Actual experiences please.

My answer is none. but then I have not shot anything yet with my single shot rifle.

Before I got a Ruger #1 in 7mm RM I had been huntng with various SS rifles just like most here started out I would wager. The transition was natural and I never gave it much thought. I just expected to hit the animal right the first time. I have missed a couple of shots over the years with other rifles but shooting again fast would not have mattered.

I think one just slows down with a SS rifle and hunts and aims better.

The late Les Bowman hunted with just a single cartridge on him. Talk about SS riflemen!

I really don't like autoloading rifles so I gravitate to the SS rifle. It's just me.

Zero.

I have missed two animals when shooting a single shot rifle over the past 20 years or so, but in my heart I do not believe a quick follow up shot would have mattered in the least.

Well, this is pretty measly experience, but I am one for one.

One shot from a #1 .375 H&H, one dead elk. It was the only shot fired at an animal with that rifle.

Tim

1966

Out of work and goin' hunting w/ a 270

With the one cartridge I had that fit my Rem 760

Ate venison that fall & winter !

I occasionaly hunt with my # 1 in 300 Wby because it is a dream to carry and shoots just as well. I agree with Sav 99 that most will take a little more care aiming when they hunt with a single shot. One well placed shot with a 300 Wby is all most animals need. I've never had to fire a second shot.
As a young man my dad bought a Savage 219 in 30-30. Not because he prefered it over a win or Savage lever action...it was all he could afford.He paid for that rifle the first winter with fox pelts he shot. I don't think it hindered him much. That would have been just before he married mom so that would be in the late 1930's. I still have that old rifle.

Not a damn one!! Most of my hunting is in places where if you miss on the first shot, the speed of the action in reloading has little effect on whether you get another shot or not - usually NOT!! I usually MISS with the SECOND shot because I'm trying to shoot to quickly!

I don't have as much experience as Tom, but I do hunt quite a bit w/ my #1's. I have never lost an animal hunting w/ anything. I have missed shots w/ my bolt guns, but I am 6-6 w/ my #1s & my one shot. I made a (2) shot elastic band that goes under the scope around the rifle. It places (2) shots @ my right hand so I can reload almost as fast as cycling a bolt.
I hunted Tahr in NZ a couple of years ago & took my #1S/7mm Dakota. The Outfitter almost had a fit, telling me many times hunters have had to take multiple shots on Tahr in the high mountains, they are supposed to be tough. The guide I had was not worried after watching me check zero over the hood of his truck, shooting & then loading as fast as I could. I got my Tahr w/ one well placed shot, just like you should w/ any rifle.

not one single animal lost.

regards,
Graycg

With 458 Win used single shot on Ruger 77( had mag well full of lead and epoxy)and With my 458HE on same Ruger 77 as a single shot( same lead and
epoxy in mag well and case to long for magazine), have never needed second shot.In fact I am one deer ahead of the shot count.(Two with one shot)Using 400 gr barnes and 350 gr Speers..Ed.

Since 1976 I haven't lost a single animal because of using a single shot. Over-confidence cause me to miss probably the easiest shot I'll ever get in my lifetime, but it wasn't the rifle's fault!
I can't remember any more than 2 seperate occasions that I ever had the second shot connect, or even needed, and I could have done just as well with the single shooter.-JDL

I taught my son to hunt that way. Even when he went out quail hunting, I gave him one round of ammunition. He never came home empty handed. This practice made him hunt like an assassin. I've known other kids that were brought up with all the ammo they could burn up...and that's mostly what they did. They didn't hunt so much as just left a trail of wounded and carnage.

You'll hunt a bit differently with a single shot, but mostly it will be the critters at the disadvantage.

Get to know your rifle. Pick your shots and you'll have no trouble.

0, nada, none. I don't take a shot I can't make.

However, in my mind I'm wondering what your question really is. Do you mean that I took a shot, wounded and then lost an animal? Or, do you mean that I failed to take an iffy shot on an animal because I had a single-shot and so failed to bring home some meat? Or, do you mean something else?

