Seriously wanting a brush gun!

B

baddarryl

New member
I did a recent hunt in the woods of NC this week with my kids. As I had my kids along we decided to use a blind and set up on small hills. Obviously my scoped .270 felt a little cramped in there. As I was looking around I also realized it would be tough to get a 100 let alone 200 yard shot due to the undergrowth. I think this calls for a fast handling open sighted .30-30! Crap I need a bigger safe! Aggggggh!
 
I think a M24/47 Mauser would suit your needs, or if you were a little more strapped, an M44, both work great for hunting. M24/47 will be more accurate and have more precise sights, but the M44 offers good accuracy with a fast and easy to acquire sight picture, plus it has a Foldout Bayonet. Both would serve your purposes very well.
 
A fast handling lever, 30-30 or another adequate chamber would be good, I certainly like both mine. Take a look at the Ruger Mini 30, It's a great close range gun, carries like a lever and hits sufficiently hard out to about 150 yards although it cost you substantially more than a lever.
 
A Marlin 30-30 carbine with factory sights took down my first deer, and was the best "brush gun" I've ever owned.
 
The problem is that when you have your 30-30 (which typically is a 3moa rifle) and a deer happens to step out at 200+ yds, you're kind of screwed. Been there, done that - dumped the 30-30 for a Rem Model 7 .260 with an 18.5" bbl. It is actually the same length and weight as the Win 94 it replaced but it has more than double the range.
 
THE brush gun is the 30-30. Every one need s a classic pre64 Wnchester M94 in their collection. Great investment as well.

This is my brush gun of choice.
M94combonet.jpg
 
While I'm a big fan of the 30-30 leverguns, just for an odd duck suggestion from left field dare I suggest finding a Ruger .44 Carbine? An autoloading .44 magnum about the size of a 10/22 Carbine seems kinda nice for a brush gun!
 
Almost any "deer cartridge" rifle with a barrel of 18" to 20" would work. A low-power scope would help for shots at first light in the morning or the last hour before dark.

As an example, I have an old Sako carbine, 19" barrel in .243. Seven pounds, fully dressed. Easy to carry when sneaky-snaking in the woods or to manipulate if in a box blind.
 
I am actually putting ethier a 1-4 or 1.5-5 on my 30-30 for a brush gun. It gives quick handling coupled with fast target acquisition. I also always wondered how a red dot sight would work on it. I just bought a .303 British off gunbroker with a scout scope so I am anxious to see how that is going to work as well. Just a thought on another option, I'll let you know how it goes. In all honesty, I love my 30-30 for an all around brush/timber deer rifle. I know it's not as capable as my 06 with range, but when in western Pennsylvania am I shooting over 200 yards.
 
I picked up a Remington 750 carbine in 35 whelen earlier this year. It has to be MY ultimate brush gun. 18.5" barrel and a 1.5-5 scope. Carried it a lot this deer season. When I had it strapped to my back, barrel barely stuck up over my shoulder. Oh, and that 35 whelen is a deer getter! Furthest deer I shot was 120 yards, but I'm sure it would be deadly WAY past that!
 
The 30-30 lever gun has been the perfect woods gun for well over a century for good reason!
Short, light, easy handling, and the 30-30 is completely competent for deer, and a readily available cartridge.
 
If you can find one, a Rem 600 or 660 is short, fast, rugged, accurate & is the perfect definition of "brush-gun". Depending on caliber, a longer range shot is not a problem.

JIMHO...

...bug :)
 
I think a M24/47 Mauser would suit your needs, or if you were a little more strapped, an M44, both work great for hunting. M24/47 will be more accurate and have more precise sights, but the M44 offers good accuracy with a fast and easy to acquire sight picture, plus it has a Foldout Bayonet. Both would serve your purposes very well.
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Now THAT'S funny stuff right there!
Exactly how would a Mauser military rifle be any less cramped in a deer blind?
Obviously my scoped .270 felt a little cramped in there.
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And exactly what would the use for the bayonet on the M44 be in deer hunting?

I think the OP has a very good idea of what he wants.:D
I think this calls for a fast handling open sighted .30-30!
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Now THAT'S funny stuff right there!
Exactly how would a Mauser military rifle be any less cramped in a deer blind?
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have you ever held one? M24's are extremely handy Mausers. This coming from someone who hunts from a 6' x 6' box blind. Never said the bayonet of an M44 had use. Just a novelty that adds to the coolness. I hunt with my K-31 and M91/30 regularly from the same cramped blind. And both rounds are light years ahead of a .30-30 Win. I have just as much right to add suggestions as anyone else.
 
M24 mauser is 43" long

336 Marlin is 42" long.

I'm gonna side with the Marauder on this one. 8mm is a better round than 30-30 and the M24 is a good rifle.
 
I'm with Mystro on this one; by the way, thanks for the pix. I see yours has the short forearm, must be post-49? The comment about the 8mm mauser being light-years ahead of a 30-30 is a mega-exageration. Baddarryl aleady has a 270. Now maybe it's time for a 30-30. Pre-64 Winchester, peferably 1937 to 1949 carbine.
 
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