Here goes... I’m already tired of talking about the Chinese virus and as of late, brush guns have piqued my interest. So, I hope this turns into a long discussion.

1) do y’all think there is even such thing as a brush gun... as in an actual round that’s capable of push light brush and twigs out of the way without deflection? This part doesn’t debate the fact that there are several carbine rifles that are easier to wield in the woods. That’s a given. I’m just asking about the round.

2) if you answered yes to 1, what would that round (your personal favorite) be?

3) I like the looks of the Ruger American 450 BM, possibly the Henry Single 45-70 or the most likely candidate, a CVA Scout in 44 mag.

4) I’m particularly interested in the 44 mag bc I already have a SW629 and lots of 44 brass, plus I’ve got a screw in my shoulder and the heavy recoil isn’t my thing.

5) what’s the real world capability of a 240-300 gr 44 mag round in a carbine length barrel?

6) I’ve got a 270 I’ve been shooting since I was 15. Should I just save my money on a new rifle and buy powder and .277 bullets?

ALL bullets, no matter weight or speed, can be thrown off target by the smallest of twigs. study after study has proven this. my own experience has proven it with unseen twigs. one example: 240-grain .44 magnum bullet thrown off 18 inches at less than 15 yards. do NOT shoot through brush ...

My 2 main brush guns are my marlin 1895g 45-70 & my Winchester pre 64 1894 30-30 ( which I've recently sort of retired from using because of sentimental and actual monetary value) . I also dont laugh use a hi point 1095ts 10mm carbine it's a sure tack driver.

If small limbs or twigs are an issue I would say maybe buckshot would be your best bet. I've always considered a brush gun just a shorter carbine style like you described, that you don't mind getting a little scratched up.

I'll chime in on #5. The 300 grain .44's will not disappoint true you can't drive them like a 240 but the weight helps out. Range?125 yards is all I'd try.y

Save your money and start loading.

My dad gave me a saftey lesson when I was 7yr old before goin hunting one time. He had a marlin 44mag that was the closest thing for my fit. He walked up to a pine tree about the size of a wrist and said cover your ears, then blew a hole thru it, looked at me n said be careful with this gun ☺

Agreed, the article I read years ago actually suggested (after testing) a smaller caliber bullet as it was less likely to strike something than a big bore but in the end they said just don't do it unless you have to such as a wounded game type scenerio.

There was something about buckshot in the article also. Seems the spherical projectiles did well (relative to bullets).

The testing was done by toothpicks stuck in a block of wood and then fired through at a target. The toothpicks and target ranges varied. It was interesting enough for me to remember it a dozen years later but I have lost the details to time.

I'm not sure there is a brush gun in-so-far as rifles go --- #1 buckshot always did pretty well when we ran dogs years ago (don't flame me, that is how I was brought up and we had plenty of good fellowship, although I did get a shirt-tail trimmed a couple times). If you haven't had your shirt-tailed trimmed, well you're just better than me.

If you like that 30-30, why not just buy a used one and carry it?

In reality, there is no such thing as a brush gun for whitetail hunting. That said, some guns with certain bullets will track straighter through brush than others, but a 570 Nitro Express is not a good choice in the woods of Alabama. The recoil is a little stout and could rock you outta your tree. 😀

I’ll stick to common calibers on this subject, three of note in order of effectiveness in my observation. My observations also extend to hunting outside of Alabama in some brush that is extremely stout. Please note that I always try to take a clear shot but sometimes that picture doesn’t play out the way it looked in the scope. My personal experience shows very little deflection, just tears the limbs up. I think there are many variables, but I do believe in a true “brush gun”. I find a shotgun in theory a candidate but in action...Nope.

The 35 Whelen
444 Marlin
45/70

I have a relative that uses a 35 Whelen for primitive season, if y’all could see the size tree the bullet went through and still killed the buck, you’d agree its #1

I use a 444 and I’m always astounded. I also use 44 Mag with great results.

The 45/70 with hotter velocity works in brush but its tree puncturing is hindered by the diameter of the 45 cal

a brush gun to me is just something with a short barrel with open sights easy to get on target

I was going to jump in and say the same as GKelly. A "Brush Gun" to me might just mean the same as a "Treestand Gun" would to someone else.

It is a short barrel carbine. Because it is a short barrel carbine it is not meant to shoot long distances, therefore there is no need for a long range cartridge. If there is no need for a long range cartridge then you may as well shoot something that hits hard.

To some that is a 44 Magnum Ruger Carbine (Alabama) 50-100yds in a pine thicket.. To others that is the carbine version of a .35 Whelen Rem 760 Pump (Alaska) maybe up to 200 yards or just over.

To me the best of these is in a caliber that can still shoot some resonable distance.

.358 Winchester is the best to me because it is short action vs .35 Whelen. But very comparable. Same bullet at nearly same velocity.

I do love a .45/70 but the bullet selection is lacking for mid range distances vs. the .35's bullets which are much better suited for it.

The .35's are some badass rounds. They hit hard and there is no need for fancy bonded bullets (and all that debatable BS) when you are shooting a 200 or 200+ grain chunk of lead.

There is a really good video on YouTube about this by an account called iraqveteran8888 or something along those lines. I think it is 2 videos actually. What he found is that while all bullets will have deflection, some deflected much less than others and stayed on target. It also really boiled down to the bullet as well. The flat and round nose bullets tended to deflect less than the pointed bullets. The 45-70 did really good but I think the best one in his test was 30-06 with 220gr round nose bullets. I stick with a 405 or 350gr flat nose 45-70 or a 30-30 for the majority of my hunting. All thick woods right now.

