Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting single shot deer rifles

VERY TRUE ! that`s why my grandson got a Ruger #1 -1B 257 Roberts from me .

I'm not sure if there are other locations with similar rules, but in Louisiana & Mississippi they have a fairly liberal definition of what a "primitive" weapon can be by including breech loaded single shots >= .35 caliber with an exposed hammer. While the law may have been written with rifles that shoot rounds like .45-70 or .38-55 in mind, two of my buddies hunt with CVA's in .35 Whelen which I don't usually think of as being a very primitive round. The requirement that it have an exposed hammer is inconvenient since that eliminates my Ruger #1. But fortunately I have Winchester 1885's in .405 & .44 Magnum that qualify so I can hunt with them. I have eight single shots that I can use for deer hunting during the regular season. A few reasons for owning them is that mechanically, I just have a fondness for falling block rifles. Being a right-handed person who prefers to shoot left, I like their ambidextrous design. I also have an unexplainable penchant for less common calibers that can sometimes be easier to find in a single shot rifle (since not buying right-handed bolts eliminates a lot of options for me). So my fondness for single shot deer rifles is largely defined by personal quirks and narrowly defined hunting regulations. I would never try to convince anyone that my choices are better because there's too many good arguments that they're not. I just buy what makes me happy.

An additional advantage to SSs is that it’s nearly impossible to lose the magazine……

Don't underestimate my capabilities...

Have a nice little SB1 in .30-30 Win.

Debating whether to leave as-is............have my smith AI it............or have JES re-bore to .375 Win.

Or sell it to me.

Have a #1 in 30-06 in the safe. Never hunted it.
It's cool, looks nice.

But it's a heavy POS.

Have numerous bolts that are lighter.
A couple are more handy.

A pump (hate pumps) that is similar weight.

I don't pull the trigger to miss, don't pull if a good shot isn't anticipated.


I've killed several deer that were missed by the first shot.
Had some that needed a follow up. Sometimes later, sometimes right now.
I do not care enough about one shot kills to let an animal run off or hang around.
If given an opportunity, I shoot agin.

Really like the fastest follow up shot available. (Except using that dang pump. But it is fast!)


Love hunting with a flintlock.
Go figure!

My current thought is a Henry Single Shot rifle in 3030 win, rebored to 460 S&W. That chambering would provide plenty of power. Like 45-70 type of power, and light to heavy bullet options along with a 200 yard capability. It would meet both Maryland and Delaware regulations. I have a Weaver K4, just waiting to ride on top of that rifle. Decisions, decisions......

another neat thing about a 460 SW is you can use 45 long colts and 454 Casull cartridges in your 460 SW.

With the new IL regulations allowing single shot rifles of certain cartridges, I have an urge to get one in 357 Rem Mag, not a Maximum. Any decent ones out there? Urge is due to an abundance of 180gr 357 Rem Mag hunting ammo that I have. Different beast out of a longer barrel!

Killed a few Deer and Pigs with this one 38-55 Remington Hepburn



Killed many Pigs and a few Deer and Coyotes and 1 Elk with this one .243 A.I. Rio7

Delaware has a 1-9 inch case length restriction, which excludes many cartridges but allows the 460 S&W. Which i would have to guess would develop a good bit speed from a rifle barrel. I do not know if JES would cut a chamber for me or not.

My one and only in 7x57, but I do enjoy carrying it-

Someone recommended you that you had info on a elk hunt in Montana I’m still new so I can’t message you

I picked up the .460 Encore barrel when .450 rifles were unobtanium a couple of years ago. The first one went back to TC/S&W due to fouling and asymmetrical broach marks at the muzzle. The replacement had broach marks but not asymmetrical. Shoots Hornady
300 gr XTP .451 bullets poorly but XTP .451 Magnum bullets did much better. Barnes monolithic even better but I was able to find just one 20 round box of the Barnes 275 gr so really have not been able to do much load development. Also, after perhaps 40 rounds it probably is still breaking in. This barrel doesn't seem to like 200 or 250 gr bullets with the factory and handloads I tried.

Hornady brass life seems good but I'm not pushing for maximum velocity. Recoil is manageable but I use either a slipon limbsaver or a sissy pad when shooting from the bench.

If I were to start over I would look for a TC Rochester NH or MGM barrel rather than a TC-S&W barrel. While the TC-S&W barrels might be easier to find and less expensive I would not buy one unless I could get a good look at the bore. I understand S&W bought TC in part for barrel making technology but my samples suggest that S&W failed to master the barrel broaching technique and no longer makes TC products.

The only deer I shot with the .460 was a wounded buck at 20 yards. Neck shot knocked it off it's feet.

Shiloh Sharps 40-70 bn, 40-90sbn, 45-70, 45-110, 50-70, 50-100, 50-140. One and done. Mb

Absolutely stunning picture...scenery, animal and rifle. Thanks for posting.

1885 Highwall very accurate rifles

Thank You, Sir !

Had a beautiful #1V 25-06 about 10 years ago. One of the few rifles I truly regret trading off