First the short answer: ALL of the big game of Planet Earth that have ever been harvested with a rifle, were originally taken with single-shot rifles – including the dangerous kind – because all rifles from the beginning were single-shot rifles. Multiple-shot rifles came as a result of wars where repeating rifles were capable of greater firepower more quickly. Both single-shots and repeating military rifles were soon put to use as hunting rifles, and even employed as such during wars when and where game was available to soldiers. It’s no great mystery, then, that very soon sporting rifles, both singles and repeaters, were adapted from their military progenitors in places as far-flung as Asia, Australia and Africa – while not forgetting our North and South American Continents.
In other words, hunting and shooting game animals, predators, varmints and dangerous beasts has a long background of historical value to support today’s use of well-made and strong single-shot rifles for any hunting, anywhere in the world, where sport hunting is still legally practiced. From blackpowder replicas to vault-like falling blocks, animals of all sizes and dispositions are still in the sights of hunters who choose to experience the challenge of the single-shot!
Personally, I’ve owned multiple single-shot rifles that qualify for anything from varmints to elephant – from a .22 Hornet to the mighty .458 Winchester Magnum. The .22 Hornet was in an H&R and the .458 Winchester Magnum is in a Ruger No.1H. In between those two was a Ruger No.1 in 7 Rem Mag, several .45-70s and a .35 Whelen.
But they were not purchased due to nostalgic feelings, but because they simply do their jobs with efficiency, effectiveness and elegance. Take for example my Ruger No.1H, it’s hard to imagine that such power can be delivered with such grace. . . In fact, her name is “Grace”! She can be as gentle as a kitten or roar like a lion – depending, of course, on what I ask of her, and what I feed her!
She will even digest black powder and not spue it out, but her favorite is alphabet soup: “A”s and “H”s, A2230 and A2460, but she first dined on “H”s – H335 and H4895, along with some H4198. Nothing more was needed for contentment. Those along with some solid food, like 300, 350 and 450 TSX’s, makes her the envy of the Super Big Bore’s Parade. Then for dessert, one of the super-max 500’s is swallowed, chewed and spued at +2300 fps that humbles a Lott of egos. And so on . . .
She says, “Who needs more than one to get-er-done!”
“One shot and done”, cuz its my gun!
After all, how many times have I needed, or even used, more than a single shot to get it done? In more than three-score years of hunting, I could count those times on one hand!
- A single-shot rifle, made right, doesn’t get cramps from a magazine.
- Can have a longer COL than “normal”.
- Can have a shorter and handier OAL, along with less weight, without sacrificing performance.
- Can train and challange the shooter to not lean on “firepower”, but on marksmanship!
- To hold fire until it’s “just right”.
- Can be, and has been, chambered in any cartridge, small, medium or large for any animal that has been or ever will be hunted.
- Can be and has been made by extraordinary craftsmen, allowing them a seat among Royality and those whose bank accounts humbles the most egotistical political figures in a democracy.
- Can be and has been made strong and worthy by “noname” manufacturers, for just about anybody with a pocket full of change and a thirst to hunt gophers, goats or grizzlies.
- Single-shot rifles are suitable for left-handed shooters as well as for those more “human”.
- Of the four big game rifles in my cabinet, two are single-shooters. . . the other two? One has the bolt handle on the right side – which is the wrong side for me. The other is for a left-handed shooter, but I’m a right-handed person! Go figure . . .
- Oh yeah . . . . my other single-shot is a break-action in .35 Whelen (Just in case you’re wondering!). And I can seat long/heavy bullets to 3.5″ COL! Try that in your repeater!
Of all the rifles I’ve owned since my teens, about 1/3 rd have been single-shooters. What’s the attraction? That may be an individual thing, but many of the features listed above would fit, yet there are still other specific features that are compelling: There’s little doubt that the strength, simplicity and versatility of the falling block design has been an attractive feature for most in the market. In more modern times, that would include the Ruger No.1 in its multiple variations, the 1885 Winchester and Dakota. The most numerous and popular being the Ruger No.1, which, sadly, is now limited to a single annual production run of a particular cartridge – and often as Lipsey specials that have become very expensive! The good news is that used Ruger No.1s are in high demand and at monetary values that are at least doubled that of original cost – that is if some collectors want to sell rather than purchase. For example: a used Ruger No.1H in .458 Win or .375 H&H, in decent condition (and most are because seldom used if ever) in our area runs about 2K. When new, they were about 1/2 that cost.
Then, for big-bore fans, Ruger has produced limited runs on numbers like 450/400, .416s in Rigby and Remington, .458 Lott, .404 Jeffery, .375 H&H, etc. And they are well balanced and handsome! Scope bases are integral and rings provided.
Many single-shots are break-action, similar to double-barrel rifles and some shotguns. I’ve owned several .45-70s in New England Fierarms (NEF) and Harrington and Richardson (H&R), which are basically the same company. My first single-shot centerfire was an H&R in .22 Hornet. I’ve owned two singles in .35 Whelen – a former NEF and my current Traditions OUTFITTER G3, that I’ve written a great deal about in recent months.
That was my New England Firearms single-shot in .45-70. The bear was flattened using one 465gr semi-hardcast at 1900 fps.
In SUMMARY:
What are the main advantages and strengths of a modern single-shot centerfire rifle?
1) STRENGTH: The falling block types are bank-vault strong and tight. I’ve only owned No.1 Rugers in that type and never a problem as to strength and durability. The break-action type have proved as durable as any bolt-action that I’ve considerable experience with.
2) SIMPLICITY: Mechanically, there are few moving parts.
3) COMPACT: Because they don’t have a receiver containing a magazine, even one with a 24″ barrel is no longer than a bolt-action repeater with a 20″ barrel.
