I have never hunted brush. I hunt animals! I don’t believe in any special gun for shooting through brush in my opinion.

X2 on .35 rem

X2 on LeverEvolution.

A flat or fat nosed bullet has more surface area to deflect than a pointed spire tip.

When hunting in the bush I prefer a 45/70 simply because shots are most often very close and the round has a habit of dropping them where they stand so I don't have to crawl through thick brush looking for a down deer and then have to drag it through the same

The only time I shoot into brush is at grouse or other small game w/ a shotgun w/ 6's or 7 1/5 shot. To shoot into brush w/ a rifle no gooda, wound deer just a bad scenario... Clear shot clean kill anything else is something else and does a disservice to animal and other hunters as you'll be wasting game. I've heard all the city folks talk this and that... bottom line the only line is the one w/ no brush or obstacles. If you're in a stand you hunt often clear shooting lanes...

By the way I used to catch flack from the guys I hunt with because of my choice of hunting gun, they all choose to use 06s, 308 or 300 mag ect in a bolt and I was the only one that used a lever gun of any type and was viewed as being old fashioned and backwards

finally I used the counter of asking them which they would prefer to me hit with a baseball going a hundred or a bowling ball doing 70

I think that plays part of it , he said his eyes have not been right since they removed the cataracts 2 years ago , he can see much better but eyes are always watering.

I suggested a good pair of safety glasses that wrap around some and keep the wind out of his eyes a bit , he had never shot with glasses on so he said he would have to try that in the off season.

I have been shooting with glasses on for the last 15 years , I find a low power scope better with glasses started buying 2-7x32 scopes to go on my guns the year after I had to start wearing glasses.

shot my buck this year with my 30-06 and 2-7x32 vortex scope 125 yards running hit right were I was holding , he was running at me mostly.

I agree everything is going to deflect , how much and where the deflection starts is the question.

more importantly sometimes when your shooting running deer or deer in brush just having the ability for quick follow up shots is important even better if you can do it without taking your sights off the target.

I have an old 742 in 3006 I bought in 1967. It wears a 1X4 Leupold. Through about 2 1/2X I can keep both eyes open. Rarely take it out anymore. This would get my vote for a brush gun.

A shotgun with buckshot, I prefer #1.

I like "Feedinggrounds " choice but mine is exactly 20 years older than his. That ammo made my 100 yard gun into almost a 200 yard gun, good stuff......jk

Model 100 Winchester in .308, open sights. Awesome gun, comes up al natural looking right down the sights. I shot 20 deer of all makes and sizes with it before I scoped a .270 and graduated to something else. As my eyesight was going.

Same gun here also.
Only gun i carry when i'm far enough north to shoot centerfire rifles.
Light easy to shoulder and deadly accurate.

.308 is a perfect caliber for my needs.
.

35 rem

that was my choice I hunted this year with my 742 in 30-06 2-7x32 vortex scope shot my deer on 2x.

fast follow up shots if they don't drop on the first one , I hate trialing deer . on my deer this year it didn't go down on the first shot although it would have probably in a short distance I couldn't tell that it didn't change speed or direction at the shot , I gave it another after about 2-3 more strides then it fell. entry and exit of both shots were in and out a few inches of each other both 20+ inches of penetration diagonally through the deer.

the down side to the 742 is they have a fairly short service life as far as number of rounds maybe 500 rounds ,but by down loading my hand-loads to 308 velocity 165gr at 2600fps an M1 garand safe 30-06 load I think I have stopped the bolt battering the receiver that eventually ruins the 742 the 7400 addressed this with a hardened liner where the bolt hit ,but that broke bolt lugs at some point the 750 addressed it by making the bolt lugs larger but fewer.

the semi auto is nice but really any 30 cal , 308 or with some weight to carry through an exit wound 160gr or heavier in a gun that points well and is quick to get on target makes brush gun in my mind. could be a lever a pump or if you can run a bolt fast.

the ability to keep the deer in the scope and watch it shot to shot is nice , the rounds I am using in the 742 I never lost sight of the deer.

Here there is bound to be a twig or two in the way of most any shot. But its tough to even see 50 yards, so its all short range shooting. Depending on my mood its either a AR 15 in 458 SOCOM or the 94 in 30-30. If i cut myself a shooting lane or two, the 6.5 Grendel gets the nod.

Full auto AK47. Hear a noise in the brush, take a few bursts, and go see what you got. Kind of like Christmas.

I know the answer !
One in your hand and chambered to shoot.
That's my favoutitee gun

Mark, I prefer the Owen

I just love them Marlin 336's I am keeping my eyes out for a older 30-30, My .35 I bought new for a Benjamin and a Grant. I made payments at the gun shop till paid for. I was pumping gas and changing tires at our corner Shell station in 1977, think I made $ 2.00 a hour.

I pack a Rem. 600 in 350 mag. at times when I have to check fence in the brush. Some times we have big things that might bite you in the brush.