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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Single Shots & Combination Guns
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NitroXAdministrator
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What is the greatest single shot calibre?
      #5812 - 17/12/03 08:38 PM

A post to get it started.

What is the greatest calibre or cartridge for the true single shot?



--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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470Nitro
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #5823 - 18/12/03 03:15 AM

I don't know which one is the best but I'm so happy with my 6.5x57R

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down by the river on a friday night
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talkin' 'bout guns and dreamin 'bout women
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DoubleD
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: 470Nitro]
      #5824 - 18/12/03 03:23 AM

Depends on your point of view.

Enduring? 45-70!

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DD, Ret.

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Robie
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #5826 - 18/12/03 05:18 AM

I like the 6,5x57R., works as a charm in the woods-open fields, and in the mountains.
Robie J.

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DPhillips
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #5829 - 18/12/03 05:44 AM

I think it would depend on the rifle so chambered.

Say for a Farquharson, maybe something really big like a 577 Nitro.

For a break top single, that 6.5x57R would be a great mountain rifle.

For an old 1874 Sharps, maybe a 50-90.

A Dakota 10 or a Hagn, maybe a 300 H&H or 275 H&H

For a small action Martini, I'd like a 32-20.

My personal favorite rifle, the one that drug around all over the mountains and valleys here in Alaska is my Ruger No.1 S in 338.

Maybe those are the most classic choices, but I think they'd make excellent hunting rifle/cartridge combinations.

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gryphon
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: DPhillips]
      #5835 - 18/12/03 06:22 AM

There is only one to consider and that is the humble little .22....yep a twenty two as it is generally the round that near on every hunter/shooter in the world cuts his teeth on and thus sends us down the path to all those other cals.

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: gryphon]
      #5841 - 18/12/03 09:31 AM

In reply to:

There is only one to consider and that is the humble little .22....yep a twenty two as it is generally the round that near on every hunter/shooter in the world cuts his teeth on and thus sends us down the path to all those other cals.



Very true. My own first rifle was a cheap little Lithgow .22 bolt action single shot with open sights.

Best way to learn how to shoot and hunt.

A friend purchased a Stirling .22 semi-auto with 15 shot mag. Funny how he would shoot off 15 shots and not hit a thing, where I could hit it with a single bullet

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #5842 - 18/12/03 09:56 AM

Here's a few I like

medium bore

300 H&H Flanged - for those long range 'pukka' expeditions after ghooral

6.5x68R - a hot shot with a single barrel. What better rifle for tahr and chamois in the South Island than a 6 lb single.

And Mickey mentioned it but the Blaser 30R really does have quite an appeal. Never seriously looked at its ballistics before but not bad!

And for the big bore .577 NE of course. Want one of those one day And a 4-bore

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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DaveJames
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #5857 - 18/12/03 06:12 PM

450 3 1/4" Nitro

--------------------
"I am always willing to learn,but not always willing to be taught."
Sir Winston Churchill

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DPhillips
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #5863 - 19/12/03 04:34 AM

Nitro,
Here's your 4 Bore, that of Henry Morton Stanley. Yours for a mere $250,000 USD!
http://www.antiquearmsshow.com/Mainhall/LewisDrake/lewisdrake.html

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DUGABOY1
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: DPhillips]
      #5865 - 19/12/03 06:59 AM

I agree with DPhillips, the chambering depends on the type of singleshot in hand! I have owned falling blocks, rolling bolcks, breaktops, Martini drop blocks, side swing rook rifles! All had their place in the field.

The Farquahrson is most usefull chambered for one of the .450 class of NE rounds, though many have been made in
larger, and smaller chamberings. Very few of these are converted to other chamberings, as they are vertually all collector items.

The Ruger No1s only come from the factory with the largest chambering of 458 LOTT, but these have been barreled, and chambered for all the NE rounds up to, and includeing the 577NE 3", and as low as .22lr. The No1 is the strongest of the production singleshots today, and are the most popular for conversion.

The old Remington rolling block has been cloned by many makers, but is seldom seen in anything bigger that the 45-70 Gov. A few have been chambered for 458 RCBS, and was the reason the 458 RCBS was made with a 2 3/4" case, rather than the full 3" 45 basic, or 45-120. The long case wouldn't chamber over the rolling block.

