Shotgun for "ranch rifle"

[mountain_man]

Been thinking about using a 20 gauge as a ride around gun for varmints on a farm. Mainly serving groundhog duty. Been using a rimfire but some of the angles I'm coming across varmints doesn't have a good backstop so I don't get to take the shot. So I was thinking a shotgun might be a better choice since the shot wont really have ricochet concern. Shots usually aren't long 35-40 yards or less. I'm guessing number 4 shot. Any thoughts pro or con?

 

[tdbmd]

Shotguns are many times underrated as a do-all gun. I have killed 3 coyotes with a 20 gauge and #6 shot while pheasant hunting over the years. Dead right there.

 

[entropy]

I have yet to kill a ground hog with a rifle. All I have taken and seen taken have been with a shotgun. My older son's first "game" kill was a groundhog with a .410.

 

[Blue Brick]

Poor man ranch rifle is a Hi-Point. 380, 9mm, 40S&W, 45 ACP, and 10mm.

That being said, a shotgun is a great recommendation based your specific requirements. The shotgun is the true gun that won the west.

 

[JTHunter]

Mountain Man - with a questionable background, it sounds as if the 20 would be much more useful and safer than any kind of rifle. Ricochets alone would be less likely as would "over-travel". Good luck with the "whistle pigs" !

 

[GRIZ22]

If it works for you fine.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I’d say you laid out a scenario that makes a strong case for a shotgun.

I have taken raccoon and woodchucks with a 20 ga shotgun with 4 shot at similar ranges so I have seen it’s an effectiveness in very similar circumstances.

I have seen raccoon soak up a few 22LR rounds before dying but they have all died immediately after one shot of No 4 game loads.

 

[jmr40]

Both of my grandfathers were farmers. Both kept a 20 ga propped behind the back door for foxes, etc.

 

[jmorris]

Been thinking about using a 20 gauge as a ride around gun for varmints on a farm. Mainly serving groundhog duty. Been using a rimfire but some of the angles I'm coming across varmints doesn't have a good backstop so I don't get to take the shot.

It seems we think a lot alike. I keep a Savage 24 on the mule, 22 on top 20 ga on the bottom, with a few rounds of shot and a couple slugs for bigger stuff.



I made this plow for subterranean varmints, it creates a tunnel under ground and drops a thimble full of poisoned seeds every 3ft or so. I can eradicate around 12 acres an hour with it, much more effective than shooting just the dumb ones…

 

[FL-NC]

I have a old 20 gauge bolt action shotgun that I keep on my 4 wheeler with birdshot. Its primary duty is for dangerous snakes this time of year as I start getting things prepped for deer season.

 

[.45Coltguy]

It seems we think a lot alike. I keep a Savage 24 on the mule, 22 on top 20 ga on the bottom, with a few rounds of shot and a couple slugs for bigger stuff.

View attachment 1168072

I made this plow for subterranean varmints, it creates a tunnel under ground and drops a thimble full of poisoned seeds every 3ft or so. I can eradicate around 12 acres an hour with it, much more effective than shooting just the dumb ones…

View attachment 1168073

Nice set-up on the mule. Clever use of the recoil pad also. You're set.

 

[Jim Watson]

As long as you don't shoot up in the air towards habitation. The ultimate range of No 4 shot is 286 yards by the Journee formula. (Pellet diameter x 2200)

 

[12Bravo20]

I’d say you laid out a scenario that makes a strong case for a shotgun.

I have taken raccoon and woodchucks with a 20 ga shotgun with 4 shot at similar ranges so I have seen it’s an effectiveness in very similar circumstances.

I have seen raccoon soak up a few 22LR rounds before dying but they have all died immediately after one shot of No 4 game loads.

I use to use a 410 loaded with slugs. A 410 slug does a good job of killing a raccoon and will do a better job of knocking them out of a tree compared to 22LR.

And there is definitely nothing wrong with keeping a shotgun handy around the farm. We would normally carry one on the tractors at all times.

