all for using guns as they were meant to be used but my CZ is too nice to needlessly bang up.
Speedo66
Member
Sounds like a used .357 Rossi lever action in stainless would work. Now all you've got to do is find one. lol
Although I'm told the new factory is in production so they should be showing up more regularly soon, hopefully at more reasonable pricing.
Although I'm told the new factory is in production so they should be showing up more regularly soon, hopefully at more reasonable pricing.
somethingbenign
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Henry in .327 fed mag. Been looking for an excuse to buy one and I think you found it. I hear they are super quiet when running 32 h&r plus I think it might be a flater shooter.
someguy2800
Member
In my experience a semi auto is the best thing for your uses. All the times I ever see coyotes at under 100 yards they are hightailing it into the brush about as fast as I see them. A ruger PCC would be a good sidekick. A 9mm is pretty easy on the ears from a 16" barrel but your practically limited to about 100 yards. I had a high point 9mm carbine but sold it and built this AR pistol which is a much better firearm. It also has a krink brake on it and would be real handy to sling around, especially with a 10 round mag. This one pictured is a 20. Its not really any quieter than my 7.62x39 with krink brake though. A 357 lever action will be quiet with 38 specials, but 357's will ring your ears just as bad as a rifle.
MachIVshooter
Member
I'd build that out with one of PSA's cheap pistol kits like this one
https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...ic-shockwave-pistol-kit-black-5165449130.html
Then get one of these, pin it and swap the brace for a stock
http://www.capitolarmory.com/thunder-beast-556-take-down.html
kBob
Member
So far the Marlin .30-30 beater sounds most reasonable. Cheaper than most. Don't want loud, load her down. Still to much? Slip in a .32 Acp or S&W shell shrinker.
I find ARs and such high cap semi autos fun, but they are not the answer to everything, Believe It Or Not, Rippley.
-kBob
I find ARs and such high cap semi autos fun, but they are not the answer to everything, Believe It Or Not, Rippley.
-kBob
FL-NC
Member
If you are buying new, a Ruger American. Otherwise, whatever you can find cheap in a pawn shop or gun show. As far as hearing protection, you can get a set of the plugs that are tied together with the plastic cord and attach them to the rifle, or just put a set of muffs on the stock to keep them handy. Too bad guns like the SKS and mosins have skyrocketed in price. A darn SKS costs as much as an AR now- never thought I'd see that.
HiPoint, 995, is what I use. Even new price, who cares what happens to it, shoots good up to 100 yards. I also have a light mounted on mine, for those racoons, that decide to get near the coop, at night. I have rolled a few coyotes, and quite a few coon, with that thing. Short enough that it is easily stored anywhere. I always have one mag full of Hornaday HAP hollow points reloads, and one with the 9mm shot shells, for the snakes and birds.
MachIVshooter
Member
Of course they aren't. I hunt big game with bolt rifles in .25-06, 8mm Rem Mag, .350 Rem Mag, .375 RUM, my .45-70 levergun, etc. I do varminting primarily with bolt guns in faster chamberings than .223 such as my 700 LVSF in .17 Rem and my KM77MKII VT in .220 Swift. But as a handy ranch/farm carbine for putting down coyotes, feral hogs, dogs or other pests at short to moderate range, it's pretty tough to beat a semi-auto .223, and the AR leads the pack in ergonomics, accuracy and economy by a wide margin.
Corpral_Agarn
Member
I would think something like the ruger american in 223 on AR mags would be sweet:
https://ruger.com/products/americanRiflePredator/specSheets/26944.html
https://ruger.com/products/americanRiflePredator/specSheets/26944.html
MachIVshooter
Member
It would in a few places, but in the other 40-odd states where ARs are totally legal and don't have to be neutered, the AR will do everything that will and more, faster, for the same price or less.
Also, it won't be a popular opinion with some of the owners, but the American is a cheap rifle in every sense of the word. I'd much sooner buy a 700 ADL or even Savage Axis.
Corpral_Agarn
Member
I agree that an AR would fit the bill, but sometimes simplicity and ease of maintenance is a benefit.
I hadn't heard that the Rugers were not good.
I would agree here but would add the word ethical as well.
I would say it would depend on the rifle if a 357/38 is in more so then a 22 rimfire I will not shoot my lever 357 without ears, but my 22's sure...yea yea, save the lecture. It seems to me not as crisp as a 22 mag but just a little too much.
I would really say you know the right tool for the job, and you have people on here saying yea your right.
MachIVshooter
Member
From a maintenance & repair standpoint, the AR is far simpler. More moving parts, but all of them are easier to remove & service or replace. One can disassemble an AR down to each individual pin & spring with tools most guys already have plus a $20 armorer's wrench. Not true of bolt action centerfires.
Really, the AR is about the most end user friendly rife out there. There's not another rifle or platform, semi-auto or otherwise, that is easier to assemble/disassemble partially or completely & reconfigure at will. As well, by now the myths of needing to constantly clean the weapon have been pretty well squashed, but just to reiterate, one needn't do more than the occasional shot of CLP or similar for many thousands of rounds. I tried to see how long one of mine could go without cleaning and not fail, but I tired of getting dirty from simply handling it before any stoppages occurred. It was disgusting inside & out, but still ran like a top.
Ironhand54
Member
Another option might be one of the new commercial M1 carbines. Light, fast, and low recoil. Lots of accessories available like 30 round mags. Good ballistics for your stated uses. Plus they are proven tough and just a heck of a lot of fun to shoot
IronHand
IronHand
Hoppes Love Potion
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Rossi 92 16" carbine. It only weighs 4.9 lbs.
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