Single Shot ethical with larger game?
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Flyboy
Member
Ask the legions of muzzleloader hunters.
But seriously, hunting with a single shot just means that you have to be pickier about your shots. If you're not 100% certain you can strike a killing blow, you pass up the shot.
Flyboy
Member
You'd be amazed how often I hear it, especially when I point out that part of the reason I hunt with black powder is for the challenge. And most people just can't grasp the idea of "I pass up the shot." They look at me with an expression that suggests they think I said "I jumped rope with a live weasel," like I completely broke their minds.
But, no, it's really that simple: you work within your limitations. Actually, I wish more people would hunt with a single-shot mindset, even if not a single-shot rifle.
But, no, it's really that simple: you work within your limitations. Actually, I wish more people would hunt with a single-shot mindset, even if not a single-shot rifle.
Loyalist Dave
Member
Years ago, Thompson Center made a single shot rifle in large calibers called the "TCR". It had a stock without a cheek piece as well. My father has a natural eye nystagmus, so he's only going to get one shot at anything anyway. So I found one of these TCRs at a gunshop, and somebody had even ported the barrel (perhaps it came from the factory that way). So I got it for my dad, who is also left handed. He then had a light weight 30.06, with a ported barrel giving him moderate recoil, that I as a right hander can inherit and shoot. 
We put a Leopold 4X on top, and that thing goes right where you aim it.
Living in NM he has bagged antelope and elk. No wounded run-offs. So YES if you get a 30.06 single shot, you can quickly and humanely harvest large game, BUT you will have to shoot it a bit at the range, and you'll have to be a better than average hunter, get in range on the animal, and make the shot count. 30.06 comes in lots and lots of "flavors" so you can find a factory load for anything from East Coast Whitetails to Bison.
LD
We put a Leopold 4X on top, and that thing goes right where you aim it. Living in NM he has bagged antelope and elk. No wounded run-offs. So YES if you get a 30.06 single shot, you can quickly and humanely harvest large game, BUT you will have to shoot it a bit at the range, and you'll have to be a better than average hunter, get in range on the animal, and make the shot count. 30.06 comes in lots and lots of "flavors" so you can find a factory load for anything from East Coast Whitetails to Bison.
LD
Jrsmith
Member
I'm not sure why I load my .30-06 with more than one bullet half the time, I've never needed a second shot since I bought the thing....
DWARREN123
Member
Not the firearm but the shooter.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Odds are, if you have a second cartridge ready in your off hand, you can reload a single-shot about as fast as a guy can reload his bolt-action.
About the only times I've ever used a second shot was for a coup de grace, where the deer was dead but just didn't know it. Reloading speed was never an issue...
Art
About the only times I've ever used a second shot was for a coup de grace, where the deer was dead but just didn't know it. Reloading speed was never an issue...
Art
smokemaker
Member
I can do an on the fly reload of my rolling block, with a cartridge in the off-hand before firing, just a tick slower than my buddy can cycle his bolt action. Of course, he doesn't practice rapid fire, and doesn't cycle the rifle from his shoulder, but not many guys do anymore.
Lots of the biggest, nastiest , and fastest critters on Earth have fallen to single shots.
Lots of the biggest, nastiest , and fastest critters on Earth have fallen to single shots.
I have used a single shot rifle for hunting for over 30 years. Never had a problem. For the last couple of years have used a combination rifle-shotgun a lot of the time and still no problem.
When shooting the running moose competition down the range the bolt action do's have the edge over a single shot rifle but not by much.
When shooting the running moose competition down the range the bolt action do's have the edge over a single shot rifle but not by much.
I've got a Ruger No. 1 in .270 Win and it does just fine.
You just have to be a little more sure of your shot. You should be doing that anyway. Some people think that just because they have extra rounds in the mag that it's okay to blaze away without little or no aim. Just because you have extra shots on tap doesn't mean that you'll actually get the chance to use them, the game might be gone by the time you get a second shot. You might get a second chance, then again you may not. All it takes is for it to go into some brush or behind a bend and it's gone, it doesn't matter if you have four extra rounds, they do you no good at all if this happens. This doesn't always happen though.
I personally think that I'm better with it than I am with many of my other rifles. It has low ammo consumption rate just becuase it's a single shot and almost all my shots are under a MOA if I take my time the way I'm supposed to. Besides, just because you have a single shot rifle, that doesn't mean that you won't get a second chance if you miss with your first. If you've practiced reloading quickly and if you have ammo available on a butt cuff, reloading to get a second shot is under two seconds. That's just in time for that fatal glance backwards that animals often do after an initial burst of speed. But I haven't missed with my first shot yet.
However, if the animal is on the run, you probably won't get the animal with the second shot if you missed with your first shot while it was standing still or walking slowly. That just means that you were a poor shot to begin with or that you did something wrong. The chances of making it right when you missed with your first shot are slim.
