The term "Brush Buster" used to get thrown around a lot when I was a kid, but I believe the general public has finally realized that no bullets get through brush, like not at all. Exhaustive testing has been out there for decades that proves no bullet plows through brush and still makes it to exactly where they were intended to go. Quite the contrary, the only way is to slip a bullet through an opening and have it not touch anything on its path, not even a blade of grass.
Typcial northern Michigan thick woods. The hunter is less than 30 yards from the cameraman!
With that out of the way, what really makes a brush buster? In my eyes, its way more about the rifle than the cartridge. I have access to hunt some pretty thick woods here in Michigan and often a 30 yard shot is pushing it. Hunting on the ground complicates things even more when more than one set of eyes and ears are on alert. For me, a brush buster is short and compact, quick to point with minimal movement by the shooter, and smooth to reload for follow up shots. Follow up shots are a very real thing when deer are moving through thick cover, or you have multiple tags in your pocket. (In my home state of Michigan, as of this writing, we can purchase 2 buck tags and 10 doe tags over the counter. Special crop damage tags are available above and beyond to farmers or their designee, so lots of tags are possible.) While growing up, we did a lot of deer drives (or pushes) so deer were almost always running. There were no penalties for missing when the other members of the party are walking many miles in a day to try to push deer towards you, but there would be some frowns if deer got by you with no shots being taken.
While sitting in the woods with shots topping out at 30-40 yards this past weekend, I was glad I had my Marlin 336 across my lap. I have modified it a bit. I removed the iron sights and the rail the previous owner put on it, installed Talley lightweight Low rings and put a small 2x7x32 scope on it. I added the side spur to the lever and stoked it with our 150 grain Maker Rex offering. The ol' 30-30 still feeds smooth as silk and hurts the deer as much or more than it ever has in the past 129 years of its existence. I did take a deer with it at about 40 yards, through an opening about the size of a small cantaloupe. After the shot, I looked at my scope and I had dialed it to about 4x for the shot. Earlier in the day, I put on over 7.5 miles up and over hills and clawing through brush while carrying the same rifle. I removed the sling to ensure nothing snagged on clothing if a snap shot were to occur if a deer boiled out of a thicket in front of me.
This doe didn't go anywhere after the 35-40 yard shot from this Marlin 336.
The previous day had me sitting in thick cover a mile away carrying a different rifle. The Ruger American Ranch chambered in 450 Bushmaster wearing a 3x9 scope and a suppressor. Still short and light, and packing a punch. Southern Michigan does have rules for straight wall cartridges, but I was in bottleneck zone and still chose to carry the ranch rifle. Cover was tight, being a clear cut a number of years back, it is now overgrown with poplar and maple saplings. There is a natural funnel and close shots are of the only order. I had the "Bushy" stoked with our 250 Maker Rex loads for some field data, and I was not disappointed. I had a buck come sneaking through, being bumped by my hunting partner and smelling my daughter, it turned and came on a string. The shot was offhand at only 20 yards on the trotting buck. The low power scope coupled with the short, light rifle made the shot easy with minimal adjustments on my end to get in the ready position.
This Michigan 7 point was no match for the suppressed Ruger Ranch in 450 Bushmaster from about 20 yards!
These two examples can be extrapolated with a host of other rifles and chamberings that would fill the niche. Distance is not a concern, so any round from roughly the 44 Rem Mag in a carbine up to the 45-70 and anything in between will work great. Classic revolver rounds chambered in carbines like the 44 Rem Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 460 S&W, 500 S&W and a host of lesser knowns and wildcats. For more classic rifle rounds, think 350 Legend, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend, 41 Great Lakes, 450 Bushmaster, 45 Raptor and wildcats based on the belted magnums cut off at 1.8" and take the .458 bullets. I also prefer running a suppressor, so a short 16" barrel keeps the overall length and weight down. Focus on the rifle itself. Short, light and quick pointing, almost like a fine shotgun. I prefer low power optics like 1.5x6, 2x7 or 3x9 for quick target acquisition. The scope requires only lining up a crosshair with the target, vs lining up a rear and front sight and the target. Anyone wearing bi-focal lenses should appreciate the simplistic low power scope.
Suppressed Ruger Ranch 450 Bushmaster is 43.5" long and weights just under 8# field ready.
Marlin 336C 30-30 Winchester is a mere 38.5" and weighs 8# field ready.
For comparison, this Remington 700 338 RUM is 48" long and weighs 10# without a sling
If you hunt in an area that has everything from thick brush or timber, yet opens up to fields or parks, something along the lines of short magnums would fit the bill nicely. 7 SAUM, 300 SAUM or 300 WSM are all more powerful than a 30-06 and fit in compact rifles. Most rifles chambered in the 300 SAUM were the short, light Remington Model 7 fitted with 22" barrels. Mated with a low power variable like 3.5-10x with a CDS dial will cover you from near to far and still pack a formidable punch.
Would you rather carry this 47" 12# bench rifle or this 41" 7# rifle? The model 7 can easily be made into an 8-8.5# field ready rifle.
Put it all together and you have a purpose built rifle and round that will serve you well in the thick eastern woods for deer and bear.
