Don't shoot at anything when something is blocking your sight. Except for war. When I got back from overseas, I went in the " deer woods" with 3 other's. 2 where brothers, I stopped one brother from shooting through brush, I put my hand on the barrel and said no! We waited about 3 seconds and his brother walked out with the fourth guy. He just going to shoot thinking it was a moose. I left and never went out with them again. Be safe and sure, use your thinking compartment when in the deer woods.
Exactly. I know that he was just demonstrating to prove a point regarding caliber and bullet design but watching him struggle to see the target made me nervous just sitting and watching from my computer.
Here in Germany, a father accidentally shot his own son in a Situation like that. They were hunting hogs in a corn field. The son wanted to be funny and crawled around making pig noises. The father shot at the direction of the noise, and Killer his own son. Always know what you are shooting at.
There can always be small twigs you can't see. I think that's the concern when shooting in the woods. You should never fire a gun in thick brush when you don't have a clear view of the target.
Absolutely. So many guys spray and pray, injuring animals and giving responsible hunters a bad name. We need as few bad shots and poor judgment calls as possible. The animals we hunt deserve at least that
I have a Benelli SuperNova, capable of firing 3½inch shells. My Winchester Super XX Magnum Turkey loads already have the energy of a .308, but with 63g of shot. Some day I will make some slugs and see how they will perform. 😁
I am an Army Vietnam combat infantry NCO. Once the teething pains of the M-16 (chrome bbl and chamber and ball powder in the cartridges) were sorted out, in my opinion, it was a better rifle for that theater than was the M-14. In a year of combat in RVN (68-69 in III Corps) my well-maintained M-16 never let me down. My only gripe was that shooting at running targets beyond 300 meters, the 55 grain projectiles did not show any visible impact on the terrain for adjustment of elevation and lead. Contrarily, it is also my opinion that the the M-14 was a much better rifle than the M-16 or M-4 for battle in Afghanistan and Iraq, with the exception of urban entry battle. I enjoy your videos, Iraq Vet 8888. Well done and welcome home.
Thank you for your service sir. Yes many M-14s were brought out of storage and the better rifles were usually put into chassis systems and scoped. A lot of folks found that rapid follow up shots were necessary in both urban environments as well as out in vast open areas in the mountains. Personally, for A theater such as Afghanistan, to me, I'd run a .300 Win Mag semi auto if I had the choice in the matter...😇
I thank you, brother, for your time you have given our beloved Nation. As for distant targets with the 5.56 round, that is the reason the US went with a heavier projectile in the M-16 rifles. Supposedly, the new round was good on targets out to 500 or more yards. Personally, if I had to regularly shoot at long distance, I want an AR-10 in 7.62 NATO. As much as I like the M-14 platform, the AR platform is what I am most familiar with, and with that familiarity, and that is what I would perform best with. Thank you again. Corporal Justin P. Emery, USMC (91-95)
The smile on your face after firing the last 45-70 round was priceless! True happiness! Very fun video and worth the watch. Only thing missing is a 30-30. Yes it’s a little lightweight, but can definitely kill an Elk or deer.
30-30 is a good deer cartridge and yes it can take an Elk but it's definitely not ideal. Elk going down after being shot with a 30-30n isn't pretty I would step up to a bigger cartridge for Elk.
I have a 45 70 Marlin SBL but I have Dads old JM 30 30 and I love that gun. Probably more deer dropped with a 30 30 over the years than any other round.
Excellent video showing the difference between a pointed (SPITZER) high velocity bullet vs a slower moving , heavier flat nose bullet moving through a brush type environment. When first being trained with a M16 carbine (semi & fully automatic) at the range at Lackland AFB in 1967, we were told that even small branches could cause the bullets to stray off target. We were told to shoot when we had a clear targets! I never liked the looks of the M -16s despite aquiring a small arms expert ribbon using one & decades later I purchased an AR-15 type firearm (Sig Sauer M400) and it is nice to shoot because of its low recoil. My Marlin 336, .35 Rem LEVER Action, is a lot of fun to shoot also but after a couple of boxes are used, my shoulder begins to feel it. Ha! After passing the 70 yard line, eyesight & eye-hand coordination are not the same as they were in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, & 60s. So is life!
@@marktemplin1159 243 is a nice caliber. My father religiously hunted with his 243. This year my daughter got her first deer, using his rifle. Zero damage of the meat but an instant humane kill with no tracking required.
@@surfearth1 Iv dropped only 5 deer in my life,, going out and being there is what it's about for me,, but all 5, with my rem 788, 243,, not one took more than a step,, and if one takes there time and hots it right,, maybe some shoulder meat gets chewed up,, but it is an excellent caliber,, there are others,, and I'm only saying I found mine, and need no other 👍
That's what I was thinking to my 30 30 with some Flathead bullets can cut right through some brush but I wouldn't try shooting a hundred yards through brush
BOY Perfect 30-30 is the perfect starter gun for a young hunter. not much punch. I started off on a 32special. pretty similar. I now sport a 300 mag. that will set ya back a bit.
I have always thought a brush gun was a shorter barreled weapon that could be easily brought up to Target in thick brush, like a bear gun for protection?
I always thought a Brush Gun was a beater you don't mind dragging through the briars all day. Additionally, it doesn't have to be a long range firearm and it needs to be easy to handle. Up until the proliferation of ARs and AKs, the only game in town were lever actions.
I was raised on a horse ranch, our brush gun, as is being called here, is what we called a 'saddle gun...scabbard rifle that, if you had to, was short and handy when you crawled through thick brush. We used lever action.30-30's. Good video, good info. Thanks
Amazing I never knew that high velocity bullets are easier to change direction. It shows that old bullets with low velocity has their advantages. A nice test! Very impressive.
Just think of it as a Corolla doing 100mph vs. a dump truck doing 75mph.....both "may" have the same energy, but the lighter Corolla will be easier to change directions upon hitting something....including wind.
From growing up in thick forest and heavy brush...A "brush gun" is short-barrelled, .30cal or greater, shooting a fat/heavy bullet, with iron sights. Short barrel is easier to swing around in thick brush. Large caliber/heavy bullet won't deflect against brush. (leaves and light branches that deflect small/fast bullets). Iron sights are faster to acquire and do not "blur" against brush like scopes do. At close range, a slow heavy bullet is best against a dangerous predator (bear, cougar, etc.)
Great test! I heard a guy say one time that there is no such thing as a brush gun. I think in heavy brush the heavier grain the better. Basic physics the heavier bullet has better momentum to stay on its path the lighter bullet is going to be deflected easier. But you definitely proved it! Thank you very much that was very fun and interesting.
Several years ago one of the gun magazines put out a different test on the effects of brush. A piece of pegboard had rows of 1/4" wood pegs attached. Then firing along the row of pegs it was noted that light fast bullets deflected greater than the slower heavier bores. Conclusion was when a 55 gr 223 hit a twig at 3000 fps the twig also hit the bullet at 3000 fps. 45-70 405 gr bullets plowed a straighter line through the pegs
was surprised to not see a 3030 in this video just cause all the old heads swear by the 3030 and say its a good brush gun of course not like a 45 70 but many folks tend to think of a 3030 as a solid brush gun
droppin plates same I grew up with the 3030 as my brush gun by my family. got a lot of slack for it from guys using a 30-06 till I'd out shoot them with iron sights.
I grew up in Missouri, in a forest with sometimes quite thick brush and never had a problem killing deer with my dad's marlin 30-30. I'm not claiming the caliber to be the absolute best or anything, but I liked it a lot and was sorry when my dad had to sell it when I was in the Military. I live in Arizona now where the 30-30 is not as useful at the longer ranges you can get but I still have a Marlin 30-30 336c just for nostalgia's sake, if nothing else.
Rotary Saw I live in nevada now and rather have been trying to decide between the 3030 or something for longer ranges here. sold my 3030 when I got out of the army. miss that rifle but if I'm gonna go range I'm looking at .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor.
For my dollar, I'd go .308, I don't know much about 6.5 Creedmoor. A quick look at the ballistics data seems to me like .308 winchester has it beat all out, unless like I said there is something I'm not seeing..
.308 is hard to beat inside 800yds due to popularity, availability and the shear amount of data on the load, I personally think the 7mm-08 is better at distance.
I've always called my 3030 a brush gun and been told it's a brush gun. I know guys on bear hunts who carried a 3030 for close calls. Like walking up on an unknown bear in the brush and it charge. But they had high powered rifles for long open shots like the 300 mag. Plus I'd like to see a 300 mag tested here.
I am 56 years old and have hunted all my life in thick cover. A brush gun is more a short barreled gun than a caliber, such as a carbine with a low power scope or iron sights, that is easier to handle in thick cover than a full size rifle. A shot shouldn't be taken until the animal gives you an open shot... A Ruger 77 carbine in .260 Rem. has worked well for me for many years.
