Fast Handling, Light Weight Medium Bore Brush Rifle

[Rummer]

I just picked up an A-bolt in 358 win to fill this exact niche.

[Mckie Hollow]

Now there's My style - Short, light, fast, big bore with a lot of thump.

[SHOOTALL]

sounds like a Rem 600 guide gun 

[FLNT4EVR]

Light weight,moderate recoil. You need a Rem. Model 7 CDL in 260.

[SHOOTALL]

I'll stick with a win 94 thank you .

[mcwoodduck]

I thought about the same criteria a few times for pigs here in CA.
Came up with the idea of a Ruger M77 compact  16.25" barrel in 308 Winchester.
it is short as or shorter than most lever actions like a standard 94 or most of the marlins.  About the size of most trapper models.
comes with standard Ruger scope rings and sticking a low powder variable scope like the trijicon 1.25-4X24mm scope would give you the in woods red dot feel on the low power and at 4X give you the ability to reach out across  or to the middle of a field.
The 180 grain Soft nose round points I use from Remington, so far have been great to knock down deer and will carry well to 200 yards.

Another option could be the Cz 527 Carbine in 7.62X39.
Micro action mild thimp about the same allistics as 30-30.  Detachable mag, easy to mount a scope

[SHOOTALL]

Here a scope on a brush gun is useless .

[nomosendero]

Here a scope on a brush gun is useless .

Why would that be?

[Drilling Man]

Here a "HIGH POWERED" scope on a brush gun is useless .

  Here, let me FIX that quote for you!  lol

  DM

[SHOOTALL]

Lets see , thick woods , briers , vines , cedars , pines , anything that can block a view exist. Most shots under 50 yards at running deer. On all but 1-2 power looking in a scope is either vegitation so thick you can't see thru. it or hair , hair on the front shoulder or hind quarter who knows. Then there is dog safety , out of view while looking thru. the scope. We hunt alot of land like this . Open woods and fields a scope is the way to go . Most carry a slug gun with scope, brush gun, rifle w/scope and shotgun. We hunt some counties that don't allow rifles , some don't allow slugs others anything goes like a socom with 20 round mag. . You learn early not to stand in a deer trail  

[SHOOTALL]

Here a "HIGH POWERED" scope on a brush gun is useless .

  Here, let me FIX that quote for you!  lol

  DM

Tried low powered also and they were nothing speical either . When dog hunting anything that blocks you seeing a dog , like being out of field of view is useless to me. Here we consider shooting a dog bad form 

[Drilling Man]

  Around here, shooting a dog "running deer" is considered good form...     BUT, i guess you never learned to shoot with a low powered sacope with BOTH EYES OPEN.  There ain't nothing getting blocked then!

  DM

[SHOOTALL]

Drilling man I have learned to shoot with a low powered scope both eyes open rifle , revolver and shotgun. Since you admit to guessing I will take no offence  .
I find doing so disrupts my view in places like we often hunt, to each his own. One other thing is trying to get thru. some places her anything sticking out catches and a scope is a pain then also. how thick ? often you have to get on hands and knees to crawl thru game trails. I once crawled thru about 10-12 feet of such briers and came on a belt with 2 knives on it. A guy in the club had  them hang up on briers  several weeks before . I enjoy hunting with dogs it adds to the hunt for me. I don't cut down those who hang on a tree or sit over bait so I hope they can show the same courtsy and refrain from  petty remarks when all hunters should bind togather. BTW i tried a scout set up on a socom and it was a pain in the swamp here , nice other places . It was a red dot set up.

[nomosendero]

  Around here, shooting a dog "running deer" is considered good form...     BUT, i guess you never learned to shoot with a low powered sacope with BOTH EYES OPEN.  There ain't nothing getting blocked then!

  DM

   Amen to both of the above points.

I have heard that "I can't see them in the scope" crap for years, but not as much in the last few years. It comes from the old Model 94 & 742 crowd in our neck of the woods.. If they try a scope it is the wrong one to start with or mounted with those stupid "see throughs"
If a scope is mounted properly with the right height & eye relief at low power it will be faster than iron sights. I started shooting very young & with irons. When I was in high school me & my older brother started using K-4's on our 22's for squirrels. We had huge flocks of black birds that would fly over our place certain times of the year, we would practice holding on those birds & became very quick. Later on using low powered variables made it even better.
Like DM said, no problems at low power & both eyes open. No doubt, much faster than iron sights. I don't know why I would hold on a Dog unless I wanted to shoot it.

[Dixie Dude]

I read where someone took a Marlin 44 lever gun, cut the magazine tube down so it only held 5 rounds.  He also hollowed out the stock.  This lightened up the gun to aroun 5-1/2 lbs.  He used it as a backpack gun in bear country in California.  He said it was a pain to try to get a carry permit for a .44 pistol, so he lightened up the Marlin.   If you add a small scope, you should have a 6# gun.  Fast handling, top mounted scope and sights as backup.  Also, I have a friend who shot a 9 point buck with his .44 Ruger at 192 yards measured.  He aimed about a foot high and the deer tumbled like a truck hit him.  It was a chance he took as 90% of his deer were under 100 yards.  He was about 16 at the time. 

