Single farm gun recommendations

[canoetrpr]

I am pondering doing my safety certification for non restricted and restricted firearms so that I can have a gun around the farm. I have not felt the absolute need for one but think it might be worthwhile to have around for a few reasons:

- Emergency euthanasia of an animal if the vet cannot get here in time. I have a hobby herd (13 animals) of Galloway cattle. I'd never want to see one of my animals suffering if their time was up.

- A sense of security against an intruder - don't believe this is particularly necessary but when you are living in a rural area it might be helpful.

- While I don't plan to shoot pests (don't like killing things except for food), a situation might arise when I need to do that if something threats my livestock or family.

- I've pondered taking up skeet / clay pigeon shooting as a hobby and trying out hunting fowl or deer. We have a lot of wild turkeys around here. Might be a fun family hobby thing to do with my boys as they get older.

Long arms in Canada are considered non restricted firearms. Handguns are restricted. Both can be owned provided you take the courses and get a license. Handguns can basically only be transported from your home to a gun club for shooting practice (and a carrying permit to transport them unloaded is required). In the house I believe both have to be stored separate from the ammo.

My first instinct was that a 0.22 caliber rifle might be a good option for many things. However I would need something higher caliber to safely euthanize a cow or bull and I didn't think it would be useful for hunting if I decided to take it up. The other option I thought about was a 12 gauge shotgun. I believe different barrel lengths and chokes can be interchanged for different things. It could be stored in the house setup for a defensive type of use - buckshot / slugs? and could be adapted to whatever other thing was being considered.

I have no idea if a shotgun is something that I would want to use to euthanize an animal but I think I read somewhere that emergency euthanization of cattle can be done with buckshot to the forehead. I imagine the same shotgun could be used for skeet/clay-pigeon along with fowl hunting and perhaps deer hunting?

I don't know much about this stuff and I intend to go about this the right way by taking the appropriate courses, finding a gun club / range to get instruction. Thought I'd start by getting your input.

 

[creekbend]

Remington 870 pump shotgun and a Smith & Weston 357 cal revolver. There are so many different types and brands of guns. One important thing to consider is to purchase the weapon that you are most comfortable with. You will get many different and varied answers to your question. There was a comparable thread started here on TBN not long ago. Everyone has a favorite and guns are like tools. That is why there are so many different kinds of tools. Each was has a specific purpose and some are for smaller tasks and some are for larger tasks. Just a comparison.

 

[k0ua]

If I just had to have only 1 I guess it would be a 12 gauge pump-gun. Yes interchangeble chokes would be nice, but a 12 guage with a modified fixed choke would be my cheap choice. A good Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 or Winchester 1300 or many other similiar guns. BUT.. why not get the 12 gauge and the .22 rifle, Now you are set up for small pests and hunting of small game along with the power and versatility of the 12 gauge. Yes 00 buckshot for the 12 gauge for home defense and dispatching a cow or slugs for the cow. Shot for hunting, size depending on what you are hunting, and 9 or 8's up to 7 1/2 for clay games. A shotgun is the most versatile gun on earth, as you can put different shells in it in a couple of seconds and go from hunting little birds to keeping a grizzly off of you. You can also get a "slugger" barrel that is rifled and will have sights on it for more accurate hunting of larger game. ( closer range of course) vs. a high powered rifle. But a good .22 rifle. ( I like the Ruger 10-22 myself) is also very versatile. I would get both if you can swing it. After we get these, then we can get you set up with all the other guns you "need"

James K0UA

 

[RoyJackson]

Remington 870 pump shotgun and a Smith & Weston 357 cal revolver.

The OP is Canadian...handguns are probably not an option.

I also suggest a 12 gage (pump) shotgun...about as all around firearm as one can get.

 

[Bigfoot62]

. . . so that I can have a gun around the farm.

- Emergency euthanasia of an animal if the vet cannot get here in time. . .

- A sense of security against an intruder . . .

- pests (varmints) . . . a situation might arise when I need to do that if something threats my livestock or family.

- I've pondered taking up skeet / clay pigeon shooting as a hobby and trying out hunting fowl or deer. . .

