Help Me Choose a Brush/Defense Rifle

[Chainsaw.]

Because you've already made a decision and therefore need more opinions Im going to say redheads.....oh...wait. Ive for a long time wanted to go on a hog hunt with a lever action 44 mag, buy, now that I have a blonde paratrooper sks thats alot of fun to shoot it would be a tough decision!

 

[jackstrawIII]

Here's another vote for the Marlin 1894 in 44 mag. Just make sure you find an older one. I've had two of the new ones, neither was satisfactory.

 

[Model12Win]

One knock against the 336 is that .30-30 ammo isn't very cheap. This makes training costly for it unless you reload, which many do not.

 

[Targa]

I have to jump on the lever action .44mag band wagon. My Rossi has brought me much joy.

 

[roscoe]

Rossi .44 or .357 with 16" barrel. The .357 out of a rifle is not to be underestimated, especially with Buffalo Bore / DoubleTap / Underwood ammo.

 

[agtman]

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 * * *
Here are my criteria:
1. Must have iron sights
2. Must have decent capacity
3. Must be under $700 * * *

Have to vote "Other."

M1 Garand.

I just scored a 2.19 mil S.A. with a waaay shot-out barrel for $400 from a local guy selling off all his "Old School" mil-surps. (Argued this dudenal down from $600 after showing him the ME & TE readings with my trusty M1 Throat/Muzzle gauge. Dude sez: "Well, I wondered why I could never hit the target with this piece of crap." LOL ).

All other parts were in-spec, except for a well-worn op rod spring. I've already got a healthy stash of Orion 7 M1 springs stock-piled, so swapping in a fresh one is a done deal. Stock and hand guards were passable.

New Criterion .308 M1 tube will be $200, ... plus another $50 for my M1-knowledgable 'smith to install it and check the specs on everything else (gas port, chamber dimensions, etc). Went with the .308 chambering due to the somewhat cheaper and more available 7.62 surplus ammo, plus I reload for .308 extensively.

Total = $650. Done.

8-rd clips for home defense/SHTF, or 5-rd "hunting" clips for deer, hog, moose, the occasional coyote, whatever.

Iron sights? You bet. The M1 sports the best irons ever fielded on any battle rifle anywhere in the world.

Best to avoid the Commie junk, or some cheap American Sunday afternoon "fun gun" that'll get the hiccups and jam-skis once the action and barrel get hot, like after firing 15 or so consecutive shots. Get something with a vetted history of reliability and accuracy under the harshest battlefield conditions.

You can thank me later.