I started all my kids with single shots! They started by simply carrying the unloaded rifle, and I carried the ammo. This was so I could evaluate their safety deportment. When it came time to shoot at something, I would hand them cartridges one at a time.

This worked out very well, because those kids now are 51 yrs old for the oldest, and 44 yrs old for the youngest, and none of them has ever had a safety issue. Also, this tought my kids to make the first shot count! SO! Yes I would say I'm a single shot fan!

I have several Ruger No1 rifles, and sevral single shots by Merkel, and Heym as well. I also like the Sharps replicas as well, and have some of those too.

My father started me off with my first rifle being a mod 67 Winchester single shot .22 lr, and a single shot 410 ga shotgun by Stevens, and I wiped the country side clean of game durring WWII, supplying meat for five families who moved onto my grand father's cattle ranch, in the North end of the Texas hill country, while their men were fighting a war. A job I simply hated

My favorite rifle or shotgun is a S/S double barrel, and have some of those as well, but the single shot will always have a home in my heart!

I've got a 45/70 in a ruger number 1 and absolutely love it. It's accurate and handles extremely well. It makes an excellent elk, black bear, hog rifle. If I ever get a chance to shoot a bison, it will be my gun of choice. I also used to have a 416 rigby single shot in a ruger number 1, but I got rid of it because I don't believe single shots are good dangerous game rifles. I've got a couple of doubles also. When I want to stretch my 9.3X74R double in a chapuis, I'll scope it and load only the right barrel.... works well. Single shots are great if you're confident and you're not after DG.

Welcome to the site Madderwh. Sounds like you are another africa hunter. I envy you guy's. What do you have for photo's?

Maddenwh, you can certainly set your scope up that way, but you can also set it for both barrels was well, and shoot it long range just like any other rifle!

many are influanced by gun ragg writers wo have convenced readers, that a double rifle is not accurate past the end of the barrels. This isn't the case at all. On very expensive double rifles with one standing sight, and three or four flip-ups for different ranges wher not put there for looks. The key is working up a load the shoots to the regulation of your rifle! Those writers would have you believe that all double rifles are regulated to cross fire at a given range! This is not true, and only serves to show that magazine writers don't always know what they are writeing about, and in the case of double rifle, they are wrong almost 100 % of the time. If the load you are useing is proper for your rifle the shots from each barrel fly paralell , and do not cross at all. Once the proper load is found, the key is to fire a group of four shots,fired RT, LFT, RT, LFT, two from each barrel, then find the cetner of the composite group, and set your scope on the center of the composite group, and shoot as far as you are capable of hitting a target with any like chambered rifle!

Don fischer- I'm definitely not an expert on African hunting as I have actually never been. However, I do have one planned for 09'. Also, I was a hunting guide just West of Denver, Colorado on a ranch where I was employed. I guided for elk primarily (sometimes tracked mountain lion and baited for black bear) and did quite a bit of hunting too. My favorite hunting was hunting on the JA ranch, which is located in the Palo Duro canyon (second only to the Grand canyon and located in the TX panhandle). I frequently hunted ahdad sheep and mule deer. Until recently I've been stuck with the basics because of three years of law school. I'm rewarding myself with the trip to Tanzania (primarily wanting buffalo and maybe a lion or leopard). I'll post some pics of my double rifles as soon as I can figure it out. Might have to wait for the wife to get back into town. She is vastly superior at the techy stuff than I.

DugaBoy1- I hear ya, but I've found that at long distances, at least with my 9.3x74r chapuis, loading one barrel and sighting it in with a scope is more accurate than utilizing both barrels. I hate to scope any doubles period, but I'm not a confident enough shooter to take on an open-sighted shot past 175-200 yards, depending on the game.

Duggaboy, Also, thanks for the sighting advice. Once I find the perfect load for the rifle, I'll certainly give it a try. I also agree with you regarding hunting writers. Many of them are just journalism majors that have had the fortune of hunting once or twice. In most cases, they're reiterating the thoughts of o'connor and taylor. I will, however, admit that there are some very competent writers out there, both proffesional and amateur alike.

Single shots are great begginner guns and if you only need one shot for a kill they also are a little more accurate. But for most shooters and bolt, pump, or semi-auto is a better choice because they allow for a quicker follow up shot.

If you are going to buy a single shot, buy a ruger #1... best bang for your buck. If you are going to hunt with a single shot, be patient, shoot where you aim, be responsible, and always use a little more gun than necessary. However, you'll be surprised how quickly you can reload one of the single shot rugers.

I like a single shot rifle. I just bought a CVA Optima Eliete (S) in the 50 cal. blackpowder/243 Win. I already have the Optima Pro in 50 cal and like it very much, it is right on the money. Who needs more than 1 shot? LOL
1 shot 1 kill

I had a real soft spot fot the Ruger #1 years ago. Wanted it in 25-06 and finally found it. For some reason the dream died when I got it in my hands. New price was $265, tell ya anything!

I still wouldn't mind having a single shot but my druther's would be for a 40X now. Imagine a 40X in 257 Robert's Imp with a 26" barrel. Now that would be O........K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!