4) VERSATILE: As mentioned, they have been made for cartridges from .17- caliber to the .505 Gibbs.
5) FOCUS: from squirrels to elephant.
6) POWERFUL: from less than 200 ft-lbs to over 6000 ft-lbs.
QUESTION: What do I hunt with mine, and what would I hunt given the opportunity with no restrictions?
In answer to the easy question: “What would I hunt given the opportunity?”
First: The .35 Whelen – There’s really nothing I couldn’t hunt in the Americas using the 225gr Nosler AB at 2840 fps or the 300gr Barnes O. at 2350 – 2400 fps. But I’d be choosy depending on the situation. In Africa, all plains game would be vulnerable. Anywhere, it could serve as a great mountain rifle.
< My .35 Whelen single-shot at a bear bait.
Next: The .458 Win Mag – it’s not a mountain rifle because of it’s weight. Besides that no animal on license would be safe within reasonable ranges. And of course that includes all DG. What about Africa Plains Game? Those too. What many sports writers, and sportsmen in general, fail to realize (due to ignorance of the facts) is that the .458 Win isn’t limited to DG up close and personal, but shoots flat enough with the right load to take game like deer, elk and eland to 400 yards and beyond. And with the right man behind the sights (modern optical) pulling the trigger, it’s effective to at least 1000 yards using the right bullet!
Personally, I’ve never been in a situation where I could have taken a 1000 yard shot on anything! But I have been in the far north of our province where a shot on moose was a possibility at 600 yards. On at least one of those trips, my main rifle was a CZ 550 in .458 Winchester Magnum. It was loaded with the 350gr TSX’s at 2700 fps – good for at least 400 yards. Beyond that the issue would have been bullet expansion. The trajectory was not dissimilar to a .30-06 shooting a 180gr at 2700 fps.
Today, thanks to the hard work and persistency of Dr Ron Berry (Riflecrank of 24hr Campfire), we now have the 404gr Shock Hammer from Hammer Bullets, in .458-cal, at .419 BC. At near 2600 fps it’s capable of taking large game, like moose or eland, to 500 yds!
RIFLE: Ruger No.1H
Cartridge: .458 Win Mag
Bullet: 404gr Shock Hammer
SD = .275
BC = .419
MV = 2580 fps/ 5972 ft-lbs (what I’ve gotten from the original 400gr X-Bullet in my Ruger No.1H)
100 = 2385/ 5102 ft-lbs/ +3.8″
200 = 2199/ 4377 ft-lbs/ +3″
300 = 2021/ 3664 ft-lbs/ -5″
400 = 1852/ 3077 ft-lbs/ -21.5″
500 = 1693/ 2572 ft-lbs/ -48″
- The ambient conditions for the above data would be average for my area. The heat of Africa would much improve those numbers.
As I’ve mentioned a few times lately, my current bear load is the 250gr Hornady MonoFlex (all copper with a red poly tip) at ~ 2700 fps. Next year that may be changed to the 400gr Barnes Buster at 2250 fps. Ad nauseam, it too has been qualified by several experienced handloaders of that cartridge, that it has to be one of the most versatile rifle cartridges extant when employing the right bullets and loads.
As of this date, I’ve far too many boxes of bullets in .458-cal, that could only be used up if I had my life to live over again! But it will, again, get its turn in bear country next Spring (May – June), God willing. The question being: How to choose the “right” bullet out of so many that would get the job done no matter which is chosen. I’d also like to try the 300gr TSX. So many choices – so little time. . .
Oh! I nearly forgot! It’s a “single-shot”! And you’d want to know what I’d do if I miss on a charging bear?
As in many things in life, people miss! I missed a speciality doctor’s appointment recently due to a flat front tire (a driving wheel) on the morning of the appointment, and the appointment was in another city over an hour’s drive from my home where the flat happened over night in our driveway! I phoned to let them know I couldn’t make it on time, so they gave me a new date a week later. Then they charged me $40 for missing my original appointment because I didn’t give them 24 hrs notice! What if I’d been involved in a fatal accident, whould they have sent a bill to my wife for $40? Did that answer your question?
Well, yes and no! It was implied in that answer that preparation for the unforeseen and unknowable is rarely sufficient! In the case involving “the missed appointment”, I’ll legitamently protest a bill of $40, because I’m still alive! In a case of a rifle missfire, or” missed” the game – consequences could be identical regardless of whether it came from a repeating rifle or a single-shot! So in either case we all do our best to insure that first shot isn’t a miss! A repeating magazine rifle isn’t insurance with the bear (buffalo or elephant?) already on you!
I re-watched a video recently of a TV celebrity sportsman (an outfitter/guide) shoot a cape buffalo at least five times using a .375 H&H because he muffed the first shot! And the last shot was after a rodeo through African bush and mopanie, where the hunter and buff were at a standoff of about 30 yards! The buff was quartering to him, he raised his rifle, pulled the trigger one more time, and. . . . . “CLICK”! No more ammo in the magazine! He’s fumbling, desperately as the buff just stands there and doesn’t charge! FINALLY! After what seems like an eternity, he gets a cartridge in the magazine, chambers it and fires! That Cape Buffalo eventually succumbed with a thud! But, “what if” that fearsome aggressor with blood pouring from several .375″ non-vital holes had charged while he’s fumbling with his mighty repeater ?
KNOW YOUR GUN, and KNOW YOURSELF! < And this one has been great for testing multiple .458-cal bullet loads, and some in tough media. Next – It needs to be bloodied!
Till the next: The new Noslers, do they change anything for the better? Or, as in Hollywood: The show must go on?
Shalom
BOB MITCHELL