Rifles on Farm Tractors?

[HenryFan]

I manage several food plots in an adjacent county and several times a year, I am preparing for the Fall planting season. Some of last week and this week, I am dealing with the application of pelletized lime.

I am pretty far away from the truck and trailer at times and I don't have access to a long gun when I am away from the truck. I would feel better if I did.

Has anyone devised a way to carry a long gun on a farm tractor and also, a Kawasaki Mule?

Both of my tractors are far from new but they are new enough that they have the rollover protection bars.

Any guidance is appreciated and pictures are better for me than just comments. I may not understand what you tell me but I am for more likely to understand if you show me a photo.

Thanks in advance for comments/guidance.

[Vaquero]

I always wanted one while doing hay, but never really came up with any good ideas.
I just carried a 22 revolver in a shoulder holster.
But after seeing those plastic scabbard they used to make for atv's, I don't know they still might make them.
One of those might could be attached some where/how.

RP

[HenryFan]

I found a possible solution for the Kawasaki Mule. I Googled it and found Koplin Rhino Grip XL UTC Mount which seems like it will do. If they are still in production.


As far as the tractors, I think that somehow, a case could be carried on the rollover protection cage but how to attach it without making some sort of frame eludes me.

[Hatchdog]

The plastic cases Vaquero speaks of are made by Kolpin and probably others.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/BC57 ... 0C2397A53B

Look like we posted at the same time

[fortyshooter]

I have a scabbard mount for the two shorties I carry on my Kubota and the smaller utility tractor. The scabbard just hooks on the clips and carries either the 20 ga. Shockwave or my 45 Colt Ranch Hand. Either one can handle the job if needed. Have bears around at times and the Ranch Hand carries 325 gr. Ruger type loads and of course slugs for the Shockwave.

[220]

Have a look at the Kolpin range they do far more than just the Rhino grips, they do vertical mounts as well as their gun boots that could all be adapted to a tractor.
You could even adapt a leather gun scabbard to be mounted on a tractor fairly simply.

[cooperhawk]

Many years ago when I was a young man I worked on a cattle ranch where the owner maintained several hay fields for Winter feed.
They were infested with Minnesota gophers, (thirteen lined ground squirrels), and he provided all the ammo if I would shoot them off
the tractor while mowing hay. It was a fun Summer! I had a case of 22s to use up.

[daytime dave]

I have used a triple K leather saddle scabbard for just over a year now on the ATV. It does a great job and was around $100 as opposed to the almost $300 accessory at the shop for a plastic scabbard.





I also recently saw a vertical mount inside a tractor. There was a base plate on the floor and a V notch near the top of the barrel. I think a tie kept it from falling out of the V. I didn't see how it was secured in the cab.

[rickhem]

My neighbor has a .243 Handi Rifle in his Polaris Ranger. It's a vertical mount on the passenger side, but more centered in the vehicle. He has a similar mount to what is used in police cars for their long arms in the front seat. I've checked it out and it's solid, no wiggling around.
I have a Kolpin Rhino mount on my Polaris Sportsman quad. It's made to mount directly into the holes in the rack on these vehicles. It works well enough, but it has drawbacks. I know they make a whole series of Rhino mounts, so with a little creativity, and a solid place to affix it, you could come up with something specific to your needs.

Interesting to me is that since I've been now maintaining my land, using a diesel garden tractor to mow, I've noticed that the wildlife pays almost no attention to it. I've had foxes, coyotes, and more deer than I can count just meander past while I'm mowing, and not be concerned with me on the mower. It might be the consistent drone of the engine, or the relatively slow pace of movement, or that they just don't view it as any kind of threat, but I've thought of exactly what you're talking about here.

[HenryFan]

rickhem -

It's not deer or foxes I worry about, it's two legged skunks, rattlesnakes and copperheads that concern me more.

I am of the opinion that every venomous snake I kill during the offseason is one less I have to worry about while walking to a stand in the dark or walking back to the truck to the truck in the dark. Black snakes, king snakes and such get a free pass but it doesn't look good for venomous snakes if I see them.

Call me too cautious if you will but I have made it a habit to avoid getting snake bit and to date, I have been successful. I hope this sentence doesn't jinx me.

[fortyshooter]

rickhem -

It's not deer or foxes I worry about, it's two legged skunks, rattlesnakes and copperheads that concern me more.

I am of the opinion that every venomous snake I kill during the offseason is one less I have to worry about while walking to a stand in the dark or walking back to the truck to the truck in the dark. Black snakes, king snakes and such get a free pass but it doesn't look good for venomous snakes if I see them.

Call me too cautious if you will but I have made it a habit to avoid getting snake bit and to date, I have been successful. I hope this sentence doesn't jinx me.

