what is your front door gun

[rjmt]

the other night, a cat got our large female goose - took it right from in front of our porch at 9:30 at night, but under a spotlight
Daddy goose ran up onto the porch and screamed at our front door to alert us
my son and I ran into the yard to try to find her and he saw a cat dragging her off through the orchard
when he yelled the cat dropped the bird, but only back off about 15' and watched us
it's been years since we had an animal attack in our fenced yard, so I had become complacent and all the rifles were put away
it was obvious I couldn't use anything high powered since my neighbor barn was behind the cat
and it was hiding between the trees in the orchard, so a shotgun would have destroyed an apple tree
grabbed a 10/22, but this one had a 2x7 scope on it - I found this was totally useless at night at 25 yrds
I just blasted the 10 rnd mag in it's general direction and it took off - I didn't find a blood trail

so as of the next morning, I put this together for the front door - a custom built Ruger 10/22
note the M1 carbine style wooden stock
Tony Kidd internals, bolt, trigger, mag retainer and buffer
scope is a 30mm Bushnell Holographic 1X with Red for day and green for night
loaded with CCI Mini Mag hollow points - they deliver 125 lbs of muzzle energy, which is enough for racoons, coyotes and cats

what do you keep at your front door for predators - 4 legged or 2

and I was able to get 4 new gosling to keep Daddy bird company
you may know, geese mate for life and he spent the next day wandering the yard calling for her, but at least he has company now

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[Certaindeaf]

12 ga loaded with slugs. Buckshot in the sidesaddle. Screw trees.

 

[rjmt]

12 ga loaded with slugs. Buckshot in the sidesaddle. Screw trees.

not when we grow apples for food - we have a self sufficient hobby farm
it take 7 years to get apples off a new tree

 

[Certaindeaf]

not when we grow apples for food - we have a self sufficient hobby farm
it take 7 years to get apples off a new tree

Hope you have a lot of geese.

 

[rjmt]

Hope you have a lot of geese.

just 5 now
we've had some live over 20 years, but Daddy bird was the last one hatched here 10 years ago
an Emden/African cross, he weighs almost 30 lbs and has a 6' wingspan
no predator has ever attacked him and even humans back off when he gets aggressive

 

[DirectDrive]

not when we grow apples for food - we have a self sufficient hobby farm
it take 7 years to get apples off a new tree

You would have been better of with a shotgun.
If it ever happens again, in all the chaos and darkness you will have to be extremely accurate with that .22 rifle.
I would want a 12 gauge with probably #2 shot (or perhaps BB).
40 yards....try to be inside of 40 yards, but you can kill at 50 yards as long as you are using heavy shot as listed above.

Throw watermelons, not peas.

 

[The Heretic]

Front door gun:


Now the gun by my bed:

 

[Alexx1401]

My PC9mm sits just out of site at front door. Only time it moves from there is if we are leaving the house or it's going to the range. Of course were I live can't use it on 4 legged pests. For those who can't use a firearm but have some space those "Riot Balls" for a paint ball marker may deter. I bought some for the old marker Wife had. Playing with them in the garage the damn things look like they would sure persuade 4 legged pests to leave quick.

 

[rjmt]

You would have been better of with a shotgun.
If it ever happens again, in all the chaos and darkness you will have to be extremely accurate with that .22 rifle.
I would want a 12 gauge with probably #2 shot (or perhaps BB).
40 yards....try to be inside of 40 yards, but you can kill at 50 yards as long as you are using heavy shot as listed above.

Throw watermelons, not peas.

we have practiced with the Ruger at night, with it's 30mm holographic site on green setting, one can see faily well with our LED spot lights out to 50 yrds
we could see the cats eyes shining in the orchard and if I had a holo sight that night I could have put a .22 right between those glowing globes

 

[Rkangel]

Personally I would like a moat with alligators (or sharks with lasers attached to their heads), a draw bridge, concrete walls, and turrets. But I can't seem to get the building permits. So I guess I'll have to go with a knife and a 9mm.

 

[ma96782]

For me......
I have no guns by the front door.

BUT......
My handgun is kept close by to where I can be usually found (sitting in my favorite chair, while watching TV). If someone comes knocking (whom I didn't expect) I can easily retrieve the handgun and answer the door with a smile and the "hidden 9mm".

BUT......
I must also admit that in my neighborhood the "problems" I face, are more of the two-legged variety.

Aloha, Mark

 

[TTSX]

not when we grow apples for food - we have a self sufficient hobby farm
it take 7 years to get apples off a new tree

I agree with protecting the apple tree, however I do want to point out that I have 2 apples growing on one of mine and it's only been in the ground 2 seasons. About 1.5 years. There are exceptions to every rule. Sorry about the goose. Sucks you didn't kill the cat right back, it will probably return at some point for an easy meal. Lost many a chicken this way until it turned out a bear was the culprit once finally caught in the act. It was shot many times with a .270, at least one right in the dome

 

[Gbirk]

.22 cal break barrel pellet gun with a real weapon light on the front. Pressure pad and all. Not much good for problems with 2 legs, but I live in the subburbs, so this is just used for quietly dealing with rats and such in the back yard. It will deal with a cat with good shot placement, but probably not at 40 yards.

 

[rjmt]

I agree with protecting the apple tree, however I do want to point out that I have 2 apples growing on one of mine and it's only been in the ground 2 seasons. About 1.5 years. There are exceptions to every rule. Sorry about the goose. Sucks you didn't kill the cat right back, it will probably return at some point for an easy meal. Lost many a chicken this way until it turned out a bear was the culprit once finally caught in the act. It was shot many times with a .270, at least one right in the dome

semi dwarf apple trees can produce in a couple of years, but full size usually take longer

here is the rifle I originally built for night predators, with a weapons light and LPVO scope

but a 5.56 is overkill for a 25 lbs cat

I'll probably modify the Ruger to get this weapons light on it

 

[Certaindeaf]

The thing is, if you have multiple $1k guns, you can afford a sack a apples.

 

[Longwalkhome]

Really good long time friend lived on a big farm and kept a 410 single shot behind his chair. He died 15 years ago and I bought the gun from his family.

I don't keep it ready but every time I handle it I get some good memories.

 

[rjmt]

The thing is, if you have multiple $1k guns, you can afford a sack a apples.

I take it you've never tasted apples fresh off the tree, you would never buy apples again

also, we have Wolf River Apple trees - each apple weighs a pound - you can make a full apple pie from each apple

Wolf River Story

When apple experts and aficionados gather together and start talking about really large apples their conversations will invariably open with discussion

bighorsecreekfarm.com

 

[OldTengu]

Whatever I have on me. After bedtime it's an 870.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I take it you've never tasted apples fresh off the tree, you would never buy apples again

also, we have Wolf River Apple trees - each apple weighs a pound - you can make a full apple pie from each apple

Wolf River Story

When apple experts and aficionados gather together and start talking about really large apples their conversations will invariably open with discussion

bighorsecreekfarm.com

Yea, I've eaten an apple and that's precious.

 

[DirectDrive]

Yea, I've eaten an apple and that's precious.

Tread lightly.
Apple lives matter.

Pro Tip :
When driving on a long haul and feeling sleepy....
Eat an apple.
It will snap you right out of it.
Try it.

Cosmic Crisp for the win.