Most of the reading I have done deals with persons hunting dangerous game animals with double rifles or bolt action rifles. I see that Ruger is making some very large bore rifles and wonder if people hunt dangerous game (African) with single shot rifles. Was just curious.

There have been several folks who have used a single shot for their safari. Most often, these guys have already had a safari or two under their belt so they decided to do something different. Your manual of arms has got to be w/o thought(pure reflex and muscle memory) and be a better than average shot to manage. Of course, there's always back-up right behind you in case you screw up the shot.

From the articles that I have read, I know that Craig Boddington and his daughter Brittany have hunted and taken dangerous game with a Ruger No. 1 in .405 Winchester.

There is an article in the latest Sports Afield about a cape buffalo hunt with a Thompson/Encore in a 416 Rigby. One shot = one dead buffalo.

Shot my first buf with a 458 Lott one shot...Ele with one shot from double...
Single shots will work but the loading sequence has to be ingrained...and done without a thought... I would shoot a 500NE..
One wants to maximize the damage...
But nothing takes the place of a well placed shot...

Mike

in 2004 my son, who was 18 at the time, and me both took a cape buff each in Zim with a ruger #1 in 405. it was our first and so far only safari. i wouldnt hesitate to use a single shot on DG again, but i would go for a heavier caliber for buff on up.

quote:

Originally posted by 390ish:
Most of the reading I have done deals with persons hunting dangerous game animals with double rifles or bolt action rifles. I see that Ruger is making some very large bore rifles and wonder if people hunt dangerous game (African) with single shot rifles. Was just curious.

Wasn't April first a couple weeks ago?

On todays Safari, with all the backup, I see no reason not to use whatever you want to use within reason. A nice Ruger in .404 would be ideal IMO...

One must realize that things could turn bad and there is always that chance of that one shot getting you into trouble I suppose, but the odds are really heavy on your side that it will not, but that could also happen with a double or a bolt gun, and it has.

Anyway if one loves the old single shot then I say go for it. I am going to buy a .404 as soon as I can get one and you can bet that I will blood it on a Dagga boy...

FWIW, it just seems to me you should go into the field equipped to take your chosen game without help. Don't get me wrong, the back up needs to be there, but I don't think one should go into the situation planning on your PH taking care of things if the first shot doesn't incapacitate the animal. If things do go South, it seems to me the hunter has an obligation to be able to help solve the problem right along with the PH. The unarmed trackers and other support group may desparately need that extra gun in play.

From a psychological point of view, I've got to believe the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of a well earned trophy will be greater if you appoach the hunt with the mindset that you are going to handle the situation; the PH is a form of insurance if things go really wrong, not a co-shooter.

Thus, unless one can reload and place shots with the single shot as quickly and accurately as with a double or bolt; under my philosophy the single shot should stay in the truck.

I hope I didn't piss off too many people.

HFKATH,

Everything you wrote made perfect sence and would be exactly what I would recommend. Also I'm usually the first to choose practicality over anything else as far as rifles are concerned. Having said that I sit about 8 miles from the Ballard rifle company. I was in their facility recently and talked to them for quite awhile. You know if I had four grand to sink into a gun just because it was something that I wanted I think I'd commission a rifle with them. These rifle are slim, trim, light and can be had in virtually any caliber you can think of including the old nitro express cartridges. Fit and finish are excellent and overall workmanship seems superior. These rifles are just very sexy and I may have to have one single shot or not.

Mark

To paraphrase Hemmingway (who was no doubt paraphasing somebody else):

"You must shoot yourself out of whatever you shoot youself into."

I don't think a single shot is really the best choice.

Brett

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
These rifles are just very sexy and I may have to have one single shot or not.

Mark

They should be sold as 'matched pairs' so the blackamatic reloader standing just behind you (one hopes!) can hand you the second if needed. Just like the old 4-bore and 8-bore single shot days when often one was just not enough!

I have to wonder just how many hunters in the nitro era have come to grief solely because they engaged dangerous game with a single shot. I'm not doubting there is some additional risk in DG hunting with a single, and I would a whole lot rather have a double than a bolt in a tight spot myself. But I wonder what the odds would be based on a careful analysis of actual DG incidents in which the blame could clearly be placed on the hunting client using a single.
I would sure be tempted to try Cape buffalo with a Ruger No.1 in .450-400. Then there's this goofy Greener Martini in .577 3-inch BPE that I got from CongoMike that looks awfully authoritative when the Jamison brass is loaded with the Woodleigh 650-grain BPE softpoint.

Formerly Texas Hunter,
I agree with everything you said, however in the real world one must have a PH with him at all times. There certainly is nothing wrong in haveing back up in Africa or Iraq.