That's what I was told I used a Model 94 win. in 30/30 my first year when you are walking the trails you really don't want a large gun short barrel no scope & heaven forbid you drop it good old iron sites still worked not to many scopes would work after you dropped them .
I bought a single shot .35 Remington several years ago. Absolutely Love the way this thing shoots. Never missed and always a one shot stopper! Hunting in mixed hardwoods in North Central Mississippi.
Now, with several states adopting straight wall cartridge restrictions, the 357 Max Rimless and 350 Legend are starting to shine. They beat the old Remington's ballistics with very low recoil.
30/30 and 303 are our brush guns. My father was a Vietnam vet and came back with a love for the 303 and after years of watching what the round does it has been a staple in our family it's one that doesn't get the attention it deserves all you ever hear today is 5.56,223, 7.62,7.65 hear very little of the British 303 and it's actually a versitile round. My father spoke of his time in Vietnam where they were trading m16s for old enfields and some of the guys were laying fire with those old bolt actions as fast as semi autos if not faster in the jungles and swamps.
I was taught that a brush gun was more about a gun that was easily carried through brush country, so a relatively compact, short gun for relatively short ranges, not a weapon for shooting at things you can barely see. The Winchester model 1894 .30-30 that my grandfather hunted deer with was the quintessential brush gun. Deer hunting is not the same as jungle combat. You didn't shoot animals that you couldn't clearly see.
Keith Roy, I agree. to me a brush gun is another term for "truck gun". its light, compact and handy, but not made for shooting through brush or trucks.
i feel like someones gonna try a 700 nitro express for a brush gun, i mean $ 125 a shot is kinda of expensive, but it would go through 100 yards of thick brush with no issues lol.
then a 12 ga slug would be perfect for a thick brush with short distance. And this is confirming that in thick and dense woods of the South there's no need to a rifle/carbine to go hunting,, and even for home defense shotguns are so versatile, it's my go-to firearm.
@@destynova4512 that's not true. I don't know your background or your history but where I'm from and I was raised in the mountains of Eastern Alabama the foothills of the Smokies, the 30/30 Winchester was definitely the go-to rifle. Now if you are out in the plains of Montana or Kansas and you could get off a 500 yard shot yeah then a 223, or a 30-06 would work. But when you were in those mountains and Hollows and surrounded by lots of shrubs and 3 inch or smaller trees then your go-to was definitely a 30-30 because it would plow through all that and still be able to make a kill shot I did it several times. Those other rifles would graze off of or ricoshit and guess what you just missed your deer. When the woods are thick the way they were where I grew up a 30-30 is the only rifle to have. Period. People talk crap about the 30-30 but I have actually set up a Target at 500 yards and hit the target even though their website claims 800 to a thousand yards and even up to 1200 yards if you can make the shot I feel more comfortable at 500 yards if I'm trying to humanely take an animal. But if I am in the middle a very thick brush and I can see a buck topping a ridge at 200 yards away and slowly making his way down into the valley I would have no problem at all lining him up and I don't use a scope don't need one and either taking a backbone shot where he Falls immediately which I've done several times or if I can see a heart shot where I can track him 40 or 50 yards, then that's my family's and some close friends supper and jerky for a month.
@@sevinstorey4365 hey I get it, just saying I'm from the desert, just agreeing always thought 30-30s and such are brush guns. Depends where you hunt, where I'm at a .357 could be a brush gun. Odds are you will see the buck within 100 to 50ft in the brush here. Want whatever you can confidently pick up and shoot quick accurately at that point.
Joshua Yow Thank you for being a safe hunter and following the basic safety rule of hunting, "if you can't see your target clearly and you can't see what's behind your target, you do not shoot!"
Yep....35 Remington just like my grandfather said. His gun (that I still have) is a Remington Model 14 Pump, in 35 Remington. 👍 It goes through brush and knocks holes in Whitetails. Exit wounds are pretty dramatic.
I live in Texas I dont know about other states but hunters education will tell you not to shoot at any game you cant clearly see and identify. A lot of hunters have been accidentally killed by other hunters that saw what they thought was a deer and did not completely identify. Great demonstration though, and complete agree with the slow heavy round punching through the jungle lol. I prefer 180 grain soft tip .308 Winchester.
I think we can agree this is an exaggeration on what would be considered shooting through other than for self defence. There can still be small sticks hanging off trees on the way to a clear sighted game.
TheJewThatCuckedYou get a 45-70 I love them I reload and shoot them al the time. U can reload them so they don’t kick as much but after a box or so ur shoulder gets sore but it’s so fun.
4570 is a great cartridge, really fun to shoot, I use a marlin 1895 and as far as recoil if you can comfortably shoot heavy shotgun loads then it shouldn’t be a problem.
"HEY! LOOKIT THAT THUR PRIVET HEDGE!" Eric you're awesome haha. Great video. I definitely look forward to more brush testing. 458 SOCOM, .50 Beowulf, 7.62x39, 5.45x39, .357 Mag, and hell I'd even like to see how common handgun calibers like 9x19, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 10mm do against brush.
I was zeroing my .50 Beowulf a couple of weeks ago and the first round missed the target passing thru an 8" tree and lodging deep in another tree. I say the Beowulf definitely qualifies as a brush gun. By the way that was Alexander arms 335 grain FMJ at about 30 yards.
I've heard people say slugs go right through the brush like there's nothing in their way. On the other hand I've also heard about some crazy ricochets of twigs. That said, you shouldn't really be shooting at an animal if you can't even see it properly. That's not safe. It could be something/someone you don't want to kill.
If y’all anyone looks at this northern Wisconsin a 30-30 is considered one of the best brush guns because the barrel is short (someone from Alaska mentioned it so you can swing the rifle I shoot a 30-30 sense 1964) I shoot a model 94 made in 1950 using 170 gr Long story shortened. I am the youngest of 5 children 3 boys and 2 sisters. My Dad bought the Winchester for my oldest brother (Bill), 1963 I bought it from Bill for $50.00 with the agreement to sell it back to him for a good reason. Bill had 5 kids only one son and when his son turned 14 he asked to buy it back so I sold it back and. Sadly Steve died in a car wreck after only 2 seasons of hunting. I was not comfortable asking Bill to buy it back. So it sat in his gun cabinet for a number of years then unfortunately I lost my brother to cancer in the 90s about 2 years later his wife asked me to get the values of the guns so she could sell. A couple of weeks later I gave her the values and I told her the story and told her I would buy one of the guns and she said the revolver that 4 other family members would like( S&W 357 w/scope 686 ) I said no I would like the 30-30 and I will pay you retail value. She said let me think about this for a couple of weeks. She called me and said you can pick up your rifle. I drove to her house with the money in my pocket. I was surprised,shocked, Thankful. She gave me our family’s 30-30 ,gave me. I still have it and it will continue being handed down hopefully for many generations. Praise God for watching over us all!
I’m looking at getting my first lever action and you seem to be the right guy to ask, is there a huge difference between Henery and marlin? I’ve always wanted a marlin but some people will tell ya to go the other way and others will swear on the opposite, what do you prefer and is there any reason?
@@sancheznish8285 Henry is of higher quality in my opinion, but a I hear the newer Marlins that were manufactured by Ruger, are quite good for the money.
I've got an older Model Marlin 30-30. I've used it for 20+ years. They are hit and miss. Not the most accurate guns. I've hit deer from 100+ yards with iron sights right through the heart, and I've missed other with s steady shot under 50 yards with a good sighted scope. Wish 30-30 would've been in this video. I'm wondering if my misses can be attributed to deflection. I can't speak for the new Marlins.
Real Sharp Knives, most of them are or used to be. I always referred to a “brush gun” as a big slower bullet that there wasn’t much deflection through the brush. That was a short barrel lever gun back in the day. .35 Remington, .44 mag, .444, .30-30, .45-70. Never considered the smaller faster calibers as a brush gun because the brush would turn on of these lighter bullets.
I thought so. Here in the north island of New Zealand the scrub is insanely dense in deer country unlike the south island a lot of guys look at me sideways because i use an old marlin 336 with just a rear peep sight no glass when they have expensive rigs. Been using it along time and it has yet to disappoint me.
Cool video but an option that also should've been tested were 12 gauge shotgun slugs! I've hunted deer with those in thick Western NY brush for years with great success. A good, heavy Sabot slug out of a 12 GA will also do a great job punching through brush and taking down a deer with authority inside 100 yards! I like the Lightfield slugs out of my Remington 1100 with a rifled slug barrel. My brother uses Hornady SSTs out of a scoped Mossberg with a rifled barrel and we've had great success with both!
