Best Brush Guns

H

Hutch218

New member
I have been looking for a lever action brush gun for a while and I've decided its about time I start looking a little more heavily. I definitely want a lever gun, but I'm not sure which caliber or gun. I have narrowed it down a a Marlin in .30-30, .35 Rem, .45-70, and maybe the Browning BLR in something like a .308. It will be a brush gun, so shots won't be further than 200 yards, it will probably have ghost ring or peep sights, maybe a scout scope. It will be for deer, hogs, and other big game. Maybe black bears and some bigger animals but it won't be my only gun. I figure by the time I can afford to go on a brown bear hunt in Alaska I will be able to afford a gun specifically for that so this gun doesn't have to handle everything, just any big game up to the size of black bears, hogs, and deer. What would you guys recommend?

Thanks,
Matt
 
Browning BLR in 358 win. Hand loaded with Nosler 225 part. It will do the job on Grizz on down. Has a longer range than the 45/70 also.
 
While I don't subscribe to the whole "brush gun" theory, everyone should have a big bore lever gun. It is only American to have one and is in our heritage! You might want to consider the .444 Marlin if shots to 200 yards are realistic in your situation. Though 200 yard shots sort of takes things out of the brush gun category. The .358 Winchester is a good compromise cartridge that shoots flat enough to make those somewhat longer shots too.

Anywho, my big bore lever gun is a might hard choice to beat in the honest close range fast shooting "I need to stop something right now" category. Mine is a 1974 Marlin M1895 with custom stocks and checkering, Decelerator recoil pad for pushing 400+ grain bullets over 1,850 fps, and steel ghost ring sights. My gun is nicknamed "The Hammer" and sledges deer. Ya outta see how fast a coyote hits the deck when hammered by a 45 caliber 405 gr. bullet at 1,868 fps! The Hammer...

18520Marlin_45-70.jpg
 
Quote:
While I don't subscribe to the whole "brush gun" theory, everyone should have a big bore lever gun. It is only American to have one and is in our heritage! You might want to consider the .444 Marlin if shots to 200 yards are realistic in your situation. Though 200 yard shots sort of takes things out of the brush gun category. The .358 Winchester is a good compromise cartridge that shoots flat enough to make those somewhat longer shots too.

Anywho, my big bore lever gun is a might hard choice to beat in the honest close range fast shooting "I need to stop something right now" category. Mine is a 1974 Marlin M1895 with custom stocks and checkering, Decelerator recoil pad for pushing 400+ grain bullets over 1,850 fps, and steel ghost ring sights. My gun is nicknamed "The Hammer" and sledges deer. Ya outta see how fast a coyote hits the deck when hammered by a 45 caliber 405 gr. bullet at 1,868 fps! The Hammer...

18520Marlin_45-70.jpg




I wanted a 444 so bad when I was looking into lever guns for bear and hogs, but Marlin quit making the guide gun version so I stepped up to the 450.

I really liked the ballistics of both

Nice rifle BTW /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I have looked at all the different calibers like .444 Marlin and .450 Marlin but I figured the .45-70 would be the best for me since its easy to find and cheap. In this day and age the price of ammo is an important aspect in finding the right gun, at least for me because I don't reload. I like the ballistics of some of those other calibers I just don't want to pay a lot for ammo. I don't really mind having to look around for ammo, its the price that is the biggest issue for me. For good .45-70 ammo you're already paying at least $1.50 per bullet and any more than that is just too much for me.
 
I like Leverguns and usually carry a 45-70 Guide Gun if I happen to carry a rifle (I prefer Revolvers)but here as of late I have kind of warmed up to the Model 92 Puma chambered for the 454 Casull, these guns are somewhat rough but if you are careful when you pick one they are fairly inexpensive, have very good handling qualities and hold 10 rounds. I use a 335 cast at 1980 fps and Winchester loads a 300 grain jacketed bullet at 2000 fps which offers a good level of power. I kind of like this gun.
 
45-70 in the Marlin guide gun! You were also right on with the ghost ring sights, I have them on mine and I like them waaaay better than the stock sight.

Here is a pic I took at work one day with my marlin guide gun. 3 shots, 325 gr hornady leverevolution @ 100 yds off the mirror of my pickup. I was using the XS ghost rings sights as well.

Picture499-1.jpg
 
Man those are some big bullet holes. I'm used to a .223 so those .45 holes look pretty gnarly. I can imagine what it would do to a piggy.
 
Marlin 336 in .30-30. I like the idea of a big bore lever gun, but I LOVE my turdy-turdy. I handload, and can keep 3 covered with a fifty cent piece all day long. On a good day I can shoot a cloverleaf every-now-and-then. 200 yard shot...if you know your load like me, not a problem at all on a big game animal. And you can find cheap ammo ANYWHERE.
 
I have a single shot 450 Marlin and it's a beast. I actually had to shoot a deer three times once. He took one in the neck, one in the high shoulder, and finally one behind the shoulder. I thought he may have been on PCP. He just kept getting back up. Oh yeah and the first shot was at two hundred yards. Two seconds to impact.
 
marlin 336cs in .35 remington,see through mounts, 3-9x40 scope. dad took 2 deer 1 being heart shot,1 black bear with his. grandad took atleast 1 button buck with his. we also have a remington 141 pump in .35 rem too, open sights.
 


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