Any single shot survival/truck guns?

[swampcrawler]

Hi guys. Thinkin about picking up a cheap used single shot 12, having it cut to 18.5 and threaded for choke tubes, slim down the stock and forend a little and keep around as a survival/truck/boat/loaner gun. Like the idea of a practically indestructible weapon that's fairly light and compact and capable of (though not ideal for) any game I can think of, that fires cheap, abundant ammo, all for around 200 bucks total.

Anyone think like me or am I just loony? I'd love to see some pics of your lightly modified single shots!!

 

[RPRNY]

Even with the likes of an H&R, shotgun barrel walls are fairly thin and not nearly as indestructible as you may think. A better candidate in my mind would be a 357 mag. There is a Talo version (distributor) in 16. 5" barrel that's a bit hard to find but ideal for your purpose.

Probably more useful than a 12 gauge for a truck gun. I have a handy little 20 gauge H&R wearing Colt Classic furniture that is a great little grouse gun.

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[swampcrawler]

Thanks for the reply man. I do reload for 357 (magnum and Maximum) and love the ballistics of either out of a rifle tube. But 357 isn't legal for small game, and part of the idea is to always have something with me that can be used for the impromptu whatever hunt. (don't laugh, that's actually happened a few times)

And even with the thinner barrel of a shotgun, I hardly see it as fragile. I mean sure it's a less than suitable pry bar, but we have several around the house that have lead long lives of abuse and show no damage beyond messed up finishes and taped on forends

 

[frankenstein406]

I saw a used bakail? 20 gauge single shot that said it was a pack away gun. asking around $150 200 might be a better option to look into.

 

[RPRNY]

In that case, here's my little 26" 20 gauge:




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[lhartman89]

Here is my little NEF 20ga with the barrel cut down to 18.5". I don't remember what the over all length is but I know it is over 26". I cut off 7" of the barrel.




And here is the original length:

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Shouldnt have a problem finding one in your budget. My dad has an older Savage (well from when he was a teen) that is a single shot 16ga. Kicks like a mule, but pretty much exactly what you describe otherwise. I would think if you check local gun stores (or GunBroker, though the FFL + shipping will dent that budget) you should be able to find a used Savage/H&R/etc for $100 or so, leaving you plenty leftover for ammo or a soft case to keep it in.

No idea what threading would run, cost wise, though if you got a gun with a mid-range choke, there probably isnt really a need to have it threaded for the relatively infrequent use you describe. Just my $.02.

 

[410.bird.shot]

I haven't priced them out in quite some time, but the Savage Model 24 series offers an incredible little combo gun that can be useful for fur and feather alike. I see them as ideal for a trap line operator. I don't live in a rural area, and I really do wonder about the idea of the "truck gun" due to theft concerns, but to each his own on that. My Model 24 is the "standard" .22 LR over .410, and I am fairly certain I have seen a .22 LR over 20 ga. as well. Some have ammo storage built into the buttstock and some don't.

I seem to recall there being some centerfire pistol and rifle calibers available as well, but I don't know that would suit your purpose. Supposedly these firearms were issued to military pilots decades ago as a survival gun. I paid about $250 for mine years and years ago, and these days I'd imagine such a combo might fetch a pretty extreme price.

410.bird.shot

 

[Mp7]

That NEF does look handy.

Add a shell-holder and you're good to go

 

[wgaynor]

I've kept a NEF Single Shot 20 gauge in the trunk for quite a while with buckshot/slugs in a sleeve. It now sits in my hallway closet (close reach weapon that will buy me time to get to the others :O) )

It's a great idea. I see used ones around here for $75. I wouldn't thread it for a choke though. Just saw the barrel off straight and keep it legal.

 

[improperlyaged]

I keep a single shot h&R in the truck exactly like lhartman89, looks nearly identical to his and I paid 60 bucks at a pawn shop for it.

 

[Old Shooter]

Pawn shops usually have a few of them in the racks for not much money.

Most I've seen had longer barrels but that is what hacksaws and pipe cutters were made for.

I personally would not bother getting it threaded for the chokes.

I had a 20 gauge H&R? that I kept in the barn for snakes at the pond and such, worked just fine.

 

[MattShlock]

Great idea. Thread it and screw in or have a Polychoke added -- it'll cost more than the gun did. But... Imagine how much more useful a gun with a twist-choke-on-demand 18" muzzled shotgun would be. Thread and Mod choke would be almost as good!

 

[lhartman89]

I keep a single shot h&R in the truck exactly like lhartman89, looks nearly identical to his and I paid 60 bucks at a pawn shop for it.

I got mine from my Grandfather when I turned 16 I think. I just cut down the barrel 4-5 days ago and haven't got to shoot it yet. I also refinished the stock in old english and high gloss tung oil finish. I used to use it to go bird and rabbit hunting and skeet shooting with my Grandfather. From what I have read, it will have a decent spread up to 40 yards if that.