If one chooses to use a single shot for dangerous game then that person should be responsible enough to be a good shot and a be able to load quickly, to do otherwise is foolish. We all know a good first shot takes the danger equasion out of 99.5% of hunting dangerous game.

Bill,
are there pics of your 577 posted on here anywhere? i'd like to see it.

Interesting thread. No single shots for me for DG. I've mentioned this before, but I think it's worth mentioning; Renowned whitetail deer expert and HIDEOUS Thonpson Center Shill, Larry Weishun (sp?) took a buff with one of those abortions. Hie reload time was a measured 8.5 seconds. Fortunately for him, the buff ran away at the first shot instead of towards.

Craig Boddington in a few of his books specifically mentions he tried hunting DG with a single shot and proclaimed {sic} "not for me", yet on his TV show this year, he took a buff with a Ruger#1 in 450/400. Guess I would as well if Hornady offered the hunt. Can't blame him for that. jorge

Ray, I think you misunderstood me a bit. I am saying the PH definitely needs to be there. No question in my mind on that one. I am also saying however, the hunter needs to be equipped to handle the situation as if the PH were not there. It makes for a better hunt in all respects IMO.

I would hunt DG with a single shot if in a suitable caliber but I would have a tracker or gun bearer behind me with my 470 double if a follow up on a wounded animal was necessary.

465H&H

Choose your weapon wisely in a big enough caliber and fire power to handle anything as if the PH was not there. He may have his vision blocked or whatever!!
If you make a perfect shot everytime with unrestricted vision, then your not hunting in the jesse patches, I am.
If that leads you to a single shot, so be it,

Dak

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Interesting thread. No single shots for me for DG. I've mentioned this before, but I think it's worth mentioning; Renowned whitetail deer expert and HIDEOUS Thonpson Center Shill, Larry Weishun (sp?) took a buff with one of those abortions. Hie reload time was a measured 8.5 seconds. Fortunately for him, the buff ran away at the first shot instead of towards.

Craig Boddington in a few of his books specifically mentions he tried hunting DG with a single shot and proclaimed {sic} "not for me", yet on his TV show this year, he took a buff with a Ruger#1 in 450/400. Guess I would as well if Hornady offered the hunt. Can't blame him for that. jorge

I think good old Larry was moving in slow motion for it to take him 8.5 seconds to reload an encore. As for BIDdington, I wouldn't take ANYTHING he says with less than a pound of salt. I'm sure if Crossman would sponsor one of his hunts, he'd be proclaining the 177 caliber pellet rifle is all one needs to hunt elephant. Remember his proclamation about the .204 and plains game?

I have hunted a lot with single shots - both Encore and No.1. I will take my next buff with a No.1 rebarreled to .450/400 3". I am confident that I will place the first shot where it needs to go, and I can get off a second aimed shot with it as fast or faster than most can with a bolt.

I would not attempt it with my Encore. Even though I have practiced a lot, my personal reloading time is not good enough for me to feel comfortable on dangerous game.

If you can do it, do it. If you can't, don't. Know your own limits.

Piece of Cake. Ask 500 Nitro

DeGoins: No photos of the .577 yet as it is still being smithed by Martini man Jim Wassmundt. With this long case, a properly blunt bullet profile is necessary to stuff it down the trough and round the bend into the chamber, as the 3-inch is max. length in the Greener action. I'll post pics when I get it up and running.
Here's a question: With a properly tuned Ruger No. 1 and a hunter who has practiced reloading it at speed, just how far is it behind a bolt gun for the second or third shots?

thanks Bill, can't wait to see it!!

Hunter,
Agreed..........

I would hunt with a single shot if I took a notion, and for that matter I would hunt with a rock if I took a notion, and if the PH has no problem with it and none that I know of do, then have at it.

That notion would be with one of Butch's new sweet little single shots and maybe its a stunt, maybe not, but it would be my stunt and my right to do so. I would also want back up if available regardless of what I am using, or a handy tree in the event I am wrong in my thinking, I like having an edge when my a$$ is on the line and I have a healthy respect born of experience for dangerous game.

I have shot buffalo with a 7x57, 8x57, and .308 out of both necessity and a need to know first hand, I know many of the African old timers did likewise and I know many PHs that have done likewise. It worked and very well I might add. Such is the love of hunting, adding a challange. Stunts maybe but so what?

Most PHs cut their teeth on dangerous game and smaller calibers. most with surplus Mausers or AKs. Read Phil Shoemakers latest article in Sporting Classic, same applies to Africa I assure you.

That said, I normally like my doubles or one of my good big bolt guns for hunting DG, but I certainly have no problem with hunting with anything else, caliber or action type, if the opertunity arises..

