hawg
Member
My F.N. Mauser in 30-06. I' m not going to use a rifle for home defense.
What one rifle for home or farm protection and hunting would you pick.
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md7
Member
My mind goes in several directions for a “do all rifle” for home, ranch, and hunting. Here goes….
If defense and ranch work supersede hunting, then I’d say an AR in 5.56 would work. Not that an AR couldn’t also hunt. Keep reading for my thoughts on that.
If taking medium or large game at distance is a bigger necessity, then maybe 308 win. A good AR 10 for example. It would be a more ideal choice for say that whitetail at 250 yards or more. And could be used for home defense. It could serve that.
And if AR’s a no go for you, then a good bolt gun with detachable mags may be a good call.
All are gonna be some sort of a trade off in some way. Some will be more ideally suited for defense while others will be more ideally suited for hunting.
But any of them could do all of it, if you can work around the trade offs.
That’s my .02, and probably worth less than that!
If defense and ranch work supersede hunting, then I’d say an AR in 5.56 would work. Not that an AR couldn’t also hunt. Keep reading for my thoughts on that.
If taking medium or large game at distance is a bigger necessity, then maybe 308 win. A good AR 10 for example. It would be a more ideal choice for say that whitetail at 250 yards or more. And could be used for home defense. It could serve that.
And if AR’s a no go for you, then a good bolt gun with detachable mags may be a good call.
All are gonna be some sort of a trade off in some way. Some will be more ideally suited for defense while others will be more ideally suited for hunting.
But any of them could do all of it, if you can work around the trade offs.
That’s my .02, and probably worth less than that!
lionking
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Sadly this seems to becoming more reality than a movie, especially if you live near the border (even inland now) or close live to U.S land like national forests that cartels are being allowed to take over. Only for me I'd choose a AR-10 in 6.5 or .308 for any good size game IF I could only have ONE. Of course if their was any government decree they wouldn't allow you to have a semi anyway.
lionking
Member
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- Jul 6, 2006
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that works also or M1A.Farm protection you say? There's only one logical choice:
FAL
Honestly though, I'd just get an AR15.
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
In some parts of Europe, you're only allowed a handfull of guns, but they can be practically anything- including machine guns.
tactikel
Member
6.5 Grendel in an AR. Light recoil, accurate, rolls deer out to 400 yards.
Phaedrus/69
Member
I haven't set foot on a farm in a few decades so I guess it's just home defense for me. There's lot of good options but I suppose I'd probably keep my PWS Mk116 Mod 2 in .300 Blackout. There's nothing wrong with 5.56 and that would be my close second choice but I like the option of a slightly larger bullet. My gun seems to like 110gr and 115gr and shoots them both very well, and those still offer rifle velocity and performance. The 5.56 would be better past 200 yards I suppose but for home defense I won't be shooting that far.
Anchorite
Member
That BO thumps at close range.
WestKentucky
Member
M2. Not much on this planet ma deuce can’t handle expediently. Sure it’s like driving a top fuel dragster as a daily driver, but there’s something totally American and satisfying about overkill. A good thump thump thump towards the henhouse is sure to dispatch the meanest of coyotes, foxes, bobcats, bulls, rams… and not just the critter variety… coyote motor f150s, fox body mustangs, bobcat skid steers, most bulldozers, and if a ram manages to get close without falling apart on its own then it too would be quickly and thoroughly perforated. Truthfully I can’t think of any threat a ma deuce wouldn’t handle. First thing it would kill is the bank account.
We live on an 18 acre hobby horse farm. Ranges to any undesirable critter is not long.
I once used a 300 BO AR-15 to dispatch a rabid skunk. I’d been sighting it in earlier in the day and it was handy. It worked once I remembered the sight to bore offset.
We have a Remington 870 with an adjustable AR style adjustable carbine stock. My wife is 5’-2” and I’m near 6’ so the gun can be used by either.
Most critter shots around here are within shot gun ranges with reduced collateral damage down range. The shot gun allows for point shooting as opposed to aimed shooting. A bit quicker bringing the gun into battery for the shot.
Coyotes are around our farm and
We see them but we think the horses keep the coyotes away. We usually catch opossums and raccoons in a live trap and then dispatch them. Like the rabid skunk, we occasionally see a critter that is a bit whacko and needs to be put out of our misery. The shot gun works fine.
Other ranches larger than ours have more ling range needs.
