Rifles worth keeping by the back door on any rural property

A good “back door” rifle isn’t your fanciest gun. It’s the one you actually trust to grab half-awake at 2 a.m. because you know it’ll go bang and hit where you point it. It needs to be simple, reliable, and chambered in something that makes sense for pests and predators on real land—not just on paper.

Here are the kinds of rifles that earn a permanent spot by the back door on a rural property.

A basic .223 bolt gun with a simple scope

A plain Ruger American Ranch in .223, Savage Axis II in .223, or Weatherby Vanguard Synthetic in .223 with a 3-9x or 2-7x scope checks a lot of boxes. Light recoil, cheap-ish ammo, and enough performance for foxes, coyotes, and stray dogs at normal yard distances.

They’re not precious, they’re not complicated, and you can actually afford to sight in and practice without feeling like you’re burning dollar bills.

A .243 or 6.5 Creedmoor that doubles for deer

If you want one rifle that can handle predators and deer, a Tikka T3x Lite, Savage 110, or Browning X-Bolt in .243 Win or 6.5 Creedmoor is hard to beat. With softer recoiling loads, they’ll handle coyotes and bigger predators; with proper hunting bullets, they’re more than enough for deer come season.

These rifles usually have good triggers, decent stocks, and shoot well right out of the box—so you’re not fighting the gun when something’s out by the fence.

A short .22 LR or .22 WMR for close-in pests

For rats around feed, snakes near steps, and small critters up close, a little .22 behind the door still earns its keep. Think Ruger 10/22, Savage Mark II, or CZ 457 in .22 LR or .22 WMR with a small optic or peep sight.

It’s not your coyote gun, but it’s quick, quiet, and handy—exactly what you want when the problem is ten yards off the porch and you don’t want to wake the whole county.

A straightforward AR-15 in .223/5.56

A plain AR-15 in 5.56/.223 with a 16″ barrel, fixed or simple adjustable stock, and a red dot or low-power scope is very practical on a homestead. No race gun parts, no overly heavy barrel—just a reliable upper, a decent trigger, and mags that actually work.

It shines when you need faster follow-ups on multiple predators or want a light, easy-handling rifle that can ride in the side-by-side and still be ready at the door.

Rifles you can run without thinking about them

Whatever the brand, the real “back door” rifle is the one you’ve put rounds through from odd angles—off the porch rail, from a kneel, leaning out of the truck. You know where the safety is, how the bolt feels, and where it hits at the distances around your place.

If you can grab it half-awake and still feel confident in what it’ll do, it’s earned that spot by the door.