👍🇺🇸🐍💪.thanks for the video Eric. I love mine. I found it about three years ago at a lgs here in NW AL. Its a Marlin 336 in 30-30 and from what I've researched its made in 1976 and has the JM stamped barrel. Luckily although been used its still in awesome condition . I payed up a little bit I think bc it was worth it to me bc you never see the older ones especially in good condition. So I don't think $475 total was too bad all things considered. And like your area there in Georgia, here in NW AL its mostly brushy land and hard to find 150+ open yard shots. Even though I have other calibers in other platforms, my go-to for deer and hog is that one. 30-30 is still very relevant. Even heard its probably took the most deer of any others. Who really knows though. Really doesn't matter. But thanks man and take care.
This is about big heavy bullets that can smash through anything. I love the 3030 but my 4570 will go through a tree. To see what I mean look up 4570vs3030 under images and you will see it
Awesome testing! I always thought "brush gun" meant smaller rifle (like a lever action) but now I understand total concept. I think if you redid some of this with the LEVERevolution shaped bullets I wonder if the results for those heavy calibers are the same? Or is the profile of the tip a big factor too?
Out here in Montana ive used a 12g 2 3/4' slug for deer. The thing is so big and heavy it just destroys any brush that's between you and the deer or elk. Use 3 1/2 if you want to be sure. If 30-30 works at killing brush i wonder if a flat nosed 7.62x39 would work as well since they are both very close?
Hes right, Loading a bullet backwards is potentially dangerous. I was more talking like a lead casting semi wad cutter. Might mess up the AKM's feeding though as the ramp is pretty far away from the magazine. Might work better on an SKS. A CZ527 would be ideal.
Seating a bullet backwards could be potentially dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. You need to keep the jump in the throat or reduce the load. If the base of the bullet jams into the rifling with no jump or is seated deeper in the case after contacting the rifling there may be a problem. But if you don't know how to make your loads safe you should stick to factory ammunition.
I've always thought a brush gun is a small gun to move easily through heavy brush. Like a 30-30. Had no idea it has to do with the caliber. Cool video thanks.
Consider re-visiting this test (say, ver 2) and use some 220 (+)gr round nose in .308Win. Also, the heaviest bullets found in commercial 30-30. You may discover the hunting versatility of the .308Win is considerable, and a better 'brush' gun with heavier-slower bullets, as opposed to the 140-150gr higher velocity ammo.
The 30-30 has killed more deer than any other rifle caliber but you left it out. Second caliber with most deer kills would probably be 30-06 and you left it out too.
Awesome idea for an experiment. Good to see real world data back up what grandpa told us. You covered enough cartridges to show what any rifle in between would do but i was surprised the 12ga was not included. 12ga slugs have always been my go to for short range heavy brush. Just a thought. Great job on the vid.
the wide front of the bullet you refer too, is called the meplatt. nice video. i have hunted with 30-30 win in brush, but using 170gr flat nose. have had no worries
EXCELLENT! I've been watching your channel for years but this vid just popped up. THIS kind of stuff is the reason so many of us love Paul Harrell's videos. Again, most excellent video with good, relevant information. Job well done.
Eric I love this video. I just want to note however that the issue is not really about velocity. Its about mass. The juxtaposition of energy vs momentum is the what matters. since Energy= 1/2mv^2 and Momentum=mv you can see that energy increases linearly with mass but exponentially with velocity. However momentum, or the tendency of an object to continue in the same direction, increases linearly with both. So for example a bullet like a 30.06 with a mass of say 150 grains traveling at 2900 ft/s will have a bit over 2800 ft lbs of energy. A 45/70 300 grain bullet traveling at around 2000 ft/s (only 2/3 as fast) will have almost equal energy at 2850 ft lbs. BUT the momentum of each is vastly different. The 45/70 will have a momentum 38% higher than that of the 30.06. And remember momentum is the tendency of an object to continue in the same direction. So if it has more momentum it means its harder to deflect. For instance, a pronghorn running at top speed may have the same energy as a Bison running at top speed though the pronghorn is much faster and the bison is much heavier. But that bison is going to be able to bust through a thicket of willows much better than the pronghorn, its all about momentum. Like Meghan Trainor said: "its all about that bass"
Michgunnut Southern canada has scads & scads of deer in the little farm zoned wood-lots. Also, up north in the wilderness it's important to take multiple firearms such as: a scoped rifle, a shotgun with varied ammo, and a brush gun of some kind for serious animal defense. If a predator comes upon your camp, you have to get those shots off before it gets too close otherwise switching to shotgun could be a deadly decision for you.
I inherited my grandfathers favorite rifle. A Winchester 3030. What he called his brush gun. He used it to hunt deer in the hills of West Virginia. The best brush gun I have ever used. The one gun I own that ALL my friends wish they had. Given to him on the event of my birth by my mother in 1953. I cherish this gun.
I harvested a button buck this year by sneakin through a 3" hole at about 45 yards or so...he dropped on the spot and never got back up...was a very quick and humane kill and the venison has been absolutely delicious! Anyways, I was always carrying a 12ga or 30-30 in previous years, so this was my first harvest with my ar-15 in 300blackout. I used the barnes vor-tx 110gr ammo and while field dressing him it seemed like the entry and exit were clean (no tumbling)...when butchering him up I noticed I had full expansion almost instantly, and a really mean wound channel, so I must assume the round didn't get deflected by any brush or bones at all...but I wonder how differently the kill would have gone if it had... Long story short, it would be cool to see what kinds of differences you could get with different bullet shapes and weights within each caliber you were testing...and I'd love to see a bunch more calibers too if possible. I'm sure that could get pricey, but would certainly be an interesting video. If you're taking requests I'd love to see the performance of 300blackout (specifically the barnes 110gr), 30-30 (maybe that new leverevolution ammo), 30-06, 12ga slugs...and maybe even an inline muzzleloader or something? ...either way great vid :)
Way to go on your hunt. I took my fourth deer (six point buck) this month, the first ever with my high powered rifle, a Ruger .30-06. I rolled my own for the load, a Federal case, CCI #200 primer, 57 grains of IMR 4831 powder, topped by another Barnes bullet, the 165 grain TTSX. He didn't go 50 feet before collapsing. Those Barnes Triple Shok bullets are awesome.
In my opinion the Ruger 44mag carbine makes the perfect brush gun it's short..lite..and the 240gn plus is a dream..same goes for the Marlin 44mag heck a 44mag pistol is great..
I've found a few videos. It's of interest to me because I just inherited my grandfather's model 94 in 32 spec!. I spent a couple hours cleaning and tinkering with it. I'm pretty excited.
Kyle Sonsalla meh haven't had great results with one. Perhaps it was just the sst Ammo--never seen a deer take that many hits and still not die without a coup de grace
30 carbine makes a fantastic brush gun, 450 Bushmaster, and 458 SOCOM are also fantastic. Don't have any real experience with the .50 beowulf, but I've heard it's a great round as well. My two favorite calibers for being in the Appalachian mountains, though, are the .308 and the .243. .243 has been a godsend. Very fast round with little to no drop within the ranges you'll see clear shots in the woods. Every deer I've killed has been between 30 and 100 yards away, except for two I've had shots open up at +/- 400 yards, and the .243 handles that very, very well. .308 needs no explanation. If you can't kill it with a .308 Winchester, you'd better run or hide from it.
Iv'e read comments from Vietnam vets that say the complete opposite about the M14. It seems the rifle was way too heavy to comfortably hump it around the jungle in 100% humidity for days on end. The M16 was far more comfortable. It was also possible to carry more ammo for it. Most important, they say, was the fact that the M14 was impossible to use effectively in full auto, the 7.62 NATO round having too much recoil. This would lead to GIs losing the battle for fire superiority during fire fights, as the NVA and VC, armed as they were with weapons that used the intermediate & somewhat more manageable Warsaw Pact 7.62 Short cartridge, would overwhelm the US troops with sustained automatic fire.. GIs issued with the M16 found the opposite was true, the 5.56 round meaning that _they_ could get more fire onto the enemy. I'm left wondering what the actual truth is, as both points of view have merit (particularly when you take the horrendous and totally avoidable "teething issues" the M16 platform had).
The US military did everything they could to make the m16 fail (not issuing cleaning kits and issuing shitty ammo) to the point that many soldiers were killed because of it. What the military did to its soldiers in vietnam was nothing short of criminal negligence
People have a completely backwards idea of what is a "brush gun". They all think its about the caliber of the gun. Any high velocity projectile will deflect on impact and tumble. A smart shooter knows to wait til the buck is in a clear spot before shooting. The brush gun should be short and well balanced for quick handling, like the lever action rifle in 30/30. Thats why the lever gun is still such a great deer gun. Here in NY we used to only have the shotgun slug gun available to hunt big game and even then, guys wold have brush deflection of slugs.
