What rifle to "push bush"

I use a marlin 1895m guide gun in .450. Pounds a ton of brush and is small and easy to get around. Depending on the size of field it would be too heavy for long range but I shoot it out to 100 yards with no issues. Also I use open sights on it because they are faster for me.

Just my $0.02
 
Pushed bushes for 15 years with a marlin 30-30 with open sights. Wasn't lucky enough or old enough to get to block. We dont push much anymore, get more deer sitting in our stands.
 
Hunting around me is mix of thick cover and open clear cuts so I need the flexibility for close and moderate range shots. Over the years, I want a smaller and lighter rig so I have moded a Savage Edge to become a 19" 708, cut down stock. A little TLC and it runs well with a great trigger. Today, I would just have easily picked up a junior Axis in 7-08 and saved myself all the work.

Right now, Sightron SII Big sky 3-9X42HHR sits on the rifle. I haven't had any issues taking close shots at 6X (40 + yds is as close as I get anyways, with most right around 100yds). At that mag, the reticle lets me drop a 154gr SST out to 400yds without touching the knobs. That will cover all I need from this rifle.

I am liking this small light rig. Just need to tweak the bolt knob and camo it up - will serve me very well for all the hunting I need to do.

If I was only hunting in heavy cover, same rifle but SIII1-7x20 w a lit reticle. I can dial to 1X and it actually works - you can aim at your feet clearly. In your face running and jump shots now become possible and you can dial up for those longer shots. The dot is self diming which is a really nice feature.

Jerry
 
I use a 350 rem mag with an 18.5" barrel topped with a 1.5-5 vari x III for bush work or stand hunting. Another tip when your pushing through bush with snow on the branches it is putting a flipup cap on the front of your scope nothing worse then bullwinkle popping up and all you see through your scope is white, I know this from personal experience!
 
A few come to mind for me...

Rem 760 carbine, with peep, 280
Ruger 44 semi with Leupold 1.5-5 Heavy Duplex
Win 94, with peep.
Rem 11-87, 20 gauage, Slug barrel.


cantgetright said:
We dont push much anymore, get more deer sitting in our stands.
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We do both...I sit in a stand most mornings, and some evenings..It is poductive, but has to be the least exciting way to hunt,''wait for'' deer....

I can't see myself sitting mid-day when deer aren't active playing the wait game..Thats where pushin bush produces, if done properly....
 
I did a bit of this hunting for WT in Sask with my cousins. I always used my 300 Wby, 'cause I use it for everything, but the last couple of times I took a 20" barreled 12 ga with 700 Rem sights and Brenneke slugs for the bush pushing work. I could hit a clay pigeon at 50 yds both barrels so I figured good enough. Never got the chance to try it out on deer though. What I really wanted though was a double 45-70 which wasn't available at the time, but is now in a reasonably priced rifle. So I would use two rifles and just keep the one not in use in the truck. As we moved from patch to patch I would alternate whether on post with the 300 or pushing with the double.
To my thinking this is the best of both worlds.
 
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I hunt in dense central Ontario bush, where average shots are usually around 20-30 yards. After buying and trying a few different guns, actions and calibers, I finally settled on a bolt action Tikka Battue (carbine) in 308. I couldn't be happier with my choice, thanks to an excellent thread on Tikka Battue on this website.

My 2 cents: whatever gun/action you chose, consider these points;

- Buy a Carbine. That extra inch or two really matters in dense bush;
- Buy light. That extra pound or two really matters on long walks;
- Buy synthetic (don't even think about wood);
- Pay attention to the rifles balance when carried with one hand on long walks....(really ;))
- If you are buying a short, light rifle, go with the lightest caliber that you can get away with, for your type of hunt. ( A 5 pound carbine in 300 Win. Mag. ?...OUCH...:eek:).

For sights; again after trying some ideas like red dots and low Mag. scopes, I eventually came back to the rifle's own open sights as the most practical of them all. Provided that your eyesight agrees.
 
