The Joy of Single Shots....

[Dave McC]

Another thread got my memory going. While we all seem to have fast firing repeaters with extended mags, or O/U sporting arms of great value and esthetics, how many of us have an old SS tucked away?

And, how many of us have memories with those SSs' in them, whether it's unwrapping one as a child under the Xmas tree, or taking on the barn pigeons, a dove hunt or easing through a hardwood forest in the Fall with a pocketful of papercase #6s and our eyes up among the branches? Or following a beagle doing what beagles do best?

These utility shotguns have some good points, some bad. Let's list them...

First, most of the SSs' now made are quite durable,lightweight and relatively inexpensive. The balance is usually good, with the pivot more/less between the hands.A tendency to muzzle lightness means one must consciously SWING the piece, there's little inertia to smooth and steady the bbl's path.

Stocks tend to be crooked as a Clintonista, with most shooting a little low, and the kick being a little harder. This is easy to fix, and not all require corrective surgery. Most have shorter stocks than we should have, but the substitution of a recoil pad for the ubiquitous plate can fix this nicely.

And this is not the best instrument for shooting heavy loads. It punishes both the shooter and shotgun. Field and trap loads are the best here, and very effective on small game.

Also, overall length of a SS with a 28 inch bbl is about that of a riot 870,so it handles well in close quarters. With one of the old Long Tom type bbls,32-34", one still has a shorter firearm than a pump or auto with a 28" bbl.

So, my uh, deathless prose has convinced you to dig out your old Single Shot and shoot it some. What do you need to do?

First, it may need to be checked over by a qualified smith.Some have headspace concerns, some have short chambers, some are shot loose, some have bbl dings and dents,unsafe triggers, etc.

Once your smith takes oath it's safe, try it out with handthrown clays, or doves,pigeons, or ground game. Use light loads,like 1-1 1/8 oz trap or field loads in 12 ga,1oz in 16 and 7/8 oz in a 20.

Lots of these get used as beater guns, truck guns, or backpacking guns. Some,certainly, are buried in PVC pipe sections, sealed and watertight,with ammo by those who don't trust the Govt all that much.One shot isn't much, but beats no shots,and a simple shotgun with ammo is cheap insurance for those of us who believe in Plan B.

And for those who like to tinker, these can be upgraded just like more expensive guns, with lengthened forcing cones, custom choke work, porting, stock work, ad infinitum.Since most are so light, one can alter the balance and swing by adding a little lead here, hogging out a little wood there without turning it into an expensive club.

Questions and comments?

[PJR]

The first shotgun I fired was a 12 gauge Cooey with an exposed hammer. Kicked the bejesus out of me but a good solid gun that is probably still giving service decades later.

Dave's right about the heavy loads though. One time during a session of back yard clays, a friend of mine shot his single shot with a 3" magnum goose load (the gun had a 3" chamber). A might roar was followed by a soft whimpering as my friend stood there with blood streaming from his nose and the gun in three pieces. Neither the gun or the nose were broken but the heavy recoil had caused the gun to experience a dynamic disassembly. The bloody nose was caused by the combination of the shooter's thumb and very short stock.

[JNewell]

Thanks, Dave.

I have still vivid and fond memories, almost 30 years old, of toting a Winchester 37 (post-64, :-( ) .410 around hunting varmints on my grandparents' land when I was pretty young. Not all of them bear repeating in public. <g> We traded that eventually. But it probably was (now that I'm thinking about it) the first firearm I ever used unsupervised, and it is a good memory.

John

[ArmySon]

hey, I'm only 26 but use my single shot (albeit for trap) more then my other shotguns combined.

[Dave McC]

Besides the 16 ga H&R I had as a youth, there was a muzzleloader adaption in 58 cal I had later, and a Handi rifle in 30-30.

The ML worked well, but if the cap was not fully seated on the nipple, it fired when closing the breech. I sold it to someone I didn't like. Had taken one doe with it that was the fastest kill I've seen with a round ball.DRT, and the exit wound was a slot three inches long, the ball carried a piece of rib with it.Easy cleaner,tho...

The 30-30 wore a Leopold 4X that cost more than the rifle did, liked some 125 gr handloads I worked up, and I took a coupla deer with it. Hard to shoot accurately, it was so light it moved all around. And I've doubts concerning the wisdom of chambering that shotgun action for high pressure cartridges,even a 30-30 runs 40,000 PSI. Longevity would be effected.BTW, kick was noticable....

[DAL]

My first shotgun was a single shot 20 gauge. I saved the money and bought it when I was 13 and still ignorant of ballistics (I thought I could use slugs in it for elk hunting). It's still in the closet, and I might even take it out for field trip this small game season.

Wow!, now that I think about it, it must be close to two decades since I fired that little sucker.
DAL

------------------
Reading "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," by Ayn Rand, should be required of every politician and in every high school.

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined."
--Patrick Henry, during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the Constitution (1788)

GOA, JPFO, PPFC, CSSA, LP, NRA


[This message has been edited by DAL (edited August 20, 2000).]

