I have a small farm and wood lot here in California. I generally carry a Smith & Wesson 442, which is a 5-shot .38 Special J-frame airweight revolver with a 1-3/8-inch barrel. The first shot is a shot cartridge followed by 125-grain Winchester silvertips. It is small, light, easy to carry so I will, accurate enough for rats and snakes at about 25 feet, and is a great pest gun for me. I am curious as to what others carry while doing their chores.

At present the two I have in the company truck are a Marlin model 60 .22 and a marlin 1894 in .44 Rem. Mag. for larger pests. I swap the .44 out sometimes for my .35 Whelen for larger pests at a little longer range, especially if I am trying to get a pig for home.

Smith and Wesson 686 7 shot 357 mag always in the tank bag of the ATV. I can keep it loaded in or on a vehicle. Also always carry a twelve gauge with assorted ammo.

Always have a daily carry piece on me of some sort as well.

S&W Model 18 for small pests. Sako 243 for larger ones. My daily carry gun is Sprinfield Ultra Compact.

Usually have my Glock 23 (.40&W) stuck somewhere and have a rifle of some sort in the truck, from .17 Remington to .470 NE.

I carry a Colt 1911 with mix of snake shot and Golden Sabers unless I'm spraying something with marker dye in it, then switch to a Ruger LCR .38 with 2 rounds of snake shot, 3 HP's. That blue dye is tough to get off of ivory grips! (We have a lot of rattlers here, hence the snake shot).
On the Gator I keep a Kimber .22-250, and sometimes also a CZ .17 HMR for skunks.
In the truck is a .22 bolt rifle, and a CZ .204.
I have killed a lot of hogs with the .17, .204, & the .22-250.

I've retired my Ruger Bearcat in favor of a S&W model 12 .38 with shot shells for these darned rattlesnakes. Both are light and slip easily into a pocket.

A Browning Challenger .22 Auto stays in the glove box of my Kawasaki Mule. Since my main adversary is armadillos, the .22 works better than a .38 with shot capsules, which would otherwise be my first choice for snakes. Of course, when you're as good as I am, the .22 does just fine for snakes.

Marlin 22WMR behind truck seat Look out garden varmints!

Taurus 431 with 200 grain cast around here. Gonna have to work up some shot loads as I am going to spend some time where "bad" snakes live/thrive later in the summer. We have snakes here at the house too, but luckily no one can remember seeing a poisonous one. One does not have to go far from here to find one though.

A bloody Ruger 10/22.

so many choices...
usually a 1911 or smith 329 in a belt holster and ruger gunsite scout in the jeep

I usually carry my Taurus judge with 410 shot in it. I mostly run into water moccasins. My carry gun is a S&W 637 Airweight with Federal Nyclads in it.

Don't have a farm so no need for a "farm gun" I guess. I have a ranch nearby so the .375 H & H gets pressed into use for a "ranch gun" at times.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

I usually carry a snub nosed S&W 5 shot 357 Magnum. I like snakes so it's not loaded with shot; it has been used mostly on groundhogs.

loud-n-boomer, I'm with you. Smith 642. First 2 are shot shells, then 3 Golden Saber.
Snakes, coyotes, lions or 2 legged varmints can all be dealt with.

Don't have a farm but work ona bud's during the summer, we keep a Ruger Mini-14 in 6.8 on the tractor and in the truck for quick shots at the yotes, and both of us carry wheel guns , she carries a K-38 with a 3" barrel loaded with home made snake shot 1,2, 3,4,5,6 loaded with 158 grain "FBI" JHP's. I carry a Colt 357 loaded up about the same way but in magunum cases

quote:

so the .375 H & H gets pressed into use for a "ranch gun" at times.

I do that from time to time also.

Don't have a farm, but a ranch. The thought of a pistol never entered my mind as the distances are too far.

Typically I grab whatever rifle happens to be sighted in and I have ammo for. Varies from a CZ 17 HMR, Rem LVSF 22-250 or various 270's I own.

Rimfires and shotguns are only legal at night when doing raccoon/predator control, so they get the nod.

a 3 inch smith and wesson 44 mag.

S&W Governor. I alternate 410 shot shells with 45 colts or 45 acp using moon clips.

I carry a S&W 66 with the first 4 snake shot & the next 2 solids. Our by the door gun is a Savage 24J in 22 & 20 ga.