Francis E Sell, author of the book “Get Your Deer” published back in the 1950s came to the same conclusion in his testing. There appears to be a sweet spot velocity wise between 2000 and around 2600 fps at the muzzle. In his testing the most important factor was not bullet shape or weight but velocity. His testing even included rounds of the same bullet weight and size fired from the same rifle just loaded to different velocity. Once that speed was reduced to around 2600 and below the groups tightened and the deflections though not completely disappearing began to have less effect on point if impact. This kinda explains why rounds like 30-30, 32 Win Special and 35 Remington have ruled the deer woods for so long.
This is why you should always hunt with a musket. You can't keyhole with a roundball.
And they curve so neatly around big trees once they start spinning.
Let's just use a cannon
@Bill Randall yawing and a keyhole completely separate things.
Bill Randall a spherical object cannot turn on its side. Which is what key-holing is
Flint lock!
Don't shoot at anything when something is blocking your sight. Except for war. When I got back from overseas, I went in the " deer woods" with 3 other's. 2 where brothers, I stopped one brother from shooting through brush, I put my hand on the barrel and said no! We waited about 3 seconds and his brother walked out with the fourth guy. He just going to shoot thinking it was a moose. I left and never went out with them again.
Be safe and sure, use your thinking compartment when in the deer woods.
That’s how “accidents” happen.
Exactly. I know that he was just demonstrating to prove a point regarding caliber and bullet design but watching him struggle to see the target made me nervous just sitting and watching from my computer.
Well they must not have been wearing blaze orange then. Their fault.
Here in Germany, a father accidentally shot his own son in a Situation like that.
They were hunting hogs in a corn field. The son wanted to be funny and crawled around making pig noises. The father shot at the direction of the noise, and Killer his own son.
Always know what you are shooting at.
@@KarstRats not everyone wears blaze orange. Same rule applies though- if you can't see it get your booger picker off the trigger
One of the first hunting-related guidelines my father instilled in me when I was a boy was "If you don't have a clear shot, don't pull the trigger."
Your father gave you solid advice but sometimes you just have to overcome obstacles.
Agreed kennth. Obstacles Like how to not be stupid and shoot when you know better
There can always be small twigs you can't see. I think that's the concern when shooting in the woods. You should never fire a gun in thick brush when you don't have a clear view of the target.
I can agree with you too Charles. Well said
Absolutely. So many guys spray and pray, injuring animals and giving responsible hunters a bad name. We need as few bad shots and poor judgment calls as possible. The animals we hunt deserve at least that
Love that quote, ".30 cal does expand, but a .58 doesn't shrink."
Did not take long to find the best comment. My thoughts exactly.
The term Brush gun is a description of a short barrel, low velocity, light weight, easy to carry gun, in thick brush
Almost like a Stagecoach gun ?
@Hammer_of_creation or scout rifle...
My view is a cheap gun but trusty something you don't care if gets banged up
Hammer_of_creation you gotem better usem can't leave them at home just to say up you got one they are a tool so you use them I
It's legal to use 50BMG on deer.
"45-70 is the best brush gun"
12G slug gun: "Hold my beer"
I've cut down saplings with my Mossberg
“Hold my Kool-aid”
10 gauge slugs git'erdun!
* "Hold my deer"
I have a Benelli SuperNova, capable of firing 3½inch shells.
My Winchester Super XX Magnum Turkey loads already have the energy of a .308, but with 63g of shot.
Some day I will make some slugs and see how they will perform. 😁
I am an Army Vietnam combat infantry NCO. Once the teething pains of the M-16 (chrome bbl and chamber and ball powder in the cartridges) were sorted out, in my opinion, it was a better rifle for that theater than was the M-14. In a year of combat in RVN (68-69 in III Corps) my well-maintained M-16 never let me down. My only gripe was that shooting at running targets beyond 300 meters, the 55 grain projectiles did not show any visible impact on the terrain for adjustment of elevation and lead. Contrarily, it is also my opinion that the the M-14 was a much better rifle than the M-16 or M-4 for battle in Afghanistan and Iraq, with the exception of urban entry battle. I enjoy your videos, Iraq Vet 8888. Well done and welcome home.
Thank you for your service sir. Yes many M-14s were brought out of storage and the better rifles were usually put into chassis systems and scoped. A lot of folks found that rapid follow up shots were necessary in both urban environments as well as out in vast open areas in the mountains. Personally, for A theater such as Afghanistan, to me, I'd run a .300 Win Mag semi auto if I had the choice in the matter...😇
God bless you, man. I have nothing but immense respect for everyone who was sent overseas in Vietnam, what a nightmare.
I thank you, brother, for your time you have given our beloved Nation.
As for distant targets with the 5.56 round, that is the reason the US went with a heavier projectile in the M-16 rifles. Supposedly, the new round was good on targets out to 500 or more yards. Personally, if I had to regularly shoot at long distance, I want an AR-10 in 7.62 NATO. As much as I like the M-14 platform, the AR platform is what I am most familiar with, and with that familiarity, and that is what I would perform best with.
Thank you again.
Corporal Justin P. Emery, USMC (91-95)
After seeing this you would have been better with big bore leaver actions in Vietnam!
@@Gieszkanne Only a moron would choose to carry a big bore lever action in a high intensity infantry war against a near peer enemy.
6.5 creedmore literally yeets itself sideways when it touches a leaf.
😂😂😂
Lol. i shot a deer through a tree about 1-2" around and hit the deer only a couples inches off with a 6.5
Chimkin Pot Pii There’s a 6.5 hater in every comment section
@@tylermccune7092 true and its kinda sad to be honest
😂
The smile on your face after firing the last 45-70 round was priceless! True happiness! Very fun video and worth the watch. Only thing missing is a 30-30. Yes it’s a little lightweight, but can definitely kill an Elk or deer.
30-30 is a good deer cartridge and yes it can take an Elk but it's definitely not ideal. Elk going down after being shot with a 30-30n isn't pretty I would step up to a bigger cartridge for Elk.
Killed my first deer with a 30-30. Shot in the shoulder and it dropped. Love that little round.
I have a 45 70 Marlin SBL but I have Dads old JM 30 30 and I love that gun. Probably more deer dropped with a 30 30 over the years than any other round.
A brush gun is an M134 minigun. It takes down brush real good.
perpendurcular 720 Phanlax CWIS. Nuff said
wtf are u saying bro?? U don´t understand the concept of a brush gun, a brush gun is a slow and powerfull bullet the minigun, bullets aren´t slow
@@cesarsr2090 why have a gun that won't be pushed around by brush when you can destroy the brush. Deer and the 6 houses behind it
@Paul Kersey Pfft that's my CCW. I use 105mm
Especially when fired by Jesse Ventura (Blain)
I prefer to use a 40mm grenade launcher for a brush gun
No way a tow missile launcher is the way to go
Ha child’s play I use a 90mm m2 anti tank gun
@@cykabazooka4098 He also save a lot of knife work after that.
Can you imagine a 40mm Foster Slug?
Is this a fallout new vegas reference?
Excellent video showing the difference between a pointed (SPITZER) high velocity bullet vs a slower moving , heavier flat nose bullet moving through a brush type environment. When first being trained with a M16 carbine (semi & fully automatic) at the range at Lackland AFB in 1967, we were told that even small branches could cause the bullets to stray off target. We were told to shoot when we had a clear targets! I never liked the looks of the M -16s despite aquiring a small arms expert ribbon using one & decades later I purchased an AR-15 type firearm (Sig Sauer M400) and it is nice to shoot because of its low recoil. My Marlin 336, .35 Rem LEVER Action, is a lot of fun to shoot also but after a couple of boxes are used, my shoulder begins to feel it. Ha! After passing the 70 yard line, eyesight & eye-hand coordination are not the same as they were in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, & 60s. So is life!
In Pennsyltucky the 30/30 was always considered to be a brush gun. I’d be interested to see that added to the comparison.
Same in Michigan I was hoping he’d test that too
In pa 30/30, 35 rem, and 243, are the Cal to go to,,, 1shot 1 drop👍
I'd like to see the .38/.357 & .44 spl/mag shot too.
@@marktemplin1159 243 is a nice caliber. My father religiously hunted with his 243. This year my daughter got her first deer, using his rifle. Zero damage of the meat but an instant humane kill with no tracking required.
@@surfearth1 Iv dropped only 5 deer in my life,, going out and being there is what it's about for me,, but all 5, with my rem 788, 243,, not one took more than a step,, and if one takes there time and hots it right,, maybe some shoulder meat gets chewed up,, but it is an excellent caliber,, there are others,, and I'm only saying I found mine, and need no other 👍
1:52 - .22 LR
3:30 - 5.56 mm/.223 Remington
5:25 - 7.62 mm/.308 Winchester
7:33 - .35 Remington
10:09 - .444 Marlin
12:24 - .45-70 Govt.
