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Single Shot Rifles...


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Frederick Jackson Turner's favorite hunting rifle thread brought out some really cool ol' gaspipes;  I was surprised to see a few single-shot models listed.

 

So, along that line, how many of us have and enjoy these breech-loading classics??  :)

 

Here's one of mine - 1979 vintage Ruger No. 1 AB in .270  Fun to take out and fondle from time to time!  :lol:

 

1271005800_aRugerNo1.thumb.jpg.f6b3663204715049eae329cd90529f0b.jpg

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I have two single shot rifles. I have a Savage 30 model of the Stevens Favorite. 
(stock photo)

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I also have a Henry Single Shot 45-70

 

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I like them both very much. 

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Wesson & Harrington 1871 Buffalo Classic, 45-70.

Wesson & Harrington 1871 Target, 38-55

New England Firearms Single Shot, .223 Rem

New England Firearms  Single Shot, .204 Ruger

 

Just don't get to shoot them enough.  

 

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Two Italian Sharps 45/70, one Italian 45/70 and two Remington rollers 7mm and 22, 1 Italian trapdoor 45/70, one Ithaca 22, one Husqvarna 22 bolt and two Ruger #1s 45/70 and 223.

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Ruger #1 in 22-250

Ruger #1 in 270

Ruger #3 in 45-70
Pedersoli Sharps in 45-70

H&R in 22 Hornet with full stock 

Remington 40x in 22lr

numerous other 22’s

 

 

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CPA/Stephens 38-55 NFS

H&R Buffalo Classic 38-55 NFS

Pedersoli Rolling Block Carbine 45-70

Several Swedish Rolling Blocks

 

Always wanted a Ruger #1 in a big bore caliber.

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1 hour ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

It always scared me to think of what the recoil would be like. I’d need some lead in the buttstock and a sorbathane recoil pad. 

 

1 hour ago, J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE said:

 

Not necessary at all unless you handload 500 grain bullets to insane pressures.

 

Beauty of the 45-70 cartridge is its versitility.  You can down load it to gallery load levels for rabbit and squirrel hunting or go to the other extreeme where it will easily kill anything in the America's on one end and maimes on the other. ;) 

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I still deeply regret not buying a Ruger #3 the several times I had the chance.  Ah well...

 

Okay ~ my Remington, .43 Spanish, or nominally, .44-77*:

 

*Back on the nineties there were a few folks around who would gripe loudly about metric calibers... "We don't need no stinking 'Metric' crap in this game!  It ain't American!"  So when someone would ask what caliber my roller was, I'd just grunt "Forty Four- Seventy Seven Sharps."  That would shut 'em up.  For what it's worth, I formed the brass from .348 Winchester.  Dropped a proper sized pin gauge into the mouth and chucked it up in a drill press to file down the web area near the base, then fire-formed.  A ton o' fun to shoot! ;)

 

And I have no idea who carved their initials into the stock.  Undoubtedly someone long gone by the time I arrived on the planet.

 

  1216243339_BRemingtonRollingBlock.thumb.jpg.39812678717b7bb2533448029974621a.jpg

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

It always scared me to think of what the recoil would be like. I’d need some lead in the buttstock and a sorbathane recoil pad. 

With that crescent steel butt plate and very light weight It is definitely not a gun for plinking. It however is accurate as hell and carries very lightly 

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I just went looking in Cartridges of the World.

 

I found the 50/70, and since the 7 and the 4 are right on top of each other on a keypad, that could have been a simple typo.

 

I found the 50/140, so he could have just simply left the 1 off.

 

And I found the 50 US Carbine, which was a cut down version of the 50/70. Used a 400 grain bullet over 45 grains of powder.

 

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My Pedersoli Trapdoor in .45-70

I'm still trying to figure out a good, accurate load for it, but it takes time.

.45-70 Springfield 001 (4).JPG

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I mentioned that the 50-40 is a Navy carbine. Very short barrel and a cut down 50-70 case.  Also a 32 gauge brass shotgun round can be cut down.The original sights were set for about 100 yards. I was told long barrel rifles didn't work on ships because of all the rigging that a long barrel could hang up on. Short range with a lot of ummmph.

 I just did a Google and discovered it was supposed to be a 50-45.

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Here's my favourite.