The Sharps, and the clones have habitually been chambered for 45-70, and the verious Sharps cartridges, and are very popular for hunting North America, and target shooting.

The falling blocks like the Winchester high, and low wall, and the clones of this, and the Ballard pattern are rarely used for conversion, but are popular with some folks.

Lately there has been a flood of reasonably priced breaktop singleshots, in some pritty good deer cartridges, and are becomeing very popular with folks buying rifles for their kids to learn to hunt with!

I believe you will find the most activity around the Ruger No1s than any of the others.

I have Ruger No1s chambered for: 243, 7mm mag, 45-70, 458 Win Mag, 458RCBS,with some of those in more than one rifle, and have owned them chambered for 450NE 3 1/4", 450/400 3", 500/450NE.
The 458 Win Mag, along with a Pedersoli double rifle are slated to be re-chambered to 450#2NE, soon.

One shooters make the first shot count, as a rule, and brings back the almost lost art, in many places, of stalking to get within the right distance to make that first shot count! Single shot rifle make sharp shooters!

--------------------
..........Mac >>>===(x)===>
DUGABOY1, and MacD37 founding member of DRSS www.doublerifleshooterssociety.com
"If I die today, I have had a life well spent, for I've been to see the Elephant, and smelled the smoke of Africa!"

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gryphon
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: DUGABOY1]
      #5867 - 19/12/03 07:14 AM

"Very true. My own first rifle was a cheap little Lithgow .22 bolt action single shot with open sights.

Best way to learn how to shoot and hunt.

A friend purchased a Stirling .22 semi-auto with 15 shot mag. Funny how he would shoot off 15 shots and not hit a thing, where I could hit it with a single bullet "

Thats how i started out mate same old Lithgow and had the same scenario with the mate with the whiz bang semi-auto etc...i shot 99% of the rabbits Nitro just by being steady with the one shot rifle.

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RLI
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #5871 - 19/12/03 09:11 AM

My favourite Single Shot is a Colt Sharps in .30/06 but the Browning 1885 in .223 is a great handling and accurate rifle also but the question of best cartridge for a Single Shot depends on personal preference .It could be a Martini Cadet in .22 LR or a Dakota in .300H&H . My project rifle of the future would be a Ruger No. 1 made in early Farquason style in .470 NE and one in .303 Brit. I have noticed Ruger have bought out a .405 Win. in the No. 1 and this would be a interesting rifle . Thanks
RLI

--------------------
"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid." — John Wayne

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: DPhillips]
      #5879 - 19/12/03 12:21 PM

In reply to:

Nitro,
Here's your 4 Bore, that of Henry Morton Stanley. Yours for a mere $250,000 USD!
http://www.antiquearmsshow.com/Mainhall/LewisDrake/lewisdrake.html



Hey if I introduce the "donations forum" thing a la Hunt America, I may be able to afford one of these in about 100 years !

Will check out that link, though for sure.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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DPhillips
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #5882 - 19/12/03 12:41 PM

But then you would have to extoll the virtues of the Dakota 76 incessantly and become a total kneecap like Swamp. We wouldn't want that to happen!

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DaveJames
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: DPhillips]
      #5894 - 19/12/03 06:09 PM

Nitro,to late according to the DOC, some one has bought it and donated it to a museum

--------------------
"I am always willing to learn,but not always willing to be taught."
Sir Winston Churchill

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Nick_Adams
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: DaveJames]
      #5937 - 20/12/03 01:03 PM

Interesting thread.

I looked for a long time for a single-shot rifle for big-game use, one that I might take to Africa one day for use on various plains game species. I looked at different calibers and for a while considered the .375 H&H, but I already have a customized BRNO ZKK 602 in that caliber, so I started looking at the various 300 mags.

At some point, I came across a rare, NIB Ruger #1S chambered in 300 H&H (original factory), and stocked with beautiful wood. Since I'm primarily a shooter, not a collector, I had a talented local gunsmith do the usual #1 "accurizing" tricks to it, including installing a Hicks accurizer under the barrel. It's now extremely accurate with Federal's 180gn Nosler Partition load (1" or less @ 100yds), as well as with several handloads I've worked up. I'm still developing loads with it (that's the fun part), and am now testing several using Hornady's 220gn bullets.

