Tell Me About Single Shot Cartridge Rifles and Carbines

I dont get the " make the first shot count" stuff of single shots.

You try your best to do that with every rifle.

Youre either a rifleman or your not

Ive shot varmints and deer w single shots.
And have shot some of them more than once.

Pretty easy w falling block. Dont even take eyes off the critter

If im not 100% positive of my hit, I whack em again. Guys at check in used to give me hell about it. First was good. So was second.

And yeah, sometimes a third.

Very nice, I think you will be very happy with that.

I have an H&R Handi in .30/30 that is very enjoyable to shoot and load for. The trigger is surprisingly light and crisp on mine as well, with no signs of any trigger work having been done. So, it isn't unheard of.

Congrats, look forward to a range report.

Retreever said:

Is there an easy way to determine trigger pull in lbs?

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Google Trigger Gauge.

There are a bunch available, some are digital, some are not. Prices start around $20 and go up from there.

You will have a good time with that Handi Rifle. I know a couple of guys who use them in CAS long range competition. A good entry level single shot. A little light weight so you will probably want to keep your loads relatively mild. You will be glad it has a 'shotgun' style buttplate, positioning a traditional crescent shaped butt plate against your shoulder takes some learning. It hurts until you get it right. Be sure to hold it firm against your shoulder and it will just rock you back and it won't hurt. You will be glad you chose 45-70 because components are much more readily available than some of the more esoteric single shot cartridges. Sorry, I can't help you with loading data, I only load 45-70 with Black Powder, but there is plenty of data out there for loading the cartridge with Smokeless.

I love shooting my Trapdoor. This one left the factory in 1883. Really pretty nice condition. Bought it about ten years ago or so. Sorry, I don't remember what I paid for it.









I bought a Pedersoli 45-70 Sharps a long time ago. I bought a bare bones model without any fancy checkering, because when I looked at some I was not impressed with how well the checkering was executed. This one has a pistol grip and double set triggers, which was all I wanted. Notice the shotgun style buttplate. I bought it on sale from Dixie Gunworks for $800. I put a reasonably inexpensive tang sight on it with a Hadley Eye Cup with several different apertures. I gave up shooting the Sharps a few years ago because my eyesight was so bad I could not even see the targets. I just had cataract surgery and am seeing better than ever before in my life. Maybe I'll take the Sharps to the range in the spring and see if I can see the targets.

I somehow got started on handi-rifles.
I have them in. 204 and .30-06. Son has one in 7mm-08. I will keep prowling for the elusive. 45colt classic, and the .45/70.

I enjoy single shots very much. I have a number of them.
A Repro of the Savage/Stevens Favorite .22 rimfire ...falling block.
H&R break open in .45/70
A Martini Cadet in .310 Cadet
A Martini-Henry long lever in .577/450.
A couple of T/C Contenders - bunch of barrels
A T/C Encore - another bunch. One is .50-70.
A Browning BPCR .45-70.(FB)
A Ruger #1 Tropical in .416 Rigby.(FB)
An 1873 Trapdoor carbine 45-70.
A FWB match rifle...a .22 prone gun.(Bolt)
I shoot and hunt with muzzleloaders...by their narure SSs.
Pete

Retreever said:

Could this be the .45 Colt Classic you are looking for? There are a couple of H&R .45-70's on the same site.

Retreever

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Yep, that's it.
I thought I had one pinned down on gunbroker, but got outbid at the last moment.

A friend and I were shooting at a buffalo silhouette at 1000 yards.. We were shooting off hand. My wife came up and asked if she could try it. I explained the sights etc. She no novice and is a heck of a shot.

She shouldered the rifle, fired, lowered the rifle and asked, "Did I mis..."Bong!! She handed me the rifle and said " It's best to quit on a hit!"

Armored farmer said:

I will keep prowling for the elusive. 45colt classic,

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I have an internet friend that has one of those.... I'm fixing to buy it from him. I'd been looking for something like that, no bigger than.30-30 for sure... and he said he had one he was going to get rid of. I'm pretty excited about it. He just sold me a Savage 99 takedown in .30-30 that I have yet to shoot... so I was able to check the .30-30 box off the list, too.

Charlie98 said:

I have an internet friend that has one of those.... I'm fixing to buy it from him. I'd been looking for something like that, no bigger than.30-30 for sure... and he said he had one he was going to get rid of. I'm pretty excited about it. He just sold me a Savage 99 takedown in .30-30 that I have yet to shoot... so I was able to check the .30-30 box off the list, too.

