Why do you love single shot guns?

[Jedman]

Jedman.....we should talk sometime. I fear we may be bidding against each other!!!

[brandoninaz]

It’s hard to beat the short length and relative simplicity of a single shot rifle. I rarely have an opportunity for a second shot anyhow.

[Kevinakaq]

Picked up a contender recently. Dad always wanted one and never really could afford….he was always happy with a single shot be it an old h&r shotgun, or the cva muzzleloader he carried as it was light in his hands. Saw the contender and had to get it as I considered it unfinished business. Shot it last weekend and swore he was watching and smiling. In short, single shots remind me of dad and that is enough reason for me.

[azrednek]

I’m not really into single shots but for Christmas in 1963 my parents bought me a Savage/Stevens 940B. A single shot 12 gauge that firmly ejects rather than simply extract. As a young teenager I became skillful in rapidly reloading by holding a follow up shot between my fingers. I can’t even guess how many dove I downed with it. I now use a Franchi O/U but that old single shot Stevens always goes along for the ride as a back-up. It’s sentimental value to me is near priceless.

[gnappi]

I will be honest, for a long time single shot guns weren't anywhere on my radar. They don't get publicity in many places and they're not often discussed. If I hadn't started reloading 357 mag, I don't think I would have one even now. I can honestly say going forward, though, now that I have a pair and have gotten to use them, I can't really see buying anything else unless it's too be used for defense. Why do you have a single shot, and what do you like most about it?

My first "single shot" was a Ruger 10/22. Yup, my dad took the mag away saying "load one at a time, hit what you're aiming at and when you can do that you'll get the magazine"

You know what? I got REALLY good with that Ruger and its little 4x scope Getting that mag was almost like being 18 and being able to buy beer!

Anyway, I had TC contenders in over a dozen calibers in the 80's and ultimately bought a Remington XP-100 in 7mm BR and .221 fireball. The TC's are long gone as is the fireball, but that XP in BR is still with me... one shot, one good hit. I always wanted a Ruger #1 in any caliber but a 45/70 would make my day.

[Noah Zark]

To me, single shot rifles pare it all down to just the essentlals - what it takes to get the job done an not much else. My interest in single shot rifles began with a copy of DeHass' "Single Shot Rifles" decades ago. I heavily red-underlined the text and when finances allowed I started with a .310 Cadet that was rechambered in 32-20, and came with a bag of primed unfired 32-20 brass. Of course the bore slugged at .316 and regular 32-20 boolits were lucky to hit the target. Bill Gostomski of Mt Savage, MD relined the Cadet to a proper .311 and added some height to the front sight, and it's been a satisfying, almost boringly accurate tackdriver ever since.

Of course, that only stoked the fire, and I added the following in no particular chronological order:

BSA Martini #8 in .22 LR
Ruger No. 1 "red pad" in 45-70
Ruger No. 1 in 30-06
Ruger No. 1 in 6.5x55
Ruger No. 1 in 30-30
Ruger No. 1 in 44 Magnum (shoots only 44 Specials)
Ruger No. 1 in 405 Win
Ruger No. 3 in 30-40, with custom furniture to do away with that ridiculous carbine band.
Ruger No. 3 in .223; still has the carbine forend with ridiculous band
C Sharps Business Rifle in 45-70
Lyman 1878 Sharps in 45-70 that's really an 1874 model
H&R 1873 Trapdoor Infantry Rifle in 45-70
Miroku 1885 Hi Wall rifle in 30-30
Miroku 1885 Hi Wall rifle in 38-55
H&R Topper in 30-30 with Mannlicher forend
H&R single shot in 38-55
NEF single shot in 30-30

I'm probably forgetting one or three . . .

Noah

[Texas by God]

I still have my first Topper Jr. 20 gauge, it and a few others help us keep the place in order. I only have two single shot rifles so far, but these two well built lightweight folders may metamorphosize........

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[Toolmaker TN]

My love of single shots came from a friend who was one of my earliest teachers about guns, back when I was in high school in the early 80's. The first 2 of his guns that I shot were an original Trapdoor in .50-70 and a Peabody carbine that had been converted to centerfire, with the barrel relined to .44-40. He sadly passed away around 25 years ago now, way too soon. He also taught me about the joys of casting.
I used to visit him at least once a week, and we would talk guns and history and life for hours. I don't think I ever saw his full collection, but what I saw was, even to this day, unbelievable. He had been collecting since right after WWII, and the single shots alone must have been in the hundreds.
Almost every time I would ask a question about a gun, and especially a single shot rifle, he would leave the room and return with the gun in question. Winchester, Sharps, Martini, Ballard, Stevens, Remington; you name it, he probably had one. He literally wrote the book on Providence Tool Works Peabody military and commercial single shot rifles.
We would go to gun shows and collector shows, and it seemed he knew everybody who was anybody there.
I will never forget what he told me on one occasion: " If you a truly a fisherman, you will eventually become a fly-fisherman. And if you are truly a rifle shooter, you will come to favor single shots." At least in my case he was right on both counts, as he was with a lot of other lessons he taught me about life.
At least I had sense enough at the time to fully understand the education I was being given. It started a life-long love of single shots for me.