Guns on the farm are a GREAT idea. Don't know what I would do without mine.

For the four possiblities you listed, my suggestion is:
Bolt action rifle in .22wmr (.22 magnum)

12 gauge shotgun. Semi-auto or pump action.

The .22wmr is a great varmint gun.

12 gauge again. Probably the semi-auto is best.

Here's the two guns that I would suggest, if I had to narrow it down to just two:
Ruger 77/22 magnum, stainless/synthetic
Beretta Xtrema 2 synthetic

I have both of these, and they are excellent. I consider them to be top of their class. Both guns can be carried on an ATV, or in the truck, with very little maintenance or concern about rust.

Once you begin "collecting" firearms, (a collector is someone that has more than one gun ) I would suggest a Ruger 10/22 in .22 lr, and a Ruger Single Six in .22lr/.22wmr. Both available in stainless.

 

[canoetrpr]

The OP is Canadian...handguns are probably not an option.

To my surprise, owning a handgun is actually an option - or at least it seems to be. There are two kinds of firearm licenses that you can get here. One for non-restricted firearms and the other for restricted firearms. The latter of course covers both.

Handguns are considered restricted.

I can own a handgun but I can't take it anywhere other than to a shooting range to practice (and I need a separate permit for the transport of it).

To be honest, I need to do more research to see if I was allowed to use a handgun on my property to dispatch an animal if it came to it.

I think if I were to have one it might have to be a shotgun for its versatility. Probably a very silly question but how 'messy' would it be to dispatch a large animal at close range with buckshot or a slug. I believe what is recommended here is to use a .357 calibre for this.

 

[canoetrpr]

Something I probably should state is that I am a little guy (5' 6") and minimizing recoil is probably something good given my stature.

I'm told that the gas based semi's help with the kick quite a bit and I suspect I might appreciate one if I took up shooting clay-pigeons. Although I believe they are quite a bit more than a simple pump action Mossberg 500 or Remington 870.

What do you guys think on pump action vs semi?

I also do see that there is often quite a bit of price difference between the semis that seem similar like a newbie like myself. The Remington 11-87 and Beretta Xtrema 2 are a few hundred apart. Is there something important that differentiates semis like these?

Wrt. handguns I have always admired the look of a stainless revolver. No idea how well I would shoot with it.

 

[k0ua]

I think if I were to have one it might have to be a shotgun for its versatility. Probably a very silly question but how 'messy' would it be to dispatch a large animal at close range with buckshot or a slug. I believe what is recommended here is to use a .357 calibre for this.

Well, killing of large animals is always "messy" I would choose the 12 guage and a slug for dispatching a cow over the pistol. Not that a head shot with the pistol/revolver won't do it, because it will. In fact one of the slaughter houses near here years ago did not use the electric solenoid device but used an old .22 revolver to kill all of their cattle. Brain shot of course.

James K0UA

 

[studor]

The OP is Canadian...handguns are probably not an option

.

You can buy a handgun with the proper license but shooting anything other than paper with it here is problematic -- absolutely no hunting with it and no carrying it around. A shotgun will do anything you have talked about in your post -- including putting down livestock but you might want to do it with a slug instead of buckshot. If you keep an eye peeled you can usually get a pump gun with both a slug barrel and smoothbore for a reasonable price and it will give you a lot of flexibility. I would stay away from any restricted class gun just from a practical standpoint of transport etc. If I were to be honest about which of my guns gets the most use, it is a 20 gauge single shot that is handy at the farm (following the safe storage rules of course:thumbsup and has dispatched everything from squirrels to deer. I seldom clean it and am not worried about somebody stealing it and using it in a gang shoot out. -- JMHO

 

[nybirdman]

Your number one gun as stated should be a 12gauge shot-gun,pump would be my choice for new users.Remington 870.Versatile,from bird shot to slugs.
I would not use to despach a large animal,only in a pinch with slugs.Buck shot at close range would be real messy.
Second gun;a .22 of some sort,I too like the Ruger 10/22..their price has gone up in the last few years.You may want to look at Savage bolt actions.
Ammo for both should be readily available and inexpensive.