I once used a 300 BO AR-15 to dispatch a rabid skunk. I’d been sighting it in earlier in the day and it was handy. It worked once I remembered the sight to bore offset.
We have a Remington 870 with an adjustable AR style adjustable carbine stock. My wife is 5’-2” and I’m near 6’ so the gun can be used by either.
Most critter shots around here are within shot gun ranges with reduced collateral damage down range. The shot gun allows for point shooting as opposed to aimed shooting. A bit quicker bringing the gun into battery for the shot.
Coyotes are around our farm and
We see them but we think the horses keep the coyotes away. We usually catch opossums and raccoons in a live trap and then dispatch them. Like the rabid skunk, we occasionally see a critter that is a bit whacko and needs to be put out of our misery. The shot gun works fine.
Other ranches larger than ours have more ling range needs.
35 Whelen
Member
adcoch1
Member
I would grab my 16" 6.5 Grendel AR-15 and do what needs done. I'd almost say my 35 whelen, but a bolt gun doesn't quite have the follow up shot capability of a good semi auto, and I'd rather double tap than worry about how many shots I have onboard. I'd be pretty content with a good sks too. More rounds on target can make up for lower energy cartridges, and the Grendel isn't too big for the light work around a farm. Mine also has night vision at the moment, so that's a fun plus for guarding the homestead..
Old Dog
Member
Mine would be my PSA-10 with a 3.5-10 Leupold on top it will kill anything and still holds 20 rounds. This is an awful choice to make because this is not the medicine when there's a raccoon or a mink in the hen house. A shotgun with a weapon mounted light is the best for that scenario.
Chuck R.
Member
Nope, not really.
The picture is pretty famous amongst FAL fans, it's from the Rhodesian Bush War, and it actually is of farmers protecting their farm. Just google Rhodesian farmers guarding their farms and see how many M1A or M14s pop up....
Back in the day I only had an 870. Down at the barn I swung over to nail one of the coons fighting over the chickens that they only ate the heads. Got him. Didn't know I used 00 buck. Till way up the drive my wife's car was leaking green stuff. Skipped on the drive way up to the radiator. I was the hero of the day.
crestoncowboy
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- Feb 22, 2011
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I hate the AR. Always have. But if I could only keep one rifle I'd likely use the AR. The AR is an unwieldy thing to hang in a rifle rack and has mags and corners and such protruding everywhere making it suck for hauling on an atv. Lol. Plus its not very purdy
I have a light weight Tika 223 I've used on whitetail deer when I didn't feel that 300 mag or 7mm RUM range was needed.. Tiny and handy. I have a 12Fv savage I use on varmint and predator. Fat heavy and accurate. I have a white oak predator 20 inch AR I use on target and occasionally carry in my truck. And I have an old Olympic non chrome lined AR with a shake awake scope and 3x magnifier ive had hanging over my bedroom exit door ive killed varmint with for years. Plus I have a few colt I use for classes and keep ready.
So for a jack of all trades rifle I guess I already use the AR and id have to stay with that.
I have a light weight Tika 223 I've used on whitetail deer when I didn't feel that 300 mag or 7mm RUM range was needed.. Tiny and handy. I have a 12Fv savage I use on varmint and predator. Fat heavy and accurate. I have a white oak predator 20 inch AR I use on target and occasionally carry in my truck. And I have an old Olympic non chrome lined AR with a shake awake scope and 3x magnifier ive had hanging over my bedroom exit door ive killed varmint with for years. Plus I have a few colt I use for classes and keep ready.
So for a jack of all trades rifle I guess I already use the AR and id have to stay with that.
crestoncowboy
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- Feb 22, 2011
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My chickens are a bit farther away than shotgun distance. When the dog barks I grab the AR and kill from the porch. Mines got an olight odin, a romeo 5 shake awake and a juliet 3x magnifier. I usually keep it loaded with 55 GR vmax bullets i loaded myself. I used to use varget but lately been using cfe223 or AR comp. Works great.
I do have a supermatic hanging with it for those flying predators that id of course never shoot to kill, only scare off since birds of prey carry a pretty large fine. Lol but id say it has 3 years of no use on it at this point.
Choctaw
Member
AR. I don't understand why some members have mentioned magazines like they're a bad thing. Magazines are generally regarded as beneficial in a fight rather than a detriment. My lever guns are for fun (target shooting and hunting). My fighting rifle is set up to win the fight and it is equipped in such a way to give me the best opportunity to do just that.
