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Im going to retire to the mid-west, I found a 336 in 30-30 in a pawn shop for a good price. Its a 1949-waffle top build. The finish is 3/4 worn, the front sight hood is gone and the rear site has bee buggered up for years. I want it for my ranch/farm gun but the sights suck. Im thinking of having it drilled for a 1913 rail on top of the receiver to mount a red dot or something. Its not that special of a gun, its been worn hard and put away wet for years. Why not update it a bit.
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Quoted: I'm just not a fan of ARs for carry use. View Quote I mean I get it if you are concerned about potential legal liabilities. Otherwise, what’s not to like about a compact, light weight, accurate, ergonomic, relatively light recoiling gun with a durable, weather resistant finish for carry use? Especially now that they can be had so affordably? Way back in the day I probably would have suggested an SKS or MAK-90 or less back in the day a Saiga 7.62x39 when they and the ammo for them could be had so cheap. Beyond that, a basic lever action in 30-30. |
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Ranch rifle is a wide open question. I think a AR would be on the list .22LR or a good pellet gun.
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Quoted: Quoted: Plus, .22 is easy on the tinnitus if forced to shoot fast without fumbling for ear pro. A can lives on mine. I could afford cans, but don't own one out of pure spite. The government should not require such a bullshit gauntlet in acquiring one. They are just mufflers. The inverse is a citation for NOT having one on your car. Despotic clown world. |
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If I had a ranch, I'd probably have a 20" AR with a reasonably good optic and bipod on it stoked with some good 55gr 5.56 in my SbS.
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Quoted: @Fugitive I just wanted to acknowledge that a 760/7600 would be a fine choice. It's like an 870 that shoots farther. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: A Remington 760/7600 is pretty handy. You pick your caliber for expected critters. @Fugitive I just wanted to acknowledge that a 760/7600 would be a fine choice. It's like an 870 that shoots farther. |
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I wish someone made a 16" threaded, folding stock, manually operated .22 mag, a pump with a Ruger 9 round box mag or even a tube.
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If I were to ignore your instructions, an AR.
As asked, probably a traditional .44 lever-action (unless circumstances dictate a .30-30, which they usually don'taround here). Capable with magnums, soft-shooting with specials, and more capable with shotshells than comparable smaller rounds. I have several .44 levers and really do like them. |
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S&W MP22 compact pistol on the hip: general small critter getter. Quiet and cheap.
Ruger Mini Thirty: Rugged and cheap to shoot. 7.62x39 is big enough to handle most anything else that needs shootin'; protection from larger varmints, both 4 legged and 2 legged. |
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Remington 7615
Or Stoner 63 you know since antifa is gonna go protest rural areas. |
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Howa had a Ranchland Compact that came with an EGW rail and a #1 contour barrel at 20”. I bought one in .3-oh-sucks and it’s pretty handy and light weight. I ditched the rail and put Burris XTR bases on it with a Zeiss V4 1-4 and swapped the stock for the youth model LOP.
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I farm not ranch but do have livestock. Farm truck has a 10/22 in it that goes in the tractor or combine always. Gator has a Mossy 500 with a 28" tube. Shop has rifles in it for whoever need one (old school MilSurp cutdowns in 303 or 06). Weapons depend on factors like acreage, livestock, location, employees and predators. You're not going to use a rifle "in" town. Shooting a tossed dog (dumped pit) chasing your fowl take skill, not a 12g with 7 or OO shot. Crop permits are real. Shooting 50-100 dear a season is the norm now.
There is no one rifle. One day your shooting crop permits with your fancy LaRue .260 at 800M over beans. The next your shooting reds with old Sears .243, then before supper crows with a .410 bore. |
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In my side by side I have a 12 Gauge pump, .17 HMR rifle and a .45 colt single action.
