You'll get a bunch of answers-here's what I'd get:

Shotgun-a pump action like a Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. 12 gauge.

Rifle-I would get a quality bolt action .30-06 or .308 from Remington or Savage. Each company has one model that comes with a decent scope already mounted.

Pistol-Glock semiautomatic .45 ACP

Rimfire rifle-Ruger 10/22 in .22 Long Rifle.

Assuming you mean what four guns should make up your kit; you'll need one of each.

Battle-rifle in 308
Defense Shotgun
Scoped Bolt Action
Combat Handgun

Your budget will determine make and model. My only strong preference is for an m14 type battle rifle; a Springfield M1A Loaded at the minimum or a Fulton Armory M14 if you can swing it. That is at least until the jury is back on the new Rock River LAR8. An AR15 would be #5 - whatever you do don't sub out your battle rifle for an AR15 - a carbine can't fulfill the roll of a full power battle rifle.

I would arm everyone with a Springfield M1A SOCOM 16. It's handy and packs a punch. A perfect Ranch Gun.

12 gauge Mossberg 500
30/30 Marlin 336
Savage 11G/111G .308 Win.
Rim-fire .22LR, .17 HMR, or 22 WMR
(I like the Savage 93R17 .17 HMR)

I'd get a good bow as well

Get yourself a Marlin lever action in 357 magnum, and pair it with a Ruger GP100 357 revolver or similar 357 revolver from Taurus or Smith and Wesson. Or if you desire, upgrade the levergun to .44mag or 30-30

They will be excellent all around ranch guns.

Get a used .22LR bolt action rifle for fun shooting, firearms familiarization, and to stop rampaging tin cans. You can get a used one for under $100, or you can get a brand new marlin 60 semiauto for $150

Round this out with a good 12 guage shotgun. Two names to keep in mind, Remington 870 express and Mossberg 500, they are both economical and very strong and reliable. In both, you can get a 'combo pack' that comes with one 26 inch long 'hunting style barrel' and one 18 inch long 'home defense barrel'

You didn't say what you want to protect your family from? Your animals as well? Four guns? Two rifles, 1 shotgun and a handgun. Or...1 rifle, 1 shotgun and 2 handguns.

Good all guns start with a good rifle...30.06 is good for distance, but the velocity isn't so great you risk firing a round into the next county....unless of course you live right on the county line. Don't misunderstand, a 30.06 will travel, but not like a nitro or some of the other heavy calibers. A .22 can be a good rifle as well if you only want to wing someone. They are usually very easy to handle, little or no recoil and most are pretty accurate. My first gun was a .22 rifle and I could ping cans out of a river at an easy 200 ft or so. Good little gun for sniping coyotes or other nuisance critters...humans included.

Around the house a good .12 gauge, 30" barrel shotgun has a good spread within 30-40 ft depending on the maker and the load. Easy to shoot and kick isn't too bad. The advantage to a "riot style" shotgun as opposed to others is the barrel length. I find a shorter barrel more convenient. There is NO mistaking the sound of a round being cranked with a shotgun.... It's also a good snake gun.

Handguns can vary depending on personal preferences. I prefer revolvers to semi-autos. Ready to go at any point in time...no safety to mess with. I like a .357 mag Blackhawk. Again depending on load will make a difference in what you hit. I use half jacket hollow points. However, they do create a mess. A standard round nose load works for home protection. I also have a .357 Colt Python (my favorite)...excellent gun. Less jamming, recoil is minimal (for experienced users) and factory sights are pretty darn accurate. Awesome gun.

If you really want a semi-auto for immediate area (close quarters) use, I personally, recommend .380 or .9mm. Both have excellent impact power without fear of a round traveling too far astray. A.22 is ok, it might scare a perp off, but because of it's velocity, it goes in and stays, but does little damage unless you get a good head shot. A .38 is ok also. Most rounds don't exit the perp unless you are using hot loads or have a shot that doesn't hit right.

The deal with home protection is...you want to stop the perp, but not have a gun so powerful that the rounds not only hit their target, but keep on going and hit something else. Your ..44's and .45's are way too much fire power for simple home protection. They are notorius for traveling long distances because of their velocity power. I do not recommend them for home use.

