doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Single barrel sporting guns?

There is one thing I'd suggest you consider based on the two I have. There is very little metal in the action bar due to being a single barrel. And the steel in these is usually pretty soft. As a result heavy loads can stretch the action easier than on a double. My little 16 has been particularly suseptible to this problem so I'm holding my loads to no more than 7/8 oz. But it's old.....(even older than me--Whew!)

Joe, that sounds like a good point. I had never considered that. I use light loads anyway but good to file that away.

The Tolley I have looks like it spent about 80 years in its case, left behind when the doubles got to go have fun.

Kirby Hoyt has a Purdey hammer single barrel right now. A bit rich for me at the moment. I saw what I thought was a lovely Woodward last fall on Guns International, asking $4500, but I had just bought something else in that price range and, as annoying as this is, I can't buy them all.

Besides, as was noted above...They are hard to shoot. Kinda ugly. Not much fun. Usually in bad condition. No reason for anyone to go looking. Stick to the doubles, please.

I've looked for a vintage british single shot to no avail. When I find one, that's probably what I'll settle down to old age with.

I have had a few of the domestic single barrels over the years beginning with the .410 Stevens Model 94-Y I began this journey with. The one I like best is the Savage Model 220 which is hammerless and has a top tang safety like my doubles.

The 20ga Savage I have now is perfect for dog training with released birds. I even found a .410 in new in box condition I've put away for one of the grandkids to learn to shoot properly...Geo

I've been looking for a nice one myself,a nice Greener GP would be
nice to have,& shouldn't cost too much when I find one.
I remember seeing either a Greener or a Scott top lever that was absolutely gorgeous ,really best grade,but the price reflected that fact.
I'd buy one if I find a nice one for reasonable money....the only problem would be that I have never got the hang of shooting a single trigger gun...hah hah
franc

Kirby's got a couple sinigle Purdeys for sale at the moment. Check 'em out at vintagedoubles.com

Thankyou all for your ideas and knowledge.
I forsee a lovely old damascus hammer single in my future!
RG

They are certainly not as common as doubles but are to be found here in England. Mainly they are big bore singles; 4, 8 and 10's with a few 12 magnum 3" chamber guns. I suspect that is because they were sold a little cheaper for use as guns for wildfowl shooting where fewer shots are taken during the course of a year. I actually find that 16's and 20's are about as commonly found as 12's. Some .410 singles started life as rook rifles but later bored out. I sold an interesting single on recently. It was marked E.Thomas, Maidenhead, Berkshire and had a Jones underlever and back action lock. Originally it had been a 16 bore proofed for black powder but then someone had had it bored out to possibly remove pitting but then re-chambered it to 12 bore and were then able to leave a small amount of choke. It was then submitted for 2 1/2" nitro proof which it passed. It had lost a bit of weight in the process so was best shot with correspondingly light loads. It shot o.k. but was a bit lively towards the front end as to balance. Lagopus.....

Well, RG, let us see photos of the little toy when it's in your hands. In our countries they are as scarce as hens teeth.

How about this beauty? It is engraved "World Challenge Ejector"

[img:left][/img]