# Looking for a good deer brush gun



## Hawken2222 (Dec 12, 2007)

I was wanting to get some input on what would be good brush gun to purchase.  I have been hunting with my 30 06for years and absolutely love it.  I have taken a pile of deer with it.  However this particular gun is more suited for the hunting I do  out west, than the hunting I do here in GA.  Also I am tired of beating, and scratching the gun up every year going throught the swamps and all of the brush.  Also my shots here in Ga, are not long at all.  Usually 50 yards max, sometimes even closer.  So I am looking into getting a 30/30 or something similar.  I have never owned a lever action, so I don't know how hard it would be to get used to.  If anybody has an other gun or caliber recomendations please suggest what you would purchase.   Any feed back would be greatly appreciatted.   Thanks


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Dec 12, 2007)

all kinds of cool lever guns out there... Marlin 336, Winchester 94, Browning BLR, and Savage 99.  I think I'd most like to have a Savage 99... don't really know why.

as for calibers... go big.  35 Remington, 35 Whelen, 444 Marlin, 45/70, etc.

however, don't fool yourself into thinking that any big, slow bullet will effectively shoot through brush.  ALL bullets will be affected if they strike a limb in some way.  Sometimes you might still kill the deer, but its not worth risking wounding an animal.


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## whitworth (Dec 12, 2007)

*Marlin -A great rifle*

"Also I am tired of beating, and scratching the gun up every year going throught the swamps and all of the brush."

If one isn't stratching up a stock, he's not hunting very hard. 

Furniture belongs in the house; a gun stock belongs on the hunt.  

I'd recommend a Marlin lever action.  You can use open sights or easily have it scoped.  
I had the Marlin in .35 Remington out for a moving hunt in a swampy  and plan to get out for one last hunt this year.  No need for the 30/06 on these stop and go hunts in thick cover.

Like everything else, practice with your rifle of choice never hurt a hunter.


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## BASS1FUN (Dec 12, 2007)

I Have A Marlin 444 For The Type Of Situation Your'e Talking About, And Shooting Leverevolution Out Of It. Love It.


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## Doyle (Dec 12, 2007)

With Hornady's new pointed bullet in .44mag, the .44 carbines are now a legitimate 150yd killer.   However, a good .44 Ruger autoloader or a Marlin lever action in .44 isn't going to be cheap.


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## discounthunter (Dec 12, 2007)

if all your concerned with is scratches get a synthetic stock for your current rifle.


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## 7Mag Hunter (Dec 12, 2007)

44 Magnum, 35 Remington, and good ole 30-30 are hard to
beat....
I have a Ruger 44 carbine, and it is a joy to hunt with as far as
weight, and will put the smackdown on deer...


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## Blue Iron (Dec 12, 2007)

Also consider the 358 Winchester, its a 308 necked up to .358.


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## NOYDB (Dec 12, 2007)

Marlin 336 in .35 Rem like this.


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## choctawlb (Dec 13, 2007)

Ruger .44 magnum Semi-auto, I 've got one my grandad gave me 25 years ago , and it's awesome up to 100 yards.
Ken


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## Hawken2222 (Dec 13, 2007)

Thanks for all of the advise guys.  I will definatly be looking into a few of these different calibers.


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## Rick Alexander (Dec 13, 2007)

*throw me in with*

the marlin lever croud in 35.  Bought the gun for my son when he was younger and haven't had a minutes trouble with it.  That 35 will put a deer down right.


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## Allen Waters (Dec 14, 2007)

if you go with a lever action get the 35 marlin, or 44 mag, i wouldn't get a 30-30. remingtons model 742 in the carbine is a awesome compact semi-auto brush gun in 30-06.


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## SWAMPFOX (Dec 14, 2007)

Depending on the distance, have you considered a 12 ga. shotgun with a rifled tube and a low power scope? As to action, I'd think a semi-auto would be good.


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## rustvyper (Dec 14, 2007)

buy yourself a used Ruskie m44 mosin-nagant. cost you around ~$50. Ain't nothing that a 7.62x54r won't drop, 400lb hogs included. Plus you'll never care about how bad you bash it up b/c it already looks terrible!


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## urbaneruralite (Dec 14, 2007)

You can't shoot through brush. You have to be able to shoot through the tiny holes in it. The flatter the trajectory the better!

The same rifle you have with a 20" or shorter barrel and low-power variable would be as good as most.

For a traditional lever, same deal except at least .35 caliber in the slower cartridges. For a more modern lever like an 88, 99 or BLR, slower .35 and up or just about any of the faster cartridges. 

I'd go with a bolt or semi. Levers get heavy when you put scopes on them.

Have you seen the BAR Short Trac? Thats a real handy package and comes in .308 class cartridges.


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Dec 14, 2007)

btw... I love my Ruger Mini-30 for up close "brush hunting" situations.  Its overall length is very short and the 125 gr. 7.62x39 will flat out put deer on the ground out to 150 yards or better.


