Anybody Use a Single Shot?

[MTHunter20]

JigStick- that's a sweet set up you've got. I'm going to have to do that someday just for how cool it is. I agree with u about getting shots off quickly. I can't think of a single time in all my hunting where I wouldn't have been able to reload a single shot after shooting at a deer. I either wouldn't have a second shot with any gun or would've had enough time to reload a single shot as easily as a bolt gun. I guess maybe there's not as much potential to cut weight as it seems like there would be. Still seems like you could get a lot more compact of a gun for not much weight penalty tho with a break action or falling block single shot.

 

[elkduds]

....I really don't think anyone could actually manufacture a break-action (or falling nor rolling block) single shot lighter than a light bolt action.
Think about this: the barrel is a tube. Threaded on one end to go in a bolt receiver, or with an extra hinge welded/cast into it for a break action. It also had to have an extractor built into it.
A bolt action receiver is, essentially, a tube, slightly larger than the diameter of the barrel, but with a much larger bore. The forces applied to the receiver are also linear, meaning it can be incredibly thin walled. The trigger assembly is a tiny piece pinned or bolted underneath
In a bolt action, this is all contained within the bolt & all the recoil forces applied to it are transferred to the receiver via the locking lugs.

In essence, a bolt gun is a simple tube with a few bits inside. A break action, by necessity, is a tube attached to a dirty great block of steel containing lots of stuff.

However, a falling block action is essentially a chambered barrel with a sliding door to seal the back of the chamber. It has a simple mechanical action that should weigh less than a bolt-plus-receiver. So falling block could be the lightest action of those discussed here.

 

[Jimbob]

I agree you can make fast follow up shots with a single shot BUT it is plain fact that it will not be as fast as a bolt gun. In most hunting situations a single shot would be fast enough but there may be times in your life where you need faster. So what benefit does a single shot give that would make me want to give up the faster follow up? If they were in fact significantly lighter or significantly cheaper for the same ultra lightweight than that would be a factor to consider.

 

[JigStick]

Here's some more food for thought. Repeaters can jam and misfeed too. Follower springs get weak or break. Followers can malalign. A single shot action won't. It's going to extract the case and eject. And your follow up shot will be as fast as you make it. Like I said before I can reload my single shot from that SAP 2-rounder as fast as I can run my repeaters, or within a fraction of a second. The point being that a single shot will, by design, be more reliable. And can be run fast enough that you'll get a second shot if you need one. So if you want to save a few ounces by using one I don't think you are short handing yourself

 

[hodgeman]

Follow up shots are pretty overrated in a hunting rifle....if #1 doesn't connect, the chances of #2 doing the job drop fast.

I think a single could be built pretty light, no one has really tried in the current fat phobic rifle culture- a little high tech material science and you could get one pretty light.

My biggest issue with a single is that it's either loaded or it's not...carrying one in the pipe is not the best idea and carrying an empty is not the best idea either. A magazine rifle with a loaded mag and an empty spout is safe and fast to deploy....a single likely wouldn't be.

 

[CorbLand]

Guy I work with bought a CVA Scout in 7-08 for his son. Put a scope on it and says that it is a tack driver out to 150 yards.

 

[badkneesbro]

I had a scout a few years ago in .270, worst rifle I ever had. Weight was correct @ 6lbs. The day I picked it up, something went wrong as I was looking at it, & sent it back to cva right then. I don't remember what went wrong as like I said, it was a few years ago. Took forever to get it back(I really wanted things to work out) & then I discovered my scope was slipping in the supplied rings when shooting. Apparently this problem was common & they sent me some better rings, free of charge.(forgive me for being sketchy on the details, Im old). So then, off to the range. After trying some commercial rounds(don't remember which ones),& some hand loads, the best groups I could shoot was 2" @ 100 yrds.I think Ive read where they made improvements to this gun, Idk. You could prolly pick up a 6lb. "Ruger American Compact" blued for less than $400.

 

[Dinger]

I love mine.

 

[DoubleDown]

I love mine.

mmm. Blaser K95

 

[Jimbob]

Some good points brought up. Good discussion

 

[Felix1776]

I'm no rifle expert by any means but to me there's just something cool about a single shot. I like knowing that there's one round in the pipe and I better get it done. It requires a couple extra ounces of concentration.

