Author Topic: How many of you guys actually hunt with your singleshots? (Read 10134 times)

marlinman93 · « **on:** September 17, 2003, 04:34:56 PM »

Just curious if anyone else hunts with their singleshots, or do you just shoot targets?
I will be hunting deer with my 1880's Marlin Ballard #5 Pacific, in .45-70, with heavy barrel, and tang sight. I will also be bringing along my Remington Hepburn in .45-70, with full length scope, as a second rifle.
Hope to harvest a Mulie with one of these old girls. Took a decent buck with my #4 Ballard Perfection last year, and it did a good job.

animal · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2003, 06:21:57 PM »

I have only had my Encore w 2 barrels for 2 deer seasons. One doe at about 90 yds a buck at 65 yds with the209x50 barrel and 2 bucks with the .260 Rem. One at about 90 and the other at 175 paces with handloads. I have bolts, a lever and a 44 handgun but my current baby is that Encore. I'm lucky in that I can hunt right out the front door. As a matter of fact this afternoon my son and I had to yell at some deer to get out the way to practice with a new batch of reloads.

RonF · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2003, 03:43:39 AM »

You bet, I hunt with my single shots! In the last 25 years I've only killed one deer with something other than a single shot - a bolt action rifle that, you guessed it, only required one shot to do the job.

RonF

Yukon Jack · « **Reply #3 on:** September 18, 2003, 06:36:31 AM »

My No.1's go to the field every year. Unless I'm hunting in the really thick and nasty alder jungles where the great big bears live, I always take a single shot!

Double D · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2003, 09:19:43 AM »

I have killed a lot of Oregon Coast Deer with the Contender in 30 Herret and a Ruger #1 in 6mm. Killed Wyoming antelope with a Remington Rolling block in 7x57. I have used a Browning low wall in .223 on Montana Coyotes, rock chuck and gophers. In Montana I also used the TC in .22 K-Hornet on gophers and rock chucks.

Two other single shots of a type I don't think you are talking about have been major game getters. My Stevens Savage M-15Y killed a lot of Southern Oregon gray digger squirrels, racoon, coyote, skunks rabbit and a few fox. In Montana my Remington 580 has killed at least 15,000 if not more gophers.

My miniature Martini Henry in .218 Bee has taken a couple hundred gophers and a few rock chucks in Montana. In Africa it took Guinea fowl, Vervet Monkeys, Springbok and Steenbok.

But my all time favorite in My ZAR Martini, 577/450. I kill two Kudu with it in Africa last year.

onesonek · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2003, 11:05:35 AM »

Haven't used anything else, since "78". Although, I have a longing for a lever gun. There are a few situations, it would be nice to have.

The Cast Bullet Kid · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2003, 02:40:44 PM »

I regular hunt small game with and rolling block .22 and a Stevens Fav. aswell as a fully suppressed Martini action .32-20 shooting subsonic heavy cast loads.
Take into account the flintlock and caplock I shoot too and I am right in there.

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2003, 06:09:45 PM »

Not exclusively but yes of course I do. I'd guess I'll take a couple of them afield with me this deer season at various times. During a given deer season here in Bama I'll take numerous different rifles and handguns out with me. The deer determine what gets shot depending on when they chose to show themselves to me.

GB

SingleShotShorty · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2003, 04:39:39 AM »

They don't call me Single Shot shorty for nut'n. First shot in the ol boiler room and no worries.

Winter Hawk · « **Reply #9 on:** September 19, 2003, 02:26:48 PM »

My NEF .30-06 is out there with me every year. 150 gr. Hornadys ahead of 4064 powder, neck shots and they don't go anywhere but down.

And my .22 Rolling Block gets out there also.

-Kees-

olduvai george · « **Reply #10 on:** September 19, 2003, 04:01:03 PM »

Mr. Marlinman 93, Sir: i can only tell you that it is most likely that single shot hunting guns have accounted for more game......... you are on the right path. regards to all who follow the single shot way, be it flint, bow , or sharps. regards george

JDL · « **Reply #11 on:** September 20, 2003, 02:42:23 AM »

I like and use different rifles all time, but I know for a fact, that I have made more meat with my B-78 .45-70 than any other rifle I own. :grin: -JDL

Joel · « **Reply #12 on:** September 20, 2003, 03:34:30 AM »

Been using my Ruger #1 in 6mm or my Nef in 45-70 since 68. Before that, a Rem-Hepburn #3 45-70. Not to mention Stevens 44's for Small game or my savage 24's( I cnsidered them single shots). On occassion use my ol Krag, but that's a one shot deal too.

wilfam · « **Reply #13 on:** September 20, 2003, 02:37:59 PM »

They are all I ever hunt with! Makes you a better shot when you know you only have one shot! Good Hunting, Ken

tallyho · « **Reply #14 on:** September 22, 2003, 07:50:04 PM »

I LOVE single shots.

At various times have hunted with: Martinis, one Cadet in .22lr, one long lever in .303 Br. and one converted to 45/70
Old H&R Topper combo in 30/30 and 20ga.
NEF in 357 mag
Ruger #1(s) 243, 7x57, 30-06
Ruger #3 45/70
Had a Browing 85, Pedersoli Rolling block, both in 45/70 but didn't feel much like lugging them into the woods.

They are all gone now except for the #3 in 45/70... but I am beginnng to find the time and resources to start looking for more.

bubba · « **Reply #15 on:** September 23, 2003, 11:14:03 AM »

I hunt with my H&R ultra 25-06 almost exclusively in New York. I have taken deer with it the past 2 seasons. I really enjoy using it and it is as accurate as anything I have ever shot.

