I am looking for suggestions for a low recoiling single shot rifle to enjoy a day of shooting at the range. I have both bolt action and semi-auto rifles to shoot already.
I'd prefer to be able to find/purchase ammo easily for it, but, I'd also like the option of hand loading from time to time. Being able to mount a scope is important.
Your suggestions of caliber and rife will be appreciated. Budget-wise, I would like to stay under $2K.
Thank you for your suggestions!
You really can't go wrong with a .22 rimfire single shot rifle. The under 2k part might be challenging for what I have in mind, but they are out there. Certainly, a very nice Martini Mark X,Y, or Z would be and excellent choice.
Otherwise, hunt around for a.25-20 (either flavor) or .32-20 Low Wall Winchester or a Ballard perhaps.
Look at the Martini Cadet customs, of which there are legion. They made up into nice .25-20s, .218 Bees, .357 Magnums and a host of other small, low recoil cartridges. Some were also chambered for small rimless cartridges, like the .222 or .223.
I've owned more than a dozen (still have a number of them) and they are just fun guns to play with. Stay away from those with original barrels and chambered for .32-20. The .310 Cadet uses a heeled bullet of .321 or so diameter, the .32-20 a .312-314 diameter bullet. Accuracy is wanting, to say the least when you fire a .32-20 in a .310 cadet barrel.
Brent, I have an early (3XX) High Wall marked .32 WCF, that's 32-20, right?
Yes it is. A fine and fun cartridge.
A very interesting low wall you have. Some pictures perhaps?
That should be the most desireable flat spring, thick tang, and scalloped sides version. My personal favorite.
I forgot about the octagon top. Mine is not quite that old. That is one sweet rifle. Just what rtw needs too.
that's even a viable deer rifle with careful shot selection.
thanks for the pictures.
I'd consider the modern CPA reproduction of the Stevens 44 1/2 single shot. They can be found used now and then for good prices, but new might let someone have a prety good amount of flexibility with appearance, proportions, sights, chamberings, etc. If you want a scope on a single shot, some solutions are more practical than others.
I see ammo comes in 100g and 115. I suspect the heavier bullet is better for hunting but, being longer, is it also more accurate?
I don't reload but see that Win, Rem., Black Hills, Ultramax and HSM make cartridges, any preference?
I forgot about the octagon top. Mine is not quite that old. That is one sweet rifle. Just what rtw needs too.
that's even a viable deer rifle with careful shot selection.
thanks for the pictures.
That I cannot tell you. Try them both, I guess. I would start with the lighter one I think. If your rifle has a slow twist, it will be more likely to stabilize for you.
A Martini target rifle with scope blocks to possibly install a Unertl or Lyman Targetspot telescope. If the Martini has original iron sights, so much the better. Are you right handed or left handed? The Martini comes both ways. They are priced at about one fifth of what a new one would cost to make. It is the highest quality single shot .22 you can buy for short money. Oh, I just realized that you are looking for a center fire. Forget everything I have said.
Anyone tempted to try one of these ought to explore the discussion of their merits at the time they debuted.
Please tell me more, please
AND I did some research.
http://www.saubier.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4890Mike
Frank de Haas covered them in "Single Shot Rifles". He was not complimentary. A friend was a Trinidad Junior College gunsmithing student (3 yr. graduate) during the 80's when these and the kits were plentiful. They used to finish the kits, sell them for a nice profit and invest the $$ in something worth while. His opinion is he wouldn't give one space in his safe. Seems they shot loose with anything other than the 22 long rifle and even then they reworked the actions.
Thaine
As I recall, objections to these actions claimed they had major design flaws, would scarcely function, and were not safe to to operate. Aside from that ...
A real shame. It's a handsome looking package. Wish someone like Steve Bertram could make new internals for it.
Steve told me they are badly designed and made. Such a same.
If someone were thinking to commission a one off reengineering of the internals of an action, that might blow the budget. Maybe, someone might contact Steve Earle to see if his Fraser rook action was available, and spend the gunsmithing budget to turn it into a rifle.
I have no reason to pick on the highlander action, but I can't get myself past just seeing a rectangle. I'd suspect some machinist in the past figured they could bang 'em out easy.