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That should be an excellent short range thumper, and a great companion to a .45colt revolver.
I get a great deal of satisfaction with a single shot. I am usually very conservative with my ammo. It's nice to capture all of the brass for reloading without searching.

Retreever said:

My 1871 Buffalo Classic .45-70 arrived Monday, just got around to getting some pictures. It's not in too bad a shape - stock and forearm appear to be different woods or at least they stock is considerably darker than the forearm. There are a couple of holes in both so looks like it might have been fitted with a sling at one point. Barrel is shiny and bright inside and out , trigger and break action button all function as expected. One thing I did notice is the trigger seems light, in my research I've heard the trigger pull on these described as horrendous i.e. heavy. Is there an easy way to determine trigger pull in lbs?

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Easy route is to ask your smith if he has a trigger pull gauge. You could tie a string to the trigger and try dangling known weights or put the buttplate on a bathroom scale and press down while watching for a peak on the scale, but both methods are imprecise. For my purposes I never bother measuring -- for me a trigger is either too light, too heavy or acceptable.

I'd suggest cocking the action and pushing the hammer firmly forward with your thumb, just to make sure your sear engagement is still solid.

I was also able to source a Smith Enterprises M95 Rear Ladder Sight second hand for about $70.00USD

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A fine choice if your eyesight is still good enough to cooperate. I personally would go with a tang sight given my farsightedness, but at least the Smith Ladder doesn't risk getting driven into your eyeball by recoil.

Once you've got the rig the way you want, please post a followup on your range results!

Iggy said:

A friend and I were shooting at a buffalo silhouette at 1000 yards.. We were shooting off hand. My wife came up and asked if she could try it. I explained the sights etc. She no novice and is a heck of a shot.
View attachment 895503
She shouldered the rifle, fired, lowered the rifle and asked, "Did I mis..."Bong!! She handed me the rifle and said " It's best to quit on a hit!"

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My wife did the exact same thing in front of a bunch of our horse riding pals. My buddy and I had both missed the milk jug set at 100yds with my newly assembled T/C Hawken. @1983

When I decided to buy a single shot 45/70, I had learned enough about gas release that where gases go with pierced primers, or blown case heads, should be a major consideration. And that eliminated the Remington rolling block. But an examination of pictures and specimens showed the M1885 protected the shooter well from gas release, and it was a very strong action, all things considered. That is what I purchased.



It is too bad that the Martini Henry is banned from BPCR, it is one of the best ever single shot actions ever made. It is an amazing design. Very few parts, breech block comes out the top without much effort, so it is easy to clean. The back of the action should protect the shooter from gas release.

my seven 45-70 rifles, I have other single shots in different calbers, I shot and hunt with then and have killed deer with them.

I had two different Handi-Rifles in .223

My Dad shooting the first one; he liked it so much, he took it home!

Me shooting the second one; A friend wanted something for vermin and bunnies on his land, so I gave him a deal. The Axis I replaced it with was more accurate, though it did OK.

Dad had a .30-06 Ruger #1 that he hunted with for a couple years, but no deer appeared before him when he had it, and like his wont, he traded it off.

I still think the Sharps-Borchardt is the prettiest single shot made:


Indeed, this is one rifle that should be seen.

Slamfire said:

When I decided to buy a single shot 45/70, I had learned enough about gas release that where gases go with pierced primers, or blown case heads, should be a major consideration. And that eliminated the Remington rolling block. But an examination of pictures and specimens showed the M1885 protected the shooter well from gas release, and it was a very strong action, all things considered. That is what I purchased.

View attachment 895688

It is too bad that the Martini Henry is banned from BPCR, it is one of the best ever single shot actions ever made. It is an amazing design. Very few parts, breech block comes out the top without much effort, so it is easy to clean. The back of the action should protect the shooter from gas release.

View attachment 895689

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What a beauty. Did you build that gun on the Martini action?
Pete

Pete D. said:

What a beauty. Did you build that gun on the Martini action?
Pete

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I purchased it from the guy who did the work. He was much shorter, so I was able to find a longer buttstock and added that. It has a Shilen barrel and is quite accurate for a cast bullet rifle.

I like the Martini action and consider it one of the great single shot actions.