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My grandpa used a 336 30-30 all his life on the farm. He had only good things to say about it. I can’t even imagine how many things that gun killed
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Quoted: I farm not ranch but do have livestock. Farm truck has a 10/22 in it that goes in the tractor or combine always. Gator has a Mossy 500 with a 28" tube. Shop has rifles in it for whoever need one (old school MilSurp cutdowns in 303 or 06). Weapons depend on factors like acreage, livestock, location, employees and predators. You're not going to use a rifle "in" town. Shooting a tossed dog (dumped pit) chasing your fowl take skill, not a 12g with 7 or OO shot. Crop permits are real. Shooting 50-100 dear a season is the norm now. There is no one rifle. One day your shooting crop permits with your fancy LaRue .260 at 800M over beans. The next your shooting reds with old Sears .243, then before supper crows with a .410 bore. View Quote Finally. Someone with experience. Also. ^ rookie numbers |
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I would normally put some type of AR to work for most anything but since the OP asked what besides AR I guess I would grab some lever gun. I own 22 ,357 , 44mag ,30/30 , 375win and 45/70 so I guess I have all bases covered.
The thing is most lever guns are getting pretty pricey and most of the stuff folks think of as ranch/farm use tends to beat the shit out of them. I suppose I might grab $300-$400 out of the stash and hit up a bunch of gun stores and see what they have in their used racks . Pains me to beat the crap out of a nice gun when there always seems to be some ratty old cosmetically challenged old hunting rifle or shotgun up for sale. |
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Quoted: Just picked up a plane jane Henry H001 and pondered this question. GO! View Quote Definitely not a .22Lr. The most used firearm we have (for work not recreation) is a Ruger American (Predator?) In .17 HMR. The 2nd is 100% a scoped AR..... We own 100+ acres run horses, livestock and do hay. The .17 hmr is a daily companion without question. |
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SBR'd PTR 91 8.5" barrel .308. If you need it at night you have a built in flashlight.
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The Henry H001 I bought sucked. Keyholed everything right out of the box. Sent it back and they rebarreled it. Sent it back to me looking like a 15 year old with oversized screw drivers reassembled the thing. Sent them pictures and they sent me out a new receiver cover, all new screws, barrel band, etc. Put it back together and am now looking to just sell it. Stupid.
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Ignoring your instructions. 1200 acre lease. When not in the deer stand it's modified M16A4 w/ sling, light, and 1-6. Although exceptionally accurate with MK 262, I usually keep it loaded with 55g 5.56 IMI. Old lots of the fast stuff. Thing will down anything i'm going to see in central TX. Switched my MK 262 to my socom.
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I use a base AR with irons or a 590 depending on what needs to be done.
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The guns I actually use most is a 10/22 and one of several shotguns in 20 or 12 gauge with bird buck and slugs.
I usually kill dozen varmints a year. Mostly rats and coons. My favorite center fire rifle to carry all day is a CZ 527 in 762x39. I’ve been thinking of adding a 9mm PCC into my more regularly used varmint control rotation. My main concern is ricochets, I am being surrounded by houses. 15 years ago my EDC was an AK or FAL. |
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Quoted: Not mine, but yeah, something like this would be my ranch gun. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/88366/OIP_fCzSHjM9m52bVJuSRHK-igHaFp-2430731.jpg View Quote I have one and love it. I have zero interest in toting it around all day doing farm/landowner shit unless I'm being overrun by retarded bears. Ammo supply aside, I think a side-folder AKM in 5.45 would be ideal unless the terrain/critters dictated the need for more reach. |
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I grew up on a ranch. The standard grab and shoot something off the porch was an M1A. The rifle carried in the Mule for checking fences and stuff was either a .30-30 which was always mounted in the Mule or an AR (usually a carbine with iron sights) in the lap. That combo never failed us. Good times and I wish I had them back.
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Quoted: Just picked up a plane jane Henry H001 and pondered this question. GO! View Quote m1 garand or mosin |
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AK underfolder, 30rd mags, and compact. At least back when they were cheap.
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