14:59 - .577 Snider
You're welcome :)
Thank you
👍
The real hero of the comments.
You sir are a mvp
NHV Railroader thank you!
Missed out by leaving out 30-30 and 12G.
:(
30-30 is a good brush gun!!
I agree
@@ezyturner3753 I've got a pair of Winchester 94"s one in 44mag and the other is a 30-30 and both are great in the brush.
That's what I was thinking to my 30 30 with some Flathead bullets can cut right through some brush but I wouldn't try shooting a hundred yards through brush
I’m a bad shot so I’m gonna blame my rifle for not being a “brush gun” for costing me the “trophy of a lifetime.”
Trees exist kolin sorry about reality
I would have liked to see where the .30-30 stood in this test.
That round probably has taken more deer over the last 125 years than any other.
Edward Pate I would say that's likely true. I'm just speaking specifically to the effect of brush on projectile trajectory.
JunkfoodZombie I don't know if you would want to use a 30-30 for hunting I can only take 5 shots without flinching
BOY Perfect I shoot a .45-70 regularly. The .30-30 ain't no thang. 😊
BOY Perfect 30-30 is the perfect starter gun for a young hunter. not much punch. I started off on a 32special. pretty similar. I now sport a 300 mag. that will set ya back a bit.
Make sure it's Brush season! Not just Brier patch season, two different things! It took me years to shoot enough pine brush to build my cabin!
Hell yeah ,that's a good one,I think he should have tried a sling shot, and maybe throw a few hatchets
I did enjoy the video good info
I have always thought a brush gun was a shorter barreled weapon that could be easily brought up to Target in thick brush, like a bear gun for protection?
Works good for hogs too if they live in your area.
A 444 , 30-30 or 45-70 works great in the bush.
Hit the nail on the head.
Correct
Me too
I always thought a Brush Gun was a beater you don't mind dragging through the briars all day. Additionally, it doesn't have to be a long range firearm and it needs to be easy to handle. Up until the proliferation of ARs and AKs, the only game in town were lever actions.
I was raised on a horse ranch, our brush gun, as is being called here, is what we called a 'saddle gun...scabbard rifle that, if you had to, was short and handy when you crawled through thick brush. We used lever action.30-30's. Good video, good info. Thanks
ok cowboy
Terry Graham or a Winchester 1886 in 45-70 or any of the Marlin 1894s big bores 44 and 45 hard cast SWC
Walt Lars you're making me want one just so I can cast some big hunks of lead..
44M or 45 LC 10 rounds throwing half a Oz of lead each great brush gun
Winchester 94 30-30
Amazing I never knew that high velocity bullets are easier to change direction. It shows that old bullets with low velocity has their advantages. A nice test! Very impressive.
Just think of it as a Corolla doing 100mph vs. a dump truck doing 75mph.....both "may" have the same energy, but the lighter Corolla will be easier to change directions upon hitting something....including wind.
From growing up in thick forest and heavy brush...A "brush gun" is short-barrelled, .30cal or greater, shooting a fat/heavy bullet, with iron sights.
Short barrel is easier to swing around in thick brush.
Large caliber/heavy bullet won't deflect against brush. (leaves and light branches that deflect small/fast bullets).
Iron sights are faster to acquire and do not "blur" against brush like scopes do.
At close range, a slow heavy bullet is best against a dangerous predator (bear, cougar, etc.)
Yep that exactly what I was taught by old timers I grew up around 30 cal or greater
That what i tought, shooting trough brush is not safe
You are right.
Yes indeed !
Great test! I heard a guy say one time that there is no such thing as a brush gun. I think in heavy brush the heavier grain the better. Basic physics the heavier bullet has better momentum to stay on its path the lighter bullet is going to be deflected easier. But you definitely proved it! Thank you very much that was very fun and interesting.
How dare you call *THAT* a “Gong” Hickok 45 would be saddened
I was thinking the same😂
ever see the price!?!?I was saddened
Hickock would never go in the "Deer Woods" either
Several years ago one of the gun magazines put out a different test on the effects of brush. A piece of pegboard had rows of 1/4" wood pegs attached. Then firing along the row of pegs it was noted that light fast bullets deflected greater than the slower heavier bores. Conclusion was when a 55 gr 223 hit a twig at 3000 fps the twig also hit the bullet at 3000 fps. 45-70 405 gr bullets plowed a straighter line through the pegs
was surprised to not see a 3030 in this video just cause all the old heads swear by the 3030 and say its a good brush gun of course not like a 45 70 but many folks tend to think of a 3030 as a solid brush gun
droppin plates same I grew up with the 3030 as my brush gun by my family. got a lot of slack for it from guys using a 30-06 till I'd out shoot them with iron sights.
I grew up in Missouri, in a forest with sometimes quite thick brush and never had a problem killing deer with my dad's marlin 30-30. I'm not claiming the caliber to be the absolute best or anything, but I liked it a lot and was sorry when my dad had to sell it when I was in the Military. I live in Arizona now where the 30-30 is not as useful at the longer ranges you can get but I still have a Marlin 30-30 336c just for nostalgia's sake, if nothing else.
Rotary Saw I live in nevada now and rather have been trying to decide between the 3030 or something for longer ranges here. sold my 3030 when I got out of the army. miss that rifle but if I'm gonna go range I'm looking at .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor.
For my dollar, I'd go .308, I don't know much about 6.5 Creedmoor. A quick look at the ballistics data seems to me like .308 winchester has it beat all out, unless like I said there is something I'm not seeing..
.308 is hard to beat inside 800yds due to popularity, availability and the shear amount of data on the load, I personally think the 7mm-08 is better at distance.
Your two brush gun videos together are excellent. They perfectly illustrate the points being made.
Great! Instead of explaining to my wife why I need a "Brush Gun" I can show her this video!
But for real, that you for this great content.
GunsWithGage I hope for future videos for you to convince your wife to buy more guns
wesjwa andrews thanks. Me too. Haha
GunsWithGage good luck on that note. lol
Why do you need to ask your wife's permission to buy things you enjoy with your own money?
Rad Bromance it was a joke. My wife loves guns as much as me luckily
clear and easy to understand speech, as an overseas Asian fan I admire you and grandpa hickok45 haha
A brush gun is a gun that can shoot through brush. Done.
I've always called my 3030 a brush gun and been told it's a brush gun. I know guys on bear hunts who carried a 3030 for close calls. Like walking up on an unknown bear in the brush and it charge. But they had high powered rifles for long open shots like the 300 mag. Plus I'd like to see a 300 mag tested here.
.35 Remington does the .30-30 one better. Re: 300 win mag, what’s to test on a 180 grain moving at 3200 FPS besides how dead the target is.
I am 56 years old and have hunted all my life in thick cover. A brush gun is more a short barreled gun than a caliber, such as a carbine with a low power scope or iron sights, that is easier to handle in thick cover than a full size rifle. A shot shouldn't be taken until the animal gives you an open shot... A Ruger 77 carbine in .260 Rem. has worked well for me for many years.
That's what I was told I used a Model 94 win. in 30/30 my first year when you are walking the trails you really don't want a large gun short barrel no scope & heaven forbid you drop it good old iron sites still worked not to many scopes would work after you dropped them .
Bryan: What I thought too
Bryan thats what ive always thought, a small gun with a kick designed for bears or large game. Bush pilots used them, I could be wrong.
I thought it'd be a gun disguised as a brush, like how a swordstick is a sword disguised as a walking stick.
Meme Master This... Is my BROOMSTICK!
Eric - you really captured the essence of what Barry brought to the table with this one. Hard to explain, but I know Barry would be smiling.
I bought a single shot .35 Remington several years ago. Absolutely Love the way this thing shoots. Never missed and always a one shot stopper! Hunting in mixed hardwoods in North Central Mississippi.
Now, with several states adopting straight wall cartridge restrictions, the 357 Max Rimless and 350 Legend are starting to shine. They beat the old Remington's ballistics with very low recoil.
30/30 and 303 are our brush guns. My father was a Vietnam vet and came back with a love for the 303 and after years of watching what the round does it has been a staple in our family it's one that doesn't get the attention it deserves all you ever hear today is 5.56,223, 7.62,7.65 hear very little of the British 303 and it's actually a versitile round. My father spoke of his time in Vietnam where they were trading m16s for old enfields and some of the guys were laying fire with those old bolt actions as fast as semi autos if not faster in the jungles and swamps.
This is one of the best videos I have seen in a long time. Very original, interesting and useful. Great job sir!
I was taught that a brush gun was more about a gun that was easily carried through brush country, so a relatively compact, short gun for relatively short ranges, not a weapon for shooting at things you can barely see.