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[GKPrice]

Here's some more food for thought. Repeaters can jam and misfeed too. Follower springs get weak or break. Followers can malalign. A single shot action won't. It's going to extract the case and eject. And your follow up shot will be as fast as you make it. Like I said before I can reload my single shot from that SAP 2-rounder as fast as I can run my repeaters, or within a fraction of a second. The point being that a single shot will, by design, be more reliable. And can be run fast enough that you'll get a second shot if you need one. So if you want to save a few ounces by using one I don't think you are short handing yourself

with today's quality of most rifles what you're suggesting is pretty rare - first shots DO rule, that said ... you could just as easily, in cold weather "probably" fumble a next round into the snow or dirt

 

[GKPrice]

anyone ever see a single shot dangerous game rifle instead of a double ?

 

[tater]

I've carried a Ruger #1 in .338 WM on and off for almost 25 years, a paper cartridge Sharps in .45 cal as well as a B78 in 25-06 as well for the last few. I don't rifle hunt much any more, but i love the balance and feel of a single shot. I look at singles with the same love i look at slow action fly rods, bamboo limbed longbows, and Shovelhead Harleys.

Yes, there is a weight penalty, and followups would be a bit slower (if i ever needed one). That Ruger has been all over BC, everywhere from river bottoms to mountain tops, and i have never regretted carrying it once. My almost 70 year old dad now carries it as his moose gun because of the balance, accuracy, and lack of recoil. He hikes an average of 5-10km a day when he is moose hunting, but he's also kind of a crusty old b*#tard.

I do have plans to bring that B78 into the 21st century once i have some discretionary dollars to play with...

 

[Grumman]

I don't use one but the Ruger No.1's are really growing on me. And Cabelas is running a $200 off sale on new ones


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[MTHunter20]

Thanks for the great responses by everybody. It's a fun topic to discuss.

I know I definitely wouldn't want a single shot as a dangerous game rifle. But that's the only place I can see it being a disadvantage in a big game hunting scenario. I think in open country, a handier rifle is probably not as big a deal as having really quick follow up shots available. But where I hunt in the woods in TN, a short handy rifle is much nicer to hunt with. In my mind, a single shot gives you the ability to have a handy, simple rifle that can still shoot higher power rounds than something like a lever gun. For example, my CVA muzzleloader has a 24" barrel but is the same OAL as my Marlin 30-30. So a single shot could give you the handiness of a lever gun, with the flat shooting and hard hitting rounds a bolt gun can offer.

I've just always been curious as to why more "mountain/backpack rifles" were not offered in single shots. In all honesty, there's just more market for bolt guns, therefore the market is going to produce more mountain type rifles based on bolt guns. I do think an ultralight single shot has a lot of merit for a backpack hunting rifle though. I'd love to see more of the manufacturers make something like this.

 

[MTHunter20]

I love mine.

I like the way you keep your spare round close LOL. That's a beautiful rifle though. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Felix1776]

If someone did make a ultralight, very accurate, single shot, mountain rifle I'd be all over it.

Wouldn't a break action single shot be considerably cheaper to manufacture due to less moving parts?

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[MTHunter20]

I would think so. I guess that's why it surprises me that more haven't tried to do it. Kinda why I had high hopes for the CVA Scout. I just have to think with all the technology that goes into making high quality ultra light bolt guns, it wouldn't be too hard to make a single shot ultralight and make it more affordable even. Maybe there's just not enough market for it.

 

[luke moffat]

H&R Handi-Rifle™

The super light model claims 5.33 pounds with a 20" barrel. Looks like it could be kinda fun.

For me aside from brown bear/grizzly hunter the only reason I wouldn't want a single shot is exactly what hodgeman mentioned above. It's nice to have a mag full of rounds with an empty chamber as I really don't like to hunt with one in the chamber until on final stalk most of the time. Otherwise yes a single shot rifle would fill most of my needs. That said, given you can get bolt guns under 5 pounds already it makes it kinda hard to want to go that route.