I just finished reading John Pondoro Taylor's book of african cartridges. He mentions over and over that magazine rifles should be barred or at least capped to 1 in the chamber and only 1 in the mag for hunting. Altho I don't agree totally with this view it got me wondering how many of us do hunt with single shots or double rifles for various game whether it be african or american. I'm waiting for a double rifle to come up for bear and moose hunting and also have been looking at a ruger tropical in 450 nitro express (have to decide where to hunt cape buff before I buy a 45 caliber as some countrys don't allow them)
singles over magazine
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
I don't know what his argument was for saying that, so I'll go ahead and state that I totally dissagree.
Personally I don't like single shots for hunting, because sometimes you need a second shot, or are hunting game where you may legally engage more than one animal at once. I prefer rifles with large mags so I have all the ammo I need for the hunt right there in the mag, instead of on some manner of shell carrier, or in my pocket or whatever. A ten round Lee Enfield mag is a fine example of this. I can go out on a week long moose and caribou hunt with my rifle with one full mag and I'm good; all the ammo I could want for 2-3 animals right there in the rifle at all times. Makes no sense to me to spread out your ammo all over the place.
Personally I don't like single shots for hunting, because sometimes you need a second shot, or are hunting game where you may legally engage more than one animal at once. I prefer rifles with large mags so I have all the ammo I need for the hunt right there in the mag, instead of on some manner of shell carrier, or in my pocket or whatever. A ten round Lee Enfield mag is a fine example of this. I can go out on a week long moose and caribou hunt with my rifle with one full mag and I'm good; all the ammo I could want for 2-3 animals right there in the rifle at all times. Makes no sense to me to spread out your ammo all over the place.
I use a single shot sometimes. With a buttstock sleeve of cartridge loops on my NEF Handi-Rifle the follow up shot is usually available quickly enough, though not always.
I also use a Lee Enfield sometimes. With the ten round magazine and fast bolt action, the follow up shot is usually available quickly enough, though not always.
And I use a muzzleloader in muzzleloader season. With that the follow up shot is usually not available quickly enough, though not always.
I also use a Lee Enfield sometimes. With the ten round magazine and fast bolt action, the follow up shot is usually available quickly enough, though not always.
And I use a muzzleloader in muzzleloader season. With that the follow up shot is usually not available quickly enough, though not always.
His arguement was that with a single or a double you take your time and aim. Make the shot count kinda thing instead of being tempted to just shoot up any part of the animal. The time period was for the 30s and 40s and even capstick carried those veiws into the 80s. Personaly I like magazine rifles. I want a quick second or third shot if I need it. However I've had a love for double rifles and want one. I really enjoy muzzle loader season where I have but one shot and I don't feel I really need a second. But a 50 cal bullet thro the chest of a whitetail really don't need a second shot
Or people should just learn to take their time and aim regardless of how many "backup" shots they have. It only makes sense. Why not make your first shot the only one? Who wants to injure an animal and have to track it? I seem to have a good knack for tracking but it is the one thing I hate most. I have been lucky enough to only have to track other people's whitetails. This is mostly due to the fact that I practice more than one shot before hunting season and I take it seriously and try to be the best.
troutseeker
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Prince George, BC
It's just another fine example of snobbery... I tend to believe that people take as much or as little time as needed, regardless of amount of rounds in the rifle. I've know a few single shot hunters who blew their loads early and missed.
1481davidc
Member
- Location
- Vanderhoof B.C.
I hunted for years with a ruger m77 with back-up shots just a throw of the bolt away, a few years back I switched to a ruger #1 with follow-up shots no nearly as quick to make. I don't know if it's due to the fact that i know there's not a real quick follow-up shot or just the experience of age, but my shoting has improved dramaticly since I started using the #1. The only time I drag out the m77 is if someone else is using the #1.And actually, you'd be supprised how quick you can get a second shot out when it's needed.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Taylor was a bit of a showman and liked to blow his own horn. Guys like that tend to like to make bold and outrageous statements. It's amazing that he didn't meet an unfortunate end.