The Winchester model 1894 .30-30 that my grandfather hunted deer with was the quintessential brush gun.
Deer hunting is not the same as jungle combat. You didn't shoot animals that you couldn't clearly see.
Keith Roy yeah that makes alot more sense.
Keith Roy, I agree. to me a brush gun is another term for "truck gun". its light, compact and handy, but not made for shooting through brush or trucks.
Keith Roy what was the barrel length?
@@davidlinihan3626 20 inches or less.
If deer hunting for you isn't on par with jungle combat, then you're not hunting hard enough.
i feel like someones gonna try a 700 nitro express for a brush gun, i mean $ 125 a shot is kinda of expensive, but it would go through 100 yards of thick brush with no issues lol.
You mean a 100 elephants
And a baby cat
Holy hell is it really that expensive? Never looked at it
Aren't those only in a double barrel though
And a group of orphans
then a 12 ga slug would be perfect for a thick brush with short distance. And this is confirming that in thick and dense woods of the South there's no need to a rifle/carbine to go hunting,, and even for home defense shotguns are so versatile, it's my go-to firearm.
I was taught growing up that a 30-30 is the standard by which all brush guns are measured.
Sevin Storey Agreed, but that includes most lever action rifles. For example, how else would you describe a.44 mag lever action but as a “brush gun”?
Yup, but basically thought any lever action Carbine with a caliber larger than .22 was pretty much a brush gun.
@@destynova4512 that's not true. I don't know your background or your history but where I'm from and I was raised in the mountains of Eastern Alabama the foothills of the Smokies, the 30/30 Winchester was definitely the go-to rifle. Now if you are out in the plains of Montana or Kansas and you could get off a 500 yard shot yeah then a 223, or a 30-06 would work. But when you were in those mountains and Hollows and surrounded by lots of shrubs and 3 inch or smaller trees then your go-to was definitely a 30-30 because it would plow through all that and still be able to make a kill shot I did it several times. Those other rifles would graze off of or ricoshit and guess what you just missed your deer. When the woods are thick the way they were where I grew up a 30-30 is the only rifle to have. Period. People talk crap about the 30-30 but I have actually set up a Target at 500 yards and hit the target even though their website claims 800 to a thousand yards and even up to 1200 yards if you can make the shot I feel more comfortable at 500 yards if I'm trying to humanely take an animal. But if I am in the middle a very thick brush and I can see a buck topping a ridge at 200 yards away and slowly making his way down into the valley I would have no problem at all lining him up and I don't use a scope don't need one and either taking a backbone shot where he Falls immediately which I've done several times or if I can see a heart shot where I can track him 40 or 50 yards, then that's my family's and some close friends supper and jerky for a month.
@@sevinstorey4365 hey I get it, just saying I'm from the desert, just agreeing always thought 30-30s and such are brush guns. Depends where you hunt, where I'm at a .357 could be a brush gun. Odds are you will see the buck within 100 to 50ft in the brush here. Want whatever you can confidently pick up and shoot quick accurately at that point.
@@sevinstorey4365 - hmmm...don't think I'd classify a .223 as a 500 yd cartridge for anything except opfor.
I used a 30-30 marlin in Pennsylvania's heavy brush
Same thoughts, only 30-30 Winchester here in Nova Scotia.
me too...
I hunt dense woods in TN and 30-30 is PLENTY
frankly. call me simple. but i just hunt with a 180 grain .30 06 soft tip and if i kant see behind it i don't shoot it.
Cletus The Stud do you?
Joshua Yow Thank you for being a safe hunter and following the basic safety rule of hunting, "if you can't see your target clearly and you can't see what's behind your target, you do not shoot!"
Cletus The Stud people who rely on hunting for food don't live in the woods.
Joshua Yow soft point round nose is the best. Used them for 25 years
If you're hunting to prevent starvation it doesn't matter if whatever you're killing is in season.
Yep....35 Remington just like my grandfather said.
His gun (that I still have) is a Remington Model 14 Pump, in 35 Remington. 👍
It goes through brush and knocks holes in Whitetails. Exit wounds are pretty dramatic.
Well that really make me feel good about the 336 my dad left me when he passed , awsome video man . Thank you
I live in Texas I dont know about other states but hunters education will tell you not to shoot at any game you cant clearly see and identify. A lot of hunters have been accidentally killed by other hunters that saw what they thought was a deer and did not completely identify. Great demonstration though, and complete agree with the slow heavy round punching through the jungle lol. I prefer 180 grain soft tip .308 Winchester.
Not only that, in Ca. you can't shoot does or spikes, or other hunters.
Same in PA. Except they say if you can't see behind it too.
@@curtleake2191 why you wanna shoot a spike? Can't be for the antlers, they aren't much for meat in most cases, but hey whatever.
@@JM-bb8xi I guess you missed my point.
I think we can agree this is an exaggeration on what would be considered shooting through other than for self defence. There can still be small sticks hanging off trees on the way to a clear sighted game.
I've never hunted, but now I want one of those 45-70s
30-30 is a quality brush gun
@@michaeldaugherty3540
We use a lot of round nose .303 British for hunting in Canada. Everyone and their dad has an Enfield. Great bush gun
TheJewThatCuckedYou get a 45-70 I love them I reload and shoot them al the time. U can reload them so they don’t kick as much but after a box or so ur shoulder gets sore but it’s so fun.
You should look at 500 automax.
4570 is a great cartridge, really fun to shoot, I use a marlin 1895 and as far as recoil if you can comfortably shoot heavy shotgun loads then it shouldn’t be a problem.
A brush gun is whatever you can shoot fast and accurately to pick a hole to shoot through when the vitals appear in that hole!
"HEY! LOOKIT THAT THUR PRIVET HEDGE!" Eric you're awesome haha. Great video. I definitely look forward to more brush testing. 458 SOCOM, .50 Beowulf, 7.62x39, 5.45x39, .357 Mag, and hell I'd even like to see how common handgun calibers like 9x19, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 10mm do against brush.
I was zeroing my .50 Beowulf a couple of weeks ago and the first round missed the target passing thru an 8" tree and lodging deep in another tree. I say the Beowulf definitely qualifies as a brush gun. By the way that was Alexander arms 335 grain FMJ at about 30 yards.
I would want to see how a slug does
alpha dragon 16 good idea I'd like to see this too
I'd like to see some custom loads too. That'd be cool.
I've heard people say slugs go right through the brush like there's nothing in their way. On the other hand I've also heard about some crazy ricochets of twigs. That said, you shouldn't really be shooting at an animal if you can't even see it properly. That's not safe. It could be something/someone you don't want to kill.
alpha dragon 16 I would want to see how well gandhi does
alpha dragon 16 they do really good I killed a buck in a River bottom with 1 1/4 oz light field at 80 yards all brush
If y’all anyone looks at this northern Wisconsin a 30-30 is considered one of the best brush guns because the barrel is short (someone from Alaska mentioned it so you can swing the rifle I shoot a 30-30 sense 1964) I shoot a model 94 made in 1950 using 170 gr
Long story shortened. I am the youngest of 5 children 3 boys and 2 sisters. My Dad bought the Winchester for my oldest brother (Bill), 1963 I bought it from Bill for $50.00 with the agreement to sell it back to him for a good reason. Bill had 5 kids only one son and when his son turned 14 he asked to buy it back so I sold it back and. Sadly Steve died in a car wreck after only 2 seasons of hunting. I was not comfortable asking Bill to buy it back. So it sat in his gun cabinet for a number of years then unfortunately I lost my brother to cancer in the 90s about 2 years later his wife asked me to get the values of the guns so she could sell. A couple of weeks later I gave her the values and I told her the story and told her I would buy one of the guns and she said the revolver that 4 other family members would like( S&W 357 w/scope 686 ) I said no I would like the 30-30 and I will pay you retail value. She said let me think about this for a couple of weeks. She called me and said you can pick up your rifle. I drove to her house with the money in my pocket. I was surprised,shocked, Thankful. She gave me our family’s 30-30 ,gave me. I still have it and it will continue being handed down hopefully for many generations. Praise God for watching over us all!
God bless us all in Jesus name amen.
I'm from west virginia and best brush gun I was taught to used is a 30-30. I used a marlin when I first started.
People sleep on the .30-30 these days but it's still a great round. Gotta love a classic M94 .30-30.
I’m looking at getting my first lever action and you seem to be the right guy to ask, is there a huge difference between Henery and marlin? I’ve always wanted a marlin but some people will tell ya to go the other way and others will swear on the opposite, what do you prefer and is there any reason?
@@sancheznish8285 Henry is of higher quality in my opinion, but a I hear the newer Marlins that were manufactured by Ruger, are quite good for the money.