I don't really have a farm. But on my small patch of land in the woods, I usually carry my mini 14 in 223. I just upsized a little recently to a ranch rifle in 6.8 spc in case I run in to a large hog.

I carry a 6 Ackley, 90% of the time and a 220 Swift 9% of the time.

I keep a Marlin 17HMR and a Browning A-bolt 204 in the truck with 3 pistols; a Browning Buckmark Bullseye .22, a S&W 57 6" .41, and a Beretta 96 SS .40 in a paddle holster just in case I go to town. And yes they are all loaded and ready to go. The lineup changes during open hunting seasons a little. It suprises most folks just how much you get to use 'em when you keep one with ya.

God Bless, Louis

For years and years it has been one of two Remington ADL bolt guns wearing plastic stocks with VariX II 3x9x40's just alike.

I just picked up my new truck gun that will set the tone for years to come in my truck

AR15 5.56 30 round mag with a T1 Micro red dot....let it rain

The time the mangy coyote with the broken
hind leg went across the pasture.,
I grabbed my STW and ran out to the end of the shop
in my longjohns and house slippers.
Stopped her with a yip-yip and put her out of her misery.
When I saw the family of skunks on my ditchbank
I grabbed my pump 12, loading a handful of
goose loads as I ran the 120 yds to the ditch.
Once again in my longjohns, thou I had pulled some boots on this time.
Wife saw me and figured I had lost my last marble.
That is until she witnessed the "flying"
skunk family. I lit'em up and accounted for
4 with the 1st shot!
Picked up the other 2 with a .22 rifle,
the next couple weeks.
The 22-250 works really well on feral cats.
The "weak link" bear dog is hell on the
rabbits and rattlers.

For all occasions a S&W 329 .44 mag with a few moon clips in a shoulder holster.

More recently have also mixed in a Glock 29 in 10mm.

In the vehicle I usually have a .375 or .300. Either works great for squirrels on up...

Lately hauling an AR also.

Ruger 10/22; Savage 17HMR both are deadly and fun on sagerats. 17HMR does duty for coyote as well.

a ruger 10/22 stays in my farm truck 24/7.

When I am out on my 4 wheeler, I carry my Blaser BBF97 12 ga over 308, and my handgun of choice is either a Wilson Combat CQB Elite or a Ed Brown Special Forces Carry.

Since my recent move I've not been doing any ranch or farm duties at all, but there have been many times in the past.

Depending on the terrain, I've usually carried a scoped rifle in small caliber. Most ranches are typical western wide open type places. The 788 in .22-250 probably did more bouncing around in the truck or Jeep than any other. It was traded away well worn, and since then I've found myself usually with an AR15 w/ collapsible butt stock, or a Model 600 in .308 Win. The short barrel makes it quick to handle, and the scope easy to hit farther away. Come to think of it I havn't done to well with the AR and irons. Did better with the Mini-14 that was scoped. I'd rather beat an AR up than most anything else I have though.

I've probably shot as many 'yotes from the drivers seat with a .22-250 as I have all others combined.

ruger 10/22 factory sights. ive killed more coyotes with it up to 300yrds than any gun i own. it never leaves my side and its cheap to shoot everyday and never jams!

Now I have to add the 375 H&H
Dog and I were out irrigating the other morning at daylight when he finds a skunk....
All the guns were in the safe except the
375, which I'd been tuning on for Africa.
I remember thinking
"this is gonna wake up the neighbors"
It did but the skunk never knew it.

Try a 300 grain HP out of a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 at about 1900 FPS up a skunks bung hole at about 30 feet!!! Biggest parts I found was some of the hide and a hind leg.

SP101, 4.2 inch. First 2 are shot loads, then 3 158's. Used more for rats than snakes.

Usually have a .223AI rifle close for the coyotes as well.

I usually carry a 1911 around my house.I have a 336 in 35 Rem in the tractor.Shortened the barrel and feed tube to 16 1/4 ".

quote:

.I have a 336 in 35 Rem in the tractor.Shortened the barrel and feed tube to 16 1/4 ".

olbiker, I have one of those too! the mag tube on mine is 3/4 of the 16 1/2" barrel.
As for farm/truck guns, there is always a marlin 883 SS 22 mag on hand thats killed piles of critters. After that, whatever the mood strikes me might go along for the day.

Usually a 223 rifle, a 22LR rifle and a 12 or 20ga shotgun- need to be prepared for whaat and where something needs to be shot.