Question about farm guns?

[mowin]

As others have stated, most predators will be raccoons, but the OP post mentions concern for larger animals like coyotes. You are unlikely to get in pistol range of either unless they are either rabid or trapped.

So you want one firearm that can be used to dispatch both. I'd suggest either a 20 gauge shotgun or an AR15 with a CMMG conversion bolt.

A 20 gauge shotgun (as WingItRanch suggested) will have low recoil, aiming isn't hard due to shot spread, and you can change shot size to make it suitable for different targets. Price is cheap, you can buy a brand new single shot 20 gauge for $150, a pump-action for ~$250, or a double barrel for ~$450. Buying used it will be even cheaper.

AR15 is an option. Chambered in .223/5.56, it will effectively take down a coyote but will be overkill for smaller animals like raccoons. However, the bullet diameter of 5.56 and 22lr is the same and CMMG makes a conversion bolt that allows you to swap between 5.56 and .22lr in just a few seconds. Price varies, you can buy a completed upper and completed lower separately and have a rifle for ~$350 or less, and the conversion bolt is an additional $200 new.

Since you "never liked guns" I'd recommend a simple 20 gauge single shot with a couple boxes of 00 buck and slugs. It will be the cheapest option and easiest to maintain and clear. Practice safely, with a knowledgeable friend or instructor if you can. If you practice at home make sure you have a suitable backstop.

While the.22LR and 5.56 have the same diameter, that's the only similarity. The 5. 56 has about 3x's the velocity of the.22lr. more recoil, and much louder report.

A .22 rifle will be the least expensive to purchase, and to shoot compared to the 20g. Again, .22lr has much less recoil and report then the 20g. For coons, possum, I wouldn't want to use bird shot, unless really close, and I wouldn't want to use buckshot to to the mess it would make to the critter. Wouldn't shoot a coon on my coop with buckshot as I'm only going to damage my coop do to number of projectiles buckshot tosses out, compared to the single projectile of the .22, which I'd gladly use on a critter that is on my coop.

Is a .22 great for fox and coyote, no. But it will kill them. I've killed coons, opossum, fox Coyote out to 60+ yrds with a .22. not doing that with a 20g shooting buckshot. Slugs, absolutely, but loud and much more expensive to shoot.

 

[HenHangout]

While the.22LR and 5.56 have the same diameter, that's the only similarity. The 5. 56 has about 3x's the velocity of the.22lr. more recoil, and much louder report.

I know... My suggestion was because the typical AR15 is capable of firing multiple calibers with a quick-to-install modification (conversion bolt) making it suitable for both small and large game at a distance. I didn't even mention the obvious that the platform is like legos and you can have dozens of calibers suitable for different targets and simply change the upper in seconds and still technically have 'one gun'.

Like, if I wanted a versatile handgun for 'pest control' I'd get a Taurus Raging Judge, capable of firing .410 shotshells, .45 Schofield, .45 Colt and .454 Casull. But my only problems realistically is raccoons I catch so I just use a 22lr pistol.

But even with shotguns, you can go on ebay and type in X gauge to Y adapter and you'll find options to let your single shot (or double barrel) shotgun fire everything from 45ACP to 17hmr

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I'd have to agree with wing it ranch, 20ga has a manageable recoil and range is limited if you have neighbors plus there are a wide range of loads from bird shot, buck shot and rifled slugs. Go to your local gun store and talk to some one. One thing to keep in mind is that a longer sight plane of a long gun can give you better accuracy. I have dispatched "varmits" with pistols, revolvers, rifles and shotguns over the past 60 some yrs and most with the shot gun. Keeping in mind my closest neighbor is a 1/4 mile down the road.

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

You have a list of hypotheticals. Farm life is like anything else, you can choose to live pro-actively or reactively. I am a hippie with both a pistol and a rifle. But I'm pro-active, my farm is predator proof. So guess what gathers dust year after year....

I would like your advice on how to predator-proof a 35 acre farm so I can start collecting dust on my firearms. Not being sarcastic. If I won the lottery, I would put up 8' chain link around the entire property. That being said, don't have that kind of money.

 

[JimnRuth]

My wife likes to use a BB gun on hawks and critters. I don't think she can hit them, but it scares them away. Also got her a can of bear repellant just in case. Useful for 2 legged predators as well.

A lot of good advise. Main thing is to practice with you gun so you get used to how it operates. It should be second nature to handle it. You don't want to try to figure out how to undo the safety while a chicken is being carried off.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I would like your advice on how to predator-proof a 35 acre farm so I can start collecting dust on my firearms. Not being sarcastic. If I won the lottery, I would put up 8' chain link around the entire property. That being said, don't have that kind of money.

It's not about acreage.... I live adjacent to Mt. Hood Nati'l Forest with no fence between us... so it's safe to say that I'm dealing with 1million acres.... But I lock my animals up securely at night; I have large dogs; lights on my coop; etc. etc. the list goes on and that's what I mean by predator proofing but I don't know what all animal species you're trying to protect.