I'd want that #1 to be unscoped. Why? to get reloaded and back onto the target quickly.
We all love to think of ourselves in a sticky situation where we settle right back on the target in a nanno second from the recoil of a DG. But in real life few, very few do. Most scoped bolt users with a 458WM and up are terribly slow at working the bolt and getting the sight picture again for an accurate shot. I don't see where a single shot is going to be that much slower.

I think a lot of you guys are getting tied up over the semantics of "can it be done" VS "should it be done" Here in the USA you can hunt whitetail in some states legaly with a 22 mag. Elk, moose an grizzley with a .243.

I have done a bit of hunting, to include Africa DG. Almost every game animal I have taken was a ONE shot affair. HOWEVER the few times I needed an extra shot to anchor an animal I was glad I had it.

I hunt alot and shoot handguns as part of my job. So I know a little about instinctive shooting. The truth is no matter how fast or compotent you are with a single you will be at least 2X faster with a bolt. Just like a trick shooter who is trained with a single action revolver would be probably 3 times faster if he was trained with a Glock.

I love single shots. The only one I own now is a muzzleloader. I have been lusting after a Ruger #1 in 204 for varmits. I just dont think they are for me when it comes to big game. I also think, with no disrespect intended, that singles are an unneccesary liability when it comes to DG.

To quote the comedian Chris Rock "Just because you can do something dosent mean it is a good idea, you can drive a car with your feet! That don't make it a good idea!"

I use my Ruger #1 in 500NE for all my personal safaris. Shot placement is paramount of course, and fortunately I have never needed a second shot although I do place one as insurance on all things that can stomp and gore.
Also, I never hunt alone, so a buddy is always there as back-up in the event that something goes pear shape. Reloading is not as fast as bolt guns to be sure, but as when hunting with my bolt rifles I automatically reload after each shot fired.

500,
from that picture it looks like your #1 has been customized, can you post a picture of it and give some details about it? thanks.

it started off as a 30-06 which I won in a shoot. I had it customised by custom gunsmith John Hall to a serviceable lightweight 500 3"NE.
He is also a single shot fan and has retired back to his home country New Zealand.
Send me a PM and I will let you have a pic, I am a bit fuzzy on how to post pics on the forum.

ok great!!! thanks.

I have seen a lot of folks with bolt guns and doubles, whatever, wound, empty the gun, fail to make hits on a charge, its not restricted to single shots, its more the fault of the individual that gets folks in trouble. I think we should be discussing folks that go hunt DG and can't shoot well because they don't practice.

Single shot shooters tend to be good shots, practice with their guns because they know they are giving an advantage to the animal.

I know that when I hunted deer with a Ruger single shot 06, and I jump a buck, I mentally told myself "you only have one shot" and I am sure it made me shoot a little better.

Good shooting is what its all about. The rest is mostly internet entertainment. Caliber, actions, wood, plastic, blue, teflon, all thats fun and games, shot placement is the cardinal rule of hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:

I know that when I hunted deer with a Ruger single shot 06, and I jump a buck, I mentally told myself "you only have one shot" and I am sure it made me shoot a little better.

Ray,

I know exactly what you mean. When I started out shooting Olympic Trap as a school kid with my spare money, I worked out that if I only used one shell at a time I could get myself 3 rounds of clays for the price of 2... Only having the one shot though really made me focus on that shot and make sure it found the mark. I shot my best scores like that.

I suppose the same thing applies when faced with a single shot on game, you get your head down and make the shot count.

FB

Good points Ray-I agree that "One Good Shot"is an attitude and a person as well as a weapon.Who is in the pilots seat is as important as what kind of plane.

I have both a TC Contender and a TC Encore and nowdays when I do not have a bow in hand I am quite likely to be packing one of those.

To those that claim that hunting DG with a bow or a single shot rifle is a stunt and that we only do it cause we know that there is a back-up stopper behind us , I can only say that if it could be arranged I would rather hunt alone.Getting in close for a shot without the animal knowing you are there is the goal, and it is much harder to accomplish with a PH, a tracker, and a game scout in tow.Also if I am alone I am not resposible for someone else's safety, only myself.

I have never brought a rifle to Africa to hunt and have taken my DG with a bow.I have contemplated taking a rifle on a future trip however and if I do it will most likely be the Encore.

Take a look at the leopard charge thread started by Fulldraw Outdoor Media and tell me that you want a single shot when facing a dangerous animal.

And that's just one of many examples that could be provided of why it's not a good idea, to say the least.

If you want me to admit that it is not the best choice for hunting leopard with dogs then I will do so.When I go after leopard with my bow or single shot rifle I will take that into consideration and perhaps hunt differently.I did notice in the footage that you reference having another type of weapon in this case did not preclude the PH having to get involved.

Sorry, eyedoc, my comment was not directed specifically to you, but was a general observation.

I would emphatically not use a single shot on DG. But then again I don't rassle with bears neither.

A chacun son goût.