[house]

I own a bt-99 and bt-100 for trap, both SS very nice guns. still use them.they are great guns for hunting also. very safe.

thank care,
house

[PJR]

house:

I hope you are kidding with that post. Neither the BT99 or the BT100 have manual safeties. Therefore, they are not suitable for hunting under any circumstances. Great trap guns but not guns suitable for hunting.

[Big Bunny]

Does anyone trust their safeties anyhow ?
My SS12GA is a Miroku 28" and has fibre-optic front-sight, ejector, a lazer below for dusk on bunnies, Pachmeyer butpad and an internally weighted butt(lead shot to stop adverse kick).(The Uncle Mike sidesaddle for ammo was a lemon.) It has no safety except on the hammer, which has a block when the hammer is down on the firing pin.Fires 1 oz 1/4 without problem, can be carried loaded uncocked.

Any firearm with an external hammer has a slippage hazard in adverse conditions when de-cocking. Care needed.
Good car gun for ad hoc shooting I find.

[house]

PJR you maybe right the safety of a SS is that only one shot goes in. IN hunting guns have to be open at all times.That goes for O/U also. most people hunting never put safetys on becuase sometime they for get to take them off. I am not saying safety are bad they are a good thing. just got to rember to shootsafely.
I mean since the gun is broken open its safe but the shooter has to be safe also.

[This message has been edited by house (edited August 21, 2000).]

[PJR]

Big Bunny: Trust my safeties? No. Use my safeties? Absolutely.

house: Anyone I hunt uses their safety or they are hunting alone. Yes, sometimes people forget to take it off. I've done that myself but that is not an excuse not to use the safety. As for always keeping the gun open until it is time to fire that is an option possibly for open field pheasant shooting or ducks. But for grouse or quail, it's not a practical option. Then again, I'd like to see anyone do a quick close, mount and shoot on a flushing grouse with a BT100.

[jthuang]

First shotgun I ever fired was a single-shot 20 gauge at Boy Scout camp in the early 1980s. I don't own one, but they're still fun to shoot.

Justin

------------------
Justin T. Huang, Esq.
late of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

[Turk]

Mine was a Monkey Ward 12 ga. 3" Mag. with a 36" barrel this was my long range goose gun "funny in those days we were lucky to see a couple of geese during the season let alone get a shot at them. The funny thing about it was the first time I shot it the front bead flew off. Got it repaired but never liked it after that also never killed a duck with it. So I went back to my Gramp pa's 12 ga. double LC Smith. Had a lot of fun with that LC Smith.

Turk

[cuerno de chivo]

I 'trust' the 'safety' on my NEF Pardner. Of course this a new gun which may be set up differently than older NEFs or different ss shotguns.

[Dave McC]

Safety devices are what you use to SUPPLEMENT proper safety procedures, right?

Re traditional single shots like the H&R, Winchester 37,etc, cock the hammer while mounting and shoot. If for some reason you do not take the shot,open the breech, decock,and close it back up.

As for trap guns sans safety devices, I'd feel safer with some of the folks I know using one than some other folks I know holding an unloaded weapon. No, I don't hunt with the latter...

The big problem with NDs is pilot error and pooor training, not mechanical failure....

[DaMan]

The NEF single barrel uses a tranfer bar system. If you have a loaded and cocked gun, you must lower the hammer first before you can open the action.

Should you decide not to fire after cocking the hammer, carefully lower the gun from the shoulder and keep the muzzzle pointed in a safe direction. Carefully hold the hammer back securely with the thumb and pull the trigger. Slowly let the hammer move forward appox. 1/4" and release the trigger. Continue to guide the hammer down until it is fully forward. Practice this procedure with an empty gun until you are thoroughly familiar with this operation.

The paragraph above was directly from the NEF users manual. This is an easy procedure!

Dave McC's original post covered most of the advantages and disadvanages of the single barrel. The only thing I might add is that these are PERFECT guns for beginners. Many a shooter was weened on the single barrel. I own best "high speed/low" drag semi-autos and pumps. But I still love those single barrels!

They're extremely inexpensive, are perfectly good shotguns for most hunting situations, are safe, and remind me of the good old days when I first found out how much FUN shooting was and still is!

Regards! DaMan

[KilgorII]

They hurt though. I went skeet shooting tonight and decide to bust a few with a pardner. I shot 5 and went back to my Remington because it hurt. I only shot a few from it because my shoulder was still sore from running a box of 25 through a pardner Sunday. The slip on recoil pad doesn't seem to help. It does increase the length of pull though, which is good.

[Dave McC]

Kilgor, back off on the load weight,say from 1 1/8 oz to 1 and see the difference. Also, check your form.

Finally, add a little weight to the shotgun, IF you can do it w/o unbalancing it.Sheet lead may be placed under the forearm sometimes and a few oz of lead in the butt will keep the piece balanced but add enough weight to help.

