My vote was for 30-30, as I like mine and think that it would work very well.

The term "Brush gun" is taken into the wrong context by most. No gun is intended to shoot through brush. You should never shoot through an obstacle. Most know that.
When I think Brush gun I think of a small framed gun that is quick to maneuver and shoulder in fast, close shooting scenarios. Hunting brush country means you will have short notice of shot opportunities. You don't need a long barrel bolt action magnum for that obviously.
Any lever action is good.
I hear guys talk about certain calibers as "good for bustin through brush" and I cringe.
Good way to kill someone.

+1

I love my old Marlin 30-30 and like keeping it classic, traditional, lightweight, with the plain jane, open iron sights. It's great to hike around the thick woods and heavy brush, where I won't even have a shot of 50 yards.

For longer range (non brush), I'll use my new/used Savage 110 in .308 w/scope.

Butch A.

Well I have been hunting the brush of WV for the last 30 years or so and everyone has their prefs..but for me I prefer precision. The openings are usually small and things had better go where pointed. Where I hunt which would be typical of Northern WV I'd imagine is sometimes crawl thru thick or you can shoot ridge to ridge which could be 300-500 yards. So that makes it kinda demanding on the gun and the shooter.


The best I have had for outright bang flops was the 30-06 shooting 180 rn's. However I did miss fairly often with it. Went to 270 and 7-08..I dont have the knockdown but I definitely have the precision...well as much as my shooting allows anyways..lol. I started carrying a 300 Savage in a 760 pump last year when I would walk and it done very very nicely on deer as well. So I am a firm believer as Head would say in the big slow moving bullets as they have worked for me also..but most of the time I still use my bolts. Its a tough place to pick a perfect gun...

This is a really great answer to the Question. The poll does not really match the question. It always surprises me when a question is asked about a "GUN" and then most of the answers concern a "CARTRIDGE".

"livbucks" and "ButchA" and a couple others talked about what "GUN" they like for work in the bush.

I have a Savage 99 lever action in .300 savage with a 2 to 7 scope on it. It is what I use a lot for bush country hunting.
To my way of thinking the cartridge a bush gun is chambered in is only one factor and not a really important one.

If you showed me a fine bolt action with a 26 inch barrel and a fixed 6 power scope on it, chambered in .300 win. mag. and beside it a win. 94 lever gun, in 30/30 with a peep sight on it and asked me to choose a rifle to hunt deer in the bush. I'd choose "the bush gun" of course.

Robin in Rocky

Hey Duffy what kinda bullets and load yause in that 300 Savage? Thanks in advance if ya dont mind sharing.

Ivote .30-30. Nothing points and shoots like a lever.

Doe thumper
I started out using 150 gr Fed. factory loads. and shot a few deer with them. Then I loaded up some 165 gr. Speer Grand Slam (flat base) bullets and shot a moose and a couple wolves with them. I just loaded another batch of the 165 Grand slams and some 165 gr. sierra HP BT. And some Speer 130 gr. HPs(flat base). Trying to find time to get to the range and shoot some. Then try some out on a spring bear.

Robin in Rocky

I voted for 30-30 which is a caliber that I dearly love to hunt with. I have a Marlin 336T with an 18.5" barrel and straight stock topped with a Leupold 3-9 VariX II, and I shoot the "new" Hornady LeverEvolution ammo. I saw someone down play the "tack driving" accuracy of a levergun, but I will put my levergun up against most bolt guns anyday.

Last week, I bought a "new to me" Marlin 1895 GS "guide gun" in 45-70 that I am very excited to try on game. My friends tell me that its "actions" will speak louder than its words. My scope (Leupold VX II 2-7) and 4 boxes of LeverEv ammo will be here tomorrow.

.444 marlin, Its a great weapon.