Bear in mind, most all weapons have the ability to travel long distances under the right conditions (except .22's and shotguns). So, what you choose is important given to the layout of your farm/ranch.

If you really look around your part of the country, you might find some good used guns. Make sure the "rifling" is in good condition. The barrel isn't rusted, etc. ALWAYS test fire the weapons you want to buy.

I can't stand gun locks...so if you have small children, you really want them to know what a gund can do. Teach them the power of a weapon and put enough fear in them that they will never want to "play" with them. I raised 5 kids and never locked up any of my guns. My duty weapons were always hanging on my bed post and/or laying on my nightstand. I took my kids to the range and showed them what a gun could do....including letting them feel the kick of a hot loaded .44 mag. Never had a problem with them wanting to "experiment".

My preferences are Colts, Winchesters and Walthers. All excellent guns that will last many lifetimes. Some like Smith & Wesson and they are ok, except I find on revolvers the triggers tend to misfire more and the cylinders jam. And you DO have to keep your weapons cleaned on a regular basis. Never buy cheap ammo. Overall it's just not worth it. A good wadcutter is ok for practicing, but for actual use...you want a good brand of ammo.

Good luck and stay safe....

Personal reccomendations,though there certainly many firearms adaquate for the job:

Rifle
Scoped Bolt action rifle:Reliable,long range,accurate, Preferably 30.06 or similar size.Surplus Rifles like the Lee Enfield,Kar-98,and Springfield 1903 are great.

Carbine:
SKS,Ruger Mini-14,Lever action carbine
When a full size rifle round is overkill,or the target is close,A b
A carbine of reasonable power complements your bolt action well.Mini 14 and SKS are not really close quarters guns,but they are compact and fairly light.SKS's 7.62 or whatever cartridge has a little more power than the Mini 14's .223.A good ole 30-30 or similar caliber lever action is very effective though.Lever Actions also come in several revolver calibers,so it could share ammo with yours if you have one

Shotgun:
Mossberg 500 3-in-1 12 gauge:Will do everything a shotgun can do.Configurations for hunting ,home defense,and cruiser style.Dirt Cheap too.

Combat Pistol:

Revolver:Smith and Wesson Model 27:Cheap,fairly common,Reliable,.357 is a very versatile cartridge.

Semi Auto: Colt 1911 or Clone:What Can I really say about this gun?Its awesome.Made of durable steel,reliable single action,around 70 years of military service.A Combat Pistol if there ever was one.


You could round it out with a small handgun so you don't always have to lug around a full sized combat pistol.Snub nose revolvers or small single action revolves fit the bill well.If you are more semi auto person,the Makarov is cheap,common,and great for carrying.

*Edit:Guys,he's just watching over his family and the ranch,not starting a tour as a spec op in Iraq.

A good rifle for long range shooting:30-06
A shotgun for mid range shooting
A .45 cal. or 9 mm pistol for closer shooting up to about 50 yds.
A .22 cal. handgun for very close shooting,but will work for longer ranges too.
The .22 has a lower muzzle velocity so it will not pass through a body like the more powerful handguns. Also the bullet may bounce off the ribs or other bones and do more internal damage.
At close range,the larger cal. bullets will pass through a body before they can do much damage.
If you know someone who owns firearms,see if you can borrow them to try out and see what you like before you buy.

12 ga
357 mag
9mm
300 mag
7mm

Well close range a good gun would be a shotgun hands down. Anything beyond the reach of the shotgun and a Mini 14 rancher model would be ideal as it is a .223 caliber and can reach out and touch something at 300 meters accurately. Anything beyond that and you cant beat a .308 Remington. Also, a .357 revolver on your hip is a great pistol to carry as it can be your first line defense against anything attacking a cow or something like that.

.40 cal ruger or glock to carry.
870 12 guage.
300 ultra mag remington. 700 model any of them. 200+ yard shots.
270. winchester Savage or Remington for under 200 yard shots.
357/38 special for the wife. loaded with .38's until you get her use to it.
I know I listed five but four are four you one is for her.

Remington 870 shotgun with an 18" barrel,Ruger mini-14, Glock model 22 in .40 S&W, and a .357 Mag revolver.