 

[shiftyer1]

I buy every gun I find in the 60 - 75 dollar range. Single shot shotguns aint great but they are useful!

 

[chas08]

I have an H & R Tamer in 20 ga. Fixed mod choke. Great little truck/boat gun gun. With a fixed mod choke I see no reason for choke tubes or a poly-choke. My wife has one in .410 fixed full choke.

 

[Dirty Bob]

H&R/NEF has made single shots with screw-in chokes. If you can find one, that's a much less expensive way to go. My single shot 20 ga. has a 22-inch barrel with screw-in chokes. It was a youth model -- weighing 4-3/4 pounds -- and punishing with buck or slugs. I installed a full-size wood buttstock with a slip-on recoil pad, and things changed completely.

If you purchase a Short Lane adapter for $25, you can fire .410 in your 20ga. or 12ga. I've been pleasantly surprised by both the velocity and the patterns of the .410 buckshot rounds I tried in the adapter.

Another interesting single is the Yildiz .410 folding shotgun. It weights just 3.3 pounds, with a skinny, 28-inch barrel that makes it feel like a fishing pole. I cut mine to about 21", to be even with the buttstock when folded, and put on a new bead sight. I haven't fully tested it yet, but it put a 5-pellet 000 buck round in a tiny group at 10 yards. This would make good raccoon or possum medicine.

All my best,
Dirty Bob

 

[PapaG]

I wouldn't worry about choke tubes. Changing ammo can have a big impact on pattern, even with cylinder bore. Cheap promo loads open up faster, premium hard shot loads will be a little tighter. Slugs often work well out of a cylinder, buckshot not so much. An adapter, like the 410er is also nice and another one in 357, or even 30-30 would round it out. My favorite right now is one of two Savage combos, one an old ratty 24dl in 22/20, the other a pristine 24v in 222/20.

 

[kBob]

All this talk of truck guns has me thinking.....a dangerous thing...yes that's true.....

What are folks doing for sights?

I am not likely going to be able to install a new or salvaged bead, and I want better anyway.

In the 1970s someone sold a set of sights that one could "super glue" to a shot gun that did not look to bad, they had a typical tangent rear with notched elevator but no way to deal with windage and a post front with one of the early plastic glow type (light gathering) blades a chunk of triangular cross section orange plastic.

I have see nothing like it since. Anything like that out there now?

My other thought was one of the super duper magnetic clip ons for a front sight only if there was one made to fit a curved barrel rather than a flat vent rib.

At one point there was a clip on rear sight unit with fire eyes like dots for vent rib guns, but I saw nothing like that for round barrels.

I like the idea of a shortened single shot as a knock around and behind the truck seat (not in view) gun, but I want sights to make it useful with slugs or shell shrinkers.

Any ideas?

-kBob

 

[MattShlock]

Yes. In blackpowder an accurate smoothbore, with a decent barrel and front sight, is called a smoothrifle. Think of your shotgun as the same. Remember what you fire rifled slugs out of? Shotgun with a bead only. After that -- practice.

 

[jeepnik]

Single shots are fine for sporting purposes where missing is just a thump to ones ego. But for anything more serious, a multi-shot weapon is to be preferred.

There are plenty of relatively inexpensive pump shotguns that would serve better. When I was looking to replace my AR-7 jeep gun, I found I had it's replacement in my safe. My old (very, as it was my first shotgun) Mossy .41o.

No, it's not an ideal anti personnel weapon, nor the best for large animals, but for all of the intended purposes (small game, shooting games, and in the very last resort a defense weapon) it suits well.

So take a look around for an older, used but serviceable pump gun. You'll be better off in the long run.

 

[Awsomepossum]

Why get a single shot when you can get a bolt action shotgun, also if looking for single shot rifles, look at the baikal.

 

[wgaynor]

So, single shots are not tactically ideal for a defensive weapon, but an admittedly less than ideal caliber (.410) is a better choice? Too much opinion here.

 

[kBob]

Mattshlok,

I have shot foster slugs with a bead only.....also with a "rifle sighted" Ithica 37, and tangent sighted 870 as well as my current Mossberg 500 with ghost ring sights.

Any of those "rifle sights" beat a bead hands down no matter how much you practice.

I note that some single shots have a sort of vestigial rear sight that is visable as a notch or trough atop the reviever that can be aligned with the bead, but some have nothing.

-kBob

 

[MattShlock]

"Any of those 'rifle sights' beat a bead hands down" on a shotgun for shooting what and how Bob? If anything and everything, then why do so few shotguns have them!?

This is a shotgun forum -- you should expect experienced shotgunning responses.

You started out by opining you can't put a bead on a cut shotgun barrel but want "better" Krazy-Glued-on rifle sights.

All I can do now is wish you some luck there Bob...