I hunt almost exclusively with single shot firearms or bow now. One I use is a flintlock. So it is possible that I failed to bag an animal because the game is beyond the capabilities of the weapon, but not because I failed to use the weapon properly or in the right circumstances...

none.I have been deer hunting with my martini cadet khornet 4yrs now.Pop= drop

I learned to hunt with a Remington 510 Targetmaster single shot 22 and a Stevens single shot 410. After hunting with these two guns for 6 years; I learned not to shoot unless I was sure. I own bolts and singleshots; but I seldom work the bolt after the shot. I have never lost a big game animal due to having shot only once.

I have to believe that using a single shot firearm makes you a better hunter and shot. I grew up in East Texas and if I didn't earn it I didn't get it! East Texas was a wonderful place to grow up if you like to hunt and fish. By the time I was 13 I had purchased a used 20 gauge H&R Topper and a .22 Stevens Favorite, both single shots. I learned early on that ammo was expensive and I made every shot count. I still do most of my hunting with single shot guns and I don't feel disadvantaged at all. In fact, I've started to hunt only with Black Powder and open sights the last few years. Pushing 60 the open sighs are a real challenge if I misplace the glasses. Don't forget to enjoy the challenge and experience of the hunt. Steve

I don't have as much experience as some here. So far 5 deer & 3 black bear. All downed with the first shot, from a bolt action rifle. I remember taking more than 1 shot at an animal, but if the first one missed the follow ups were a waste of time. I don't own a single shot, but I've never shot anything where a single shot wouldn't have done the job. I regret not buying an 1885 Browning in 7mm Rem Mag. when they were being made, that 28" barrel would have wrung that cartridge out well. My next purchase is an NEF buffalo bore classic. I see a trend developing here. Ron.D

My sole single shot at this time is a Ruger #1 in .338 Winchester. I owned a Browning B-78 in 30/06 that I never should have sold. Between those 2 rifles, I have never lost an animal to due to it being a single shot. I also learned how to reload quickly but I can not remember when it was necessary. I have a number of friends who ask in amazement, "why would you take a single shot hunting?" My reply has always been the same, "I take an extra bullet, I always do. I keep it in this button down pocket, right here. I just have nver had to use it. It is getting a bit tarnished, maybe I should get a new one."

I am in the midst of a love affair with a BRNO 22 (7X57) at present and the single shot stays at home more than it should.

[ 09-24-2003, 05:16: Message edited by: Customstox ]

Only two seasons and five animals worth of experience, but have not lost any over slow follow ups so far, and don�t think I ever will, have needed and fired a follow up though. I reload fast with two carts riding on the forend, the rifle�s a K95.

Tron

Never lost an animal because I couldn't get off a second, quick shot. I remember missing once at a very embarrasingly close range. I never pull the trigger unless I am 95% confident of a clean killing shot. No running shots or Texas heart shots 4 me.



I'm the only guy I regularly hunt with who uses a single shot (Ruger #1 - .30 Gibbs.) The others just don't "get it."

I was really funny when I was helping my buddy load up some ammo for an upcoming moose hunt. I had 30 cases prepp'ed for his .338. We loaded 10 for initial load devpt and sight-in. I asked how many mored rounds he would need. Oh, "at least a box." "I always have a box with me in my pack." Holy shit, I said, how may rounds do you need to put an animal down? I usually consider 6 rounds more than plenty.

A single-shot is a true sportsman's rifle. Now, if I'm hunting solo in bear country . . . that's another story.

Never lost a animal with a single shot (not counting shotgun). I've had a couple that needed a coup-de-grace, but thats as close as I've got to losing a animal.

Exactly none. There's a qualifier though. The rifle I use in the field actually has a mag but it doubles as a bench gun so there's a Score High follower in the magazine. Single shot. -Rod-

Looks UNANIMOUS to me! NOBODY has lost an animal due to being "handicapped" by using a single-shot rifle!

