Ideal Bush gun

I turfed all my lever actions. Anything I can't detail strip in the field makes me worry.

It is a 100% silly and irrational fear, I know.

And it's not as though I detail strip trigger mechanisms anyhow.

When I still competed in pistol, the biggest thing I liked about my Glock was *I* could easily maintain it, and it was 100% reliable.

That's what I want in a bush gun. I think I'm close in my Tikka T3, though a Mauser with a military trigger is likely better.
 
kodiakjack said:
I was in your exact position a few years back. I desperately wanted an RFB to fill the whole (which I believe is the PERFECT bush pusher). However, I just couldn't swing the cash.




So I settled on this:



Remington 750 Carbine in .308 with Knoxx RR Stock.

Aside from an RFB, I think this is as close to perfect as you can get.

-Cost. My whole setup is less than $800.
-length. Less than 35 inches with the stock fully shortened.
-carrying. Works well with a normal sling, or single point. It hangs at my right side, ready to draw, but out of the way of my machete.
-reliability. The gas port was moved when they moved from the 7400 series to the 750. Can't speak for em all, but mine's never hiccuped once.
-sights. The irons are fine, but a red dot is great in thick bush. Both eyes open.
-stock. Not only adjustable, but also has two integral springs that absorb recoil and prevent muzzle flip. Knoxx claims recoil reduction of 85% - which makes sense, as it's less kicky than a .223 (not that .308 is kicky to begin with)
Versatility- there's not many critters in this country that won't fall to a .308

The only drawback (aside from not being an RFB) is the noise. I'm told it's very loud by others at the range, but it has a recessed crown and sort of throws the sound away from the shooter, so not bad for me.

I got it for bush pushing but the first moose I got with it was at 200 yards. Bang flop.
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It hangs out of the way of your machete??? A traditional sporting rifle is far superior for handling and portability than any black rifle. Sorry, man but that thing is not an ideal anything.
 
OP, I got a bush gun with your name on it! It's a semi-auto, Rem 742 carbine in 308. It's wearing a brand new synthetic stock for rugged bush use and comes with the original purdy wood stock. It is in fine shape and functions very well. I was going to use it for trail carry, but have a number of other rifles that fit the bill. I am sort of looking to downsize my fleet, so I thought I would offer it to you. PM me if interested.
 
What Mike Webb says bluntly:p comparing a Tactical to a sporting rifle does have merit. Here's the main difference to me practically after owning and enjoying both types.

I choose sporting for sporting purposes, because the Tactical type rifle is set up to be carried "At the ready" for quick use and is deadly for this but does not have the ergos for long hours of trail carry and cradle and maneuver in the bush plus,..........

If the game was present and an encounter imminent, than the tactical may be superior to shoulder and fire repeatedly, but,... if the target presents itself unexpectedly after a long and boring stalk of humping through the woods, nothing seem to shoulder and fire from the relaxed and unready carry like a nice compact sporter. Again JMHO.
 
Mike Webb said:
It hangs out of the way of your machete??? A traditional sporting rifle is far superior for handling and portability than any black rifle. Sorry, man but that thing is not an ideal anything.
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When it comes to still hunting, or hunting from a fixed point, I'd agree with you, and this is what goes out with me:



However, when pushing through thick brush (often 10 feet or less visibility) trying to kick up deer for our hunters on the stand, it just doesn't cut it. I can't have it at the ready, and still have my hands free to plow through brush or swing a machete. But my frankengun will hang hands free with the butt already cinched up to just under my shoulder. If a rare opportunity presents itself while dogging (or a bear is on the other side of a snag instead of a deer) I can draw and fire in less than a second.

Perhaps you're blessed with a little less snarly landscape than I have to hunt on, but it's all I've got, and that ugly puppy is the IDEAL tool to push it with.

Cheers :)
 
Last year I used an SKS, and it did the job and filled the freezer, BUT, there are some caveats.

A) I put quite a bit of work into accurizing it. Probably more effort than I needed. Shimmed the action all around, installed a Magwedge rail, then promptly shimmed it at the front to remove side to side play, and replaced the rear cross bolt... It was a number of trips back and forth to the range tinkering with it to get it shooting consistently under 3" groups with Hornady SST ammo.