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## watashot89 (Dec 14, 2007)

I have a Marlin 336 .35
great for shooting in the brush


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## Booger (Dec 14, 2007)

For hunting thick stuff I love my Winchester 94 in .356 with a Williams receiver sight. I have never had a deer take a step after a hit with this. But the price's for the Big Bore have went sky high so I guess next would be a 30-30. The Marlin 35 is a great gun too I just like the Winchester rifles better myself.


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## yellowhammer (Dec 17, 2007)

*Brush gun*

I agree with every reply on here;however,several years back,one of the popular outdoor mags did a study and article entitled"Brush gun myths busted".They did an extensive test, firing about 12 different calibers through Christmas trees.The calibers were .243 to .444.The best performer,hands down,was the.243.I hunted for 10 years with a .32 Win.Special,13 years with a .444,and 10 years with a .243.I hunt thickets most of the time.I now hunt with a 30-06 and .270.Ain`t seen any difference in any of these guns as far as shooting through brush.


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## Auchumpkee Creek Assassin (Dec 18, 2007)

find ya a Marlin 336 in 35 rem.


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## billy336 (Dec 18, 2007)

Auchumpkee Creek Assassin said:


> find ya a Marlin 336 in 35 rem.



My recomedation as well. I only hunt with Savage 99s, but they are are to find and harder to finance. No need to drop a bunch of cash and drag it thru the woods. My first rifle was a Marlin 336 in 30/30, hence my handle.


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## seaweaver (Dec 18, 2007)

.35 is a hammer.
pawnshop w/ $275 and you will get one.
30/30 has killed more than all others put together and ammo is still cheep. 200 ain't yards that hard, toss in the LE ammo....
I have 2 .35s, 3 30/30s that never fail. 
the only other i would suggest if you reload is the Marlin .375 win.
it is light short and hard. 240g at 2250 or better depending on your loading.
cw


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## brkbowma (Dec 18, 2007)

I shoot a Winchester model 94ae 44 mag and love it. This is the first season that I have killed deer with it. The deer that I have shot have been standind in the thickest brush imaginable, 50 yard shots, and the deer went to the ground on both shots. This gun has replaced my Browning A-Bolt 270 as my go to gun in the mountains. I paid about $400 for it 4 years ago at a gun show.


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## Bill Mc (Dec 18, 2007)

I would think that the Winchester 94 chambered in 375 Win would do the job. There's one in the store for $599.99 that would be tempting if I were a "Lever" guy. 

My last lever was Dasiy.


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## seaweaver (Dec 18, 2007)

If the winny .375 has angle eject I'd give it a nod.
cw


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## imrich (Dec 18, 2007)

The new Hornady ammo has really opened up the range of several of the traditional lever calibers.  I love hunting with levers in close quarters.  If you don't mind the weight or price try one of the abbreviated versions of an M1A like a scout or socom 16.


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## Bill Mc (Dec 18, 2007)

> If the winny .375 has angle eject I'd give it a nod.



It a side eject. An older one without the crossbolt safety.


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## weagle (Dec 19, 2007)

I've always been partial to the .35 remington, but lately I've become a huge fan of the .375 winchester.  The factory ammo is a 200 gr flatnose and it actually kicks a little less than the .35 rem in similar guns and it really put the smack on deer.  Handloads with the 220 grain hornady flatnose can up the power considerably.

I've owned (5) .375 lever  guns:

First a savage 99 brush gun:  The name is misleading.  these guns are way too long for a brush gun and should have come from the factory with a 20" barrel.







3 different marlin model .375's:   Almost, but not quite the ticket.  I like the 2/3 mag, but prefer a straight grip on a marlin lever gun.






And finally, my current brush favorite: A marlin 30TK rebored and rechambered from 30-30 to 375 winchester.  I love the short 18 1/2" barrel, 2/3 mag and straight stock.  It ain't the prettiest marlin in the world with it's plain birch stock, but it handles like a dream and shoots great.  It has a fixed 2 1/2 power scope with a post and cross hair.

Good shooting , 
Weagle


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## tumlin1 (Dec 20, 2007)

I got a ruger 44mag carbine my dad gave me and I love it; probably not the least expensive though.  Also I have had plenty of experience with the marlin lever action 44mag and absolutely love them also.


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## seaweaver (Dec 20, 2007)

(show off!)
cw


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## tumlin1 (Dec 20, 2007)

naahhh


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## seaweaver (Dec 20, 2007)

Tum. I was pickin on weagal!!

.375  or......a Marlin 512 slug master. There's one on the swap thread....
ZAPPPP
there was !!!!

I'll let yall know how it works!
cw


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## Ruger#3 (Dec 20, 2007)

*Ruger #3*

I've shot a Ruger#3 in 45/70 for years in the thickets. Like you I find most my setups at less than 50 yds in thick cover and it seems to work fine.


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## artz (Dec 21, 2007)

Take a look at an NEF/H&R in .500 Smith&Wesson with the bull barrel.  Thats a brush gun !


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