For that kind of use you might want something short and quick to handle of a shotgun variety and either the 12 or 20 gauge Shockwave would work great. Birdshot for snakes and buck or slug for other issues. I keep couple slugs in the mag tube but carry extra shot shells handy so I can slip one or two in the mag tube to chamber first for snake issues.

[BigAl52]

Ruger now makes several takedown models that come with their own carrying case. Smith and Wessons foldable 9mm pistol carbine is another one. I would think one of those would work just fine to throw in the cab of any tractor or atv that has a cab.

[HenryFan]

I dropped by my local gun shop earlier today looking for a cheap, synthetic stock Ruger 10/22 for the purpose described above. I have other rimfire rifles that are just too nice to put on an off-road side-by-side or a farm tractor. There are times I look like I have been dipped in red dye at the end of a tactor workday due to dust from the red dirt I work on. In any event, the one on the shelf that fit my request was almost $340.

I have known the gentleman behind the counter for some time and he asked me if it had to be a Ruger rimfire. I said I preferred a Ruger rimfire since I have spare magazines for my two other 10/22 rifles and when I explained what the purpose was, he pulled a Savage Model 64 in .22LR from the shelf and said this is $150 out the door.

Cheap plastic stock, black finished barrel (painted?), crude iron sights but $150 OTD sold it.

Did I make a bad purchase? I'm not at all familiar with Savage rimfires, at least not the extent I know Ruger rimfires, so I hope I didn't go too cheap.

Are Savage magazines available and if so, where?

My father said "The cheap man always pays the most" so I hope I didn't waste money here.

Comments appreciated.

[dave77]

Can't speak to your Model 64 but I have a Savage Mark II bolt action .22 and it is very accurate. Paid around $150 but that was 15-20 years ago. I wanted something accurate but cheap and a friend told me that a semi-auto as accurate as a bolt action would cost twice as much.

[HenryFan]

Dave -

I have a semi-auto .22 that is as accurate as a bolt action, a CZ 512, but it is just too nice to ride around in the back of a Kawasaki Mule or on a farm tractor.

I hope this Savage is problem free.

[daytime dave]

I don't think extra magazines will be hard to find at Midway or other online sellers. I've never shot a model 64 from Savage, so I can't say anything about how it should work for you. I hope it works well for you.

[Sir Henry]

I dropped by my local gun shop earlier today looking for a cheap, synthetic stock Ruger 10/22 for the purpose described above. I have other rimfire rifles that are just too nice to put on an off-road side-by-side or a farm tractor. There are times I look like I have been dipped in red dye at the end of a tactor workday due to dust from the red dirt I work on. In any event, the one on the shelf that fit my request was almost $340.

I have known the gentleman behind the counter for some time and he asked me if it had to be a Ruger rimfire. I said I preferred a Ruger rimfire since I have spare magazines for my two other 10/22 rifles and when I explained what the purpose was, he pulled a Savage Model 64 in .22LR from the shelf and said this is $150 out the door.

Cheap plastic stock, black finished barrel (painted?), crude iron sights but $150 OTD sold it.

Did I make a bad purchase? I'm not at all familiar with Savage rimfires, at least not the extent I know Ruger rimfires, so I hope I didn't go too cheap.

Are Savage magazines available and if so, where?

My father said "The cheap man always pays the most" so I hope I didn't waste money here.

Comments appreciated.

What is sometimes true isn’t always true. Paying $40K for a dump truck instead of $80K for a luxury car isn’t being cheap. It’s getting the right vehicle for the job.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

I'm on my tractor a lot. In the woods and traveling the highway field to field..........I DO NOT want to or carry a rifle while doing this. I ALWAYS carry a handgun........Usually a 45 acp or .44 magnum........I can handle anything that comes my way out to 100 yards or so........The handgun is always with you..........The rifle is not......If it in a scabbard on the utv or tractor and you're away from the either

[BrokenolMarine]

I carry the Ruger Mini 14 in 556 behind the seats in the UTV in this scabbard. It's handy when needed but well protected as we check the fence lines and check on the livestock, the condition of the pastures, and the fence lines. We have a problem here with the coyotes, wild dogs, and other varmints such as coons and fox. As long as the coons, foxes, bobcats and the like stay in the west and north pastures we have no problem with them. If they move up toward the coops or the barn, they have to deal with the Mini-14 or the Ruger MKII 22 handgun. Lost too many chickens and Guineas over the last four years to be soft hearted.

scabbard.jpg (85.75 KiB) Viewed 767 times

The mini-14 is basically stock, an 80s model with two changes. I added a Hogue stock so the NICE walnut stock doesn't get scarred and banged up in use, and I painted the front sight BRIGHT orange with testors model paint and it really pops for the old eyes now. I can shoot nice groups at 50 yards.

09 front sight orange.jpg (189.04 KiB) Viewed 767 times

If the front sight treatment starts to wear, I have a whole jar of orange paint.

[Coach]

I don’t have a tractor…