Thread: Bush rifles

Originally Posted by longshot

Always liked carrying a M94 in the bush, very easy to snake through the scrub and tree-fall holding it with one hand around the lever. Not really enough legs for out in the open, but hard to beat in the scrub before carbon fibre stocks and suppressors became a thing.

Depends too on your attitude to your gear, rifles do get a bit of a hiding in the scrub unless you take very good care to carry them carefully, but that detracts from the hunting, so if you can't live happily with water and scratches on your Sako, don't buy one for bush hunting.

Another 2c I will add is that a bush rifle slung on your shoulder is about as effective as a lawnmower without its blades when you see a deer up close. So you want something that is comfortable to carry in your hands for long periods of time as you weave your way through the scrub. This means light and well balanced.

If I was setting up a bush rifle tomorrow, it would be something from the list below.

Remington Model Seven, 08 family cartridge with 1-4, 1.5-5 or 2-7, Carbon Fibre stock and suppressor bushing close to forend.
Howa Mini, 6.5 Grendel (or possibly 7.62x39). Same scopes/stock/suppressor situation as above.
Rossi lever action .357/44 with 13" barrel and suppressor. I would stick with the wooden stock version as it has less to get caught on supplejack etc.
Winchester Model 94, 30/30. Ideally the 16" barrel model with a peep sight. (Only if you don't like hearing what people are saying).

Likely nothing wrong with the likes of a Tikka or Bergara either. They just aren't on my list because I haven't used them myself to be able to comment.

I’ve got two 94’s, one is a 20” 30-30 made in 1955, the other is a 16” trapper 30-30 made in the late eighties. The latter has a rugged peep sight mounted and it is great to carry in the thick stuff.


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