Single Shot Rifles

[Bronco Boy]

270Dave brought up single shot rifles in my thread on Lever Actions for lefties. I started looking around to see what is out there and I have a couple of questions; I thought a new thread would be better.

After looking at them and pondering them I think I really like the simplicity and pureness single shot rifles offer. In my experience, in most hunting situations one shot is all that is fired the vast majority of the time anyhow. Agree?

Of the major manufactures whose products are readily available in Canada both Ruger and Remington offer single shot rifles in a fairly wide range of calibers.

The Ruger offerings are a LOT more expensive. You can buy 3 Remington’s for the same as one Ruger.

Are the Ruger’s worth the $?

How are the Remington’s? Good value or cheap pieces of poo?

Are the safeties on both of these guns lefty friendly?

 

[prosper]

I believe the Remington's are actually made by Baikal. They're a break action which is simpler and cheaper than a falling block, used by the ruger. The falling block is probably the stronger action, but there's nothing wrong with break action designs either

Also check out New england firearms

 

[Republic of Alberta]

I have 2 NEF's one in 30-30 and one in 30-06 and would not really recommend them as a serious hunting rifle to anyone. The ejector is to weak and sometimes i will get brass stuck in the 30-06. They are also very touchy about how they are held and have a tendency to string vertically. The length of pull is retarded long at 14 or more inches and mounting a scope to clear the hammer can be a bit of an issue, unless you like high scope mounts.


Ruger #1 is way better and I love mine but has its problems like not being able to bring the scope back far enough to your eye without getting extension rings (I cut my stock down to 13" and used the regular rings.). The safety spring is also is sprung in the wrong direction and likes to click off when you bump it. Ejected brass catches on the safety on some rifles and bounces back into the loading port.

 

[todbartell]

check out the TC Encore, they get great reviews (Ive never shot one)

the RUger no1 is a wicked rifle, and comes in alot of different variations. I owned a Tropical, it was a beauty

 

[AP]

I have no experience shooting Ruger No 1's .. which I think are exceptionally nice looking or the B78/1885 Browning Falling Blocks ... also VERY nice looking...BUT I do own an Encore with several barrels and the only barrel I have a lot of experience with - a 270W - shot very well right out of the box.

Most Encore owners report excellent accuracy fwiw. I managed to find a Choate folding stock for mine and it becomes a compact package with a 24 inch barrel - pretty utilitarian .. but very functional ... I like the pistol grip stock fine... points well...

 

[Bronco Boy]

The T/C web site is unreal - wow.

Are the T/C encores ambidextrous ? (I'm a lefty) - hard to say by looking at the web site, they may have a cheek piece set up for right handed shooters.

Can someone tell me how a falling block action works?

todbartell................any comments on the Remington's?

 

[todbartell]

Ive only handled one, I didnt like it one bit

 

[GeoTrekr]

The falling block action works a bit like a lever action. You push on the lever, and a block of metal drops straight down at the breach. You feed the cartridge in the now exposed chamber, then close the action (The block comes back up, now sealing the rear of the chamber). A very simple but strong system.

Photo:
http://www.6mmbr.citymaker.com/i/Reader%20Photos/Brown_97D011actionCx200.jpg

 

[manbearpig]

im a shameless Ruger advocate, so im sure that plays a part in my opinion well.
still, theres no comparison between the Ruger and the Remington single shot.

for me the whole point of a single shot is classic style & confidence. you are basically deciding that you are confident in that one shot, and will make it count. its kindof a downer then to base that whole 'one shot' concept around a $300 Remington. if you only have one shot then it needs to be in a dependable, accurate rifle. i dont have much confidence in the cheap single shots.

not to say that you cant get a good rifle for $300. but if i had to spend $300 id pick up something like a Stevens 200. if i wanted to build a single-shot platform i would start at the Rugers.

i dont know if id choose the International with the Mannlicher-style stock or one of their stainless models for more durability/less maintenance.... decisions decisions.

 

[Boomer]

I am a Ruger #1 fan. There is no line of rifles currently produced in the range of chamberings or variations as the #1. Neither is there another rifle with the classic good looks unless it's a custom job which follows the familiar Gibbs-Farquharson lines. It is the only rifle still being produced that I would buy with a wood stock.

