Sav .250
Member
Get yourself a lever. Make, model,cal .....your choice.
Perfect 4 wheeler rifle?
- Thread starter Gdbyrd
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Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
HE. HAS. ONE. ALREADY.
But he's got $200 in his pocket and thinks he could do better ...
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Ok. What about handguns, then? Are you well-practiced with them? Well enough to zip around a hedgerow to discover a herd of deer or hogs at 150 yds, whip out the .44 and be able to take an ethical aimed shot with the revolver?
Ranger30-06
Member
One of my Mossberg 500's is my 4 Wheeler gun, but if I was going to take a rifle, I would take my Saiga .308. Weight isn't an issue on a quad, but it back plenty of firepower in a relatively short package. Where I usually ride, you only have to really worry about snakes. Sometimes a bobcat, but not usually. Still, I like having a multi-purpose gun availible.
Virg461
Member
Obviusly, the money is burning a hole your pocket, so........Spend $70 of your $200 on Tech Sights for your SKS. The only upgrade needed for the SKS. Faster target acquisition and double the sight radius. Well worth the money.
Spend the rest on quality SP ammo.
Spend the rest on quality SP ammo.
Gdbyrd
Member
Sam you're reading way too into this and not reading into it where you should be. I know I have guns that are capable of doing what I need. I'm looking for suggestions. My concern with the 336 is the dust and the action. I'm talking 1930s dustbowl type stuff. What I would rather use is a cheap throw away gun that I wouldn't care about getting all gummed up...as I stated earlier in this post.
And yes, for the record when my Encore was a pistol, I was comfortable taking shots out to 150 +yards. With the SRH, I can do minute of deer all day long at 125 yards.
Back to the 336. How difficult is it to take down and clean? I'd imagine I would have to do it after every 2-3 day trip. What about the SKS? How difficult is it to strip down?
And yes, for the record when my Encore was a pistol, I was comfortable taking shots out to 150 +yards. With the SRH, I can do minute of deer all day long at 125 yards.
Back to the 336. How difficult is it to take down and clean? I'd imagine I would have to do it after every 2-3 day trip. What about the SKS? How difficult is it to strip down?
Well, your ancestors carried lever action rifles for 100 years in your neck of the woods with little problems so the Marlin would be good to go in my opinion.
However, the SKS is the beater of choice. Easy to use, easy to strip down and clean and who cares if it gets banged up or not. Highly recommend Tech Sights for it though. Makes a big difference over the crummy military sights.
Mini 14 is not bad choice either. Pretty basic action and is reliable. Pick up a plastic stock for it to keep the wood from being banged around (if you have a wood stock) Tech Sights are available for it as well.
However, the SKS is the beater of choice. Easy to use, easy to strip down and clean and who cares if it gets banged up or not. Highly recommend Tech Sights for it though. Makes a big difference over the crummy military sights.
Mini 14 is not bad choice either. Pretty basic action and is reliable. Pick up a plastic stock for it to keep the wood from being banged around (if you have a wood stock) Tech Sights are available for it as well.
Get a beat up, ratty 336. You have the familiarity with it's operation, loads etc. Strip the wood and metal, and slather the wood and metal with some matt gray or khaki oepoxy. As long as it has a sound action and trigger, decent bore, it will do what it needs to for you and you need not pay any heed to it getting caked in dust etc.
^this^
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Neither the SKS, nor the 336 are difficult -- AT ALL -- to take down and clean. Not sure if one is any easier than the other. Both extremely simple. Surely you've cleaned them before? Right? It was very easy, wasn't it?
The SKS was built to be the sort of rifle that would just keep going under all conditions: The old story being of the NVA soldiers in Vietnam leaving them buried in a rice paddy or submerged in a ditch until ambush time. Stripping will take you about 30 seconds.
The Marlin 336 is also very reliable, and the easiest lever-action rifle to strip down. One screw, really. (Hands-down easier than the Win '94!)
Get a 4-wheeler rifle scabbard to keep them somewhat shielded, and I'd think you'll have no worries. If your dust-bowl dust manages to cause a stoppage in either rifle, please report back to us. That would be astounding.
The SKS was built to be the sort of rifle that would just keep going under all conditions: The old story being of the NVA soldiers in Vietnam leaving them buried in a rice paddy or submerged in a ditch until ambush time. Stripping will take you about 30 seconds.
The Marlin 336 is also very reliable, and the easiest lever-action rifle to strip down. One screw, really. (Hands-down easier than the Win '94!)
Get a 4-wheeler rifle scabbard to keep them somewhat shielded, and I'd think you'll have no worries. If your dust-bowl dust manages to cause a stoppage in either rifle, please report back to us. That would be astounding.
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okiewita40
Member
IMO just take one of the SKS's. Put a set of tech sights on it and spend the rest on ammo.
moxie
Member
The 336 sounds right to me. Assuming you'll be carrying it in some sort of scabbard, you can use a gun sock also that is easy and fast to remove as you withdraw the rifle from the scabbard. This should keep most of the dust out of the action.
