I've Been thinking about single shot rifles.


I hunted with a single shot once a few years ago. A ruger No 1 , chambered in 7mm STW. It killed the hell out of a nice whitetail buck standing broadside at a friends 316 long strides.


Is the Ruger single shot action made of cast steel?

What other single shot actions are available?

Winchester 1885s real, nearly real and superficially real,
Ballards new and original
trapdoors ditto
rolling blocks ditto
Wessons ditto
Sharps 74, 75s, 77s, 78s ditto
Maynards orginal only
NEF handy rifles new only
TCs of various flavors new only
etc etc etc.

Surely something catches our eye.

Brent

Don't forget Martini.
Pete

Almost everything Ruger makes is investment cast !The Ruger and Browning 1885 are very strong actions .It's always a pleasure to use a single shot.Get one.

quote:

Originally posted by PJ:
Don't forget Martini.
Pete

I keep tryin'

I've owned two of the ugly bastards! They do shoot though.

Brent

Dakota
Martin Hagn
DeHaas-Miller
Merkel

It just goes on and on.

Just thought I'd add the Blaser K-95; you don't have to just do the action you just simply buy the entire rifle.

Wow guys, thanks for all the great replys. I know see that their is definatley a bunch of options. Way more than I thought their would be anyway.

Of all these choices, what action would make a great custom?

Thinking about a long range rifle [a useing gun]. Maybe 7mm STW or 300 Weatherby etc..
I am not interested in customizing a Ruger.
The action would have to be one that I could easily obtain, and is not made of cast steel.

Let me know what you think!!

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by maxbear: Of all these choices, what action would make a great custom?

The classic long range rifle is the 78 Sharps, though I would opt for the 1877 as it is about 10 times sexier and a traditional long range rifle also.

The only caliber to consider is .45-90.

Brent

PS. To be honest you are asking Ford/Chevy, blond/redhead questions. Only you can make up your mind.

Take a look at the Wesson (single shot) action by Steve Earle.

I just got mine 2 weeks ago, and it is unbelievably well made.

I'm leaning towards the 30 Blaser chambering, but I haven't made the final decision yet.

The nice thing about starting with just the action is that you procede as your time and bank account allows.

Garrett

How about a Griffin Fraser. This one will be a 405 Win.

quote:

Originally posted by Brent:

PS. To be honest you are asking Ford/Chevy, blond/redhead questions. Only you can make up your mind.

Thanks for the reply Brent. I am well aware of Ford's,Chevy's Blonde's and Redhead's. Until this thread I had no idea their where so many actions to choose from. So while you and many others are so well informed on the subject. I am not. I learned something today. Im just here to learn.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by N. Garrett:
Take a look at the Wesson (single shot) action by Steve Earle.

I just got mine 2 weeks ago, and it is unbelievably well made.

I'm leaning towards the 30 Blaser chambering, but I haven't made the final decision yet.

The nice thing about starting with just the action is that you procede as your time and bank account allows.

Garrett

Hi Garrett, I did a AR search on Steve Earle. I found a picture posted by Marc Stokeld. Damn nice lookin rifle.

How long did it take to receive a action once you placed your order?

quote:

Originally posted by richj:
How about a Griffin Fraser. This one will be a 405 Win.

richj

I've noticed a threaded connecting rod that protrudes from the rear of the action. I assume this is how the action is "bolted" to the stock. Is this correct? Is this how most single shot rifles hold their rear stock ?

Max,

After I put in my deposit, the action came in about 21 months.

I think he is tooled up to do them more quickly now.

Garrett

max

The Ruger uses the same method but I'm not sure about the rest. It is more secure (my opinion) than tang screws that go from the trigger guard to the top tang.


richj

I've noticed a threaded connecting rod that protrudes from the rear of the action. I assume this is how the action is "bolted" to the stock. Is this correct? Is this how most single shot rifles hold their rear stock ?[/QUOTE]

Does anyone know anything about or have any experience with the E. Arthur Brown Co. (EBACO) Model 97D single shot rifles.
Pete

I like my Hyper Single in 257 Roberts.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by maxbear:
...Of all these choices, what action would make a great custom?...
...The action would have to be one that I could easily obtain, and is not made of cast steel.