I have a few single shots and one double. I've always enjoyed carrying and hunting with my 1885 in 45-70 but it wouldn't be my first choice for dangerous game, no matter how fast I was on the reload. That said, I love the fast follow-up of the double and am lookign forward to usign it on something...anything. Quite likely bison this winter. But for more than 2 quick shots the magazine rifle is the fastest option out there.
I have a few single shots and one double. I've always enjoyed carrying and hunting with my 1885 in 45-70 but it wouldn't be my first choice for dangerous game, no matter how fast I was on the reload. That said, I love the fast follow-up of the double and am lookign forward to usign it on something...anything. Quite likely bison this winter. But for more than 2 quick shots the magazine rifle is the fastest option out there.
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
if you cant do it right the first time then its not going to get right the second time.
most follow ups are flukes. plain and simple.
if you air mail the first shot a mag full of copper or lead isnt going to save thed day!
most follow ups are flukes. plain and simple.
if you air mail the first shot a mag full of copper or lead isnt going to save thed day!
Im sure it was a snob remark on his expensive double rifles of that period, and a "jolly good show" of his sportsmanship for all the other very wealthy hunters who read his articles.
If he were so ethical, he would have nothing in the chambers till the game hes after was sighted!.
Guess you've never hunted dangerous game, or Africa!!
The bottom line on his statement was that it was his opinion!, based on his experiences. He tried to explain that there'd be less wounded (and therefore, dangerous) game if everyone felt they had to make the first shot count, ............might still apply today!
Im sure it was a snob remark on his expensive double rifles of that period, and a "jolly good show" of his sportsmanship for all the other very wealthy hunters who read his articles.
If he were so ethical, he would have nothing in the chambers till the game hes after was sighted!.
He did a lot of dangerous game hunting with old milsurp singles as well. He was an ivory hunter not a rich man. He did have some very expensive doubles later in his career yes. But I'd love to see anyone load a rifle quick enough to get a shot or two off before a lion leopard buffalo or elephant finishes its charge out of thick cover
If you're going after dangerous game, it is possible that the extra capacity of a magazine rifle might prove advantageous; rifles for this duty should be loaded to capacity. If you're going to use a bolt action for this sort of thing, you should take advantage of its principal advantage over a double.
For everything else, the magazine makes for an awfully convenient place to store extra cartridges, assuming that one carries more than two rounds. If you can't do it with two or three shots, you probably can't do it. Slob hunters will be slob hunters regardless of action type or capacity. Conversely, a skilled rifleman will do his best to make every shot count, regardless of how many he has for immediate use. For non-dangerous game, a single shot is not a serious hindrance and a repeater is not an overwhelming advantage.
For everything else, the magazine makes for an awfully convenient place to store extra cartridges, assuming that one carries more than two rounds. If you can't do it with two or three shots, you probably can't do it. Slob hunters will be slob hunters regardless of action type or capacity. Conversely, a skilled rifleman will do his best to make every shot count, regardless of how many he has for immediate use. For non-dangerous game, a single shot is not a serious hindrance and a repeater is not an overwhelming advantage.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Such as his assertion that he never did any target shooting in his life, other than zeroing a batch of service rifles at 25 yards. JPT did offer some reasonable advise though, such as removing the leaves from a receiver sight to prevent them from coming up under recoil and spoiling your back up shot.
LMAO......I use both singles, and repeating rifle, and they both have their place.
When I am in a treesand waiting for a victim I often use a Ruger #1 25-06. When we are doing drives I use a pump, or semi.
Reason: The deer are on the move, and alot of times more than one. I have shot quite a few doubles, and two tripples, where a single would have only gotten me one shot. Three years back I shot a 159lb doe,a 12pt, and 21pt buck on one drive where they all came out at the same time. I couldn't have done that with a single.
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
exactly.
guys that use single shots for hunting around here are usually better shots than those who use repeating firearms due to the simple fact that the first shot has to count. i've talked to far too many guys that make it sound like they're more confident because they have a couple more rounds that they can fire off quickly. but, when it comes time to pull the trigger, it's more of a "spray and pray" mentality and they arent concerned about making the first shot count. this goes for shotgunning deer, waterfowl, small game, etc.
a single shot is the best way to teach a youngster to make the first shot count. it also teaches them to wait for the right time to pull the trigger rather than attempting a low percentage shot.