None. And if you don�t hit with the first shot, you�d better be shooting at the range instead of hunting.

Fritz

Sportsmanship has nothing to do with the ammunition capacity of a weapon or the diameter of the bore, it is a philosophy and a respect for the game hunted. Thanks, I needed that.

Ruger #1s lots of deer dead in their tracks -- no trackers. Mostly with .280 Rem and .25-06. New 7mm-08 and .257 Roberts get their chance this year.

Muzzleloaders -- a diffeent story. Maybe half a dozen deer harvested. Several long tracking jobs, and two lost deer with hard hits that almost certainly died later. In my experience, muzzle loaders leave a lot to be desired in consistent accuracy and instant lethality departments.

1B

Well, I'll admit to losing one while hunting w/ an Encore. I can't blame the rifle it was just p*ss poor shot placement on a running deer. When I raised the rifle I saw horns so I swung back on the deer. I knocked him off his feet. He got to his front legs and I was listening to his back legs thrashing. By the time I smartened up and reloaded he was taking off. I must have hit him high and back where it shocked the spine but did no serious damage. I spent a total of 16 hours looking for that deer. The last sign we saw of him he was headed back up hill away from the water so I think (hope) he lived. Sean

ZERO. Only deer I ever shot more than once was with a Mod 94 Win. Shot a pig twice also, 20 Ga. buckshot at about 35 yds.

I have never taken a shot that did not do the job with one exception. That was a clean miss on a steep downhill shot. I have never shot a deer twice or lost a deer that was hit. That does not mean I am the greatest shot west of the Mississippi. It only means I don't shoot unless I am dead certain I can make a one shot kill. I have passed up many shots that other hunter would take. This type of thinking is found among most folks that hunt with single shot rifles. I consider all of my rifles to be single shot, be they true single shot, lever or bolt. The magazine (if any) is just a better place to carry a few extra rounds that my pocket. Even when using a magazine rifle, I only put two or three in the magazine and never carry extra ammo on my person. I only carry the extra few in case I have to signal somebody or run accross the second deer and I have have room on my tag.

I have killed more deer with my little Contender carbine than my old faithful Rem 700. The gun didn't have a lot to do with it, but it doesn't seem to be a problem. The only deer I remember killing with a second shot after missing the first was with the Contender! That buck was rutting and confused or deaf or something. First shot hit a stick, which now hangs with the antlers. I don't take any satisfaction from a poorly placed shot; it is a really big part of the hunting experience for me for some reason. So single shots seem to suit. The last buck I shot I waited on, unwilling to take a walking/trotting 75 yard shot...I bawled at him a couple times to stop him with no results, so I yelled "hey!" and dropped him over backward one step from the edge of the clearing. Used the bolt gun but shot as if I had the single shot. I find hunting is fun no matter what you use. Once you are afield, the gun of the day does not seem to matter...whether it is a super-duper beanfield special or an H&R topper with a slug in it. Just hunt.

I have not lost any animals shooting my Ruger #1 in 458wm. I have collected an eland, elephant, lion and two cape buffalo. After some practice I believe one can reload "almost" as fast as a bolt action.

have been hunting with single shots for about 25 years have used a trapdoor,45 70 a browning 78 in 45 70 , a rem rolling block in 43 spanish reformado and a 577 snider carbine all are single shots and I have collected whitetail deer in Pennsylvania with each of them some doe a few really large bucks ( the big one was with the browning) but all were one shot kills and none were lost. only animal I ever lost was about 30 years ago with a 270 win remmington model 760 pump. hit a branch of a hemlock and bullet deflected. the rest of the magazine was never fired because I lost sight of the deer in the ensueing snow cloud from the shot. so it really would not have mattered what I was shooting Bart

NONE
I grew up hunting a single shot .22 then a single shot shotgun. It was all dad had for me. He made sure we shot straight and waited for the perfect shot. Yes we passed up bug bucks etc..I still do if the shot isn't right. So nope..no crippled game here..lots of one shot kills. I mean one shot DROP kills too.
Keep huntin!