Mostly, however, the appeal to me is in the nostalgia that comes from owning and shooting 2 very accurate, beautiful rifles chambered in traditional African-hunting British calibers, which together are fully capable of taking 98% of big-game animals anywhere in the world.

Sure, at the 300 magnum level there are more powerful cartridges out there, but as Gregor Woods argued in his book, Rifles for Africa, most are more than you really need. Loaded with today's premium big-game bullets, the "traditional" calibers work better than they ever did, without the downsides inherent in the later super-magnums for excessive recoil, muzzle blast and shooter-flinch.

Anway, as far as single-shots go, having one chambered for Holland & Holland's "Super 30" - whether from Ruger, Dakota or in an original Farquharson - is probably the ideal in this category of hunting rifle.

--------------------
________________________________

Remember ...

"Only accurate rifles are interesting."

.300 H&H.


Edited by Nick_Adams (21/12/03 05:48 AM)

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Levallois
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: Nick_Adams]
      #6018 - 22/12/03 10:07 AM

From a historical vantage point I'd suggest the venerable 450 3 1/4" BPE - the original 450 Express - you can use 270 to 365 gr bullets that should be good for just about any of the non-dangerous game out there. Couple this with a great old Farquharson, Fraser or Field actioned rifle and you're instantly transported back to the late 19th century hunting elk in Wyoming, stag in Scotland, boar in Germany, or eland in Africa.

John

--------------------
It ain't like it used to be, but it'll do.

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Holmes
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #6088 - 24/12/03 06:39 AM

Oh-oh... somebody said the 'S' word!

Seriously, as I'm from the western US, I'd have to cast me vote for the 45/70 and its variants. Colourful and historical. The 22 rimfire would also be a strong contender in my reality.

But of course, the 500 NE simply RULES in a #1

Thanks for the forum.

-Holmes

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Farkey
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: Holmes]
      #6181 - 27/12/03 05:15 PM

I guess I'm biased toward my Rigby Farquharson in 400/350 Nitro Express but the old Rigby round is a fantastic all-around caliber (310gr. solid at 2100 fps). It was also one of John Taylor's favorite rounds and he especially liked it in a single shot such as the Farquharson. See his famous book 'African Rifles and Cartridges' classic about his praise of the 400/350.

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ThomasEdwards
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: NitroX]
      #6523 - 05/01/04 06:04 AM

...for dg situations, i would say .416 rigby...

...for non-dg general hunting situations, i would say .30-06...

...for mountain or long-range hunting situations, i would say .300winmag...

...for historical purposes, i would say .450/400...

te

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kamilaroi
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: Levallois]
      #22678 - 26/12/04 11:01 AM

Levallois,


I agree with your sentiments, Though my choice (prejudice) is an Alex Henry 500/.450 3 1/4 Magnum b.p.e.

Otherwise any good P.D. pommy falling block (includes the Belgian made ones; most were!)

Regards

K

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RLI
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: kamilaroi]
      #22682 - 26/12/04 01:06 PM

I finally got my Ruger No. 1 in .405Win. and it is a real pig thumper ! The other S/S I like to use are Colt-Sharps and Browning 1885 both in .30/06 and a Browning 1885 in .223Rem. but the "Best Calibre" would be the .223Rem only because it is suited for most of my hunting ie-Fox,Rabbit,Crowe,'Roo,Goat. The "Classic" S/S I would like is a Farky in .450/.400 3 1/4" maybe one day!

Steve

P.S

I forgot to mention the Sportco-Martini in .22LR !

--------------------
"Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid." — John Wayne

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ALAN_MCKENZIE
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: RLI]
      #22683 - 26/12/04 01:45 PM

A question that I had to give a lot of thought to.
No simple answer so I opened my gun safe .
.22 martini and .22 lithgow.
310 cadet.
303 martini.
577/450 martini
577 black powder martini.

45/70 sharps (dont own it anymore )

--------------------
"Dogs always bark at their master"
Sir Seretse Khama.25th June 1949

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bonanza
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Re: What is the greatest single shot calibre? [Re: ALAN_MCKENZIE]
      #22694 - 27/12/04 01:37 AM

Ruger #1 in .300 Win Mag is hard to beat.

--------------------


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"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus

"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."

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