Charlie-Foxtrot Bravo Mike India, reread his post, he is asking about pushing deer with people that visit him for moose hunting.
 
Cleftwynd said:
Charlie-Foxtrot Bravo Mike India, reread his post, he is asking about pushing deer with people that visit him for moose hunting.
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You sir are entirely correct, I did in fact misread the OP. My apologies to all.

I do still question the use of .357RM on big game even deer, but not quite as preposturous as on moose.

Fixed it.
 
Mystic Precision said:
If I was only hunting in heavy cover, same rifle but SIII1-7x20 w a lit reticle. I can dial to 1X and it actually works - you can aim at your feet clearly. In your face running and jump shots now become possible and you can dial up for those longer shots. The dot is self diming which is a really nice feature.

Jerry
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Jerry, since we have you here, how is the eye relief on this scope? How does it compare to the VX.R (glass quality, F.O.V...)? What are your going prices?

Also, I keep Googleing it and I keep getting SIII 2-7X24 not 20. A typo maybe? Thanks.
 
My Dad pushed alot of Moose country (New Liskard area) for years (20+) using nothing more then a Win Mod 94 30-30.

Fairly light, quick sight acquisition & it doesn't get caught on alot of swamp brush when he was 1/2-1Km off the actual log cuts, were his main points. Considering he was dogging for the crew, his shots were well under 100yrds. Two Cows and a Calf over the years with the 30-30 shows its ample enough if shot placement is correct. He's only recently (last 6yrs or less) switched to a Win Mod 100 .308 or his Rem 740 in .270 and retired the old Mod 94. I'd feel confident with any of these three or some of the afore-mentioned calibers & rifles as a "push" rifle.
 
Home3 said:
Jerry, since we have you here, how is the eye relief on this scope? How does it compare to the VX.R (glass quality, F.O.V...)? What are your going prices?

Also, I keep Googleing it and I keep getting SIII 2-7X24 not 20. A typo maybe? Thanks.
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It is a 24mm scope. There is only 1 made at this time.

I don't sell Leupold so I will not comment on a direct comparison.

I can say that the sightrons offer the best glass in its price point of any brand I have been able to get my hands on and challenges scopes costing 2 to 3 times more. One of the few 1X scopes that is actually a 1X scope. Most will have some degree of image distortion and edge curvature - some moderately priced brands have some nasty low mag optics. This scope has a nice clear flat image with a short focus distance only red dots can match.

I have an end of season demo in like new condition. Send me a PM or email for the discounted price. Only 1 so first come.

The dot glows when light is low and goes "black" in bright light (you just see the normal reticle) so you never have to play with the light setting when moving in and out of the shadows. I am unaware of any red dot that can do this including the real aimpoints and EOTechs - set the dot for low light and loose it in the bright (and vice versa). Some 3 Gun shooters are taking a good look at this cause when they move through their stages, a wide range of lighting is possible. They are either compromising or fussing with their dots. Not with this scope. Then they can crank up the mag for those longer shots. Only the S&B short dot gives this level of flexibility and these cost a few more dollars.

I am unsure if this is just a fluke of the design or on purpose cause I cannot see any light sensor or mention in the promotional material. But I have checked several scopes and they all do this. A very nice "fluke" in the design of the scope.
Jerry
 
Leupold ultralight 2.5x on 45-70 GBL. Caries and points like a dream. There was a limited run of these rifles in various calibers with a 16" or so barrel. If I ever saw one, I would buy it. The rifle was a little heavy, I drilled the stock and routered the inside of the forearm. Made a huge difference in balance/feel

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rugatikka said:
Another vote for a remington 7600 30/06 carbine with peep sight.
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I'm currently having a 760 in 308 cut back to 20" and installing a Lyman all-steel receiver sight. It will be perfect for mid-day still hunting and rainy days.

I think the 20" works better than the shorter 18.5".
 
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