While telling a story of hunting in the brush to a neighbor, I told him how I preferred to use my 30-30 caliber rather than my 243 or 7mm caliber. The brush is heavy in the Southeast and I've always been lead to believe the 30-30 is the best choice. My neighbor told me recent balistic studies indicated there is little or no advantage the 30-30 has over other calibers in brush.
Brush Hunting
- Thread starter hbaird
- Start date
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,162
- 8,416
Actually. there is no such thing as a brush bucker. All bullets, regardles og caliber and weight will deflect by brush.
IMHO, use a very accurate rifle/load with a good quality scope and thread the needle to your target.
JD338
IMHO, use a very accurate rifle/load with a good quality scope and thread the needle to your target.
JD338
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,746
- 5,817
I've read the same many times over the years - that the big, heavy bullets don't really do any better at getting through the brush in a straight line.
What I do like about lever guns for hunting at closer ranges in the brush is that they're so quick to shoulder and point so well for me. My precision bolt rifles are wonderful in the wide open spaces, but I still like my Marlin for hunting timber and brush.
An accurate, compact bolt gun could be a fine choice to... :grin:
What I do like about lever guns for hunting at closer ranges in the brush is that they're so quick to shoulder and point so well for me. My precision bolt rifles are wonderful in the wide open spaces, but I still like my Marlin for hunting timber and brush.
An accurate, compact bolt gun could be a fine choice to... :grin:
I did quite a bit of testing on this. I tried to prove that my favorite, the 358 Win., is a better brush round than others.
What I found was that if a bullet did not blow up on the brush, and some did, that the ones of greater power did deflect less but if they hit some brush they all deflected and tumbled.
The 7mm RM, 30-06 and 358 were about the same deflection wise.
The 375 HH was better than the above.
Your better off not hitting brush, branches or trees in the first place. This is where a scope works well. Being able to shoot again is also effective.
What I found was that if a bullet did not blow up on the brush, and some did, that the ones of greater power did deflect less but if they hit some brush they all deflected and tumbled.
The 7mm RM, 30-06 and 358 were about the same deflection wise.
The 375 HH was better than the above.
Your better off not hitting brush, branches or trees in the first place. This is where a scope works well. Being able to shoot again is also effective.
G
Guest
Guest
I tend to agree with Guy, that while there is no inherent bullet advantage in brushy situations, the rifle itself is what might make the difference. I own a Win94AE, and have hunted with it for years. In fact, it started as my deer rifle for hunting over dogs in the Florida panhandle, which is usually close in and fairly heavy brush. Works great for handling, which makes for fast shots, which can make for more deer meat. Just tell them it ain't the bullet, but the fast handling characteristics of a shorter length of pull, carbine barrel, and low recoil that make this your brush gun.
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,275
- 2,988
Brush busters are a myth. Nothing else.
Brush Busters are NOT a myth - but the definition is not well understood. What defines a good brush rifle is one which can be handled and pointed well in tight cover, and which puts the game down quickly so trailing isn't needed. One of the best is the .45-70 Marlin, as the large flat .458" bullet tends to anchor game more quickly than smaller calibers. Seen it too many times to believe otherwise.
Rifles make very poor axes or saws..... :wink:
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Rifles make very poor axes or saws..... :wink:
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RogueRiver
Handloader
- Mar 13, 2005
- 430
- 1
Where the 30-30 comes in handy is it is a lightwieght quick gun for close shots in the brush, My rem 760 pump with a 2-7 vx2 in 35 whelen is quick and handy also. In west. OR it is brushy, or thick timber and usually steep terrian. So it is important to ancor game quickly. This is where I have found a larger caliber w/ a heavy bullet does a great job. There are some ravines and creek bottoms that if a deer/elk/bear ran into may only be a 100 yards away but could add an hour or more in getting the game out. Just my 2 cents. take it at that
roysclockgun
Handloader
- Dec 17, 2005
- 736
- 1
I agree that any bullet will :blow up, deflect or tumble upon hitting a small branch. Most of us who've hunted a long time have seen it happen.
The way in which the bullet acts after hitting something, takes place at an incredible rate. This past Oct. I was squeezing the trigger on my rifle when the buck put his head down to feed. This was a mature muley, over 200lbs. As luck would have it, the 7mm bullet hit the main beam on his rack, putting a neat 7mm hole through and through. The heart lung area was within 12 inches of the antler and the bullet had to have entered like a buzz saw, because the entrance hole looked like an exit hole and was oozing matter back from the buck's stomach. There was no exit wound, the bullet shattered the lung and went pinwheeling into the stomach where it stopped. No complaints about the performance of the 140gr AccuBond on this one. The buck staggered about 8 paces and was dead when I got to him.
The way in which the bullet acts after hitting something, takes place at an incredible rate. This past Oct. I was squeezing the trigger on my rifle when the buck put his head down to feed. This was a mature muley, over 200lbs. As luck would have it, the 7mm bullet hit the main beam on his rack, putting a neat 7mm hole through and through. The heart lung area was within 12 inches of the antler and the bullet had to have entered like a buzz saw, because the entrance hole looked like an exit hole and was oozing matter back from the buck's stomach. There was no exit wound, the bullet shattered the lung and went pinwheeling into the stomach where it stopped. No complaints about the performance of the 140gr AccuBond on this one. The buck staggered about 8 paces and was dead when I got to him.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,746
- 5,817
Now that's gotta be a pretty interesting looking mount, with your 7mm hole through it! :grin:
roysclockgun
Handloader
- Dec 17, 2005
- 736
- 1
I only kept the antlers, but yes, the hole adds to the story. The same thing happened to my son, 15 years ago. His rack still carries a .30cal hole clean through the main beam.
Alaska
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2006
- 943
- 379
I still have several...........Rem 600 in 350 mag, BLR in 358 win. that make excellent 200 yard guns.
I think brush guns should be short and handy (Barrell 22in or less). I prefer Rem 660-350RM, Steyr Full stock- 9.3x62 Mauser, Marlin 1895-4570, Browning 71-348 win, Browning 358 win. All cals should be loaded with 250grs and up. But if barrell length and shortness was not a issue it would be Win 1886- 50-110. Now thats a brush buster folks. Just my thought. May be I'm wrong, May be I'm right. I have experience with the above cals, they have worked for me. One thing I know for sure is that I like to do my hunting before the shot not after.
Lenny
Lenny
killdeernow
Beginner
- Dec 20, 2006
- 199
- 0
Put the rifle in a closet; buy a shotgun and put a rifled barrel on it. Shoot sabots and you're good to go. Myth or not, a slug is best for the "woods".
roysclockgun
Handloader
- Dec 17, 2005
- 736
- 1
killdeernow wrote: "Myth or not, a slug is best for the "woods". "
Under some conditions, I agree with you. I remember reading that a fair number of back-up guns used for Tiger in India, were pump shotguns loaded with slugs. However, for deer in woods, there is always the chance of an open shot at longer range. Therefore the rifle is more versatile. Even close up, one should have a "lane" through the thicket, unless one is a "sound shooter".
Under some conditions, I agree with you. I remember reading that a fair number of back-up guns used for Tiger in India, were pump shotguns loaded with slugs. However, for deer in woods, there is always the chance of an open shot at longer range. Therefore the rifle is more versatile. Even close up, one should have a "lane" through the thicket, unless one is a "sound shooter".
baltz526
Handloader
- Sep 25, 2005
- 1,074
- 8
there are great brush hunting guns. but not a single brush busting bullet/cartrage. while hunting elk in the brush a 2.5 power scope on a 300 win mag works for me, deer or bear the open sighted 300 savage or the 1.75 power scoped 308 are what i use. in the brush i want to break bones, so i shoot partitions. hunting after the shot is not in my play book.