The first thing that came to mind when you said "4 Wheeler Rifle" was a Marlin 336. I think if you shielded 'er up with a case or even an old towel before hitting the worst of the dust, she'd be fine.
I'm also a fan of a pump shotgun with slugs for such application. They all tend to break down well enough to clean without tools. A 500, 870, or Ithaca Featherlight would make nice guns for such applications.
Or as others have said, the SKS. Although I find them a bit heavy for the that role. Just personal preference.
I'm also a fan of a pump shotgun with slugs for such application. They all tend to break down well enough to clean without tools. A 500, 870, or Ithaca Featherlight would make nice guns for such applications.
Or as others have said, the SKS. Although I find them a bit heavy for the that role. Just personal preference.
hardluk1
member
Get a Koplin Gun Boot and use what ever you want too. Easy chice then. I have used one for 20 years and most times had a 1500 dollar rifle in it. Allways dry and clean no matter the rain or dust.
I would say use your sks or mini 14 they will both probably eat all kinds of dust & keep on trucking. I also agree with buying a synthetic stock for the mini if you don't already have one to save your wood stock. Or you could sell yor mini 14, sks & take your $200 to go buy a arsenal sgl 21. These are great rifles i love mine & all the extras like slings,mags,ammo & accessories are cheap. For the record i wouldn't sell my mini i like it to much, but i wouldn't mind selling the sks & would just pay the difference in cash for the sgl 21. Even if that ment i saved for a little bit. I have also seen scabbards made for shotguns to use on atv's this would keep some of the dust off of your rifle. Just use the flush fit magazine in the mini & keep an extra 10 or 2ord magazine with you.
My suggestion is absurdly simple.
A H&R ultra slug hunter in 12GA. It will kill anything in North America within 150 yds. Its accurate, powerful and its only $250. Simple, cheap, reliable and widely considered to be one of the most accurate slug shotguns available regardless of price. It will bounce around all day long on your 4 wheeler and not miss a beat. Caveat: if you don't have a scope you can add iron sights, which might push the price to $325.
A H&R ultra slug hunter in 12GA. It will kill anything in North America within 150 yds. Its accurate, powerful and its only $250. Simple, cheap, reliable and widely considered to be one of the most accurate slug shotguns available regardless of price. It will bounce around all day long on your 4 wheeler and not miss a beat. Caveat: if you don't have a scope you can add iron sights, which might push the price to $325.
hirundo82
Member
Either the Marlin or SKS would be great guns for this application. I'd use the $200 to geta good set of aperture sights for whichever you choose--Tech Sights for the SKS, Skinner for the Marlin.
If you really want to get a new gun for this for $200, a Mosin would probably be the best choice--you could get two for that price with your C&R.
If you really want to get a new gun for this for $200, a Mosin would probably be the best choice--you could get two for that price with your C&R.
riomedinamike
Member
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I also have a few four wheelers, not as much acreage, but lots of deer (axis & whitetail) and hogs. As long as you clean the guns after each day of wheeling (I use brake cleaner first, and then a light coating of oil), and you should not have any reliability problems. The Marlin and SKS are extremely reliable guns, even if you don't dust them off every day.
If I had an extra couple of hundred bucks, I'd take the Marlin, buy a Weaver two piece or one piece set of mounts, some Weaver rings (available at most Wal-Marts), and then locate either an old El Paso made Weaver 2x or 3x scope (my favorite is a post with a horizontal reticle) (failing that, you can get a good 4x Nikon 22 scope for about $100) and you have in my view a perfect four wheeler companion, which I attach to the front rack or handlebars with U-shaped rubber clamps.
I put either a piece of bicycle inner tube over the scope to keep out the dust, or a specially constructed rubber scope cover which is a couple of bucks extra, and easily comes off the scope but either option keeps the lenses nice and clean.
I like the lower powered scopes because my eyes are older and help me locate the game more quickly than with open sights and allow a more precise shot when needed. I also have a ghost ring 336, and that allows at least for me a better sight picture than with the SKS.
I have been able to take lots of deer and hogs with this 336 scoped method. You may able to do the same.
That said, I also always carry a S&W 629 in an El Paso Saddlery shoulder holster for those very few chances when I have had a chance to sneak up on game (despite the four wheeler noise) on a hog or deer since we have very thick brush on our property.
On a few occasions, I have alse taken along an SKS with 154 gr soft points because of the 10-shot capacity and easier reloading with a stripper clip, but have yet to take either a hog or a deer with the SKS - the chance of a shot just hasn't happened yet.
Good luck with whatever method you choose, and you should not need to buy a new rifle to accomplish your goals.
If I had an extra couple of hundred bucks, I'd take the Marlin, buy a Weaver two piece or one piece set of mounts, some Weaver rings (available at most Wal-Marts), and then locate either an old El Paso made Weaver 2x or 3x scope (my favorite is a post with a horizontal reticle) (failing that, you can get a good 4x Nikon 22 scope for about $100) and you have in my view a perfect four wheeler companion, which I attach to the front rack or handlebars with U-shaped rubber clamps.
I put either a piece of bicycle inner tube over the scope to keep out the dust, or a specially constructed rubber scope cover which is a couple of bucks extra, and easily comes off the scope but either option keeps the lenses nice and clean.
