Home Defense & Live Stock Security Rifle

When I bought my Mini-14 I labeled it my coyote gun, I have yet to use it on a coyote. I still think it's about the perfect rifle for that purpose even though all the coyotes I've killed have been while deer hunting and I've used my deer rifle for them. That being said I don't live on a ranch where coyotes would be targets of opportunity, I would actually have to hunt them to use the Mini on one. I would absolutely go with a Mini as a dedicated ranch rifle. None of this is to say that a quality AR wouldn't do the job and in an M4 style rifle would probably do it very well, I just prefer the Mini to the AR. I've always been a wood and blued steel kind of guy, but I don't think you could go wrong either way.

Stu
 
I live in the country and have cows and chickens (which are coyote/fox/possum/raccoon/hawk magnets!) and my first line of defense is a dog. If I hear him getting all worked up for an extended period of time, I assume what ever is bugging him is failing to take the hint so I grab an AR (an S&W MP-15 Sport) off the rack and go see what all the ruckus is about. When I am outside working on my property riding around on the ATV and need both hands free, I carry a 1911 in a repro M3 shoulder holster.
 
Not much for the Mini 14 as it seems to vary a lot accuracy wise.

I go the S&M MP 15T. Its a good basic well done AR.
 
Stu,

I've used a mini 14 with success on coyotes and scores of pigs to numerous to count. It's been perfect for the role. Fun to blow off steam to boot.

I recently put a new fancy stock on it that has yet to prove its worth, but we will see I am sure.
 
home defense/livestock

This for me is an easy answerit is the Ruger Ranch Rifle,Mini 14-.223 North Shore Firearms in Mass,$669.00 new.I have one,it is awesome.:) Cliff
 
I've owned 3 Ruger Mini-14 rifles and will NEVER do that again. If I were you, I'd opt for an AK in .223 caliber. I'd get a scope for it to enhance overall accuracy. And if you get an AK with a folding stock, you can have a compact rifle that you can use at a minute's notice.
 
I've owned 3 Ruger Mini-14 rifles and will NEVER do that again. If I were you, I'd opt for an AK in .223 caliber. I'd get a scope for it to enhance overall accuracy. And if you get an AK with a folding stock, you can have a compact rifle that you can use at a minute's notice.
Click to expand...

Nice folding stock and accurate would be a Robinson Arms XCR.

Lot more expensive, but you can get it in 5.56, 7.62x 39 and 6.8
 
A folder is not my idea of a coyote rifle.

To go from pickup truck to dead coyote is a pretty tough order to fill. Even though I could have done it a couple of times...had I had a rifle in the truck.
 
Personally not that big of a fan of the Mini's, they just don't seem to fit me correctly. Like the feel of the AR's but can't afford as nice of one as I would like. The absolute best rifle is whatever you have with you. I tend toward bolt actions, but current beat around rifle is an NEF single shot in .223, wears a pretty basic scope, loves its 55gr handloads, and it short and light. If I happen to be somewhere on the property and have the opportunity to shoot from the truck I don't have empty cases flying around the cab. But heck I've killed them with everything from a .22 LR, to 20 ga, to 7 Mag, because that is what was handy.

I will say this. A rifle you don't feel bad about letting lay in the back seat, getting dirty, or scuffed up, tends to be around more often when you need it than a nice one you want to keep nice and leave in the gun safe.
 
Stu,

I've used a mini 14 with success on coyotes and scores of pigs to numerous to count. It's been perfect for the role. Fun to blow off steam to boot.

I recently put a new fancy stock on it that has yet to prove its worth, but we will see I am sure.
Click to expand...
I have no doubt that the Mini would do what I ask of it. My Mini and I are still getting to know each other as I've got less than 1000 rounds through it. Every year I say I'm going to start actively hunting coyotes, but after spending every free daylight hour in the woods chasing whitetails I just can't seem to get motivated to hunt coyotes. If I owned a large parcel of land and wanted to keep it coyote free my Mini-14 would be the rifle I'd select for the task. My second choice would be my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser sporter. I have absolute faith in both those rifles and either would be up to the task.

Stu
 
We live on 200 acres that I have in the Texas wildlife conservation program and spend a lot of time in my UTV (side by side ATV). depending on the prime target of the season, I have a short barreled 12 gauge for cowbirds or my Winchester 94 .30/30 for coyotes. My 1911 is available for two legged critters and rattlesnakes.

My Winchester has been around the family for a few years and I decided that I did not want it exposed to weather 24/7; the old eyes would also appreciate a scope when in coyote mode. The '94 would be 'retired' to a quick grab gun by the kitchen door for the yard 'yotes.