Rick Crabtree · « **Reply #16 on:** September 23, 2003, 08:20:58 PM »

Started using them in 78. In the pat 25 years I have successfully used Sharps in 45-70,45-110 and 50-90. ruger #1 in 30/06, 375 H&H, and 458 mag. For small game have used stevens favorite and a Genschow single shot bolt action both in .22

patw · « **Reply #17 on:** September 24, 2003, 10:09:06 AM »

I use a ruger #1 in 300H&H about half the time. The other half the time, for nostalgia's sake, I use the bolt gun I started using thirty some years ago. Been wanting to take the contender out deer hunting, but still looking for the right load.

Winter Hawk · « **Reply #18 on:** October 15, 2003, 08:03:30 AM »

"I have used my Ruger #1 in .458 Win Mag. I have only killed two animals with it; a coyote and a whitetail deer."

Ufta! Is that overkill, or what? I used to use a .30-30 on bunnies w/ 100 gr. Speer plinkers and thought I might be a tad overgunned

-Kees-

First Shirt · « **Reply #19 on:** October 17, 2003, 10:02:27 AM »

With the exception of a Ruger MK 1 target pistol that I squirrel hunt with, all my hunting is done with one shooters. I have a Ruger #3 in .375 Winchester that is sudden death on whitetails with a 235 grain Speer semi-spitzer and a case full of Reloder 7.

A friend in Virginia has deer hunted for years with a #1 Tropical in .375 H&H...he don't do much trackin', either...

Greg

340wby · « **Reply #20 on:** October 19, 2003, 01:14:24 PM »

I have hunted ELK several times with my browning 78 thats been rechambered in 300 weatherby mag (30-06 orriginally), it makes an excellent rifle for elk hunting, and yeah it drops them effectively

marlinman93 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 19, 2003, 07:07:25 PM »

Took my old Ballard Pacific, chambered for .38-55 and brought home the venison! Got a nice 5x5 mulie this year! The old Ballard, with 34" half octagon barrel, and 8x JW Fecker scope, was a heavy piece to haul around, but it did a great job on the big mulie!
Took the Schuetzen stocks off, and borrowed wood from a #3 Ballard Gallery gun I also own. The shotgun style buttstock was much more comfortable than the old Schoyen hooked buttplate!

BIG POPPA · « **Reply #22 on:** November 03, 2003, 09:34:34 PM »

I just bought a NEF 270 win Handigun. It sweet to shoot. I'm looking forwar to shoot it in 2 weeks when I go hunting.

Winter Hawk · « **Reply #23 on:** November 04, 2003, 07:11:14 AM »

Big Poppa,

I really like mine in .30-06. I put a pistol scope on it, mounted out above the forearm. That keeps it handy to carry. Check out the NEF Singleshot site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nef-singleshot/ Lots of information available there. Go through their files and you will find some write-ups on accurizing it. Also try Perklo's site: http://www.perkloafm.com/ for an excellent two-part article on cleaning up the trigger pull.

Do you reload? You will find that the NEF is rather particular as to what it is fed. It is a classic example of watching the groups shrink until you reach what the rifle likes, then start to expand again.

Have fun with it. It is a neat little gun.

-Kees-

Lawdog · « **Reply #24 on:** November 04, 2003, 09:45:20 AM »

I have taken many varmints from ground squirrels to coyotes with my Ruger No.1B in .22 Hornet. And I have taken three nice hogs with my Ruger No.1 in .450 Marlin. So far my Ruger No.1B .25-06 is a virgin, planning to change that soon. Lawdog

bigbore · « **Reply #25 on:** November 05, 2003, 02:49:19 PM »

With my Sharps 45-90 I have shot two black bears and one russian boar.

marlinman93 · « **Reply #26 on:** November 08, 2003, 06:29:32 PM »

Quote from: Lawdog

I have taken many varmints from ground squirrels to coyotes with my Ruger No.1B in .22 Hornet. And I have taken three nice hogs with my Ruger No.1 in .450 Marlin. So far my Ruger No.1B .25-06 is a virgin, planning to change that soon. Lawdog

I'm gonna take my Ruger #1 Lyman Centennial, in .45-70 next year! It's a bit lighter than the Ballard, and with the factory 4x Lyman scope, it should work well for deer hunting.

MIKE THE BEAR · « **Reply #27 on:** November 14, 2003, 03:38:34 PM »

Heading up to Maine tomorrow with a Ruger #1 in 45/70, a Ruger #1 in 7x57 and a Shiloh Sharps in 50-90. The've all taken deer in the past and hope that that will continue. :jeep:

OOBuckshot · « **Reply #28 on:** November 15, 2003, 07:01:43 PM »

My Ruger #1 in a six millimeter and a 6x20 Leupold is death on ground hogs. I shoot a 55gr. V Max. I also used that same load to take the head off a young doe last season. It was awsome what that bullet did to the far side of that deers head. I love the gun and caliber.

Tom W. · « **Reply #29 on:** November 29, 2003, 06:55:01 PM »

Single shots are all I have for center-fire rifles, except for the marlin model 93 that I have as a keeper, not a shooter.
My NEF 30/30 has taken 2 deer, the NEF in.270 has taken around a dozen or more, and this Thanksgiving morning my newest single shot,a Ruger #1B in 30/06 scored on a button buck. :grin: