Looking for a good deer brush gun

[Auchumpkee Creek Assassin]

find ya a Marlin 336 in 35 rem.

 

[billy336]

find ya a Marlin 336 in 35 rem.

My recomedation as well. I only hunt with Savage 99s, but they are are to find and harder to finance. No need to drop a bunch of cash and drag it thru the woods. My first rifle was a Marlin 336 in 30/30, hence my handle.

 

[seaweaver]

.35 is a hammer.
pawnshop w/ $275 and you will get one.
30/30 has killed more than all others put together and ammo is still cheep. 200 ain't yards that hard, toss in the LE ammo....
I have 2 .35s, 3 30/30s that never fail.
the only other i would suggest if you reload is the Marlin .375 win.
it is light short and hard. 240g at 2250 or better depending on your loading.
cw

 

[brkbowma]

I shoot a Winchester model 94ae 44 mag and love it. This is the first season that I have killed deer with it. The deer that I have shot have been standind in the thickest brush imaginable, 50 yard shots, and the deer went to the ground on both shots. This gun has replaced my Browning A-Bolt 270 as my go to gun in the mountains. I paid about $400 for it 4 years ago at a gun show.

 

[Bill Mc]

I would think that the Winchester 94 chambered in 375 Win would do the job. There's one in the store for $599.99 that would be tempting if I were a "Lever" guy.

My last lever was Dasiy.

 

[seaweaver]

If the winny .375 has angle eject I'd give it a nod.
cw

 

[imrich]

The new Hornady ammo has really opened up the range of several of the traditional lever calibers. I love hunting with levers in close quarters. If you don't mind the weight or price try one of the abbreviated versions of an M1A like a scout or socom 16.

 

[Bill Mc]

If the winny .375 has angle eject I'd give it a nod.

It a side eject. An older one without the crossbolt safety.

 

[weagle]

I've always been partial to the .35 remington, but lately I've become a huge fan of the .375 winchester. The factory ammo is a 200 gr flatnose and it actually kicks a little less than the .35 rem in similar guns and it really put the smack on deer. Handloads with the 220 grain hornady flatnose can up the power considerably.

I've owned (5) .375 lever guns:

First a savage 99 brush gun: The name is misleading. these guns are way too long for a brush gun and should have come from the factory with a 20" barrel.

3 different marlin model .375's: Almost, but not quite the ticket. I like the 2/3 mag, but prefer a straight grip on a marlin lever gun.

And finally, my current brush favorite: A marlin 30TK rebored and rechambered from 30-30 to 375 winchester. I love the short 18 1/2" barrel, 2/3 mag and straight stock. It ain't the prettiest marlin in the world with it's plain birch stock, but it handles like a dream and shoots great. It has a fixed 2 1/2 power scope with a post and cross hair.

Good shooting ,
Weagle

 

[tumlin1]

I got a ruger 44mag carbine my dad gave me and I love it; probably not the least expensive though. Also I have had plenty of experience with the marlin lever action 44mag and absolutely love them also.

 

[seaweaver]

(show off!)
cw

 

[tumlin1]

naahhh

 

[seaweaver]

Tum. I was pickin on weagal!!

.375 or......a Marlin 512 slug master. There's one on the swap thread....
ZAPPPP
there was !!!!

I'll let yall know how it works!
cw

 

[Ruger#3]

Ruger #3

I've shot a Ruger#3 in 45/70 for years in the thickets. Like you I find most my setups at less than 50 yds in thick cover and it seems to work fine.

 

[artz]

Take a look at an NEF/H&R in .500 Smith&Wesson with the bull barrel. Thats a brush gun !