The only deer I have ever lost was shot with a .300 Wby Mag repeater, in 1974. Bullet came apart on impact (too close, likely) and separated the right front shoulder blade from the spine...but the deer could and did walk away from me and I could not catch it. (Was my last round of ammo, and I wouldn't have shot, had I not felt that a 180 gr. Hornady spire point from a .300 Wby at 30 yards should do the trick - unfortunately it didn't).

That was about when I switched to Ruger No. 1's, slower velocities, heavier bullets, sure penetration, for hunting.

Now my favorite elk rifle is a Ruger No. 1 in 7x65R, with heaviest H-Mantle RWS factory loads.
It's plenty quick enough...once shot two elk as they ran across a trail in eastern Oregon 3 years ago...and found the two empties in my right front pocket afterwards though I sure can't recall putting them there. Practice and habit make the Ruger No. 1 plenty quick. Neither elk traveled more than 15 feet after being hit.

AC

[ 10-10-2003, 00:22: Message edited by: Alberta Canuck ]

Have taken several deer from several states. Even when using a bolt action, one shot, one deer. Others could not understand why I hunted with a bolt action, they all had auto's or pumps. I now live in Indiana and cartridge rifles are not allowed, came down to shotgun or muzzle loaders. Have taken several deer with .54 and .50, you don't get a 2nd chance. Bow hunting helped developed my patience and I now own 2 single shot cartridge rifles that I hunt with out-of-state..

27 years, 25 animals. ZERO lost if hit. Yes, there were some misses, 3 to be exact, all on the same deer. That was in my third year on a running animal. Now I know better! ouch. But no animal I ever hit was lost. With apologies to 1B I disagree with his remark about muzzleloaders as the major part of those 25 were killed with frontloaders or blackpowder cartridge arms. After 13 years in the sporting goods industry you form some opinions based on what you see, and IMHO far to many guys are trying to kill deer with elk/moose bullets,( No, I am not saying you can not kill a deer with elk/moose bullets. Just that they are not best suited to the job at hand.) thus causing a large part of their problems. Muzzleloaders are simply devistating if loaded with the proper load/bullet combination. I do not mean little tiny light pistol bullets either as most are apt to fly apart and not penitrate well at the higher velocities of a good muzzleloader. Sorry I'll get off my soap box now. Griz

My personal experiences are, I have never hunted with a single shot rifle. I have hunted deer for more than 35 years with bolt guns and lever guns in various calibers, and can tell you that it has never taken me more than one shot to kill a deer. In all that time, I lost ONE deer. I shot him at dusk while he was running flat out full speed crossing at about 150 yards. I admit, I should never have taken the shot, that was my mistake, I knew better. Nevertheless, I took the shot and knew I had hit him, but he kept going and never broke stride. I looked and looked and looked for either the animal or the blood trail in the dark with a flashlight, to no avail. I found the skeleton the following spring about 75 yards away from where I had last seen him, in a deep ravine in thick brush.

The bottom line is, if it takes you more than one shot to kill a deer sized animal with a cartridge that is adequate for the intended [thin-skinned] game, then you must be one hell of a lousy shot.

[Don't you just GAG when you see those posts wherein some idiot BOZO has to add on a tag line and make some political statement about something that nobody else gives a rat's ass about??????]

I guess I'm an idiot too, 'cause I think I just did the same thing. Pretty funny, huh?

[ 10-24-2003, 04:55: Message edited by: WillGuy ]

I forgot one thing, I was shooting a Winchester .243 when I hit that deer that I never found. [Yeah yeah yeah, don't even go there, I should never have shot. I know that.]

None yet. I've only shot 5 animals with single shots (2 moose and 3 deer-one with a T/C handgun) and have never lost one. I did, however give one of the moose another shot, but it wasn't a problem loading the second round. I don't even remember doing it. Lots of practice, I guess. I have repeaters, but my single shots rule...

[ 10-25-2003, 03:23: Message edited by: old4x4 ]