Bear,
I also would like to see a falling block that is not cast. Having said that, after I handled some Hagns, I soon forgot that they were cast. They are very strong and superbly made. That is one casting I would suffer.

The investment cast steel actions are
as strong or stronger, as machined actions,
after both are heatreated. The steel isn't
old style cast iron type composition, but
a high alloy, high stregth steel like the
billets other actions are machined from.
You couldn't blowup a Ruger with a stick
of dynamite.Ed

I didn't see anyone mention the Wickliffe or Hepburn actions, now available. The Hep is bp only or low pressure sp but the Wick will handle belted magnums. We're building one in 500 S&W now for a client.

Ed Hubel is right, although it is a major drift from the normal machined and broached steel actions, investment casting is a incredibly refined method compared to yesteryear's casting processes. As with any method used, it does have advantages and disadvantages. One unusual attribute to a investment casting using the proper alloy to the application, and of course a proper heat treatment, is that the grain of the steel is a bit more compact when compared to a uncast reciever. Granted if cast properly, this allows the steel to be a bit more shock resistant unless there's a fault inside the metal itself, which will lead to cracking and failure. This happens a lot less than one would think however.
As for a custom long range rifle, while not as attractive as a Sharps, have you considered a Browning 1885 High Wall? Also the Thompson Center Encore is a easy choice, as those feature interchangable barrels and when you want to use another caliber, just change the barrel.

Max-

What is it you don't like about as cast action?

I was just curious. Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
I like my Hyper Single in 257 Roberts.
Butch

Hi Butch, Do the people who make the Hyper Single have a website? Never heard of these either.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Marc_Stokeld:
Max-

What is it you don't like about as cast action?

I was just curious. Thanks!

Well Mark, Until I read Woodjacks,hubel458, and the metalsmiths posts. I did not know that cast steel actions where as strong as machined actions.

Thanks guys

I have been looking around the web like a mad man. Alot of the actions I am finding are pretty slim and trim looking. I am looking for a bigger action. Weight is not an issue. Any ideas?

Maxbear,
I believe that they were last made in the 80s. I had an unfinished receiver that I gave to a friend. Mike Bryant, Bryant Custom Guns, has an unfinished receiver and it may be for sale. They are still listed in the Blue Book of gun values. I have serial#2. The rifle was built for Charlie Williams the originator of the Shilen trigger. Charlie also made the Benchmaster BR reveivers in the early days.
Butch

Casting is an intriguing process that as mentioned before, has improved much over the last 20 years. It allows extremely difficult objects to be manufactured in far less time and can be quite strong on some applications.

It's number one attribute however is its ability to be a cost-cutting measure. That's how it got its start and the reason it has seen continous use ever since.

The sad part is; there's nearly nothing on a single-shot falling block action that would warrant it. A decent forging and some good machining could produce just as good and or better action for around or less than what's being charged now for a casted action.

I fell in love with falling blocks many years ago as a kid in a gunsmith's shop fondling high walls. There's something truely magical about opening up a fine single shot and listening to the "clicks" and the feel of a closed breach block on a fine cartridge.
Having a working mechanism like that cheapened up with a casting makes my stomach turn........probably the reason I never could warm up to a number one Ruger.

Dakota's number 10 is very elegant indeed, it's just that it lacks the right "sound" for me to truely fall in love with it.
It's like hammering back a peacemaker or a nice S&W N Frame......They just sound right and feel good.

One other thing I suppose I can't stand on the casted receivers is overwhelming number of them that end up with high concentrations of silicone in the casting process, resulting in a reddish color after blueing. Rugers are notorious for this and keep me from investing in any of them, except their 22's in the rifle and pistol.....well I also ended up with their 7722 in a hornet. Not many other options at the time.

I have shot hundreds of guns, and the ones I like to shoot best are:
Ruger #1
Browning A5
Ruger 10/22
98 Mauser
1873 Colt
1911 Colt

The book "Single shot rifles and actions" by DeHaas is about as good as a gun book can get for my engineering point of view.