B) It's short, ish, and reasonably easy to handle. But it's heavier than I would like for a "nimble" bush gun, just under 9lbs, IIRC, as set up.

c) It's a 150 yard "with confidence" gun, 200 yard "Well, if I really really have to" gun. This is both in terms of accuracy, and terminal effect. It's a fat, slow, bullet, and loses velocity fairly quickly. I've played with it a bit, and have even done some paper work out to 200 yards, and range accuracy at 200 yards is fine, but the difference between "range accuracy at known distances" and "practical accuracy at unkown distances" are two different things. That bullet really starts to drop after 150 yards or so, and guessing your holdover in the field is non-ideal.

Although, as has been mentioned, "Bush Ranges" actually tend to be a heckuva a lot less than 100 yards, so practical accuracy is fine in this regard.


So my personal verdict, having actually used an SKS, successfully, for bush deer:

Get a nice bolt gun (either a CZ or a Zastava) in the same calibre. Or a lightweight lever carbine in 30-30. Accuracy will be slightly better, although not really an issue at these ranges. The big win will be shaving 2-3 lbs off your carry weight. Semi-auto is over-rate for hunting deer. You're going to get one shot off. It will either hit, or it won't.

You can make an SKS work, and lots of guys do, quite successfully. But I'm getting older, my knees suck, and my gut is starting to spread. If I can shave 2-3lbs off my rifle carry weight, I'll take that over the "advantages" of a semi auto.

sks_deer.jpg


Cheers, now excuse me while I go grab my flame retardant clothing.
 
grelmar said:
Last year I used an SKS, and it did the job and filled the freezer, BUT, there are some caveats.

A) I put quite a bit of work into accurizing it. Probably more effort than I needed. Shimmed the action all around, installed a Magwedge rail, then promptly shimmed it at the front to remove side to side play, and replaced the rear cross bolt... It was a number of trips back and forth to the range tinkering with it to get it shooting consistently under 3" groups with Hornady SST ammo.

B) It's short, ish, and reasonably easy to handle. But it's heavier than I would like for a "nimble" bush gun, just under 9lbs, IIRC, as set up.

c) It's a 150 yard "with confidence" gun, 200 yard "Well, if I really really have to" gun. This is both in terms of accuracy, and terminal effect. It's a fat, slow, bullet, and loses velocity fairly quickly. I've played with it a bit, and have even done some paper work out to 200 yards, and range accuracy at 200 yards is fine, but the difference between "range accuracy at known distances" and "practical accuracy at unkown distances" are two different things. That bullet really starts to drop after 150 yards or so, and guessing your holdover in the field is non-ideal.

Although, as has been mentioned, "Bush Ranges" actually tend to be a heckuva a lot less than 100 yards, so practical accuracy is fine in this regard.


So my personal verdict, having actually used an SKS, successfully, for bush deer:

Get a nice bolt gun (either a CZ or a Zastava) in the same calibre. Or a lightweight lever carbine in 30-30. Accuracy will be slightly better, although not really an issue at these ranges. The big win will be shaving 2-3 lbs off your carry weight. Semi-auto is over-rate for hunting deer. You're going to get one shot off. It will either hit, or it won't.

You can make an SKS work, and lots of guys do, quite successfully. But I'm getting older, my knees suck, and my gut is starting to spread. If I can shave 2-3lbs off my rifle carry weight, I'll take that over the "advantages" of a semi auto.

sks_deer.jpg


Cheers, now excuse me while I go grab my flame retardant clothing.
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got it on yet? I have the matches in my hand, just waiting for the guy with the gas can:p

yeah, I don't like heavy guns. I carry Micro's and such. I don't do that much walking now at my age, but I still like the light rifles.
 
Want to know one of the best brush guns for deer????.....12 ga with 00 buck shot .......if is truly brushy where you hunt.. Buck shot is deadly inside 50 yards. No precision shots required when a buck busts out at 30 steps and disappears in a bound.
 
My quad rifle/bush guns are a 18.5" barrelled no1mk3 enfield .303 (180gr) with it's 10round mag and a nikon M3 2-8 scope. My other one is a 18.5" barrelled custom M14s semi .308 fitted with a collapseable carbon fiber stock and irons only.
Both are suitable for slinging on the shoulder and footin it. Both are short enough to fit across the rack of my quad without sticking out past the fenders and hitting obstacles.
Both have put mule deer and moose in my freezer reliably for many years now.
 
two-dogs said:
got it on yet? I have the matches in my hand, just waiting for the guy with the gas can:p

yeah, I don't like heavy guns. I carry Micro's and such. I don't do that much walking now at my age, but I still like the light rifles.
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The temperature around here, don't need gas or a lighter, I might self combust at any moment.
 
