Rifle, Shotgun or Pistol: Which Gun for Rural Property?

Start with the job, not the gun

A farm gun is a tool. Before you pick one, make a list of what has actually gone wrong on your land in the past year. Rats in the feed room? A copperhead by the woodpile? Coyotes circling the lambing pen at dusk? Raccoons in the henhouse? Each of those is a different shot at a different distance, with a different backstop.

The three families of guns each solve a different slice of that list. This is an editorial reference drawn from published specifications and common practice among landowners. It is not a substitute for your state's wildlife rules, which decide what you may shoot and when.

The job matrix

Notice that one gun rarely covers the whole list. That's not a sales pitch for buying three; it's a nudge to buy for your biggest problem first.

Three common property profiles

Most landowners fall into one of a few patterns. Find yours, and the buying order gets obvious.

The homestead: a few acres, a garden and chickens

Your problems are close and small: rats, snakes, raccoons, the odd possum. Shots happen near buildings, so backstops and ricochets are the real concern. A .22 LR rifle plus a 20 gauge pump covers nearly everything. You likely don't need a centerfire rifle at all unless coyotes start showing up.

The livestock place: pasture, fences and animals worth protecting

Now the distances open up. Coyotes or feral dogs testing the fence line at dawn are a common worry. A scoped .223 is the main tool, with a 12 gauge pump for close work around pens and barns. A rimfire still earns its keep for the small stuff.

The weekend place: rural land you visit, not live on

Here, storage and transport matter as much as the gun. If guns stay on the property while you're gone, you need a proper safe and a plan for break-ins. If they travel with you, a case and an unloaded, locked routine in the vehicle. A single versatile shotgun or a takedown .22 often makes more sense than a full rack.

The rimfire rifle: first and most-used

If you only buy one gun for a small property, a .22 rifle is often the one that gets used most. Ammunition is inexpensive, recoil is negligible, and the report is mild compared with centerfire. It handles most barn and garden pests.

The .22 WMR (.22 Magnum) steps up for groundhog-size animals and slightly longer shots, at higher ammo cost. A bolt-action rimfire like the Ruger American Rimfire in .22 LR is a sensible starting point, and the same line is listed in .17 HMR for flatter-shooting field work. Stock up on .22 WMR ammo if you go that route, since it can be harder to find than .22 LR.

Trade-offs: A .22 is not a coyote gun beyond close range, and a .22 bullet can travel a long way. Shooting around barns means thinking hard about ricochets off concrete, steel and water.

The shotgun: closest thing to a farm default

For close jobs, a shotgun is hard to beat. Snakes, pests in tall grass and anything moving fast at short range are easier to hit with a pattern of shot than a single bullet. With the right shells, the same gun can do birds, small game and, with slugs and a suitable barrel, deer where legal.

The pump action is the classic farm choice: simple, tolerant of dirt and cheap to keep running. The Mossberg 500 has been made since 1961, and Wikipedia notes it comes in 12 gauge, 20 gauge and .410. The Mossberg 500 All Purpose Field 12 gauge is listed with a 28-inch vent-rib barrel and Full, Modified and Improved Cylinder chokes. For pest work right around buildings, a .410 Mossberg 500 is lighter and gentler.

Which gauge?

• 12 gauge: widest choice of loads, from light birdshot to buckshot and slugs. Pick it if one shotgun has to do everything.
• 20 gauge: lighter, softer, still plenty for snakes and most pests. Good for smaller adults and shared farm guns.
• .410: great for snakes and rats at very close range, but it holds little shot and is less forgiving.

For larger predators at close range, landowners often keep a few rounds of 12 gauge buckshot (00 buck is the most common size) alongside their birdshot. Keep the two clearly separated and labeled so you know what's in the gun.

Trade-offs: A shotgun is short-ranged by design. Coyotes that hang at the far edge of a pasture are rifle problems.

The centerfire rifle: for predators at distance

When predators are taking chickens, lambs or calves, the shot is often across a field at dawn or dusk. That calls for a centerfire rifle with a scope. The .223 Remington is a long-time favorite for coyotes: it shoots flat, recoils little and ammo is easy to find. Larger cartridges work too, with more recoil and cost.

The Ruger Mini-14 owes its farm reputation to the Ranch Rifle version. Wikipedia says the Mini-14 was introduced in 1973 and the Ranch Rifle, with an integral scope base and factory rings, followed in 1982. The Mini-14 Ranch in hardwood and blued steel is listed with an 18.5-inch barrel and 1:9 twist. A bolt-action .223 does the same job, often with better precision for less money; see our bolt vs semi-auto guide. Either way, feed it .223/5.56 ammo it groups well with, and zero it before you need it.

Trade-offs: Centerfire bullets travel a very long way. Don't shoot unless you have a safe backstop, and know where neighbors, roads and livestock are. If a building, road or house is anywhere in the line of fire, don't take the shot.

The handgun: the one you actually carry

Long guns are better tools for almost every job on the matrix. The handgun's one advantage is that it's on your hip when you need it and the rifle is in the house. That's why so many landowners carry one while fencing, haying or checking stock.

The catch is skill. A handgun is far harder to shoot accurately than a rifle or shotgun, especially at anything that moves. If you carry one, practice regularly, use a good holster that covers the trigger, and be realistic about its range. Many owners choose a .22 or a revolver that can fire snake shot for pest duty, or a centerfire pistol they already shoot well. Revolvers get deeper coverage at our sister site, wheelguns.co.

A secure holster matters more on a farm than in town, because you'll bend, climb and kneel all day.

Safety on open land

Rural shooting feels safer than it is. Open land invites long shots, and long shots invite mistakes.

1. Know your backstop. Every shot needs a safe stop behind it: earth, not sky, not water, not rock.
2. Know your neighbors. Bullets cross property lines. Know where houses, roads, livestock and workers are.
3. Know the law. Many states treat coyotes and certain pests differently from game animals, and some counties limit discharge near homes. Check your state wildlife agency.
4. Treat every gun as loaded, and unload long guns before you bring them into vehicles or buildings.
5. Store guns locked, especially with kids, farmhands or visitors around. A gun leaning in the barn corner is a gun anyone can pick up.

What to buy first

If you'd rather keep a rifle in the truck, our truck gun guide covers stowage, and the all-purpose shotgun guide explains how one shotgun can wear several hats.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications, retailer listings and published sources. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and the law where you live.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links to Ammunition Depot. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial choices are not influenced by commissions. Check current price, stock and specifications directly with the retailer.