I bought a Handi-rifle in .243 Win. a few months back; I mostly wanted a cheap, compact rifle that I could carry in the tractor/sprayer/combine but could also be used for deer if desired. I haven't done much shooting with it yet, but I did take a buck with it earlier this winter. Doubt I will take it hunting much, but so far it's proved to be capable of doing its part if I do mine.
Single shots?
- Thread starter blueoval56
- Start date
I bought a NEF Handi-Rifle Superlight in .223Rem for coyote hunting, then acquired another barrel in .308Win to use for deer hunting. It works well enough for me, but I really like the .303British, so a Martini action I have will eventually become a hunting rifle in that calibre. I still love my Lee Enfields, but the simplicity of the single shot really appeals to me. It's not for everyone but to anyone who thinks they might like it I say do try, you are probably right.
I'd love a Martini some day. I just picked up a Ruger in 30-06 a week ago. I already love it, and I've not fired it yet. I'm dreaming of one in 405 WCF someday.
My first rifle was an H&R .357 that used to be bags of fun. Now I've a pair of old rolling blocks in 50-70 and 7x57, an old 44-40 Low Wall, and a 45-70 Sharps replica in addition to the Ruger. I've waited years for the Ruger, though. Years until I could afford one, and even longer for the end of the era of the LGR, during which I refused to buy anything.
My first rifle was an H&R .357 that used to be bags of fun. Now I've a pair of old rolling blocks in 50-70 and 7x57, an old 44-40 Low Wall, and a 45-70 Sharps replica in addition to the Ruger. I've waited years for the Ruger, though. Years until I could afford one, and even longer for the end of the era of the LGR, during which I refused to buy anything.
I've a Beat up old Martini with a Parker-hale 303 br bbl. Way cool rifle; parlor trick is dropping the lever with the right hand and plucking the empty out of the air as it lazily jumps out to the right.
My 12 year old daughter loves it. It's her favorite gun.
Also have a little Savage 219 in 30-30 & in 22 hornet
My 12 year old daughter loves it. It's her favorite gun.
Also have a little Savage 219 in 30-30 & in 22 hornet
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Few rifles have the elegance of a Ruger #1, and certainly no current production rifles do. That said, I ran into a couple of issues that you may or may not encounter or wish to consider. I didn't like the positioning of the scope ring attachments, so had a custom quarter rib made. The most troubling thing I found was that the safety would move to the fire position after several hours on the trail. When I'd stop and check the rifle, more often than not, the safety was in the fire position. If your hunting style is to load immediately prior to taking a shot, this would be no issue, but I carried the rifle for bear work, so didn't have that option. I tried to carry the rifle with the lever out of battery, and only managed to decorate the tundra with $5 Rigby cartridges, so that wasn't an option either. The rifle had a good trigger, it looked like a million dollars, and it shot well. Other than those hiccups, there wasn't much to complain about, but I wouldn't have another for serious duty.
For the past 20 years I've been a huge fan of Ruger No. 1's and always have at least one in the safe and usually more.
Love them, short and easy to carry with a great choice of calibers... never leave to hunt without one.
I have never experienced the safety issue that Boomer has maybe just needs a tweek.
JJ
Love them, short and easy to carry with a great choice of calibers... never leave to hunt without one.
I have never experienced the safety issue that Boomer has maybe just needs a tweek.
JJ
I really can't say why but I think that the Ruger #1's are amoungst the fugliest rifles I have ever seen, had one in 340 Weatherby that was super accurate but sold it due to not being able to look at it.
I am into stainless steel T/C Contender carbines and now T/C Prohunter single shots my son and I have shot a few game animals over the last couple of years with them.
Here are a few.
22" Contender 45-70 Oct 2011
21" Contender was a 30-30 rechambered to 308Bellm Nov 2011
21" Contender was a 375 Win rechambered to 375JDJ Dec 2011
23" Contender 6.8SPC Oct 2012
22" Prohunter 30-06 Nov 2012
Same 30-06 Dec 2012
Pumpkins and grouse aren't safe either.
21" Contender 410
16.5" Contender 22LR match chamber
21" Contender 308 Bellm Nov 2008
They are fun for coyotes too.
21" Contender 223
I am into stainless steel T/C Contender carbines and now T/C Prohunter single shots my son and I have shot a few game animals over the last couple of years with them.
Here are a few.
22" Contender 45-70 Oct 2011
21" Contender was a 30-30 rechambered to 308Bellm Nov 2011
21" Contender was a 375 Win rechambered to 375JDJ Dec 2011
23" Contender 6.8SPC Oct 2012
22" Prohunter 30-06 Nov 2012
Same 30-06 Dec 2012
Pumpkins and grouse aren't safe either.
21" Contender 410
16.5" Contender 22LR match chamber
21" Contender 308 Bellm Nov 2008
They are fun for coyotes too.
21" Contender 223
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
The single-shot is the firearm of a Rifleman. Not as clumsy or as random as a semi-auto, but an elegant firearm for a more civilized age.
Wow.
I bet when you're shooting you can't even hear the gunfire over the sound of how awesome you are!
I can't hardly read the rest of the thread as I am blinded by the pure awesomeness of your post...
Anyways...
A single shot is a perfectly fine hunting firearm, and they account for lots of game all over the world. If the OP want that H&H then he should go ahead and he'll be fine.
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The only rifles I use for hunting now are single shots.
I reload so I hate chasing brass and I find they are easy to take care of, clean, pack around the woods and use, no extra parts to maintain and deal with via feeding ramps and magazines and such.
I'd love to find an old Martini (with a good bore) in .303 someday.
I reload so I hate chasing brass and I find they are easy to take care of, clean, pack around the woods and use, no extra parts to maintain and deal with via feeding ramps and magazines and such.
I'd love to find an old Martini (with a good bore) in .303 someday.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
I bet when you're shooting you can't even hear the recoil
Funny I've never heard recoil before whats it sound like...
Okay, changed it!
My grandfather use to say, 1 bullet 1 Kill, i didnt take that advice on board early in my huntin days!
Now days im alot more experienced hunter an can find calm animals unnoticed an allow for placed shots, I recently bought a No1 in .303 an cannot wait to hunt it!
Now days im alot more experienced hunter an can find calm animals unnoticed an allow for placed shots, I recently bought a No1 in .303 an cannot wait to hunt it!
Reading that quote from Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi made me laugh, so those of us that carry #1's are now the Jedi of the Hunting world! Lol
well, I think I've heard recoil before, the time I handed my middle son a 7RemMag to test fire. There was a sort of squishing sound and then a whole lot of loud cure words! I thought I'd heard all the cure words before, but no sir, there were some there that I didn't know existed! Scope eyebrow happened!