I'm rambling now so I'll quit, just make the first shot count.
You just have to be a little more sure of your shot. You should be doing that anyway. Some people think that just because they have extra rounds in the mag that it's okay to blaze away without little or no aim. Just because you have extra shots on tap doesn't mean that you'll actually get the chance to use them, the game might be gone by the time you get a second shot. You might get a second chance, then again you may not. All it takes is for it to go into some brush or behind a bend and it's gone, it doesn't matter if you have four extra rounds, they do you no good at all if this happens. This doesn't always happen though.
I personally think that I'm better with it than I am with many of my other rifles. It has low ammo consumption rate just becuase it's a single shot and almost all my shots are under a MOA if I take my time the way I'm supposed to. Besides, just because you have a single shot rifle, that doesn't mean that you won't get a second chance if you miss with your first. If you've practiced reloading quickly and if you have ammo available on a butt cuff, reloading to get a second shot is under two seconds. That's just in time for that fatal glance backwards that animals often do after an initial burst of speed. But I haven't missed with my first shot yet.
However, if the animal is on the run, you probably won't get the animal with the second shot if you missed with your first shot while it was standing still or walking slowly. That just means that you were a poor shot to begin with or that you did something wrong. The chances of making it right when you missed with your first shot are slim.
I'm rambling now so I'll quit, just make the first shot count.
Picknlittle
Member
I've been thinking about a couple single shots myself. New England Arms has their Handi Rifle available in a broad range of calibers. I wouldn't mind having one in 22-250 and maybe 45-70. If I hadn't already bought a 35 whelen I probably would gone that route.
As for second shots, I don't think I've ever had the opportunity for a second on a deer that was hit. They bolt, but hopefully not far. The only seconds I've ever had was when I missed (see my BSA scope thread from a while back) :banghead:
As for second shots, I don't think I've ever had the opportunity for a second on a deer that was hit. They bolt, but hopefully not far. The only seconds I've ever had was when I missed (see my BSA scope thread from a while back) :banghead:
'Card
Member
...and on the other hand, some people think my semi-auto hunting rifles are unethical because they're unsporting.
Worry less about what other people consider ethical, and more about what's comfortable for you.
Worry less about what other people consider ethical, and more about what's comfortable for you.
I've never had to shoot a deer twice. The ones that ran were gone so fast it would have been very difficult to get off another shot that would hit them. None of them went over 100 yards. Broken brush, trampled grass, and that red stuff pouring out of them made them easy to find.
I have managed to scrape down antelope, mule deer, and elk with this one.
Springfield Trapdoor 45-70 with black powder loads.
View attachment 296345
Never shot one over a 100 yds, and had GOOD standing shots.
Game never went more than 20 yards after being hit.
Springfield Trapdoor 45-70 with black powder loads.
View attachment 296345
Never shot one over a 100 yds, and had GOOD standing shots.
Game never went more than 20 yards after being hit.
Specialized
Member
I don't think it's a bad question at all. The first two things that popped into my mind were, first, that while I've hunted with a semi-automatic centerfire rifle before, my conservative approach to shot selection has never required me to shoot a critter twice; and second, I've never seen anyone shoot a critter once, then have the time and skill necessary to chamber another round (by whatever means appropriate to the gun), get back on target, and successfully connect a second time. The only time I've seen that done were coyote hunters that pulled off a double with a semi-auto or bolt rifle, turkey hunters that filled two tags at once with a semi-auto shotgun, or African big game hunters that were able to unload both barrels of a guide rifle a a charging cat. I'm guessing it's harder than I think to do any of those.
I recall one lion hunting video clip that showed the hunter and PH's stalking a large male, shooting it at about 50 yards, and then suddenly finding themselves trying to cycle their bolt guns when the cat unexpectedly charged straight at the hunter. They ended up in a ragged semi-circle, all firing as fast as they could go, and when the cat reached the guy were in the unenviable position of all firing in each others' general direction. It struck me at the time that the accessory of choice would have been a change of underwear that could double as a recoil pad.
I recall one lion hunting video clip that showed the hunter and PH's stalking a large male, shooting it at about 50 yards, and then suddenly finding themselves trying to cycle their bolt guns when the cat unexpectedly charged straight at the hunter. They ended up in a ragged semi-circle, all firing as fast as they could go, and when the cat reached the guy were in the unenviable position of all firing in each others' general direction. It struck me at the time that the accessory of choice would have been a change of underwear that could double as a recoil pad.
MrDig
Member
Ehtics is the point
Yes single shot rifles are etheical as a point of fact they force me to be more Ethical about the shots I will take. I have to be reasonable about my limits as a shooter. I have to be reasonable about the limitations of the weapon, and the environment. I have to pick and choose what shots I am capable of making within the limititations and this forces me to take better shots. It is kind of circular logic but it works.