Buy or borrow this book. One paragraph about the Ruger #1 is worth the cost of the book

quote:

From page 318:
".. One of the major design and construction features of the Ruger action is the breech block and firing pin arrangement. To make this one of the strongest and safest single shot actions ever produced, Ruger insisted that the rear of the breech block exposed above the receiver be solid an closed. Previously in circumstances like this, other gunmakers merely made the firing pin tip integral with the hammer nose, as witness some of the German made single shot actions. Ruger, however, intended his action to be the best ever, regardless of cost, and this called for a solid rear breech block wall and a separate and easily replaceable spring retracted firing pin in a straight line, or nearly so, with the bore. How he achieved this is seen clearly in the sectional view drawing."

http://www.rayrilingarmsbooks.com/cgi-bin/rrb455.cgi/667.html?id=XMYrLMHZ
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(nr0inb55kiyupa55hkmmk4...2&PageSize=10&Page=5
The Table of Contents includes the following:

* Introduction
* MAJOR U.S. RIFLES
* Chapter 1 Sharps Side-Hammers
* Chapter 2 Early Ballards
* Chapter 3 Marlin Ballards
* Chapter 4 Gunsmithing the Marlin Ballards
* Chapter 5 Peabodys
* Chapter 6 Peabody-Martinis
* Chapter 7 Remington-Beals
* Chapter 8 Remington No. 1 & No. 1-1/2 Rolling Blocks (Including Remington Single-Set Triggers)
* Chapter 9 Remington No. 2 Navy Cadet
* Chapter 10 Remington No. 2 Rolling Block (Late Version)
* Chapter 11 Remington No. 4 Rolling Block
* Chapter 12 Remington Model 6
* Chapter 13 Remington-Hepburns (Including Hepburn Double-Set Triggers)
* Chapter 14 Sharps-Borchardts
* Chapter 15 1873 Springfields
* Chapter 16 First Stevens - The Tip-Up
* Chapter 17 Stevens Sideplate
* Chapter 18 Stevens Favorites
* Chapter 19 Stevens No. 44
* Chapter 20 Stevens Sure Shot
* Chapter 21 Stevens Side-Lever Crack Shots
* Chapter 22 Stevens Maynard Jr.
* Chapter 23 Stevens No. 44-1/2 (Including Double-Set Triggers)
* Chapter 24 Stevens No. 14 Little Scout, Stevens No. 14-1/2 Little Scout, Stevens No. 11 Junior
* Chapter 25 Stevens No. 12 Marksman
* Chapter 26 Stevens No. 26 Crack Shots
* Chapter 27 Original Whitney Rolling Block, New Whitney Rolling Block, Whitney Phoenix System
* Chapter 28 Winchester Falling Blocks (Including Single-Set, Close-Coupled Double-Set and Schuetzen Double-Set Triggers)
* MINOR U.S. RIFLES
* Chapter 29 Ethan Allen Falling Block
* Chapter 30 Crescent Rolling Block
* Chapter 31 Davenport Falling Block
* Chapter 32 H&A No. 722, H&A No. 822, H&A Falling Blocks
* Chapter 33 Killdeer Swing Block
* Chapter 34 Lee Side-Swing
* Chapter 35 Page-Lewis Swinging Block
* Chapter 36 Smith Rolling Block
* EUROPEAN RIFLES
* Chapter 37 Aydt Swinging Blocks (Including 4-Lever Set Triggers)
* Chapter 38 Belgian and Brazilian Comblains
* Chapter 39 Deeley & Edge Falling Block
* Chapter 40 Farquharson Falling Block
* Chapter 41 Floberts
* Chapter 42 Fraser Falling Block
* Chapter 43 German Striker Type Falling Block
* Chapter 44 Another German Falling Block
* Chapter 45 Portuguese Guedes Falling Block
* Chapter 46 Nagel & Menz Heerens
* Chapter 47 Kettner (German) Falling Block
* Chapter 48 Schuetzen Type Martini
* Chapter 49 Side-Lever Martini
* Chapter 50 Martini .310 Cadet
* Chapter 51 H. Pieper (Belgian) Marksman
* Chapter 52 Random Thoughts on the Single Shot
* MODERN RIFLES
* Chapter 53 Ithaca Model 49
* Chapter 54 Mossberg Model L
* Chapter 55 Ruger Number 1 Falling Block
* Appendix
o Barrel Shank Specifications
o Bibliography Single Shot Rifles
o Index