Troy1760 said:
Hey all, looking for some help to choose a bush gun for this years deer season. I have a bolt action 30-06, but looking to share the bush push with a semi auto.
I would like the following characteristics and functionality.

Non restricted
Semi Auto
7.62 caliber (308/7.62 x 39, or similar)
Accurate (not needed to be a tact driver, this will be a shoulder gun most of the time)
Effective to 200 (most shots will be in bush, so 200 would be max)
Some aftermarket help (ie rails or mounts for optics)
Avaialble mags (price not an issue, as i will only need 2, maybe 3 tops)
Light enough to haul around bush
18.5" barrel (to keep NR and still be short enough in the trees)

I have though of some, M305, Mini 30, Vz58, and the SKS. What else is out there. And what is reliable (will take rain and dirty and still go bang) with hunting ammo, i may plink with this, but for the most part, it will be a bush hunting gun 90% of the time.

interested in your thoughts and choices you have made in this same style dilemma.

Thanks in advance
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I think you just described a BAR in 308 Win.
I'd go with a synthetic stock.
 
Troy1760 said:
Hey all, looking for some help to choose a bush gun for this years deer season. I have a bolt action 30-06, but looking to share the bush push with a semi auto.
I would like the following characteristics and functionality.

Non restricted
Semi Auto
7.62 caliber (308/7.62 x 39, or similar)
Accurate (not needed to be a tact driver, this will be a shoulder gun most of the time)
Effective to 200 (most shots will be in bush, so 200 would be max)
Some aftermarket help (ie rails or mounts for optics)
Avaialble mags (price not an issue, as i will only need 2, maybe 3 tops)
Light enough to haul around bush
18.5" barrel (to keep NR and still be short enough in the trees)

I have though of some, M305, Mini 30, Vz58, and the SKS. What else is out there. And what is reliable (will take rain and dirty and still go bang) with hunting ammo, i may plink with this, but for the most part, it will be a bush hunting gun 90% of the time.

interested in your thoughts and choices you have made in this same style dilemma.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

I own a Winchester model 100 in 308 Winchester that I'm dumping.
I'm exclusively a levergun/bolt guy now.
I've got a synthetic stocked BAR with a fluted barrel in 300 Winchester that's going on the auction block as well.
My semis have been safe queens for 5 years.
Time to generate some quick cash selling off the dust collectors.
I do that every 2 or 3 years.
 
I think a 22" Winchester Featherweight with a Leupold 1.5-5x20mm would be ideal. So would a T/C Encore with one of the 24" barrels and a similar scope.

If you really want a semi-auto, I would get a BAR Mark II Safari in .30-06. They are beautiful rifles of heirloom quality.
 
Troy1760 said:
Hey all, looking for some help to choose a bush gun for this years deer season. I have a bolt action 30-06, but looking to share the bush push with a semi auto.
I would like the following characteristics and functionality.

Non restricted
Semi Auto
7.62 caliber (308/7.62 x 39, or similar)
Accurate (not needed to be a tact driver, this will be a shoulder gun most of the time)
Effective to 200 (most shots will be in bush, so 200 would be max)
Some aftermarket help (ie rails or mounts for optics)
Avaialble mags (price not an issue, as i will only need 2, maybe 3 tops)
Light enough to haul around bush
18.5" barrel (to keep NR and still be short enough in the trees)

I have though of some, M305, Mini 30, Vz58, and the SKS. What else is out there. And what is reliable (will take rain and dirty and still go bang) with hunting ammo, i may plink with this, but for the most part, it will be a bush hunting gun 90% of the time.

interested in your thoughts and choices you have made in this same style dilemma.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
bushmaster ACR with a caliber conversion (30 AR, 7.62x39, 450 Bushmaster, 50 Beowulf) are all possible


450 Bushmaster
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Here is another one of my favorite, 44 Mag 12 inch barrel with full stock...
It always on the trip to Anticosti... JP.:rockOn:


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