Help Me Choose a Brush/Defense Rifle

Which Rifle?

  • Marlin 336

    Votes: 18 37.5%

  • Savage Hog Hunter

    Votes: 3 6.3%

  • Mossberg MVP Patrol

    Votes: 3 6.3%

  • SKS

    Votes: 7 14.6%

  • Other

    Votes: 17 35.4%
  • Total voters
    48
  • Poll closed .
Thanks for the replies, everyone. I was probably leaning toward a lever gun a little bit and this has put me over the edge. I think I'll go that route. By the way, I wasn't familiar with the acronym "TEOTWAWKI" and I definitely didn't have that type of scenario in mind. Zombie discussions do nothing for me. But I DO think there's plenty of history showing that disruptions to normal law and order do occur from time to time. I appreciate all the advice!
 
SKS

I too am a fan of the SKS for the purpose.

Please leave it alone tho. Not a fan of "tarted up" SKS's. In general they are uber reliable with the original 10 round mag.

A recoil pad can add some needed length to the stock, and I hear good things about the aftermarket Tech sights but have no personal experience with them.
 
Unless you want to play cowboys and indians levers are not a good choice, pump guns only slightly better. Bolt guns or semi's are the way to go. Mag capacity isn't that big of a deal especially with DBM guns. Carrying 2-3 spare 4or 5 round magazines for a bolt gun is plenty.

There are lots of AR's that meet you budget. A 223 will kill any deer or hog, but if you just want a bigger caliber they make them.

There are several options for short handy bolt guns that will meet you budget. The "scout rifle" concept has merit, but I'm not a fan of forward mounted scopes. With irons or a low powered scope mounted conventionally they work great.

The Savage Hog hunter would be my pick of the ones you are considering. I seriously considered it, but went with the Ruger Predator in 308 instead. It is more than a pound lighter and uses detachable magazines. It doesn't have irons, but they could be added and you'd still have less money in the Ruger than the Savage. Adding iron sights to any rifle just ain't that hard nor expensive and you'd most likely get BETTER irons than the junk coming on most factory rifles that have them.

Personally I have no use for irons. A decent 1-4X scope is much better in every way and just as reliable.
 
Unless you want to play cowboys and indians levers are not a good choice, pump guns only slightly better. Bolt guns or semi's are the way to go. Mag capacity isn't that big of a deal especially with DBM guns. Carrying 2-3 spare 4or 5 round magazines for a bolt gun is plenty.
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I did want to play cowboys and indians today. Since I was shooting right next to the original Pony Express Trail, it just felt and looked right............I guess :) Lots of blue sky, lizards, and sagebrush.

Had a lot of fun. Two 45-70 levers, and the 30-30. Iron sights only for some good shooting at steel gongs and paper at 100 yrds.

My wife took her personal, and more modern red dot AR-15 (.223 Wylde), along with the Glock.
 
jmr40 - You're putting a bolt action rifle ahead of pump and lever guns for defense?

Bolt action would only be put ahead of break action single shot on my list. With practice you can get to be pretty good with one but it's a lot slower than a pump or lever.
 
The Marlin 336 would be high on my list... but I'd go SKS. I recently acquired one and I like it a *lot.*

Though the SKS looks clumsy, it balances and points very well, at least for me. I swing it up, my eye is looking through the sights, no need to roll my head over to get a sight picture.

My wife was similarly impressed, which has led to a marital dispute over whose rifle it is...

Availability of commercial ammunition with proper hunting bullets is limited by comparison to other calibers, which might be an issue depending on what you intend to hunt. ex-Combloc plinking ammunition is still relatively inexpensive. And if 7.62x39 isn't appropriate for your chosen game, the SKS is out. But if you've never handled or shot one before, try one before you make your final decision. The SKS isn't pretty, but I sure like mine.
 
TRX:
Though the SKS looks clumsy, it balances and points very well, at least for me. I swing it up, my eye is looking through the sights, no need to roll my head over to get a sight picture.