[SHOOTALL]

  Around here, shooting a dog "running deer" is considered good form...     BUT, i guess you never learned to shoot with a low powered sacope with BOTH EYES OPEN.  There ain't nothing getting blocked then!

  DM

   Amen to both of the above points.

I have heard that "I can't see them in the scope" crap for years, but not as much in the last few years. It comes from the old Model 94 & 742 crowd in our neck of the woods.. If they try a scope it is the wrong one to start with or mounted with those stupid "see throughs"
If a scope is mounted properly with the right height & eye relief at low power it will be faster than iron sights. I started shooting very young & with irons. When I was in high school me & my older brother started using K-4's on our 22's for squirrels. We had huge flocks of black birds that would fly over our place certain times of the year, we would practice holding on those birds & became very quick. Later on using low powered variables made it even better.
Like DM said, no problems at low power & both eyes open. No doubt, much faster than iron sights. I don't know why I would hold on a Dog unless I wanted to shoot it.

BS , no scope is as fast at close range . If it were they would be using them in the military instead of the reflex sights . As for the mod 94 crowd maybe some but not all , very closed minded statement really. I tried a 1-5 on a mini 30 and ar. Red dot on a M1a socom. My slug gun has a 2-7 . I use scopes quite often but up close and personal I find them wanting . I guess I could say if your eyes are shot a scope is your only option but not knowing your eyes or ablity i won't make an azz of myself saying BS that I don't know like some. As for dog hunting sorry you have a hang up with it its a wonderful way to hunt deer in thick stuff. I find most deer dogs better company than self proclaimed experts that spout off about others  with little experince or knowlege on the subject or the person.

[nomosendero]

BS , no scope is as fast at close range

 
No BS, just knowing how to use the right set-up. If lineing up the two sights is quicker for you, goodie, but they aren't for me.

The 94 statement was not close minded, you need to slow down & read. I said that was the case in my neck of the woods, not yours.

Dog hunting is not the subject, if you need to use a Dog to kill a Deer, fine. To each his own.

[SHOOTALL]

BS , no scope is as fast at close range

 
No BS, just knowing how to use the right set-up. If lineing up the two sights is quicker for you, goodie, but they aren't for me.

The 94 statement was not close minded, you need to slow down & read. I said that was the case in my neck of the woods, not yours.

Dog hunting is not the subject, if you need to use a Dog to kill a Deer, fine. To each his own.

OK you are correct I don't know your neck of the woods , I don't need a dog(s) , we can't use them in Black powder or bow season or in the western part of the state. All of which I have done. I hunt with dogs for the pure pleasure it brings . Nothing in  hunting can stir the soul like a pack of good dogs on a sight chase except a bear charge maybe.
 And to be honest when shots are close i don't even remember seeing the sights wheather shooting running deer or flying turkeys , but then I have shot the rifles I use alot.

[nomosendero]

I don't remember the recoil either, but I bet it happened.

[SHOOTALL]

I don't remember the recoil either, but I bet it happened.

What recoil ? No really what recoil , 7X30 waters 

[nomosendero]

I don't remember the recoil either, but I bet it happened.

What recoil ? No really what recoil , 7X30 waters 

I don't have one of those, but nice I would bet.

[SHOOTALL]

It really is , I got mine because of a shoulder and neck injury. Its the first one out with a 24 inch bbl ( note the front sight has been pulled out several time by the tangles we hunt in). I shoot factory 120 nosler fp at 2700 fps. The gun swings like a shotgun for me. I know most would say its to lite for deer . First deer I shot was a large doe , second was a 4 pointer , 3rd a 12 pointer 21 inch spread - He stood up in front of me abour 20 yards at most. shot him twice behind the shoulder he went about 20 yards and fell. Out of the 20 or so deer I have shot with that gun he went the longest distance. I have never recovered a bullet they go thru. leaving a 7mm hole on one side and one about the size of a quater on the other. Its a good gun for deer in my area . It has taken turkey , fox , coon, groundhog and other critters. Longest shot was about 80 yards in an open field.Yes we do have some open hunting also  . That gun is about 27 years old now , boy time flys

[Dixie Dude]

Shootall is right about a scope in deep southern woods.  You can't see over 30-50 yards in some places, even in a tree stand.  Hardwoods, pines, muscadine vines, honeysuckle vines, etc.  Trees like oaks and hickory's just recently dropped their leaves and deer season is half over.  Lots of privot hedge also.  Only reason you need a long range rifle is over fields or pastures.  If the scope is too powerful, you loose the target.  1-1/2 to 4x is all you need down here. 