Yes single shot rifles are etheical as a point of fact they force me to be more Ethical about the shots I will take. I have to be reasonable about my limits as a shooter. I have to be reasonable about the limitations of the weapon, and the environment. I have to pick and choose what shots I am capable of making within the limititations and this forces me to take better shots. It is kind of circular logic but it works.
koja48
member
Good question, but the answer lies with each individual. I hunt with them all, singles, single bolts, bolt repeaters, levers, semis . . . I never plan on taking more than 1 shot & am damn particular about those I do take. I reckon for me it comes down to the species being pursued & what I want to carry that particular day. Excluding the semis, I can reload a single shot as quickly as I can cycle a bolt (southpaw shooting right-handed rifles).
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'Card
Member
*shrug*
I guess I'm just not a very good shot compared to most of you guys.
Most of them I've shot only required one, but you never know. It's not a science, and strange things happen. I've had a few that dropped-in-place like a puppet with the strings cut, only to jump back up a few seconds later and require a second shot to seal the deal.
I remember one (and this is a true story) that I shot about an hour before sundown. 6-point buck. He took off through the brush, and the track was pretty tough to stay on. About the time it was starting to get dark I caught up with him, and I was determined not to let him get away again because tracking at night in rugged mountains ain't my idea of a good time. Shot that poor bastard three more times (with a .30-06, mind you) before he'd stay down. So a total of four shots from me, and then when I was gutting him I found scar tissue where he'd been shot at least twice by somebody else the previous year. We refer to that one as "Superbuck".
Ethical? Hell if I know. Or care. He was good eating, though. Pre-tenderized.
I guess I'm just not a very good shot compared to most of you guys.
Most of them I've shot only required one, but you never know. It's not a science, and strange things happen. I've had a few that dropped-in-place like a puppet with the strings cut, only to jump back up a few seconds later and require a second shot to seal the deal.
I remember one (and this is a true story) that I shot about an hour before sundown. 6-point buck. He took off through the brush, and the track was pretty tough to stay on. About the time it was starting to get dark I caught up with him, and I was determined not to let him get away again because tracking at night in rugged mountains ain't my idea of a good time. Shot that poor bastard three more times (with a .30-06, mind you) before he'd stay down. So a total of four shots from me, and then when I was gutting him I found scar tissue where he'd been shot at least twice by somebody else the previous year. We refer to that one as "Superbuck".
Ethical? Hell if I know. Or care. He was good eating, though. Pre-tenderized.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
"Do you guys just shoot at the animal hoping for a kill, but trying to wound it to slow it down..."
No. The idea of "Use enough gun" is that if you make some slight error in aiming, or if the animal moves during that 0.2 seconds between the time your brain says, "Shoot!" and your finger actually moves, the hit that's not on the exact point of aim will still put the animal down long enough for that second shot.
I don't care how skilled you are, Murphy never quits.
A standing-around deer generally seems to go down and stay down. Mostly. Once a deer has been hit and it's "only" a serious wound without being a devastating wound, the dadgummed things seem to take on the characteristics of Superdeer: They'll maybe soak up several hits before giving up. Adrenalin is the usual alleged cause.
I guess every deer I ever shot, I did so with the expectation of Bang, Whop, go gut him out. That cost me a fairly nice buck, one season. I had pulled a tad low, and the Whop was a high hit on the near front leg bone. As I was walking up to gut my "dead" deer, he jumped up and boogied. I unslung my rifle and cut down on him and got an eyeful of 4X setting sun. Bummer.
I lost one other buck that I'd hit with a chest hit. Outside of that, the other forty or so were pretty much one-shot DRT. A few, yeah, coup de grace, but they were just dead and didn't yet know it.
Most folks I've hunted with were pretty much the same way as to expectations...
Art
No. The idea of "Use enough gun" is that if you make some slight error in aiming, or if the animal moves during that 0.2 seconds between the time your brain says, "Shoot!" and your finger actually moves, the hit that's not on the exact point of aim will still put the animal down long enough for that second shot.
I don't care how skilled you are, Murphy never quits.
A standing-around deer generally seems to go down and stay down. Mostly. Once a deer has been hit and it's "only" a serious wound without being a devastating wound, the dadgummed things seem to take on the characteristics of Superdeer: They'll maybe soak up several hits before giving up. Adrenalin is the usual alleged cause.
I guess every deer I ever shot, I did so with the expectation of Bang, Whop, go gut him out. That cost me a fairly nice buck, one season. I had pulled a tad low, and the Whop was a high hit on the near front leg bone. As I was walking up to gut my "dead" deer, he jumped up and boogied. I unslung my rifle and cut down on him and got an eyeful of 4X setting sun. Bummer.
I lost one other buck that I'd hit with a chest hit. Outside of that, the other forty or so were pretty much one-shot DRT. A few, yeah, coup de grace, but they were just dead and didn't yet know it.
Most folks I've hunted with were pretty much the same way as to expectations...
Art
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