I like the lower powered scopes because my eyes are older and help me locate the game more quickly than with open sights and allow a more precise shot when needed. I also have a ghost ring 336, and that allows at least for me a better sight picture than with the SKS.
I have been able to take lots of deer and hogs with this 336 scoped method. You may able to do the same.
That said, I also always carry a S&W 629 in an El Paso Saddlery shoulder holster for those very few chances when I have had a chance to sneak up on game (despite the four wheeler noise) on a hog or deer since we have very thick brush on our property.
On a few occasions, I have alse taken along an SKS with 154 gr soft points because of the 10-shot capacity and easier reloading with a stripper clip, but have yet to take either a hog or a deer with the SKS - the chance of a shot just hasn't happened yet.
Good luck with whatever method you choose, and you should not need to buy a new rifle to accomplish your goals.
VA27
Member
On another forum I saw the perfect 4wheeler gun. It was a H&R Handy rifle in 45/70, cut down to 16" and the stock shortened an inch. At 5lbs or less, it would be...well, handy. And it would have a pretty good punch (on both ends!).
Gdbyrd
Member
I already have a gun boot on the 4wheeler, my blind rifle is in there. I want something I can mount on the front of the rig in a horizontal holder, similar to what Rio was talking about.
This weekend was opening weekend and I found a few flaws with my plan. We have a 6 point minimum on our lease. And I have shot enough deer that I don't want to just shoot whatever I see. So we were driving to rewire a feeder and we turned a corner..there was a buck there, out about 175 yards. It was a big bodied deer, had horns, but I couldn't tell if it was worth shooting or not from where I was siting. I unbolted the gun boot and tried to slide my Encore out, but the hammer spur got caught on the inside of the boot. By the time I got it out, the deer had walked into the brush.
So I really think I need optics now. Really my whole original plan is becoming pretty flawed, lol. I just know I'd like to have something handi and out in the open, easy to grab/unfasten. I think my original yard estimates are going to be too conservative as well...At least this year. Last year this scenario was different and I know the season has just started. But we rode up on 6 deer riding to/from camp-blind-pond, etc and they were all pretty far away. Most I was able to get on OK with the Encore, but unbuttoning the boot, sliding it out and back, then getting back in a steady shooting position takes awhile.
This weekend was opening weekend and I found a few flaws with my plan. We have a 6 point minimum on our lease. And I have shot enough deer that I don't want to just shoot whatever I see. So we were driving to rewire a feeder and we turned a corner..there was a buck there, out about 175 yards. It was a big bodied deer, had horns, but I couldn't tell if it was worth shooting or not from where I was siting. I unbolted the gun boot and tried to slide my Encore out, but the hammer spur got caught on the inside of the boot. By the time I got it out, the deer had walked into the brush.
So I really think I need optics now. Really my whole original plan is becoming pretty flawed, lol. I just know I'd like to have something handi and out in the open, easy to grab/unfasten. I think my original yard estimates are going to be too conservative as well...At least this year. Last year this scenario was different and I know the season has just started. But we rode up on 6 deer riding to/from camp-blind-pond, etc and they were all pretty far away. Most I was able to get on OK with the Encore, but unbuttoning the boot, sliding it out and back, then getting back in a steady shooting position takes awhile.
Sam1911
Moderator Emeritus
Hmmm... Well, the optics requirement does limit the SKS, then. Mounting a good, magnified optic on an SKS is tricky. The dust cover mounts are absurdly high and not conducive to fast, accurate shooting...if they hold zero. The drill and tap Choate mount is solid, but puts the optics too far back, and still high. Maybe ULTIMAK will come out with their scout scope gas tube mount someday, but until then...
Back to the 336?
'Course, if glassing to check antlers is the problem, a pair of binoculars is faster and safer.
Back to the 336?
'Course, if glassing to check antlers is the problem, a pair of binoculars is faster and safer.
I am on my ATV every day here on the farm managing the herds. Some days I have my Winchester 1894 in 30/30 along with me. Other days depending on what I need to do or if we are having predator issues i maybe riding with current production Winchester 70 in .308 and a few days a month my SCAR17 rides along.
Since my dogs are usually with me and LGDs are working chances of surprising deer are slim. I usually dont hunt deer and let my friends use my farm to keep the deer population check. They do all the work and I get venison for my freezer. Deer herds need some seriously thinning this year.
If hunting is taking place sheep, dogs and LGDs are on one side of the property and my friends on the other.
Since my dogs are usually with me and LGDs are working chances of surprising deer are slim. I usually dont hunt deer and let my friends use my farm to keep the deer population check. They do all the work and I get venison for my freezer. Deer herds need some seriously thinning this year.
If hunting is taking place sheep, dogs and LGDs are on one side of the property and my friends on the other.
You might think about a scout scope. i have a leupold scpout scope on an older m1a bush rifle, the scout scope is accurate & fast. Its only a 2.5x power scope so it also has a wide field of fiew. My scope came with a neoprene cover but you can also buy flip up covers for it from leupold.
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