From SB Statesman:

Handguns and shotguns usually become significantly less effective at 100 yards, which is problematic for defending large properties such as farms. Violent crime rates in rural areas rose above the national and suburban averages in 2016. Rifles make up for this disadvantage and, with the right ammunition, are also effective in shorter ranges. Defensive use, however, requires the ability to fire again — quickly and accurately — if one misses. Manually-loaded firearms are impractical for that purpose, especially without significant practice.
As other weapons may not be suitable, law-abiding citizens should be allowed semi-automatic rifles to defend themselves from realistic threats.