As it was mentioned here, does anyone have a source of Miller actions? I had a deposit on one for 7 years with Miller, then Miller-Dakota, until they screwed me out of even that. That is one company I shall always avoid like the plague in the future.

Incidentally, I mostly prefer the Reidl in hunting rifles.....and I still have over 15 Ruger No. 1's & 3's, which I kept because of their fine hunting accuracy and general performance in the field....some with original barrels, some re-barreled.

Alberta Canuck,
Didn't Ron Smith used to have some of these?
I looked at a Hall action which I didn't mind the looks of. Martin Hagn had it at his shop. Regards, Bill

My vote goes to an original High Wall, preferably in blued thick wall configuration, and modified to take a through stock bolt. Sure, usually rimmed cartridges only and no ejection, so what. Winchester made them in 7x57 and .30'06 and I have a (1) Burgess actioned rifle in 6.5'06 and (2) a Griffin & Howe .250-3000 both with ejectors, so it can be done. You can even put a forend strut into a coilspring action.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
Alberta Canuck,
Didn't Ron Smith used to have some of these?
I looked at a Hall action which I didn't mind the looks of. Martin Hagn had it at his shop. Regards, Bill

Thanks for the tip, Bill. I didn't know Ron had any of those, though I know he has made barrels for a bunch of them. He made the barrel for the one with which Bev Pinney won the 1998 CBA Grand National Championship.....

quote:

Originally posted by maxbear:
I have been looking around the web like a mad man. Alot of the actions I am finding are pretty slim and trim looking. I am looking for a bigger action. Weight is not an issue. Any ideas?

Hagn Actions

You will see they have a 4lb receiver. Have look around on their site,and youll find a .500NE they built on one. I have handled that bigbore rifle, and I can tell you its a BiG step up in proportion from a rugerNo:1 action.
Surely enough receiver for your 7mmSTW?

Woodjack

I wondered over to view the 500 Nitro rifle. I like it. Especially those side plates. Now that's something differant.

Does the Hagn action have an ejector? or is it an extractor?

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by maxbear:
I've Been thinking about single shot rifles.


I hunted with a single shot once a few years ago. A ruger No 1 , chambered in 7mm STW. It killed the hell out of a nice whitetail buck standing broadside at a friends 316 long strides.


Is the Ruger single shot action made of cast steel?

What other single shot actions are available?

I believe the No. 1 receiver is an investment casting, but the Dakota # 10 is not. And the difference is reflected in the purchase prices, not in the comparative performance of the two.

The Dakoa is a much more elgant rifle, but it is no stronger, nor does it shoot any better.

quote:

Originally posted by maxbear:
..Does the Hagn action have an ejector? or is it an extractor?..

Extractor is std.
Ejector is optional extra.
Mr.Hagn tells me 90% of folk chose std.extractor.
He said the ejector can fire cases back a fair way,up too 10ft, im guessing it can be adjusted down to be less severe for smaller chamberings.

I want to thank everybody for their posts. I definatley learned several things.

I think the Hagn action is for me. I like its looks.

So thanks again for answering my questions, posting pictures, and teaching me.

quote:

Originally posted by PJ:
Does anyone know anything about or have any experience with the E. Arthur Brown Co. (EBACO) Model 97D single shot rifles.
Pete

PJ, I have an early 97D, and it's a shooting SOB. That said, it's a low pressure, small frame action, not really suitable for pressures over 45,000 PSI, unless using a 223 sized casehead.

Love the little gun though. I get to shoot it once in a while when my wife's not looking (she thinks it's "her" gun). HTH, Dutch.