@@springfield03sniper that helps a ton, I’ll have to look into the rouger made marlins, certainly gives me a baseline! Much appreciated
I've got an older Model Marlin 30-30. I've used it for 20+ years. They are hit and miss. Not the most accurate guns. I've hit deer from 100+ yards with iron sights right through the heart, and I've missed other with s steady shot under 50 yards with a good sighted scope. Wish 30-30 would've been in this video. I'm wondering if my misses can be attributed to deflection. I can't speak for the new Marlins.
someone should show this to tfb to show them that the lever action is NOT an "obsolete" rifle.
redneckmini14 right? tfb sure made themselves seem like docks in that video
redneckmini14 I can't stand TFB tv. He is the ultimate mall ninja.
50 Beowulf in a AR makes lever guns obsolete.
The dude who made that video trolled the shit out of mosin and lever action guys
imparak No it doesn't. Not everybody is a millionaire and can spend a small fortune on a beowulf.
Brush Gun was beast in Fallout New Vegas
tictac gaming haha yeah that gun was badass
tictac gaming yes
medicine stick. you have no idea how many legionnaires i had to kill to get the caps to buy that thing.
KYh3adhunter lol I got like 500,000 caps on that game
MississippiOutlaw good times, good times. i hope obsidian can make another fallout game.
Born in 1950 I can say I was taught that "brush gun" was a short barrel lever action that was easy to navigate with in heavy brush.
Real Sharp Knives, most of them are or used to be. I always referred to a “brush gun” as a big slower bullet that there wasn’t much deflection through the brush. That was a short barrel lever gun back in the day. .35 Remington, .44 mag, .444, .30-30, .45-70. Never considered the smaller faster calibers as a brush gun because the brush would turn on of these lighter bullets.
Late comment but great video. I like my Henry Big Boy in .357 magnum (hot loads) and my old H&R 58 in .410 for brush. Both perform great
What about the humble 30/30 cartridge?
agreed, ive killed many deer in the woods with an old model 93. never let me down.
Good round, imagine minor deflection. Probably similar performance to the .35
I thought so. Here in the north island of New Zealand the scrub is insanely dense in deer country unlike the south island a lot of guys look at me sideways because i use an old marlin 336 with just a rear peep sight no glass when they have expensive rigs. Been using it along time and it has yet to disappoint me.
The much unappreciated thuddy thuddy
a Marlin 336SC 30/30 is the first thing I think of when I hear "Brush Gun".
Cool video but an option that also should've been tested were 12 gauge shotgun slugs! I've hunted deer with those in thick Western NY brush for years with great success. A good, heavy Sabot slug out of a 12 GA will also do a great job punching through brush and taking down a deer with authority inside 100 yards! I like the Lightfield slugs out of my Remington 1100 with a rifled slug barrel. My brother uses Hornady SSTs out of a scoped Mossberg with a rifled barrel and we've had great success with both!
U
you forgot the best most popular brush gun of all the 12 gauge ether slug or sabot i do at least 75% of my deer hunting with my Remington 870
👍🇺🇸🐍💪.thanks for the video Eric. I love mine. I found it about three years ago at a lgs here in NW AL. Its a Marlin 336 in 30-30 and from what I've researched its made in 1976 and has the JM stamped barrel. Luckily although been used its still in awesome condition . I payed up a little bit I think bc it was worth it to me bc you never see the older ones especially in good condition. So I don't think $475 total was too bad all things considered. And like your area there in Georgia, here in NW AL its mostly brushy land and hard to find 150+ open yard shots. Even though I have other calibers in other platforms, my go-to for deer and hog is that one. 30-30 is still very relevant. Even heard its probably took the most deer of any others. Who really knows though. Really doesn't matter. But thanks man and take care.
Man I'm always learning new things with this channel. Thank you.
Ditto.
A 30 cal expands but a 58 doesn’t shrink!
Freaking love that !!
where the hell Is the 30.30??????????????
This is about big heavy bullets that can smash through anything. I love the 3030 but my 4570 will go through a tree. To see what I mean look up 4570vs3030 under images and you will see it
+Tmanthekid 30.30 is the most rejoin brush gun of them hell it should at least be I the video even if ain't the most powerful
+andrew hill renoun*
I think the word you're looking for is "renowned".
I'd expect the 30/30 to be less prone to deflection than the .308. Probably close to the .35 Rem. in the video.
Awesome testing! I always thought "brush gun" meant smaller rifle (like a lever action) but now I understand total concept. I think if you redid some of this with the LEVERevolution shaped bullets I wonder if the results for those heavy calibers are the same? Or is the profile of the tip a big factor too?
30-30 and 12 ga slug would be interesting to see how they fare in the bush test....
Out here in Montana ive used a 12g 2 3/4' slug for deer. The thing is so big and heavy it just destroys any brush that's between you and the deer or elk. Use 3 1/2 if you want to be sure. If 30-30 works at killing brush i wonder if a flat nosed 7.62x39 would work as well since they are both very close?
Load the spitzer bullets backwards.
I don't think you will do that anymore when you see your primers getting funky due to over pressure.
Hes right, Loading a bullet backwards is potentially dangerous. I was more talking like a lead casting semi wad cutter. Might mess up the AKM's feeding though as the ramp is pretty far away from the magazine.
Might work better on an SKS. A CZ527 would be ideal.
Seating a bullet backwards could be potentially dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. You need to keep the jump in the throat or reduce the load. If the base of the bullet jams into the rifling with no jump or is seated deeper in the case after contacting the rifling there may be a problem. But if you don't know how to make your loads safe you should stick to factory ammunition.
"In the deer woods" haha I love it. great vid.
Great Video!!!!!!! I think you are remiss in not including a 30-30 or a 12ga slug gun in this shoot.
tkarlmann/ Agreed.
12 ga slug has been the number one deer round in my state for yeat a and not inclusing it is a disapointment
Yeah I agree a 12ga slug is what I like for hunting hogs in thick brush
Agree my fav is .30.30
Agreed
I've always thought a brush gun is a small gun to move easily through heavy brush. Like a 30-30. Had no idea it has to do with the caliber. Cool video thanks.
Or .44 carbine -- short but powerful!!
Consider re-visiting this test (say, ver 2) and use some 220 (+)gr round nose in .308Win. Also, the heaviest bullets found in commercial 30-30.
You may discover the hunting versatility of the .308Win is considerable, and a better 'brush' gun with heavier-slower bullets, as opposed to the 140-150gr higher velocity ammo.
The 30-30 has killed more deer than any other rifle caliber but you left it out. Second caliber with most deer kills would probably be 30-06 and you left it out too.
Tell em Freak
Freak Beast Just got one with my 30-30 the other day.
I don't think he left anything out. I think Eric set out to make a vid simply explaining what a brush gun is and how the bullet dynamics work.
Freak Beast 30 06 has killed more deer. atleast with a my extended friends and family.
Freak Beast that's what my brush gun is 30-30 very good gun.
Awesome idea for an experiment. Good to see real world data back up what grandpa told us. You covered enough cartridges to show what any rifle in between would do but i was surprised the 12ga was not included. 12ga slugs have always been my go to for short range heavy brush. Just a thought. Great job on the vid.
I got a 45-70gov golden boy q I've shot it a lot here in north east GA and yes it's a Henry &I Love it
the wide front of the bullet you refer too, is called the meplatt. nice video. i have hunted with 30-30 win in brush, but using 170gr flat nose. have had no worries
My good old girl the .35 Marlin!!!!!! Awesome video. Thanks for taking the time to make this video!!!!
Just bought one! I frickin love it
Leave your comments here and let me know what you want us to shoot through some REALLY thick brush....
Iraqveteran8888 30-30, 458 Socom, 30-06, 7.62x54r, 303 brit. lol I wanna see the mosin especially.
20 gauge slug
I'd like to see what 5.56 will do when loaded with a round nose bullet!
german g3
160 gr. 6.5 Carcano :)
EXCELLENT!
I've been watching your channel for years but this vid just popped up. THIS kind of stuff is the reason so many of us love Paul Harrell's videos.
Again, most excellent video with good, relevant information. Job well done.
Eric I love this video. I just want to note however that the issue is not really about velocity. Its about mass. The juxtaposition of energy vs momentum is the what matters. since Energy= 1/2mv^2 and Momentum=mv you can see that energy increases linearly with mass but exponentially with velocity. However momentum, or the tendency of an object to continue in the same direction, increases linearly with both. So for example a bullet like a 30.06 with a mass of say 150 grains traveling at 2900 ft/s will have a bit over 2800 ft lbs of energy. A 45/70 300 grain bullet traveling at around 2000 ft/s (only 2/3 as fast) will have almost equal energy at 2850 ft lbs. BUT the momentum of each is vastly different. The 45/70 will have a momentum 38% higher than that of the 30.06. And remember momentum is the tendency of an object to continue in the same direction. So if it has more momentum it means its harder to deflect. For instance, a pronghorn running at top speed may have the same energy as a Bison running at top speed though the pronghorn is much faster and the bison is much heavier. But that bison is going to be able to bust through a thicket of willows much better than the pronghorn, its all about momentum. Like Meghan Trainor said: "its all about that bass"
I enjoy this way too much.