My first single shot was an H&R Topper in .22 Hornet, with a Mannlicher forend (wish I still had it).

[uscra112]

Lucky man, to have had such a fine and knowledgeable mentor. Few do. Up to us to pass it on, of course.

[Toolmaker TN]

Lucky man, to have had such a fine and knowledgeable mentor. Few do. Up to us to pass it on, of course.

Yes, and I did realize it, even at the time. As the years go by, I appreciate it more and more.
I couldn't agree more about us having to pass it on. Unfortunately, it seems like most of the last 2 generations doesn't have much desire to learn. Too much of the spray and pray internet foolishness, I guess. My hope is that maybe when they get older, they'll come around. Before we're all gone, and there's nobody left to pass it on to them.
I guess things run in cycles. During the golden age of rifle shooting, single shots ruled from smallbore and gallery shooting to 1,000 yard competition. When BPCR and Schuetzen came back, shooters had to learn how to make those guns work all over again. Most of the knowledge had been lost, because almost everyone hadn't cared in decades. Maybe it will happen again in the future. I hope so anyway.

[wch]

A single shot rifle concentrates the shooter/hunter's pursuit of perfection, knowing that he has to do it right the first time.

[Texas by God]

A single shot rifle concentrates the shooter/hunter's pursuit of perfection, knowing that he has to do it right the first time.

Well put, and that thought extends to single shot pistols and shotguns.

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[koger]

Noah Zark, I covet two of those No1's, the 6.5x55 and the 30/30. Both are on my grail gun list.

[todd9.3x57]

Noah Zark, I covet two of those No1's, the 6.5x55 and the 30/30. Both are on my grail gun list.

my grail list is a ruger #1 in 7x57. i've wanted one since i was 13yo.

i got a #1(1973) in 270 win. i also got two of the tc encores' in 20 vartarg, 444 marlin and 500 linebaugh....all with 23" MGM heavy factory barrels. i had a handi rifle(s) in 45-70 but i gave my friend's boy one and the other my oldest son "took" it away.

[koger]

I would gladly buy a reasonable priced No 1 in 7x57 or .280, but would prefer the first.

[Outpost75]

Re-read the entire thread again. I would like to restate my preference for what those who knew him refer to as "The Harry Archer Protocol".

Some sort of single-shot rifle adapted to each revolver cartridge for which you have four revolvers in that caliber and 1000 rounds of ammunition stored.

For the modern shooter a .38 Special Plus-P capable, break-open single-shot rifle with barrel length longer than 20 inches is a better technical solution than the .32-20 of 100 years ago. With wadcutter ammo it is nearly silent, requiring no can. With plus-P service loads it approaches .357 revolver energy from the longer rifle barrel and does deer neatly at woods range.

With carefully tweaked loads 1 mil dispersion with iron sights is reality.

[Hays47]

My single shot adoration started with a beat up old Stevens 410. My very first gun at 12 years old mark. My maternal grandfather presented it to me just before my 12th birthday. Next was a 20ga H&R single shot. At 24 years old I bought a Thompson Contender. By then there was no turning back.

[uscra112]

For the modern shooter a .38 Special Plus-P capable, break-open single-shot rifle with barrel length longer than 20 inches is a better technical solution than the .32-20 of 100 years ago. With wadcutter ammo it is nearly silent, requiring no can. With plus-P service loads it approaches .357 revolver energy from the longer rifle barrel and does deer neatly at woods range.

With carefully tweaked loads 1 mil dispersion with iron sights is reality.

Not knocking it by any means, but has any factory ever offered a break-open chambered .38 Special?

[Jedman]

Not knocking it by any means, but has any factory ever offered a break-open chambered .38 Special?

Not that I no of. I do have a early Stevens tip up rifle I rebarreled to 38 special, and a no. 1 1/2 Remington rolling block in 38 spl. I did shoot a whitetail with the tip up with a good ethical kill.

Jedman

[calm seas]

Had to re-read the original question. My first answer was, 'Yeah, two - a Stevens 20 gauge that Daddy bought the fall after he met Mom. It's mine now, and priceless. The other is a Fox .410 I bought for Mom for squirrels.' Oh, wait....single-shot, not single-shot SHOTGUNS! Multiple old single .22 rifles, and TC's, and TC Encores. No high-power single rifles.