My wife was similarly impressed, which has led to a marital dispute over whose rifle it is...
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About 20 years ago when my Godson who lives in NC turned 18 I gave him an SKS for his birthday. When I get down and see him and his dad I constantly need to remind his father that I gave the rifle to Jacob and not him. Willie seems to refer to it as "his" rifle. :)

As to wives and possessions? What's yours is hers and what is hers is hers also. Pretty simple huh? :)

Ron
 
I'd say one of the PSA 10's that can be had for around your budget. An 18' barrel would still keep it handy without sacrificing velocity and you can get mags from 5-25 rounds. The .308 has enough oomph to handle just about anything and is usually pretty accurate.
 
It's at the top end of your budget, but I'd go with a CZ 527 in 7.62x39. Plenty of ammo, designed to shoot steel cased ammo, and shoots brass cases as well.
Easy to scope, good iron sights, controlled round feed mini Mauser action, detachable box magazines, nice wood stock. Short, light, handy, and plenty of power for hogs and deer and SD.
 
For a quick and effective hunting for fast moving game in cover I like and use the Marlin 44mag. IMHO, Any of the longer and heavier lever guns will be a handicap. You dont need or want 30/30 or 45/70 for this type of game (game size and distance).

The dual purpose is a whole different situation and for me a bit complicated. I dont want a tube feed lever for that. I think the choices would include Mini14 or probably the Mini30 and any AR-15. But an AR in one of the 30's might be better for hunting? I never hunted hogs and I hear so many totally different internet stories about what power level and bullet are needed. They dont look that big to me? The 30 BO seems like something to consider too.

I have read a lot of complaints about the Mini14/30 accuracy. I had a Mini30 that was a problem, but it was the rifle bore vs ammo diameter. I am sure that is squared away now. I like the mini more than sks, just at a gut level. Also shooting iron sights at moving targets is world different from bench resting with a scope. The budget is $700 and that favors something like a S&W or Ruger AR with change in your pocket. The think the mini is more like 800 retail. Maybe more even? Then, I dont know where this 700 number comes from. Basically you need 2 rifles or stick with the shotgun for protection and get a Marlin or the Winchester 92.

The 92 carbine is lighter than the marlin and in my experience the Miruko 92 is smoother than the marlin. The Marlin was milder to shoot with extra pound weight and rubber butt pad. I (as in me) would look at the stocks on the current 92's if I had to replace my guns.
 
I decided on my rifle for this use many years ago and my fire of choice is the Marlin 357 I bought back in 2002. It will work for SD and hunting as long as thr range is kept to 125 yards or less.

And I have about all the other rifles mentioned so I can change anytime I want or if the situation becomes different.

And if you are in the middle of a disaster and looking for ammo you planned very poorly.

About any gun you have a good supply of ammo for can be made to work. The man with the gun is far more important the the firearm.

Mini 14s are priced around $650 at my local Walmart. Not $800.
 
Not sure why anyone would choose a Marlin .30-30 when an SKS fires just as good a cartridge at half the cost per round if not less, and also is semi-automatic with a larger reserve.
 
Model12Win said:
Not sure why anyone would choose a Marlin .30-30 when an SKS fires just as good a cartridge at half the cost per round if not less, and also is semi-automatic with a larger reserve.
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Likely because for many the look and feel of the traditional lever gun a a certain lure to it. The taste of a good many people leans towards a lever gun as a good handy rifle for general use.

I've been wanting to get into boar hunting for a while and I think I'm going to buy a rifle next week with this in mind. But I'd also like something to use as a brush deer rifle and even for defense in a SHTF type of situation (where I might want something more than my pistols or shotguns). This is new ground for me as I've only hunted with shotguns in the past. This would be the first rifle I've owned in a while.
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Additionally cartridge offerings like the .44 Remington Magnum and .45 Colt in a rifle compliment a nice side arm in either cartridge.

I am not saying the 7.62 X 39 cartridge or the SKS is a poor choice but saying in many instances individual personal taste figures into things. A good friend of mine took many a whitetail deer in West Virginia using an SKS and quality hunting ammunition.

Ron
 
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