Highjak86
Watch demolition ranch
I wonder how the 22 Nosler would do
One of the best iq8888 videos.
A hunting buddy had a 45-70 lever action with red dot
I got the Henry brass octagonal barrel 45-70 Lever action it's beautiful
xXxBlackwaterXxX did you ever play socom
xXxBlackwaterXxX I have that same rifle for my main deer slayer. It's a very beautiful gun that works great in the woods.
Hawkeye obviously
I want one for Christmas
xXxBlackwaterXxX
Great Video Eric! love your analysis and videos!
"The deer woods" Sounds like a Yooper thing.
Charlie Sulcer
The Eastern front We have plenty of deer woods in the lower too.
Michgunnut Southern canada has scads & scads of deer in the little farm zoned wood-lots. Also, up north in the wilderness it's important to take multiple firearms such as: a scoped rifle, a shotgun with varied ammo, and a brush gun of some kind for serious animal defense. If a predator comes upon your camp, you have to get those shots off before it gets too close otherwise switching to shotgun could be a deadly decision for you.
Very fresh topic... Well illustrated.
Paul Dutton
Eric, you need to try this same test with pistol caliber carbine rifles and see what would have!
just an idea!
I inherited my grandfathers favorite rifle. A Winchester 3030. What he called his brush gun. He used it to hunt deer in the hills of West Virginia. The best brush gun I have ever used. The one gun I own that ALL my friends wish they had. Given to him on the event of my birth by my mother in 1953. I cherish this gun.
👍👍🇺🇸 thank you for the awesome advice you gave me about a year ago eric, the norinco mack 90 is groovy man.
I harvested a button buck this year by sneakin through a 3" hole at about 45 yards or so...he dropped on the spot and never got back up...was a very quick and humane kill and the venison has been absolutely delicious! Anyways, I was always carrying a 12ga or 30-30 in previous years, so this was my first harvest with my ar-15 in 300blackout. I used the barnes vor-tx 110gr ammo and while field dressing him it seemed like the entry and exit were clean (no tumbling)...when butchering him up I noticed I had full expansion almost instantly, and a really mean wound channel, so I must assume the round didn't get deflected by any brush or bones at all...but I wonder how differently the kill would have gone if it had...
Long story short, it would be cool to see what kinds of differences you could get with different bullet shapes and weights within each caliber you were testing...and I'd love to see a bunch more calibers too if possible. I'm sure that could get pricey, but would certainly be an interesting video. If you're taking requests I'd love to see the performance of 300blackout (specifically the barnes 110gr), 30-30 (maybe that new leverevolution ammo), 30-06, 12ga slugs...and maybe even an inline muzzleloader or something? ...either way great vid :)
Way to go on your hunt.
I took my fourth deer (six point buck) this month, the first ever with my high powered rifle, a Ruger .30-06.
I rolled my own for the load, a Federal case, CCI #200 primer, 57 grains of IMR 4831 powder, topped by another Barnes bullet, the 165 grain TTSX.
He didn't go 50 feet before collapsing.
Those Barnes Triple Shok bullets are awesome.
PinkOld thanks! congrats on your venison harvest too! clearly those folks at barnes know what they're doing :)
Theo M.
They do, and my Ruger will plop five of that bullet just inside 1" @ 100 yards.
In my opinion the Ruger 44mag carbine makes the perfect brush gun it's short..lite..and the 240gn plus is a dream..same goes for the Marlin 44mag heck a 44mag pistol is great..
"Yew hew hew even that piece of privet head got cutted in half!" Hahaha yesss instant like
You just sold me on getting a 45-70 lever action rifle. Wow Awesome!!❤️👍
I use a Mossberg rifled 3 1/2" 12g Ulti-mag with 1 5/8 oz. sabot slugs to get through the trees.
All 8 inches of tree!
Awsome video! Pop was right when he said you need a "Brush" gun.
great vid
I have a Winchester Model 94 in .32 Special. I have yet to see a review of that cartridge. I still use it for west coast blacktails.
I've found a few videos. It's of interest to me because I just inherited my grandfather's model 94 in 32 spec!. I spent a couple hours cleaning and tinkering with it. I'm pretty excited.
I hear the AK makes a great "brush gun" in the "deer woods".
Handywithdasteel I would go with sks. Over Ak
Handywithdasteel It does
Kyle Sonsalla meh haven't had great results with one. Perhaps it was just the sst Ammo--never seen a deer take that many hits and still not die without a coup de grace
Handywithdasteel a ak 47 would go every where
Old Gregg I've hunted with both my Mini 30 and an Arsenal AK, with Federal Fusion, and had kills with both.
Good video. Should have had a 30-30 also. I use my 30-30 in the Pennsylvania thick bush.
A "brush gun" video..... ur shooting a 223/556???? And there is no 3030???
.35>30-30
The point of shooting .223 was to show that using a heavier bullet really does matter.
What is a brush gun 2
30 carbine makes a fantastic brush gun, 450 Bushmaster, and 458 SOCOM are also fantastic.
Don't have any real experience with the .50 beowulf, but I've heard it's a great round as well.
My two favorite calibers for being in the Appalachian mountains, though, are the .308 and the .243.
.243 has been a godsend. Very fast round with little to no drop within the ranges you'll see clear shots in the woods. Every deer I've killed has been between 30 and 100 yards away, except for two I've had shots open up at +/- 400 yards, and the .243 handles that very, very well.
.308 needs no explanation. If you can't kill it with a .308 Winchester, you'd better run or hide from it.
Iv'e read comments from Vietnam vets that say the complete opposite about the M14. It seems the rifle was way too heavy to comfortably hump it around the jungle in 100% humidity for days on end. The M16 was far more comfortable. It was also possible to carry more ammo for it.
Most important, they say, was the fact that the M14 was impossible to use effectively in full auto, the 7.62 NATO round having too much recoil. This would lead to GIs losing the battle for fire superiority during fire fights, as the NVA and VC, armed as they were with weapons that used the intermediate & somewhat more manageable Warsaw Pact 7.62 Short cartridge, would overwhelm the US troops with sustained automatic fire.. GIs issued with the M16 found the opposite was true, the 5.56 round meaning that _they_ could get more fire onto the enemy.
I'm left wondering what the actual truth is, as both points of view have merit (particularly when you take the horrendous and totally avoidable "teething issues" the M16 platform had).
The US military did everything they could to make the m16 fail (not issuing cleaning kits and issuing shitty ammo) to the point that many soldiers were killed because of it. What the military did to its soldiers in vietnam was nothing short of criminal negligence
Both have there place.... as shown in iraq and Afghanistan.
Rob Ashton * The truth is the Intel from the veterans in war.
AR is spray n pray, 308, 30-06, n 50 r one shot, next
My dad and I were just talking about that. He was in Vietnam during the transition, and liked the m16 because they could carry more ammo.
People have a completely backwards idea of what is a "brush gun". They all think its about the caliber of the gun. Any high velocity projectile will deflect on impact and tumble. A smart shooter knows to wait til the buck is in a clear spot before shooting. The brush gun should be short and well balanced for quick handling, like the lever action rifle in 30/30. Thats why the lever gun is still such a great deer gun. Here in NY we used to only have the shotgun slug gun available to hunt big game and even then, guys wold have brush deflection of slugs.
Yea , up state don't get no better anywhere , but southern Ridge Runners invented tall brass with 2 oz. Slugs .
I was disappointed but you did not use a 3030 Winchester model 94. In my area it is the rush gun.
The 170 FP should work about the same I think :)
cathy308308 yes I was too as its the only lever action we have.
Agree. It would have been nice to see the 30-30 fired instead of the 35. Marlin or Winchester.
35 is just a blowed out .30-30 there's not a lot of difference between the 2.
usa2012
what :/
Francis E Sell, author of the book “Get Your Deer” published back in the 1950s came to the same conclusion in his testing. There appears to be a sweet spot velocity wise between 2000 and around 2600 fps at the muzzle. In his testing the most important factor was not bullet shape or weight but velocity. His testing even included rounds of the same bullet weight and size fired from the same rifle just loaded to different velocity. Once that speed was reduced to around 2600 and below the groups tightened and the deflections though not completely disappearing began to have less effect on point if impact. This kinda explains why rounds like 30-30, 32 Win Special and 35 Remington have ruled the deer woods for so long.