You’ll hear it from every corner of the internet—no bullet can truly bust brush. And sure, if you’re shooting into limbs and hoping for a miracle, nothing is magic. But some calibers absolutely hold together better than others when you’re threading shots through tight woods or hunting heavy cover. Big, slow bullets with enough weight tend to deflect less and keep their momentum when they clip a twig. The myth isn’t that brush-busting bullets exist—it’s that they all behave the same. If you’ve hunted in thickets, alder tangles, or dark timber, you probably already have your go-to. These are the calibers that don’t get enough credit for still doing the job up close, even when conditions aren’t clean.
.35 Remington
The .35 Remington has been quietly killing deer in thick cover for more than a century. With a 200-grain round nose moving at moderate speed, it doesn’t over-penetrate branches like a high-velocity spitzer. It holds its line better than people give it credit for, especially at 75 yards and under.
Out of a Marlin 336 or similar lever gun, it handles fast follow-ups and swings easily through tight woods. The bullet stays intact, doesn’t come apart on minor brush, and still hits with authority when it arrives. It’s not flashy, and it’s not a long-range choice—but when you’re hunting in tangled timber, it still delivers. Folks talk like it’s outdated, but it keeps proving them wrong season after season.
.30-30 Winchester
The .30-30 gets a lot of flack from modern shooters, but it continues to shine in thick woods. With flat- or round-nose bullets, especially in the 150- to 170-grain range, it behaves predictably through cover and doesn’t deflect as wildly as lighter, faster options.
What it lacks in flat trajectory, it makes up for with dependable knockdown power and a soft-shooting, quick-handling platform. If you’re hunting thick brush, especially from a treestand or still-hunting ridges, it’s hard to beat. Accuracy stays solid out to 100 yards, and the heavier bullets tend to punch through minor obstructions better than the critics admit. You don’t have to be trendy when something’s been working for over a hundred years.
.44 Magnum (Rifle)
Out of a carbine-length lever-action, .44 Magnum becomes a whole different animal. It throws heavy bullets with enough speed to be effective but not so much that they veer wildly through brush. Whether you’re using a 240-grain or something heavier, it holds energy and direction well.
The rifle-length barrel helps with velocity and sight radius, and most brush country shots are close enough that drop isn’t a big concern. If a bullet clips a twig, it still tends to hit hard enough to get the job done. You won’t be taking long pokes, but for swamp deer, hogs in thick stuff, or bear in the timber, a .44 Mag carbine walks the line between portability and power better than it gets credit for.
.444 Marlin
The .444 Marlin was built with timber hunting in mind. It launches a 240- to 300-grain bullet that hits hard and stays on track better than faster, lighter rounds. In thick cover, that slow, heavy slug is less likely to get thrown off course if it hits a branch or some brush.
It’s got more reach than a .44 Mag, but still functions well in a handy lever-action platform. The recoil is manageable for most shooters, and terminal performance is excellent inside 150 yards. You’re not going to win a benchrest match with it, but when it comes to driving a big bullet through a wall of saplings and still making meat, the .444 earns its keep. It’s built for real-world hunting, not theory.
.358 Winchester
This one doesn’t get the attention it deserves, but it flat-out works in the woods. A .308 necked up to .35 caliber, the .358 Winchester can push 200- to 250-grain bullets with real authority. That extra diameter and weight help resist deflection and keep energy on target, even if the bullet grazes a leaf or small branch on the way in.
It works well in compact bolt guns and short lever rifles, and recoil is stout but manageable. The trajectory isn’t laser-flat, but in close quarters, it doesn’t need to be. When your shots are under 125 yards and the brush is thick, the .358 punches through where lighter calibers might glance off. It’s a great example of a forgotten cartridge that still earns a place in the deer woods.
.45-70 Government
The .45-70 has been around since black powder days, but modern loads make it a serious contender in dense cover. A 325- to 405-grain bullet moving at moderate velocity carries a ton of momentum and tends to stay the course better than most high-speed calibers.