You can’t kill a deer with a 30-30, wats wrong with ya.

Watched it. I like his videos.

45-70

Love my 1894 .44 mag.

This 4" beech tree was centerpunched by a 200 grain 375 winchester and still dropped the 8pt standing 30 yards behind it.

All bullets will deflect shooting through brush. "brush gun" is a term that needs to be retired. Light weight short barreled guns are nice for short range, quick shots, and moving targets. But you still need a clear shot.

I sort of view it as a "stalking" gun than brush gun. Close shot, usually less than 20 yds, fast shot, something that you can get through the woods and thick stuff with easily. The two rifles I've done this type of hunting with are an old Marlin 336 30-30 with a Vortex Viper scope and a mixmaster M4 carbine in .223 with an ACOG. For the 30-30 180g soft points and the AR 75g ballistic tips.

Nope, all bullets don’t deflect in brush.

I view it as a carbine type gun capable of fast follow ups in a sufficient caliber for the purpose. A Rem 742 18” Carbine in 30-06 with the 220 grain would probably fit the profile too.

I shot a Rem 742 30/06 with a 16 1/2" bbl, BIG peep sight and 180gr Corelocts, deadly clearcut gun.

While I will agree that for some reason, all bullets don't, but all bullets CAN.

The excellent pic of the beech tree that got hit dead center, then killed a deer, could have been much different if the bullet had hit the side of that tree.

The truth is, ALL bullets CAN deflect, and no human can predict when they will or won't. Therefore, it is highly irresponsible to take a shot through brush.

Agreed. My close range thumper is a CVA 35 Remington.

Gundoc has one in the classifieds...

My intent isn’t to go around shooting into brush. My intent is to mitigate the chance that stray twig I didn’t see in the heat of the moment deflects me off a deer. This year is the first time I’ve shot at a deer in 6 years. I was ground hunting in thick cover with a 243. Deer was at 75 yards and I had a dead steady brace. I know I didn’t pull off the deer, but I never found hair or blood. I looked for about 2 hours but no success. There were a few thin, spaghetti size, vines that I noticed after the fact. I can’t help but wonder if one deflected that little 85gr TSX.

.243Win and brush don’t mix...

I agree. I carried it bc I was hunting the side of the mountain, and it’s the lightest, most compact rifle I had.

I don’t intentionally shoot brush either. The quite many times I pound through some brush or skin a tree, its not at the location of game, rather very close to me where it didn’t show up in the scope.

Yep. It’s also hard to get deer to stop in a perfect opening.

Its becoming prevalent in many areas now to not have a clue about hunting without a box blind over a green field or bait.

Out here when I go off into a bottom or thick stuff and come out with a monster boar or big buck, they look at you real puzzled.

CVA in .444 is my go to for this application

1) do y’all think there is even such thing as a brush gun... as in an actual round that’s capable of push light brush and twigs out of the way without deflection?

LONG long time ago, an in-depth test PROVED that ANY bullet was deflected. Key was, a very light bullet (say 55 gr 223) was deflected a lot more than a big ol' fat (say, cast RN 405 gr 45-70) bullet. Bottom line - don't go trying to shoot deer thru trees. It is pure stupidity, and not ethical!

Having said THAT, for brush, there are a bunch (both OLD and new). Some I have that I consider brush calibers (more because close range game getters, and quick in lever and iron sight setups) are lever guns in 30-30, 32 WS, 35 Rem, 43 Spanish and 45-70. Olders in 38-55, 405, 348 Win, 33 WCF, etc. More gun/cal combo. Same with any of the Savage 99s in heavy calibers or slow rounds, like 30-30, 303, 358. Oh yeah, and BLR in 358 Win!!! A good bolt in 300 H&H/375 H&H/458 Win, with good peep sights (think Africa rifles) would be great too

No. Not every shot will deflect, but every bullet that contacts anything other than air between you and the animal has the potential to deflect.

For close hunting, it's hard to beat a short barrel .308.

Remington 7600 carbine 35 Whelen or Browning BLR 358 Winchester. Love 35 cal for up close and DRT

I think the youtuber Iraqveteran88 ( best I can remember ) did an in depth trial on your standard brush gun calibers verses regular spitzer type calibers and the results were pretty cool. I didn't think there could be a difference but that video make a believer out of me.

Love my 7600 carbine shes mostly a safe queen these days never thought of it as a brush gun .

CMMG Banshee in 10mm or .45 ACP shooting .45 Supers.
I want one of these.

IV8888. Very good Pro 2A channel with lots of good info. Eric and Chad are good dudes. Barry "the old man" in their older videos would have fit in good here. RIP Barry.

I was a 100% brush huntin guide in texas and i waded and crawled through black brush,twisted accacia, and catclaw after a bunch of deer,hogs,an javelina. I carried a 357 model 27 smith with the hammer filed off and a tear away holster under my left arm. Before that i carried a lever gun chambered in 44 magnum. The lever gun was too long so i switched to the revolver. I only ever had to shoot a few..most got stabbed...but wounded animals are what they are...desperate...and theyll hurt you. Both would ahoot through brush an kill whayever was 10 or 15 feet past them...but i could usually pick a hole out. I wouldnt recommend you shoot through a whole lot of brush..but a heavy solid bullet will pole through some and still kill...ive dunnit...bunches.