RE: hard decision own gun
I'm confused. You say your feel like the 270 is too much for your close-in work? And you're going to get a 45-70 this summer. You have a hankerin' for a 30-30? Are you asking for cartridge suggestions?
If so, the 30-30 is an excellent choice. So it the 45-70 you mentioned. The only 'beauty' I think you left out of the short-range brush gun is a 44mag lever action. Any of those three are about at good as it gets for 150yards in. Then again, the 45-70 can be stout on the recoil.