 

[MacAR]

I use a 20 gauge Mossberg 500 for just what you describe. It works well; I like to use 3" #2 or #4 shot for bigger critters and 2.75" #6 for the smaller stuff. My little 20 has a 21" youth barrel on it, so it's very handy in close quarters like a truck cab. You should be just fine with something similar.

Mac

 

[Cbob]

Shotguns make fine barn or boat guns. (as in commercial clammer)

 

[epags]

As long as you don't shoot up in the air towards habitation. The ultimate range of No 4 shot is 286 yards by the Journee formula. (Pellet diameter x 2200)

That's a good point. At our shooting club one of the trap ranges overlaps with the pistol range (about 150 ft distance) and we use two way radios to stop shooting whenever one group or the other has to go forward.

 

[Jim Watson]

Maximum range of #9 by Journee's Formula comes out 176 yards, 7 1/2 is 209 yards.

When we were laying out our new fields after having to relocate because of real estate development, the club president went downrange with a sheet of plywood to shelter under and had a trusted member shoot in his direction. Fortunately, the pitter-patter of birdshot had quit by the time he got to the fence line.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Academy Sports is selling Rio brand shotshells. Rio loads a 9 pellet #1 buckshot load that excels in the 20ga.
I’ve been loading a 10 pellet load for years. I’ve killed several deer and a 150lb pig with it. Out to 40yds it matches a 12ga OO-buck load.
I also load #4 buck with 20 pellets (24 in a 3”hull). As you mentioned, the #4’s pack a good punch. A #7.5 load is a good all purpose load.

Because a 1oz load costs more than double a 7/8oz promotional load, it really pays to reload the 20ga.

 

[br549arkie]

It seems we think a lot alike. I keep a Savage 24 on the mule, 22 on top 20 ga on the bottom, with a few rounds of shot and a couple slugs for bigger stuff.

View attachment 1168072

I made this plow for subterranean varmints, it creates a tunnel under ground and drops a thimble full of poisoned seeds every 3ft or so. I can eradicate around 12 acres an hour with it, much more effective than shooting just the dumb ones…

View attachment 1168073

Love the idea of your spare ammo carrier for rimfire ammo!

 

[mountain_man]

Well went digging around and found some steel #2 and some 3 inch Kent #4 turkey loads. I know steel shot is less dense and sheds velocity faster but will there be much difference to lead 4 at 30 to 35 yards?

 

[jmorris]

Love the idea of your spare ammo carrier for rimfire ammo!

I figured someone smarter than me thought about that when they designed it.

It’s really pretty handy.

 

[Choctaw]

The first pig I killed on our place was smacked with a 20 gauge slug. Nothing like racking another round in the chamber just for the fun of it.

 

[chiefs-special-guy]

My probably worthless comment: why a 20 gauge? A 12 is more versatile and you can shoot very lite loads in it. Ammo is cheaper and more available. Call me a heretic, but except for upland hunting where you carry your gun for miles, why would an adult man use a smaller gauge (except of course that the are beautiful, fun, and sexy!) Just my 2 cents.

 

[MacAR]

My probably worthless comment: why a 20 gauge? A 12 is more versatile and you can shoot very lite loads in it. Ammo is cheaper and more available. Call me a heretic, but except for upland hunting where you carry your gun for miles, why would an adult man use a smaller gauge (except of course that the are beautiful, fun, and sexy!) Just my 2 cents.

If I were guessing, it may be all the op has available to him. That's only a guess though. But I agree, the 12 would be a better option.

Mac

 

[doubleh]

I have not lived on a farm in many years but I do live rural as I never adjusted to living in town. I keep my grandad's 410 for varmints, mainly for blanket-blank gophers as too many people have discovered the joys of country living and have crowded in around me. I am simply amazed at what a 3" 410 load of birdshot can do to a gopher cleaning out his hole. I really don't bother with anything else as they are just passing through.