Most singlebbls violate the Rule of 96 greatly. Since by and large they're used more for the occasional shot than high volume shooting like doves or clays, it's not much of a problem.

[DaMan]

You can remove the butt plate on the H&R "Pardner" or "Handi-Rifle" and insert up to three 3 1/2" 12ga. shot shells or up to four 2 1/2" shells in the hole used to fasten the butt to the receiver.

This not only adds weight to reduce recoil, it also gives you a reserve supply of ammo stored in the gun and available in an emergency. Use foam rubber to firmly pack any space left over to prevent rattle.

I carry three 2" 1 oz. loads of #7 shot and a 2 3/4" rifled slug in mine with a piece of compressed foam rubber to take out any play.
Rifled slug forward and facing "north".

Regards! DaMan

[Dave McC]

Good idea, Da Man, but...

Adding weight on just one end will affect balance, usually badly.That's why I mentioned sheet lead. A bit between the bbl and forearm will aid the weight and keep the balance between the hands.

[DaMan]

Dave McC, I also agree with your idea on weight placement in the forearm! Easy and cheap to do!

Regards! DaMan

[Dave McC]

Thanks, DaMan. Having kids means I've had to figure out the cheap way a lot.

[DaMan]

DaveMcC, I just read your post about your .30-30 H&R. You mentioned you thought a cartridge producing 42,000 P.S.I. average SAAMI max might be questionable when "used on a shotgun frame".

Actually this is no problem for most 20-12 ga. shotguns. But the shotgun must be modified to accept these cartridges.

People have gotten into trouble in the past by trying to put center fire barrels on their H&R shotguns. First of all the firing pin diameter of the shotgun is much larger! These guns need to have a smaller diameter firing pin and a bushing installed into the receiver to match this firing pin. And the barrels need to be fit correctly!

The case head thrust of calibers like .357Mag, .22 Hornet, .30-30 are easily handled by the 20-12ga. break actions, IF the barrel is properly fit!

The NEF SB-2 (the Handi-Rifle receiver) can handle cartridges up to 62,000 PSI average max. But NEF wants to do the fitting of barrels themselves! I don't blame them!

Regards! DaMan






[This message has been edited by DaMan (edited August 24, 2000).]

[JayDrummond]

My first gun was a 16 gauge single shot from Sears or Wards. Cost me about $20. Used it for dove hunting until I found a used pump action High Standard a few years later. Still have the single shot in the collection.

[tatters]

I had 2 NEF singles in 12 ga
One was smooth bore, and one was rifled.
I got the rifled bore from WM whan they were refurbishing and didn't want to move some of the guns. Paid 50 bucks.
I couldn't send to have another barrel fitted for that.
Great guns, and I sold them to a buddy after buying a Mossburg 500.
I am in the market for a .410, and NEF may be the one.

------------------
"Any world that I'm welcome to.....Is better than the one I come from"

[Dave McC]

Still have reservations, DaMan, but it sounds like I'm just too careful, maybe.

BTW, that 30-30 was a great toting rifle, had a Leopold 4X and some handloads that were mild but effective on local game at moderate range, just what the 30-30 excells at.

[DaMan]

DaveMcC, speaking of which.... I took my Thutty-thutty NEF out today and shot some factory 170s! Recoil is a bit "exagerated" for a .30-30, but completely tolerable. Accuracy with these loads and iron sights was only "fair" (about 2.5 MOA at 100 yds.)

I've got a .308 Win. on order! I'll let you know if those SAAMI max. avg. 62,000 PSI babies blow me to smithereens! Well.... maybe I won't, if I'm blown to bits! But, if you don't hear from me for a while, you'll know something has gone terribly wrong! ;-)

I anticipate some substantial recoil!

Regards! DaMan

PS - I broke the 1 MOA barrier with the .223 Rem. barrel and generic loads with my NEF standard contour barrel! The trick is.... let the barrel cool between shots! I guess that's why it's a single shot!

[This message has been edited by DaMan (edited August 28, 2000).]

[tatters]

Auction Arms has some cool Rossi 2 barrel combo single shots. Shotgun/ .22
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"Any world that I'm welcome to.....Is better than the one I come from"

[This message has been edited by tatters (edited August 26, 2000).]

[JAMES L.SMITH]

Of the 18 shotguns I own the 2 I use most are singleshots.My old,old Win. 37,12ga.and old,old Iver Johnson champion 20ga.I use them to hunt turkey/tree rats here in central FLA.swamps,they are light and fast.As I get older/smarter[52] I find the teachings of my youth are very true- ONE SHOT ONE KILL- Use them old single shots you'll have FUN.

[Dave McC]

Darn if they ain't, James. I may just get another one if I can find a good'un used. Been toying with the idea of a truck gun again anyway...

[johnbt]

An uncle put together a very nice set of Win. 37's over the years - usually picking them up as a "throw in" in a trade. He had at least one in each gauge...until he gave the .410 to my father. We don't drag them through the woods, but they do get used some. John