Thinking about a bush gun...

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kolik1

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Sk.. or AB... take your pick
I've got to thinking about picking up on a good bush gun. Something short, with a heavy round. Possibly a 18.5" barrel lever gun in .45-70. We hunt in some thick willow's from time to time, and while we're out we also encounter wide open fields. I just figure for those instance's when it's my turn to push bush it'd be beneficial to have a dedicated bush gun.

Do you have a dedicated bush gun? If so what do you use?

Or do you think I'm wasting my time and should just crash the bush with my scoped 24" rifle...
 
When I was much younger and pushed bush, I had a model 94 in my hands, in different cals. 30-30, 307, 356, 375, nice a light, carries very easy. A real good bush gun!
 
For a dedicated bush rifle - ie under 100yds type shooting - SKS with dot sight.

For a lever, Win trapper in 45LC or 44Mag or 30-30 also with a dot sight.

My primary hunting rifle is in 7-08, 19" barrel, 3-9 scope but likely moving to a 1-7X lit reticle Sightron. Can take shots off the muzzle to across a cut block no problem at all.

Jerry
 
i would take a ruger 77/44 for close range, my zastava m70 with open sights in 308 for more stopping power at close range, then 200 yards and under i would take my ruger m77 all wather in 338 win mag with a 1.75 to 4 power scope.
 
Dedicated bush gun but some wide open fields is a asking lots from a rifle.

Bush gun I'd go .45 colt or .454, or 45-70.

If you had a low power scope on a 45-70 guide gun, you could very easily reach out 200+ yards with decent handloads and practice. Heck, I know a fellow who was shooting a three foot round rock at 515 yards (lasered) with his 1985 GBL a few weeks back, and hitting it pretty consistently - with open sights. That was with cast 340's and a very stiff load of 3031.
 
Northman999 said:
Dedicated bush gun but some wide open fields is a asking lots from a rifle.

Bush gun I'd go .45 colt or .454, or 45-70.

If you had a low power scope on a 45-70 guide gun, you could very easily reach out 200+ yards with decent handloads and practice. Heck, I know a fellow who was shooting a three foot round rock at 515 yards (lasered) with his 1985 GBL a few weeks back, and hitting it pretty consistently - with open sights. That was with cast 340's and a very stiff load of 3031.
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I have the wide open fields covered with my weatherby, just looking for ideas for something to use when i'm in the willow's in the bottom of the coolie's and ravines. :D
 
When I used to hunt WT in Sask with my cousins every year I put together a double 12 gauge with 20" bbls and mounted a set of Rem 700 sights on the rib. This double would shoot Brenneke slugs into 4" at 50 mtrs from both barrels. I used this when it was my turn in the poplars or willows. Never actually got to shoot anything with it but it was sure light, fast and handy in the thick stuff. I could also hit a 6" circle at 100 yds with the front trigger (left barrel I think), so it really wasn't that short range a gun either.
 
c-fbmi said:
When I used to hunt WT in Sask with my cousins every year I put together a double 12 gauge with 20" bbls and mounted a set of Rem 700 sights on the rib. This double would shoot Brenneke slugs into 4" at 50 mtrs from both barrels. I used this when it was my turn in the poplars or willows. Never actually got to shoot anything with it but it was sure light, fast and handy in the thick stuff. I could also hit a 6" circle at 100 yds with the front trigger (left barrel I think), so it really wasn't that short range a gun either.
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I like that idea, kind of a poor man's double! I have a 12 ga coach gun with 20" barrels and that gun is absolute lightning in my hands on grouse in the thick stuff... You are giving me ideas.
 
flyinlead said:
I like that idea, kind of a poor man's double! I have a 12 ga coach gun with 20" barrels and that gun is absolute lightning in my hands on grouse in the thick stuff... You are giving me ideas.
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I found an old Ithaca double that had a bulged barrel for 100 bucks IIRC, it was a little rough but was still nice and tight and the wood was sound. Carefully cut it nice and square at 20"s, milled the 700 sights flat, drilled and tapped the rib and mounted them up. Bought all the different slugs in town at the time and settled on the Brenneke, none of them shot real bad as I recall.
 
kolik1 said:
I've got to thinking about picking up on a good bush gun. Something short, with a heavy round. Possibly a 18.5" barrel lever gun in .45-70. We hunt in some thick willow's from time to time, and while we're out we also encounter wide open fields. I just figure for those instance's when it's my turn to push bush it'd be beneficial to have a dedicated bush gun.

Do you have a dedicated bush gun? If so what do you use?

Or do you think I'm wasting my time and should just crash the bush with my scoped 24" rifle...
Click to expand...

For what you describe I prefer my remington 760 in 270. For tight bush only I like my model 94 30-30.

I also have a marlin 444 but I find it rather heavy so I seldom carry it anymore.
 
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250 grains at 2600 fps seemed like a good idea. The Ruger has factory irons and an NECG peep on it. If I went to a scope it would likely be a Leupold 2.5x20mm Compact to leave lots of room for the bolt and lots of eye relief. McMillan magnum fill stock should be nigh on indestructible.

I put this together as an alternative to the typical guide gun or pump shotgun many lug around. Figure that factory loads are easier to find, and probably just as good or better than 405 grains at 1800 fps. It is a bit longer and a bit heavier, but probably far more rugged and reliable. Taking a cue from African dangerous game hunters. The only thing it needs is lots of practice.

If your ranges stretch out in open fields, then maybe a short-barreled .45-70 might not be the ticket? Have you considered a .30-06 with 220 grain bullets and a 22 inch barrel? Put a low powered variable on it and you're good to go.
 
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I have a marlin 1895 gs with a leupold fx2 fixed 2.5 and it works great for the situation you describe. Lots of loading options with it. I also use a rossi stainless 20" 44 mag and a marlin 336 ss. A rossi ranch hand with a full size but stock would be really short and handy too.
 
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