What are the benefits to a single shot rifle?

There are no known benefits to a single
shot rifle
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On the other hand, espescially for someone who shoots mostly targets at a shooting range, there are no real disadvantages either.
Single shot, you load and shoot one cartridge at a time.

With a repeater, is seems you are spending half your time loading the magazine.

With a full auto rifle, you spend most of your time reloading magazines at the range.
 
Bushmaster1313 "No need to unload after you shoot your buck"

I like that one! I love my 1970s Ruger No. 1 because it is beautiful and well-made. I enjoy just looking at it. Last year, three hunters I know went after elk and when it got super-cold and drizzly, the two with bolt actions had some trouble working the actions - the one with the No. 1 did not. Can't claim as fact it was solely the rifle and not the lube or degree broken in, but I enjoy believing it was the rifle.
 
Let's see, I got a Ruger #1, a Remington rolling block, a 1885 Winchester low wall, and a Stevens Favorite. You might say I'm a classic single shot afficiando.
I just think they are a lot prettier than repeaters.
Also, the overall length of the rifle can be a little shorter for a given barrel length because the the barrel can start farther back on the rifle.
 
AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL...

With one shot the shooter will concentrate on the first shot and not depend on 'spray and pray' follow up shots to hit the target.

Also as noted a couple posts above-longer, perhaps more accurate ammo can be loaded into a SS..
 
Langenc - you made a great point that ties into some statistics I read in the last year or two about how many rounds were shot per enemy killed in the wars since 1900. The greater the rate of fire, the more rounds it took. As you say, knowing you have one shot will sure get you focused on patience, breathing, obstructions and a perfect-as-possible shot.
 
Reading up on some modern firearms, I was curious about what is the benefit of a single shot bolt action rifle.
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emphisis added


To answer this question, look at something like the original Remington 40X-BR guns. They sold them single shot, and a version with a magazine a little later, if I remember right.

for the "ultimate" in action stiffness, the single shot has strong following with benchrest shooters. Makes the gun more accurate, they say. Maybe they are right. But the same gun as a repeater that shoots .125 minute of woodchuck worse than the single shot has a place, too.

If the game is all bullets in exactly the same hole, the single shot bolt is proven choice of competitors. But if you only need to hit what you aim at, and maybe do it again as fast as practical, the bolt action repeater has been a world standard for well over a century.
 
Am sure many have notice the gain in popularity of single shot rifles. It started with New England Arms Handirifle. Yhen Rossi, both guns shoot great and very accurate, New England rifle advance over Rossi, but only slightly. Heck even the Pro hunters these days on Outdoor Channel can be seen hunting big game with TC arms single shots, so single shots bust be accurate if pro hunters use them.
 
It started with New England Arms Handirifle.
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If you got a shooter you got lucky. I had one that I sent back to the factory 3 times before I got rid of it. It would string groups up to 4 inches as it warmed. They were rude when I called. Kind of like talking to tony suprano gangsters.
 
i'd put my .17 HMR up against some of these single shot .22 LR's. i didn't take a pic of the score card but last time i was at the range i was shootin around .20" inch at 100 yards with the factory 5 round magazine an shooting Hornaday 17 grain V-Max.
 
"i'd put my .17 HMR up against some of these single shot .22 LR's. i didn't take a pic of the score card but last time i was at the range i was shootin around .20" inch at 100 yards with the factory 5 round magazine an shooting Hornaday 17 grain V-Max."

Comparing a .17 HMR to a .22LR is more the cartridge than the rifle; the HMR's tend to be inherent tack-drivers. I have three single-shot NEFs - a .223, .17HMR, and 45-70. The .17 is like a laser, and the .223 can give me 1" at 200 yards. The problem with break-action rifles like the NEFs, you have to remove the rifle from its rest each time you reload it, so it's not the same as a repeater that you can leave in one position. My Ruger 10-22 is a prime example - I can shoot ragged 1-hole groups with it at 50yds using a full 10-round magazine, and come pretty close to it at 100. But that's partly because the only movement I make between shots is pulling the trigger.
 
I would say safety. My dad bought me my 243 single shot/single action rifle for hunting when I was young. For a new hunter/shooter, it was perfect. The only way that gun could fire is if I pulled back that hammer. No misfires! It was probably really comforting for my dad. :)
 
What are the benefits of the single shot rifle?

The cool factor is just all out of proportion to the rifle itself. It makes a statement.
 
S'S

Probably the most accurate .22 bolt guns are single shots.
Lots (most?) of Smallbore competition is shot with single shot .22 bolt guns. Olympic competition is the most visible.
Pete
 
It just occurred to me that with a repeater, the rifle with its emptying magazine gets lighter with each shot and that has got to affect barrel jump during bullet accleration just a little. This would especially be so with a tubular magazine full of heavy .30-30 bullets on the first shot and empty on the last shot resulting in stringing of the shots on the target. A box magazine probably wouldn't affect barrel jump as much.

Maybe that's another reason why bench rest shooters use their guns as single shots even if they are equipped with a magazine.
 
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