Thread: Craft me a bush hunting rifle

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

too easy BLR 308 with short suppressor right hard up against stock..topped with a leupold of no more than 5x the 1-4 and 1-5 pig plex type work well and my M8 fixed 4 power was sublime.

I'd give you a "like" for that,...... but I don't like suppressors and I don't like turning 308s into a 30-30.

you DONT have to shorten barrel......we fitted an older gunworks spartan hard back to stock...AWESOME bush rifle and not to shabby out in open either.

If I had discovered the 375 Win first I would have done that rather then the 358Win barrel I put on an old Sav 99 action. BLR or Win 88, Finnwolf etc would all work.
My fear with a pure bush short range rifle is that for me I could also be hunting through larger clearings or river flats as well so for me 100-150 mtrs range is just not enough.
If you are not reloading then look at something common 308 or 35 Rem you can get low power loads for the short range stuff and then drop in a full power round if a long range shot comes up.
I carry my bush rifle loaded with something like a 357cal XTP pistol bullet (1600fps) or a Lead Hollow point 220gr 1200 fps and then if a long range shot comes up I just drop in a full power 3000 ftlb load that's good to 300 mtr.
Recently nailed a nice Sika hind at 40 mtr with the 220gr lead round. In just behind the foreleg, through lung, liver and out the flank pulling out a good cup size lump of intestines. She ran 20 mr down hill before falling over. If I had used a full power load the whole front end would have been destroyed.
Z

My single biggest regret was not buying a model 7 sooner.

Albeit mine is in 7mm08.

Ultimately find something that fits you and shorten the barrel to 16" and put a nice optic on it that holds zero well( Burris ff2, vx1 etc). Calibre wise 308 is just such a simple no Brainer.

If it is to be used as a sub 300 bush pig I'd keep the calibre selection simple so if you look at a bushpig 270 I wouldn't be discounting that either as ammo availability much like dirty old 308 isn't a issue.

I love my model 7 and would buy another one when funds allow any day of the week but that's just my preference

Having owned the gauntlet of bush rifles, from single shots to ars to bolt guns I've settled on my idea bush rifle.

I prefer a repeater over a single shot, occasionally a followup shot is reality. Worth the little extra action length.

Cartridge wise, anything 222 or up will work sweet in deer at bush ranges, however the 308 base cartridges are the sweet spot imo. In a short 16 inch platform you end up with ballistics out to 350m without any special loads etc so gives you a little extra range flexibility over the smaller cartridges like 300blk 223 etc.

A bush gun should be in your hand 24/7. An uncomfortable in hand gun is less likely to be slung. A nice slim forend is nicer to carry than a flat wide forend, and a lighter gun likewise. This is one of the things the trad lever actions are awesome at. They are super nice to carry. Balance counts as much as weight for this.

Personally I've settled on a little kimber 6.5 creed cut to 16 inches and supressed with a 1.75 - 5 vx3. It's slim, light, fast and still shoot able.

I have a model 7 in 308, 16 inches with a DPT, and like others in this thread I think it is the perfect bush gun.
Someone has said on here that a bush gun should be carried at all times, and I agree.
On this point, think about what sits nicely being held in one hand. Model 7 or similar with a floor plate mag balances perfectly in hand.

The little pointy model 7 is just brilliant. Mine is topped with a Leupold vx5 2-10x42. They dont make them anymore, but the ability to also stretch out with a turret system that compensates for the lost velocity by cutting the barrel makes it a very versatile rig.

Naturally my vote is for a 308.
15-18 inch suppressed....longer than that (factory lengths) I would go unsuppressed.

Yeah .308 vote here too, 16". Easy to get ammo. If you see a deer at 500 yards then it is more than capable of that.
You can buy a 16" Tikka one already threaded off the shelf.

I have killed a bunch of deer in the bush with a .270 and a normal 24 inch barrel. Worked fine.

As for a bush carbine, the best rifle I have had for carrying in the bush was a Winchester 92 in .44 WCF. Even with black powder it still killed deer dead in the bush. THe next best would have been a Winchester 94 in 30/30.

But, I suppose you want a "normal" rifle, meaning a bolt action in a .308. My version is a standard BSA Majestic featherweight, light and handy and weighs 7 pound even with a leupod 2- 7 on board and a normal length barrel. Exact same requirements as for a "mountain rifle" as well...or you could go heavy - I have a 9.3x62 Husqvarna Mauser - weighs 8 lb all up with a low powered scope. That 286 grain bullet will go through any deer from any angle.

I dont see the point of cutting a rifle barrel down to make a "bush carbine" - and then putting a supressor on it. Thats worse than having an extra long barrel on it. Terrible idea. THats the opposite of a carbine. I wuold only do that to stop neighbours complainign, when shooting on a farm.

I run a tikka .308 shortend to 16 inches with a hardy compact supressor on it, shooting 130gr barnes ttsx @ just under 3k. I find it brilliant, its nice and handy in the bush, light to carry. Ive recently put a leupold creedmoor reticle scope on it because with the 130gr ttsx going the speed they are, the trajectory lines up pretty close with the creedmoor reticle. Zerod at 100, next dot on the reticle down 200 and the following 300. Keeps it simple, primarily my bush rifle but if i run into something further out it still has enough speed for the ttsx to do its job out past 300 & i can just holdover & shoot with no pissing around.

Imo, if your making almost any rifle this short, having it supressed is non negotiable. You will 100% do serious permanent damage to your hearing without one, yes you can wear hearing protection but chances are your not going to have time to put earplugs or earmuffs on when you run into deer in the bush. Speaking from experience, im 75% deaf in my left ear now from years of shooting deer with a 18 inch 7x57 with no supressor. At the time i was young and just out having a blast hunting, and put up with the ringing ears every time i shot something didnt realise the damage i was doing. I certainly regret it now.

I guess I'm about to prove I'm getting old or just a contrarian but I don't buy into this 'must be 16-18 inches' deal.
As has been pointed out short barrels are more damaging to your hearing and once you have shorten them you can't put it back on.
I'm no expert bush hunter however I hunt with a 22inch suppressed 7x57 and a 21inch suppressed 7mm08.
The extra 4-6 inches makes no difference when it comes to getting hung up in supple jack or bush lawyer because you have your rifle in hand.
A lighter rifle however is definitely desirable.
When I faced the decision your trying to make I ended up just getting my open country rifle threaded and suppressed. They asked if I wanted it shortened, I said no.
That would give you a do everything setup depending on your scope.

I guess it comes down to how you carry the rifle too. Id imagine for someone that always carrys it in their hands like alot of people do, a longer barrel wouldnt be too much of a hinderance. For me personally, i use a sling and spend a fair bit of time with the rifle over my shoulder when im walking/moving through areas where im not expecting to see a deer. If something does pop up unexpectedly, i grab the grip of the rifle and slide it around my shoulder on the sling strap, muzzle travels down towards ground then up & shoulder it which i can do smoothly and quickly. Long barrel up above your head can be a pain in the ass when walking through thick scrub. Im also not the strongest of blokes as far as arm/upper body strength, so a short light rifle is much easier for me to hold shouldered & steady for what can seem like an eternity while waiting for a shot to present itself in thick bush, I know some of my other longer rifles that are more nose heavy i would struggle to hold steady for any extended period.

To me, shortening a rifle to suppress it is not just about it's length and "handiness" but just as much about it's balance. A 22" barrel with a suppressor on it handles a lot differently to a 16" barrel suppressed. Not only when you shoulder the rifle but also when you carry it in the hand (or slung).