[SHOOTALL]

 DD its like dog hunting they just never ever been around it . They have limited deer and limited deer season and see dogs as something to mess up a hunt . Here we have to many deer and to many hard to get into places not to mention 5 weeks of bow , 2 weeks BP and 7weeks dog or fire arms season .
 Bet they can't figure out how to train deer dogs to not bark on posted land 

[Drilling Man]

DD its like dog hunting they just never ever been around it . They have limited deer and limited deer season and see dogs as something to mess up a hunt . Here we have to many deer and to many hard to get into places not to mention 5 weeks of bow , 2 weeks BP and 7weeks dog or fire arms season .
 Bet they can't figure out how to train deer dogs to not bark on posted land 

  Now who doesn't know what they are talking about?  How do YOU know what i have been around?  I have hunted in the south, and we have "limited" deer?  I can shoot 5 a day and that adds up to a LOT of deer through out the several seasons we have...

  I just have no need to shoot more than a few deer a year...

  DM

[nomosendero]

Shootall is right about a scope in deep southern woods.  You can't see over 30-50 yards in some places, even in a tree stand.  Hardwoods, pines, muscadine vines, honeysuckle vines, etc.  Trees like oaks and hickory's just recently dropped their leaves and deer season is half over.  Lots of privot hedge also.  Only reason you need a long range rifle is over fields or pastures.  If the scope is too powerful, you loose the target.  1-1/2 to 4x is all you need down here.  

I live in the Southern woods. Scope is faster to me, 100yds. or 100 feet or 50 feet, your milage may vary.

[charles p]

I hunt in Eastern NC and you can't get any wetter or thicker than our Dismal Swamp.  I enjoy hunting from elevated or ground level box stands.  When I hunt on the ground, my blue heeler is in the box with me (asleep).  A 1X4 Leupold is faster than open sights - at least for me.  I don't take running shots so the lowest power is not always to my advantage advantage.

Let's go back to the title of this post - Brush Rifle!  Can someone tell me what a brush rifle is?  I used to think a semi shotgun with buckshot was a brush gun.  Then I started hunting in the woods from elevated stands and used a Rem 742.  Thought that was a brush gun.  Have used an old Thompson 50 cal BP rifle and thought it would plow through brush.  For the last 30 years I've hunted with bolt rifles and do not take "brushy" shots or running shots.  Kill more deer this way.

I think the term "Brush Rifle" is a misleading term.  I admit that I have never used a centerfire rifle over 30 caliber in 50 years of deer hunting.  Maybe I could have taken more "brush" with a larger bullet.  Never developed a taste for "brush".

[SHOOTALL]

To each his own , I do take running shots , not sure what a brushey shot is really as to me a shot is either a clear shot or no shot . Often our shots are close and fast point shooting almost. As for light bolt guns I don't care for them , I like the weight up front . I seldom hunt in a tree or Box blind nothing wrong with either just dosen't fit dog hunting well for me. I have a good friend who grew up in the D swamp. He hunted with a shotgun for deer and bear. I sometimes shoot with him there , i would like a tree stand there for the snakes .

[Dixie Dude]

Our season starts in mid-November and goes through the end of January.  Mid-Oct to mid-Nov is bow season.  Mid-nov to the end of Dec you can use dogs.  January is stalking.  We usually surround an area by putting standers on powerlines, logging roads and fields.  Then run dogs through to run the deer out.  Beagles are good because they don't run the deer fast, more like a trot.  We can use shotguns with buckshot on these runs.  Everyone is about 100 yards apart and within sight of each other. 

[nomosendero]

This deer season I used my EMF Hartford Model 1892 (a Winchester 92 clone from Rossi) in 45 LC while hunting in the brush and heavy woods of central Missouri.  I liked the rifle a lot. It is much lighter than my Weatherby Vanguard in 30-06 which is great in a stand over a bean field, but not so much when stalking.   The older I get the more I dread tramping throught the woods with a heavy long barrelled bolt gun.  None of my shots are more than 75-100 yards anyway, but I do, however, miss a low power telescopic sight for low light conditions and to help counting the tines on buck antlers or estimating the length of spikes.   Here is my question, what is the best choice for a fast handling, light weight, scoped medium bore brush rifle?  A Malin lever gun? A Mossburg 30/30 levergun?  One of the super light weight bolt guns?  An autoloader?  Which one?

Thought it might be time to remind some of the original post. Here is what he is asking about:
1."What is the best choice for a fast handling, light weight, SCOPED medium bore brush rifle?"
2. "A Marlin lever gun? A Mossburg 30/30 levergun? One of the super light weight bolt guns? An autoloader?"

Nothing was said about iron sights, I think he's past that.
Nothing about Dogs, I don't even think "dog hunting" for Deer is legal in up in MO.

And he wants a rifle to hunt in brush country, he said nothing about a mythical brush buster.