Having said that, many find the #1 not quite right as it comes out of the box, and a trip to the gunsmith becomes necessary to address concerns relating to eye relief of scopes and a poorly conceived folding rear sight on the models with quarter ribs, and uneven bedding which can result in stock failure in heavier chamberings. There has been much written in the gun press about how the front hanger can be tweaked to improve accuracy, but mostly #1's shoot well enough out of the box. These rifles are a very good value for what you get, but you should probably plan on spending another couple of hundred to get them just right.

 

[ratherbefishin]

I have a very nice old Savage #219 30/30 with a ghost ring and tru-glo front sight [which my eyes can pick up-the original one was blurred] It's a nice short range deer rifle ,shoots nicely and carries well.Even though its considered ''short range''-almost all of the deer I have shot could have been taken with it anyway.Nice rifle-and no-its not for sale

 

[albayo]

Songle Shot Rifles

I have a few single shots.
Ruger No1 AB Model in 7X57
Remington Rolling Block in 7X57 Original
H&R Trapdoor Springfield in 45-70
Sharps Percussion 54 cal
Sportco 223
Martini 303 coming up for conversion into another cal. Haven't decided what to go with.
Did have:
Browning 78 6mm It's coming back into my rack
Ballard in 38 CF or RF

Of all the guns I would take the Ruger No1, and the Browning 78 but rebarrel it to 7mm08 caliber. The Browning has an exposed hammer and I like that.

 

[dan belisle]

The Ruger #1 is really in a class of it's own for rifles in this country. The NEF/Rem-Baikal offerings are ok, but not particularly well put together. The T/Cs are good firearms, but not everyone's cup of tea (really, they're better as a handgun, IMHO). The replica rolling blocks, falling blocks, trapdoors, and Sharps are nice, but heavy and expensive. The Dakota Arms #10 is out of production, and the lovely Martini-Hagn is a custom job (but worth every penny, they're gorgeous). pretty much only leaves the #1 as a good looking, affordable, classic firearm. FWIW - dan

 

[Bronco Boy]

OK, I'm convinced. I'm going to get my local to order me a No 1.

I think I'll go with the International chambered in 30.06. I love the classic good looks of this model. It called out to me as soon as I saw it.

Boomer/Anyone: Tell me exactly what I should tell my local gunsmith to do before I take her home. I will want a 3X9X40 scope mounted and any other mods done before she comes home. Money is not an issue; I am prepared to spend what is required within reason to have her "perfect". Yes, I refer to all my guns she and her!

 

[Bronco Boy]

I emailed TC customer service last night. They got back to me very quickly.

"The Encore is for left and right handed people if the stock is a thumbhole it is made for a right handed person."

Jennifer P
Customer Service Rep.

Thompson/Center
America's Master Gunmaker

 

[manbearpig]

decide which ruger#1 you want first - theres quite a variety. blued, stainless, standard, tropical, international, varminter, sporter, etc.

aside from getting the gunsmith to help you mount the type of scope you want i wouldnt jump into any gunsmithing just yet -- get him to help you properly mount a scope then take it home, take it to the range, see if you like it the way it is or if there are things you would like adjusted.

 

[Bronco Boy]

decide which ruger#1 you want first - theres quite a variety. blued, stainless, standard, tropical, international, varminter, sporter, etc.

aside from getting the gunsmith to help you mount the type of scope you want i wouldnt jump into any gunsmithing just yet -- get him to help you properly mount a scope then take it home, take it to the range, see if you like it the way it is or if there are things you would like adjusted.

I want the International in .30-06.

 

[a j cave]

great pick, always liked the full stock. I have had many singles from snyders,enfields,ren rolling blocks trap doors & even a Werndel. but my fav have been Browning 78 & rugers 3& 1s, Take your time to break it in and u will be pleased good luck AJ

 

[BigUglyMan]

The Ruger #1 is a skookum action with classic lines. The NEF rifles aren't real skookum nor are they graceful (well, as graceful as a Cooey single shot shotgun). The TC rifles (Encore, COntender, ProHunter)are skookum and fugly, though the TCR 83/73 are eerily similar to the Blaser single shots (too bad they're not produced anymore).

Thus, I own a Ruger #1 and neither of the others.

 

[prosper]

Or get something TRULY ###y. Like:

a shiloh sharps:

a c.sharps:

Or any of the replica Sharps rifles from the various euro manu's: