Brush Guns one mans opinion

[AWS]

Brush Guns, one of my favorite subjects. 

What constitutes a brush gun?  In my opinion a rifle for hunting heavy cover either still hunting or tracking game, sitting on a stand is something different.  In order of importance to me.

1. A bullet that will reach the vitals from any direction and exit.  A lot of the shots are taken at angle or partially hidden game and even at a well placed shot game can travel some distance and with an exit wound a good blood trail will be easy to follow.

2. Reasonably light weight, something that can be carried at the ready for long periods of time.  It isn’t written in stone   that a brush gun should be under 7 lbs..  If your 20 6”6” and weigh 250 lb your idea for light weight rifle is, something under seven might be too light and you can over power it.  For me at 5’7” and closing in on 70 the lighter the better.

3.  Fast handling, in the brush you don’t have time to be searching for sights or lifting your head to see through the scope.  I like a rifle fitted to me that when I throw it to my shoulder my cheek is solid on the stock and my eye is lined up.  It is good when I can throw the gun to my shoulder with my eyes close and open them and have the sights or scope perfectly line up.  I have to shorten stocks, build up combs and mount scopes very low, sometimes even going to straight tube scopes to get them low enough.  I’ve never had a problem with 20mm scope not transmitting enough light, if I can see the game in the brush with my bare eyes I have enough light to use a straight tube scope.

So what are some of my favorite cartridges for a brush gun, I like medium bore cartridges from 7mm to 375.  I want heavy for the cal. bullets and am partial to RN’s.  I also want a cartridge that will reach out a couple of hundred yards.  It has been my experience to have deer that I’m tracking cross big openings and stand on the far side and wait to see what is following them.  Rounds that have worked for me 7x57mm and 7mm Rem Mag 175gr RN’s, the thirties 300 Sav., 30-40 Krag, 308 Win with 180gr RN and the 30-06 with 220gr RN’s, 358 Win  and 35 Whelen  and 375 Win.

Rifles, a neat little 1917 Enfield 30-07 that was chopped , cut ground and drilled to turn it into a lightweight carbine, Savage 99’s in 300 Sav.-308 Win-375 Win, a Win Model 70 lightweight in 7mm Mag and a Rem 721 in 35 Whelen.

If I were going to build a new  brush gun it would be a Rem Model 7, 20” light contour 358 Win barrel with a Mannlicher stock and a Leupold VX-2 1x4x20mm scope with German #4 ret.  That said I have a Rem 760 in 35 Rem sitting in a safe in WI waiting to go to Ahlman’s to be turned into a 358 Win Carbine with the same Leupold scope.

[RG]

I like your analyses.  I worked as a bear guide in Canada 30 or so years ago and had a Marlin lever action 45.70 with a Williams peep sight that had the peep insert removed.  It was extremely handy and almost indestructible since we spent entire days horseback and then the gun ended up tossed under a bunk or stashed somewhere. It got dropped and soaked. It never failed me on bears nor in later years on elk and deer in Montana and Wyoming. I swapped it for a model 94 in .356 Winchester with the same sight because I wanted a true 200 yard rifle.

You are absolutely right about light short and handy. Snap shots at game crossing openings are the norm in the brush.

[Bigshooter]

I agree with almost everything you said except I like 35cal - 50cal with flat nose bullets.  And I perfer a lever baction, a bolt action for some reason to me is not a brush gun.

[slaymaker3]

My goto brush gun is my win. Model 71 348 I love that thing

[AWS]

In the country I hunted a second shot was a rare opportunity and usually if you heard a string of shots out in the distance you could almost guarantee that the deer escaped.  I never felt handicapped with a bolt in the brush.  We used to practice with our bolt guns shooting targets rolling down a hill and got pretty good with them.  Even today I like a bolt gun or combo gun for coyote hunting.

[BULLBLASTER]

I bought my dream brush gun this spring! win model 70 classic stainless in 375 H&H.
set a vortex viper HS 2.5-10 on top and im ready!
I don't mind the weight and want something that has some serious power to take advantage of less than perfect shots. I am very comfortable with bolt guns so that is what I want to use all the time. with practice they are very fast for follow up shots and rechambering without lowering the gun.
I want the biggest bullet I can get in the brush!

[RadSav]

If I were to buy a dedicated brush gun again I think it may be a Remington 7400 in .35 Whelen.  A good friend of mine in Oregon busts the salal bunny trails for elk each year with his.  30 years and 30 elk ain't too bad!  Cool part is more of his elk have been taken at less than 20 yards than elk taken over 20.  I know he has killed at least two blacktails over 200 yards with it in the past as well.  Could be more   Those were just the two I was riding along when taken.

Next gun would probably the 358 Win in a model 88 Winchester.  I have an 88 action here just waiting for retirement so I can make a build.  Haven't decided if it's getting a 358 barrel or a 338 Federal barrel.

[Biggerhammer]

I'm very comfortable and fast with a bolt rifle. My idea of the perfect factory brush rifle would be the Sako 85 "Black Bear" chambered in 9.3x62, shooting the CEB tipped 210gr ESP raptors. It would jam up anything on the planet in that combo. Especially in close!

If I were to build one it would be on a Rem700 action, 20" barrel and of course a Sako extractor. lightest barrel I could get away with in a Mtn rifle stock.

[HawkCreek]

My idea of brush guns, and open range guns. It's a well rounded package for me.

[brush hunter]

my choice is the BFR 45/70 10"bbl

[CAMPMEAT]

my choice is the BFR 45/70 10"bbl

Mine in 460 when I get it.............

[RG]

Most on this forum are too young to remember Elmer Keith but he was the master of brush guns. He hunted in Idaho with a friend of mine, outfitter Erv Malnarich.  Ervin told me Elmer didnt hunt with a rifle smaller than .40 cal.

[RadSav]

I'm very comfortable and fast with a bolt rifle. My idea of the perfect factory brush rifle would be the Sako 85 "Black Bear" chambered in 9.3x62, shooting the CEB tipped 210gr ESP raptors. It would jam up anything on the planet in that combo. Especially in close!

Good friend of mine has the CZ550 carbine in that round.  Tack driving SOB! 20.5" barrel, quick handling and comfortable to shoot.  I was unfamiliar with the round, but he swears it's been much better than the 35 Whelen he had before.  He's been waiting for a spring bear tag so he can prove it on an animal since he is an archery elk hunter.  I was surprised at how much nicer it was to shoot than my 325WSM.  And I expect bullets are probably easier to find!

[yorketransport]

For me, it's a 35 caliber or larger with a short barrel and a low power scope or iron sights. The big bore lever guns are great, but I'm partial to bolt guns. At the moment I'm in love with a 19" 358 Win barrel and a low power VX-3 scope shooting the 200gr TTSX.

Andrew

[Jim the Plumber]

I'd use my Ruger 762.
Compact, semi auto for very fast follow ups. Sufficient chambering to handle anything in the PNW brush.
Topped with my NF 2.5-10X32 takes care of the sighting method.
http://www.ruger.com/products/sr762/models.html