Single Shot 12 ga

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From shopping around up this way I've found that single shot 12's are so common that it should not be a big deal to find a cheap used one for occasional trap fun. Yeah, the new H&R/NEF's are cheap. But the old guns that still have lots of life in them are even cheaper. Saw off about 3/4 of an inch of the stock and attach a Limbsaver or similar pad and you've got a cheap trap gun which is more than good enough for half to a dozen days of trap a year. And for a lot less cost than the guy sporting the Perazzi.

Can you tell that I'm envious of the fancy stuff? :D
 
I once had an NEF Parder 20 gauge that I got used for $75. It was a nice little gun, reliable, well made, and fun to shoot. I even shot trap with it once. I don't think you can go wrong with an NEF gun, and even a new one is going to be inexpensive.
 
just picked up an h&r 12 gauge single shot. its great recoil aint too bad fired 5 shots and didnt have any problem. brand new out of the box for 130
 
I had a 12 gauge Rossi several years back; it worked well. The only downside for what it was, was the somewhat decent amount of recoil. I filled the stock up with lead shot encased in a bag, which really cut down on the recoil when firing buckshot (I used it for pigs).

I'm planning on picking up a H&R 12 gauge single soon, and I'm going to have the barrel cut down to the minimum legal length here, and it'll be my walking/traveling gun. Light and handy, and fired little [with buckshot].
 
I've had a 20 gauge NEF single shot for years. Last year I picked up a barely used 12 gauge to go with it. As far as I'm concerned, they are great little guns!
 
H&R makes single shots. I think they use to be New England Firearms. I have a 20 gauge single shot New England Firearms that I have taken a couple of deer with. It kicks the crap out of you, I can only imagine what a 12 would feel like. That said, it is a good little gun and I have no complaints.
 
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My brother bought a brand new NEF or H&R break open for right at $100. It is a very good starter gun for almost no money.
 
Check out the local pawnshops, single shots are not very sought after and if your patient you can get 2 or 3 for around 150. I own an old h&r that my grandfather bought many moons ago for 5 bux, aside from a slightly swelled barrel it works just fine after all these years. I'm told he swelled barrel was the result of firing steel shot thru it so maybe don't shoot steel shot thru an older one. I'm sure it's ok in newer models.

I sure wouldn't mind an newer h&r handi rifle with a couple barrels, cheap and versatile.
 
I have H&R Partner shotguns in 12 guage and .410 bore
Excellent shotguns, rugged, durable, and with Choate Stocks, all but weather impervious.
The 12 guage goes along as a back-up shotgun on bird hunts and is used on the homefront for thwarting would be chicken killers as well as tagging the occasional rabbit and squirrel.

As a farm gun the single shot is hard to beat and ours get used in that arena far more often than the pumps and semi autos.
 
+1 with the farm gun.

Cheap, reliable, powerful, and will do everything you need around a property with easy to obtain specific shells. The only thing lacking would be those long range shots on marauding canine-types you see in the afternoons (if you wish to be proactive and take 'em out early), but that's what the single shot rifles are for!
 
look around for an 12 Gauge bolt action shotgun. There cheap, I picked up an JC Higgins 12ga for 90 dollars in great condition. Its great
 
I have found local gun shops typically have several single-barrel shotguns for good prices. I recently saw a Wards Hercules 12ga for about $85. This gun had an external hammer and an ejector- neat old gun but who knows about the strength of the older guns especially with today's steel shot?
 
I have found local gun shops typically have several single-barrel shotguns for good prices. I recently saw a Wards Hercules 12ga for about $85. This gun had an external hammer and an ejector- neat old gun but who knows about the strength of the older guns especially with today's steel shot?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't shoot steel through it, but I have a nice old 16 gauge Hercules 12 and it's tight as a drum. My Uncle gave it to me back in the 60s for a goose gun. I killed my first geese with it shooting 16 gauge number 2 lead. It was deadly. I had to have the extractor replaced, gunsmith machined one for me since it was not available. I think he felt sorry for the kid, did it for 25 bucks. That was cheap even then for what he did. I still have it, but the 30" full choke barrel isn't real useful to me now days. I keep it to remember my Uncle by. He died in 1970. It's a strong gun, though, I can tell ya that, tight as a drum even today. I wrote the NRA about it way back wanting to know what it was and they said the gun was built by Iver Johnson and discontinued in 1947.
 
i would go with a topper full choke mine is older than me got it when my papaw passed away and have killed everything from groundhogs to turkey a cheapo slip on recoil pad should reduce most of the recoil just my 2 cents
 
Yeah, the slip on pads really help; I have one which is also a shell holder on my Coach Gun, and it really cuts down on the bruises [with slugs and buckshot]. It adds a little length to the stock too, which makes it fit better (over 6'). It would have really helped with my old Rossi, but I just never thought of it back then.

In regards to Rossi versus H&R. My old Rossi had a polymer trigger guard and action release trigger in the front of it, which when compared to the action release on my H&R Shikari in .44 Magnum, doesn't seem as sturdy. The polymer seemed cheaper/not as sturdy than what you'd find on something like a Glock, but I don't know there. I think the new Rossi guns don't have this polymer guard, so it might be moot.

As others have said, most gun shops will have several used singles somewhere out back, and they'll be cheap; picking up a good used single for $50 would be better than a new one for $150 or so in my opinion.
 
I got a 12 gauge NEF Pardner with wood furniture for $100 at Dick's sporting goods, threw a limbsaver slip-on pad - $7 from Walmart. Has a modified choke Blows up clays no problem. I just sent 5 slugs flying downrange today. No bruise (yet), and the kick was.. tolerable. Probably never letting this one go, though I may get it cut down a bit. I do like cylinder bore.
 
I have a H&R Pardner 12 and it is a great gun. However If I were to do it again, I would get the new one with interchangeable choke tubes and a scope rail If available.
My Pardner singles barrel is too thin to mount a scope rail so I cannot use it with a scope.
Contact H&R http://www.hr1871.com and see if a scope can be mounted on the current Pardner. A scope plus interchangeable chokes would make a great versatile gun capable of bird shot, buckshot and slugs and even more slug accuracy with a rifled choke.
Be advised,as previously stated, they are light and will kick with heavy loads. I found out the hard way when I loaded an express 3 " slug, I thought I shot cannon.. You will need additional slip on recoil pads for heavy loads.
 
H&R Pardner

Going to agree that this is a great little gun for little money. Easy to clean and the simplicity cannot be beat.

However, these are fixed chokes and single shot. Depends on what you are using them for and intent.

I have a H&R Pardner 20 gauge and use if for hare, woodcock, snipe, and grouse.

I am now considering getting a 410 or a 28 for my son in the youth model.
 
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