[farmer_boy]

Hey guys,

I'm new to revolvers. I own a Glock G17, SIG P210, ... but I don't have a revolver. While working on the farm I have to protect cattle, gates, shoot sick animals and stuff. And I though a revolver is handy to have due to its reliability, accuracy and ready-to-shoot-mode. So I ask you guys: which caliber do you recommend? I don't need to have a revolver that has a destructive recoil....

 

[olhippy]

I would recommend a good .357 magnum. It has good stopping power, you can shoot .38 and .38 +P rounds if you don`t need the full .357 mag round. It will put down a sick cow, take out a coyote, and most anything around a farm. You can get snakeshot for anything that slithers. It is not uncomfortable to shoot and and is really a versitile round. And several manufacturers are making good lever action carbines in the .357. As for make, I`m partial to Ruger or S&W. Ruger makes a sweet SP101 with a 4 inch barrel that is a great outdoor carry weapon. And it is darn near indestructable. Smith and Wesson make one , a 586 model with a 4 inch barrel as well. The S&W is a little more pricey and I`m really a Ruger fan. There are some offered that are cheaper in price by other manufacturers and would probaly suffice for a good farm gun. Look around and check out different ones. That is my recommendation. Good luck. Maybe try to find a used one also as I don`t know what your budget is.

 

[deputy]

The most valuable firearm we had on the farm growing up to do all those chores you mentioned was a .22 rifle.......from coyotes, to stray dogs to rabid skunks to the regretable "coup de gras" on a downed cow.........

to go with something similar in a handgun, then i would say a single action revolver with dual cylinders in .22 LR and .22 mag. The .22 mag would be my choice to make up for the velocity loss.

First pick always has been a ruger super single six........that's gonna cost a tad. An inexpensive alternative is the Heritage Rough Rider.

Nothing wrong with your glock for such chores either.........if you are really worried about the glock's reliability or have other concerns ranging from keeping it clean to safety concerns. you can always put it in a flap holster...........the least expensive option compared to a new gun + holster.

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

..... shoot sick animals and stuff. ..

We always called the vet or doctored them ourselves. Of course the country we were in did not allow for much oversight of sick animals. They would usually get back in some stuff that you couldn't fall out of an airplane into, and die there. Buzzards were normally the first indication that something used to be sick back in there.

olhippy gave you good advice though and there's no flies on a single six either. I use both of those but lately I've been carrying the Glock. There's some other varmintry that has been coming through the place that may require more noise than the average revolver.

I've made up a pretty good little load for snakes too. I've posted it before and will again if you're interested.

Alan

 

[Win231]

Any decent quality revolver will do but......it won't be any more reliable than your Glock. In fact, under harsh conditions, a good auto is MORE reliable than a revolver. Unlike autos, revolvers have many openings where dirt, sand etc. can get into the intricate mechanism & completely jam the gun until it's disassembled & cleaned.

 

[farmer_boy]

We always called the vet or doctored them ourselves. Of course the country we were in did not allow for much oversight of sick animals. They would usually get back in some stuff that you couldn't fall out of an airplane into, and die there. Buzzards were normally the first indication that something used to be sick back in there.
Alan

Well, our problem is that the vet isn't just around the corner and we cannot bring every sick cow, wart hog, ... we find. Sometimes drastic actions are required!

 

[farmer_boy]

The most valuable firearm we had on the farm growing up to do all those chores you mentioned was a .22 rifle.......from coyotes, to stray dogs to rabid skunks to the regretable "coup de gras" on a downed cow.........

to go with something similar in a handgun, then i would say a single action revolver with dual cylinders in .22 LR and .22 mag. The .22 mag would be my choice to make up for the velocity loss.

First pick always has been a ruger super single six........that's gonna cost a tad. An inexpensive alternative is the Heritage Rough Rider.

Nothing wrong with your glock for such chores either.........if you are really worried about the glock's reliability or have other concerns ranging from keeping it clean to safety concerns. you can always put it in a flap holster...........the least expensive option compared to a new gun + holster.

We have also a .22 rimfire rifle at the ranch. But often it's hard to stop a running animal. Thoug I like the gun very well, it hasn't the effective stopping power we need.
I like the Glock aswell but carrying a revolver just crossed my mind. But thx for your advice! I will def. have a look at the Ruger!

 

[farmer_boy]

I would recommend a good .357 magnum. It has good stopping power, you can shoot .38 and .38 +P rounds if you don`t need the full .357 mag round. It will put down a sick cow, take out a coyote, and most anything around a farm. You can get snakeshot for anything that slithers. It is not uncomfortable to shoot and and is really a versitile round.

Thank you very much for that advice. That was exactly what I was looking for. Will def. get a Ruger revolver! At the local gunstore I can get cheap, used revolvers!

And several manufacturers are making good lever action carbines in the .357.

And that's a thing I haven't though about. And it makes a good point. I can easily carry a lever-action while being on the horse and a revolver in my holster! Thx again!!

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Wart Hogs?

Alan

 

[olhippy]

Wart Hogs?

Alan

And I repeat--wart hogs? And your welcome.

 

[farmer_boy]

And I repeat--wart hogs? And your welcome.

Well, welcome to Africa. Family runs also a farm down there... I work there for fun^^

 

[jp1]

357 in whichever brand suits you. Anything from birdshot loads through all of the 38 loads and 357 if you ever need it. Really versatile.

 

[olhippy]

Well, welcome to Africa. Family runs also a farm down there... I work there for fun^^

LOL--Ahhhhhh OK. Thanks for clearing that up. Must be pretty interesting there. I would definetly go with the .357 then as the critters there are a bit larger than here I would imagine. But as Alan and another stated, a .22 is good on a farm but you have one already. The .357 rifles are really an accurate gun and fun as heck to shoot. Let us know how it goes.

 

[chuckusaret]

Wart Hogs?

Alan

Where I come from that is a USAF A10 jet aircraft. LOL

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I dint know if i'd poke at an A-10 with a 357!

Alan

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

What are the laws in your particular part of Africa concerning handguns?

Alan

 

[olhippy]

I dint know if i'd poke at an A-10 with a 357!

Alan

LOL--- me either. Yeah-- what are the laws in that part of the world? Just curious.

 

[farmer_boy]

Well, I'm not really living down there. I'm just helping out from time to time. Usually I'm either in the US or in Switzerland. Well, the guns laws in Namibia (country where the farm is) sucks. You can only own up to 5 guns and max 1 handgun. I don't own any handguns right now so I'm good to go. I use my families guns or I own fireamrs in the US/ Switzerland...

 

[olhippy]

Thats not quite as bad as some countries or even some of our states. To me in that country a good long gun or 3 or 4 or 5 would be a necessity. Does kinda suck about the handguns though. Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

 

[farmer_boy]

Thats not quite as bad as some countries or even some of our states. To me in that country a good long gun or 3 or 4 or 5 would be a necessity. Does kinda suck about the handguns though. Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

It's teribble. In Switzerland I own more than 10 guns and in the US around 4 handguns... But I'll post my result as soon as I get to the gunstore...