A Pedersoli Sharps in .45-70 with a tang sight and Hadley Eyepiece.

It really shoots nice with the tailored load I made, but the weight of that barrel when you shoot it freehand!!!+

1874 Sharps (Pedersoli) close-up side view 013 (3).JPG

1874 Sharps (Pedersoli) with vernier sight and Hadley eyepiece 013 (2).JPG

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Did somebody say single shot carbines?  Here they are (again) top to bottom: .50 cal Maynard capping breach loader, 1863 Sharps in .50-70, .45-70 Trapdoor, .577 BSA Portuguese Snider, .50-70 Rolling Block, 1871 Mauser 11mm and 1873 Gras 11mm.  Not shown is the .50 Smith since it’s a repro. All are shooters. 
 

Seamus

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1 hour ago, Seamus McGillicuddy said:

 

Did somebody say single shot carbines?  Here they are (again) top to bottom: .50 cal Maynard capping breach loader, 1863 Sharps in .50-70, .45-70 Trapdoor, .577 BSA Portuguese Snider, .50-70 Rolling Block, 1871 Mauser 11mm and 1873 Gras 11mm.  Not shown is the .50 Smith since it’s a repro. All are shooters. 
 

Seamus

 

Very cool, Seamus!!  Have you fired the Gras??

 

Here's MY Gras,  Manufacture D Armes Culle  MLE 1874.... bayonet wouldn't fit in the picture.  Story below.  ^_^

 

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This was given to me an old friend and college fraternity brother; he inherited this and a few other family relics when an uncle passed away, but had no interest in them.  Story was that his grand-dad had brought it back from France after WW I.

 

A whole bunch of years ago I was at a Kings River Regulators annual match, and had this thing in my gun cart - I'd told another pard about it and brought it along to show him.  Anyway, as I'm wheeling along, I see an older cowpoke off in the distance look up, lock a gaze on me, and double-time on a route to intercept me.  

 

"Oh MY!  You have a GRAS!" he blurted out with enthusiasm....

 

Well, he went on to tell me that he too had one - and mine was the only other one he'd ever seen.  Then he exclaimed "And you have the BAYONET!! I've never even SEEN a bayonet for the Gras!"  

 

I did; it was affixed to the rifle.  He asked if he could see it, so I removed it and handed it to him.  He handled and admired it, then returned it with a wistful smile and a proclamation that I was a lucky fella indeed.

 

"Well," sez I... "I'm more lucky than you might imagine."

 

"Whadda mean?" he asked.

 

"Well, as it happens, not only do I have the bayonet... I actually have TWO of em!"

 

The gentleman's jaw dropped.  Literally.  Then he asked, hopefully, if there was any chance I would consider selling one...

 

"Nope.  Not a chance," I replied.

 

"I understand."  he sad.

 

"Ya know," I continued, "this rifle and both bayonets were given to me.  I could not in good conscious sell one.  After all, it had been a gift.  But, since it WAS a gift, I'd be more than happy to share my good fortune, and I'd be right pleased to just give you the extra."  

 

The man was shocked, and I was plumb tickled to pass it on.  I didn't have it with me, but I asked if he was going to EOT in Norco in a couple of weeks - he was, so I "pony expressed" it down with another pard.  

 

I crossed paths with him a year or two later; he was thrilled to get the bayonet and, despite my protests, he absolutely insisted that I take something in exchange, and refused to take a "Thank you, but no thanks."  His offerings were amazing; he was very happy when I finally accepted an Armsport Bowie knife.  :)

 

 

 

 

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Yes, Hardpan, like the rest I have fired the Gras but both it and the Mauser have been quite a challenge to shoot accurately.  Both are projects that need more work.  And, speaking of bayonets, here is the little Gras wearing it’s ridiculously oversized bayonet originally made for the long Chassepot rifle.  The French were never known for discarding any military equipment that could still prove useful so believe it or not they designated these left overs to use with the Gras Artillery Musketoon. (The actual cavalry carbine by the way was nearly as long as the rifle version).  I can only imagine what it must have been like to fire one of these diminutive pieces with the big Yataghan attached. 
 

Seamus

 

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As a kid, I had a Remington Model Six falling block in 22.
I crawled through a lot of brush, and popped a lot of prairie dogs with that old gun.
It went away when my house was robbed many years later.

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