My truck or Mule gun while feeding or checking cows and windmill output is either a 20 inch short rifle in .30-30 or a 16.25 inch TC G2 Contender carbine in .223. The .30-30 is not quite a 400 yard gun, but the ranch is stocked for bad times. With normal rainfall, you would not likely see a coyote or small to medium size hog in the taller grass other than on hillsides. The Marlin is topped with a 3X, the TC with a 4X. Either does the job rather well. The TC is borderline to being too short. A longer barrel on it may be better.

Jack

"Do not blame Caesar, blame the people...who have...rejoiced in their loss of freedom....Blame the people who hail him when he speaks of the 'new, wonderful, good, society'...to mean ,..living fatly at the expense of the industrious." Cicero