I liked the hype around the Ruger Scout when it came out but after thinking about my situation and not wanting to add .308 to the reloading bench I have decided on a Marlin 336SS .30/30 with a scope to be my choice for the gun 'riding shotgun' with me. The stainless steel will better take the weather and the side eject will better take the scope. It is short enough to handle quickly from the rack to the shot.

The only problem is that I have been looking for a 'pre-Remington' 336SS to no avail. I bought one for my grandson two years ago and he has offered to let me use it but I want my own.

I am not an AR fan, to me they are butt ugly. I like steel and wood as in my BAR and Mod 70 feather weight .270's.

I had not considered the Ruger Ranch Gun before reading this thread so that is now a possibility.

ADDED: I just read Chuck Hawks review of the Ruger Ranch Gun...
Bottom line...
Overpriced by about $700.00 dollars, cheap construction, poor finish, and not a particularly good shooter...

One of the poorest reviews I have seen by him...

Back to the 336SS
 
Last edited:
Go cheap and get an H&R handi-rifle, the wood stock can take a beating, and get it in 22-250, and it will put a .223 to shame.

It is a single shot, the most you are going to get at a coyote anyway! It doesn't cost much, is simple, rugged, and works! Put study and cheap glass on it and you have a low cost coyote killer I PROMISE YOU!

It is not a WAR, you do not an AR to kill wild dogs!:)

see attached photo...
 

Attachments

  • handiRifle.jpeg
    handiRifle.jpeg
    14.1 KB · Views: 19
Joe,

Nothing in that review is accurate, at the very least, a gross exaggeration.
You should not discount a ranch rifle until you have shot one. The mini 14 will always have biased detractors. Maybe there's some bad ones out there, but I haven't seen one.

Here's my wore out coyote picture, I have more but I can't upload from the fone.

attachment.php
 
OK,

Here is a, Mini14-1ea, and dead coyote-1ea.

And A bonus picture for everyones veiwing pleasure.....A gratuitous pile of dead pigs LOL, Slain by a Mini14....

I'm so ashamed to admit that I attempted to use such a vile rifle.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • mini14.jpg
    mini14.jpg
    154.1 KB · Views: 5,606
Last edited:
I used to think Hawk's word was right up there with just about anybody. That remark makes me wonder and think he has a more specific and perhaps ulterior axe to grind with Ruger. Have a friend who has used his 14 as his "Ranch Rifle" for years successfully, including yotes and a mountain lion snooping too close to his critters around his homestead. Anyway, swears by it. I'll also +1 a 94AE or Marlin .30-30, but the OP said semi-auto/.223. The 14 fills the bill perfectly IMO, and like the AR can be loaded up for bear (well maybe bad choice of term!) with higher cap mags for "serious social duty" if called upon.
 
Ranch Rifle Lotto

I guess I must have got the Ruger sucker award. Mine wasn't close enough to even call bad. It was awful. I thought it was designed to chase them off of being called again. So that is why I think there is so much blatant negativity
towards these. I did shoot one that hit a clay pigeon first round laying on the 200 yard berm. It had $600 bucks worth of rebarreling. Go figure.
 
In all honesty, you don't need a hyper accurate rifle to kill pigs....and a lot more stuff involved in killing coyotes than the actual shot. So one should get a rifle that he likes and call it good.

Interestingly enough, a clay pigeon can be shattered without a bullet coming close to it... coke cans can be sent flying also....does anyone know how?;)
 
About a year ago my ranch neighbor wanted a scope for his stainless Mini14 ranch rifle. I sold him one and he asked me to mount it and sight it in for him. I had to use his ammo, since all of mine was fireformed to my bolt gun. He had, and this is the honest truth, a pocketful of mixed ammo. So...ya go with what ya got, and I shot up most of his mixed ammo. It shot pretty good with that batch of crusted and grimed up ammo and I wondered at the time how well it'd shoot with some ammo made up with TLC. I've offered to make some handloads and find out, which I'll admit is my thinly veiled attempt to get him to let me shoot it some more. I really did like the rifle. It had a nice trigger - much better than I was expecting. The darn guy won't bring it back over, since he's been blasting coyotes. He keeps the rifle firmly jammed between the passenger seat and the console in his truck. I really do think that's about the perfect ranch rifle. I'd buy one if I could find any possible justification that I think my wife would believe.
 
I begged inscesantly until she bought it to shut me up.... out of spite I think. Any way, I finally won....I think. When the weather is bad, she forces me to go hunting....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top