It’s not immune to deflection—nothing is—but when you hit something small on the way to the target, the bullet often keeps going. That matters when you’re hunting bear, moose, or big-bodied whitetails in tight cover. It hits hard, leaves a clear blood trail, and cycles well from most lever actions. It may be old school, but when it comes to making clean shots in less-than-clean lanes, it still proves itself year after year.
7.62x39mm
Most folks think of the 7.62x39mm as a military cartridge, but out of a decent bolt-action or modern sporting rifle, it makes a solid short-range brush gun. The 123- to 154-grain bullets aren’t flying as fast as modern varmint rounds, so they don’t get deflected as wildly when hitting minor brush.
Ballistically, it’s similar to the .30-30 in terms of trajectory and energy, especially at 100 yards or less. With soft points or controlled-expansion bullets, it performs well on medium game. You won’t win any long-range matches with it, but for still-hunting thick woods or pushing through cutovers, it’s a surprisingly effective choice. It’s cheap to shoot, easy to find, and more accurate than folks give it credit for.
.32 Winchester Special
The .32 Win Special is basically a .30-30’s cousin with a slightly larger diameter and slower twist rate. It shoots 170-grain flat-nose bullets that hold their line well in brush and deliver plenty of knockdown inside 100 yards.
It’s never been a mainstream favorite, but hunters who use it tend to stick with it. It cycles smooth from a lever gun, has mild recoil, and does what it’s supposed to in thick woods. It might be harder to find ammo for these days, but if you’ve got one, don’t let the internet talk you out of using it. It was built for timber, and that’s where it still shines.
.450 Bushmaster
The .450 Bushmaster throws a big bullet with a lot of frontal area—perfect for up-close work in tight quarters. Whether you’re running it in a bolt gun or a straight-walled AR, it’s designed to hit hard at shorter distances, and that helps it punch through twigs, brush, and other real-world obstacles better than a high-speed .223 or .243.
The 250- to 300-grain bullets don’t veer as wildly when deflected, and even if they lose a little velocity, they still have enough mass to do the job. It’s not a reach-out-and-touch-something caliber, but that’s not the point. In the thick stuff, where you might not get a perfect lane, it gives you a better shot at making your shot count.
.375 Winchester
If you want something that hits like a hammer and shrugs off minor deflections, the .375 Winchester is worth a look. Designed for lever guns, it sends 200- to 250-grain bullets at a pace that balances impact with stability. It doesn’t over-penetrate brush, but it doesn’t get knocked off course easily either.
In timber or broken cover, that extra diameter helps make up for a bad angle or light obstruction. You get great terminal performance on medium to large game and enough punch to handle tougher shots. It’s not easy to find factory loads anymore, but if you’re handloading or already set up with one, it still earns its place in the brush gun hall of fame.
.223 Remington (With the Right Bullet)
Most folks wouldn’t put .223 on a brush list, but hear me out. With a bonded soft point or heavier bullet in the 62- to 77-grain range, it performs better than expected at close range—especially in semi-auto platforms where follow-up speed matters.
The key is bullet construction. You don’t want a lightweight varmint tip that explodes on impact. You want something that holds together. A Federal Fusion or similar bonded bullet won’t disintegrate if it clips a vine, and inside 100 yards, it carries enough speed to get the job done. No, it’s not ideal for big-bodied deer in thick stuff, but if you’re hunting hogs or smaller game, and you’re careful about your shot placement, it can be more capable than folks think.
.300 Blackout
The .300 Blackout was made to push heavy bullets at subsonic speed, which turns out to be a decent recipe for brush work too. Even in supersonic loads, the bullet profile and lower velocity make it less prone to wild deflections.
A 110- to 150-grain soft point out of a 16-inch barrel keeps decent energy and holds its course better than lighter .223s. In thick pine, riverbottom, or edge cover, it gives you a short, maneuverable rifle that performs reliably up close. It’s not as punchy as a .45-70 or as flat as a .243, but it sits in that middle zone where you can make good shots in bad conditions—especially if you’re carrying an AR platform and want fast follow-ups. It won’t impress the long-range crowd, but in the brush, it stays in the fight.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
