Hunting Equipment | Hunting Supplies

I need a good reliable gun for my everyday ranch rounds?

I have a 900+ acre ranch and I need a good reliable rifle and or shotgun and handgun/revolver. I will be shooting and protecting my cattle from bear cougar deer moose cyote wolf grizzly and mabye cattlerustlers. I thought mabye the ruger mini 30 ranch rifle or mini 14. I live in alberta Canada close to the Montana border

The Ruger Mini 14/30 are excellent rifles as far as accuracy and reliability, but for your purposes, underpowered. Except for the caliber, they are the same rifle-a carbine version of the M14. The Mini 14 is chambered for the .223 Remington and is at best suitable for wolf or coyote. Many U.S. states prohibit its use on deer. The Mini 30 fares somewhat better, being chambered for the 7.62x39 (sometimes referred to as the .30 Russian Short) which is the approximate ballistic equivalent to the .30/30 Winchester. This round does well on deer sized game at reasonable (200meters) range. Were I in your position, my primary focus would be Mama Grizz. I would consider a bolt action (for reliability) chambered for one of the .300 Magnums, the .338 Winchester Magnum, the .340 Weatherby, the .35 Whelen. or other caliber with similar ballistics. Another good choice would be a Marlin .45/70 lever action. Not a long range round, but very effective at 50-75 meters. Much is made of the recoil of such rounds, but this should not be a concern. Muzzle brakes mitigate the recoil to an acceptable degree, proficiency with your firearm will do the rest. The larger magazine capacity of a semi-auto is of no benefit in a bear encounter. You are highly unlikely to get more than 4-5 coarsely aimed rounds off (if you're lucky) before one of you is dead. You need to make sure the round you shoot is effective. The Mini 14/30 simply does not have the terminal performance to RELIABLY penetrate the dense muscle/bone of of a large bear and drop it before it gets to you.

Bringing human intruders into the equation doesn't change your requirements for a rifle. You will be defending your person and property and you have the "Home Field"advantage. A few rounds directed at intruders will usually discourage them and they will leave. If not, deliberate, aimed fire is required-not volley fire. Before deciding on what tactics to use in this situation, consult a good criminal lawyer. You can survive the encounter, but loose it all at your trial. At close (30 meters) range, a good 12 gauge pump shotgun loaded with buckshot is the most effective. I prefer the Mossberg, but there are other fine makers as well. As far as a pistol, a 1911 in 10mm (better penetration than the .45ACP).

I strongly suggest you consider obtaining at least one well bred working dog as a personal companion, apart from any Stock Dogs you may have. For such uses I prefer Working Line (police/military) German Shepherd Dogs. They are not inexpensive (pups are $1500-$3000), and of course, must be well trained. My wife and I currently have two, and I assure you that nothing can come within 50 meters of me without me knowing.

Ruger Mini-14: Homestead Defender Pt 1

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BSA 4X32 Rifle Scope with Rings and 50-Yard Parallax $28.99 BSA Special Series 4x32 mm Rimfire Rifle Scope puts affordable precision within reach! Surprisingly clear fully-coated optics, 3 1/2 inches of eye relief and a rugged design in a Rimfire Scope with everything you need, nothing you don't: 4X magnification, compact 32 mm objective size; Fully-coated optics for solid contrast and clarity; 100% waterproof / fogproof / shockproof; Comfortable 3 1/2" ey...

Bushnell Trophy 1x28 Red/Green Dot Rifle Scope 4 Interchangeable Reticle $98.42 Part of the Bushnell Trophy riflescope series, this 1x28 scope (model 73-0135) is a great choice for hunting in all conditions. The multi-coated, high-contrast Amber-Bright optics provide increased brightness for low-light hunting at dawn or dusk and can help quickly distinguish between a brown tree and a brown critter. It displays a green dot for low light and red dot for bright light. Other feat...