Rifle for on the move woods/marsh deer hunting...BLR maybe?

[50bowhunter]

What ever rifle you choose I would defiantly go with a 1-4x scope over open sights. At 1x you will pick up a target way faster than lining up any open sights.

 

[BrentD]

On the other hand there are lots of iron sights that would work exceptionally well for such a rifle. I'd not scope it, plus that really all but knocks out the Winchesters (Marlins are better anyway, however).

 

[1100RemingtonMan]

Savage 99

 

[Dougfirtree]

What ever rifle you choose I would defiantly go with a 1-4x scope over open sights. At 1x you will pick up a target way faster than lining up any open sights.

I agree about target aquisition. The main advantage that irons have over a scope, for what I do, is that you can run iron sights through every snow-covered tree in the forest, rain on them, freeze them, breathe on them, etc. and they're still entirely usable.

 

[Don Fischer]

I have to say in favor of a 1x scope, I have never seen any sight's that could get on a deer like it can. Only problem is the rifle with a short barrel you can see your barrel in the scope! For that reason I set my 1-4x on 3 x and leave it be. In poor light in heavy cover aiming at a dark animal open sight's start to loose it for me. But in favor of open sights I'd go with a rear peep and take out the inner ring and make believe it never existed.

 

[Griff8621]

Have you thought about a shotgun? We hunt with them in south Florida when it’s really thick.

 

[F250]

Remington 760/7600. I had a 760 in .300 Savage with a peep sight. Shot my first buck with it. Never should have sold it.

 

[tikkaman]

I would say a good Marlin lever for quick follow up shots if needed.

 

[Guest member 25165]

It took a little bit of trading and such but I was able to find a NIB Sandusky Ohio Ithaca Deerslayer II. The barrel is pinned to the receiver for greater accuracy. I was pretty stoked to find this. Wisconsin has a rich tradition of slug gun hunting. 2013 was the first year Wisconsin allowed the entire state to use rifles so using a shotgun was what I grew up on. It's a 20 gauge, very light, fiber optic green and red williams sights, bottom eject, pachmayr pad, and decent enough wood.

 

[MNfarmer]

I shot my first mule deer with a Belgian made BLR in .308. Personally, I would not recommend it. It is an awkward, heavy, clumsy rifle that does not handle well. Wasn't very accurate either.

But your idea of a lever gun is certainly a good one and one that is historically popular in Wisconsin. At one end of the scale you have the Savage 99s and Winchester 95s which are good rifles that are much better than the BLR in my opinion. But at the other end so to would be something like a Winchester 92 or Marlin 94 in .44-40 or (if newer), .44 mag or .45 colt. I have a Marlin 1894 in .38-40 that simply puts a smile on the face of every single person who picks it up and shoots. Way too much fun just to plink with for the 361 days that you aren't actually having a great time hunting with it.

And in between those are the .30-30s and .38-55s and the often forgotten, .32-40. Really, just get a Marlin 1893 or Cowboy in .38-55 or .30-30 and never look back.

All of those would be excellent choices for what you describe. All of them better than a BLR in my opinion.

And if you want a bigger bullet hole for some reason, then there are the Marlin 1895 and Winchester 1886s, but now you are back in the heavier guns, albeit still orders of magnitude better than the BLR, in my opinion.

Old thread, but since 1996 or so BLRs have had an aluminum receiver making them a lot lighter and better handling. Even the long actions.

 

[MNfarmer]

Lots of good choices on here already.
As a big woods and brush guy I will second a few of them.
The 760 GameMaster in 06 with a peep sight and either a brass bead or fiber optic front bead or with a VX3 1.5x5 Leupold
The 7600 in 06 with a peep and fiber optic front sight or brass front sight or a Leupold 1.5x5 power VX3 on it.
Marlin 336 Pre 1999 or earlier if you can get it in 35 Remington with a peep sight from Williams or Lyman
Winchester model 94 in the venerable old dirty thirty.
I have had or have all the above and loved them all for different reasons.
I like a good fast shouldering gun that points easy and packs easier. No reason for it to have a sling till the hunts over considering in that country a sling will only cause you to not be ready for a shot if it presents itself.
low power clear glass if you decide to go that route.
I love my pump guns but man if that old Marlin 35 isnt just a peach to carry. It has a Williams peep on it with super fine fiber optic front sight. Its fast and deadly out to around 160 which is about 60 yards further than I have ever had a ethical shot at anything in the type of country your talking about unless your hunting old strip cuts or clear cuts then its the old Remington Pump with the 1.5x5 on it or the Ruger M77 Mannlicher.
So many good choices.

Why pre 1999? I have a 336c .30-30 from 2005 that’s very good.

 

[shootbrownelk]

Rem 742 30-06

Also referred to as the 742 Jamb-O-Matic. A Savage 99 is a far better choice than a BLR.

 

[OleRedbeard]

Why pre 1999? I have a 336c .30-30 from 2005 that’s very good.

I had two uncle's and an aunt who worked for Marlin during the time. They always said after Marlin purchased H&R in 2000 the machine quality went down. Leading to Remington buying them out I think in 07.
I've always just stuck by that. I've seen many made after that and they still seem like great rifles however. I can message James and maybe have him refresh my memory on exactly why. It's got me wanting to know exactly myself. Ruger recently bought them again so hopefully they make a comeback in a great way.

 

[geetar]

Get you a Mennonite Machine Gun.

 

[MNfarmer]

I had two uncle's and an aunt who worked for Marlin during the time. They always said after Marlin purchased H&R in 2000 the machine quality went down. Leading to Remington buying them out I think in 07.
I've always just stuck by that. I've seen many made after that and they still seem like great rifles however. I can message James and maybe have him refresh my memory on exactly why. It's got me wanting to know exactly myself. Ruger recently bought them again so hopefully they make a comeback in a great way.

I remember from the Marlin forum somebody saying they used softer screws from China but other than that? After the Remington buyout is when everything went totally to hell.

 

[sharpshooter97]

A .45-70 lever gun would be a good choice in my opinion

 

[OleRedbeard]

I remember from the Marlin forum somebody saying they used softer screws from China but other than that? After the Remington buyout is when everything went totally to hell.

Screws springs and wood all took a downturn according to him. He said alot of it was due to supply and demand and trying to save money and slow the inevitable buyout and the acquisition of H&R giving them a cheaper place to get some things. He did say that they that the barrels and metal finishes were much better before he retired than they had been though. He was already on his way to retirement I think when Remington bought them out.
I'm no expert in any of it. I still love my Marlin rifle's and wouldn't take anything for the ones I have.

 

[MNfarmer]

Yes, they’re great guns. My moms hunted with a 1988 model for decades. With a crappy 4x scope and see through mounts. Havnt hunted with mine since 2009 when we no longer hunted a brushy area. Shot 6 deer in the 4 years I used it including this memorable hunt.

 

[Don Fischer]

Thinking about this, I'm not an auto loader fan for much of anything. But in this case I think I could be tempted to find an older Winchester mod 100. Seem's to me they were fairly short barreled and one piece stock. Not sure how light they might be but for what the OP is talking about I'd be tempted to check them out.

 

[pilsner]

Savage model 99.
300 Savage.
This Q has been answered many years ago.
Larry Benoit answered it IIRC.