Who uses a single shot for deer

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A Thompson/Center Contender pistol in .375 Win and .44 Mag, and a Contender carbine in 7-30 Waters. .50 cal Knight muzzleloader. Never felt disadvantaged. Seldom needed a second shot but if I did it doesn’t take that long. Never gave it a lot of thought but maybe with a single shot you do try harder to make that one shot count. Even if it's on a subconscious level. I always try to do my best, what ever I'm shooting, even when it's got a 30 round mag.
 
Another contender shooter here. Just got into them last year. Last season I killed 2 pigs and a pretty little 7 point with it as a 45-70 carbine. All DRT. I will admit I cleanly missed one of the pigs the first time, but got it reloaded in time to make the second attempt a little more successful. But only because the rooter was deeply confused by the whole situation and ran the wrong way.

This year (if I get to hunt) it will be along as a pistol with a 10 inch barrel in 357 Maximum. For deer, I see no issue with a single shot. Until last year I hunted with a simi auto 308, but almost always got my kill with the first round anyway. The two exceptions were running.

However I do get a wee bit nervous hunting hogs alone on the ground with it. But at least I'll take one of them with me. :)
 
My go to gun for deer hunting is a Ruger #1 .270. Both my sons killed their first deer with it, as have a lot of other folks as it is my loaner rifle for kids on their first deer hunt. Its rare that a hunter needs a second shot but if you work at it you can reload a #1 really fast in a pinch.
 
Last time I took an H&R Handi-Rifle in .357 magnum,,,

Last time I went out I took an H&R Handi-Rifle in .357 Magnum,,,
I didn't see a deer and haven't been hunting since,,,
But I think I would have been okay with it.

I did a lot of practice reloading for that second shot,,,
Who knows if I would have been quick enough,,,
But at least I was confident enough to try.

As a kid all my Pop would let me have was single-shot rifles,,,
When my Uncle gave me an 8mm German Mauser,,,
Pop would only let me load one round at a time.

I took three deer that way as a kid,,,
Only once did I need to load a second round,,,
And I had practiced that action so I had confidence then as well.

It can be done easily enough,,,
And my Pop was correct,,,
It makes you aim.

Aarond

.
 
First deer i shot (.308 Win) took off running about 30 yards then stopped. I carefully aimed at the neck (body obscured by brush) for a second shot but did not shoot as i knew 1st shot was well placed. About 3 seconds later the deer collapsed. I bet a lot of animals that "needed a second shot" were about to expire anyways.
 
I have taken several (4 or 5) deer with my No. 1 in 30-06. Never needed a second shot.

I also have an Encore I would not hesitate to hunt with.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Salmoneye View Post
Everyone who hunts Deer with a Muzzle Loader...
Click to expand...

Not true, my buddy used a double rifle muzzle loader...

DM
Click to expand...

OK...

Guess I'll have to give you that .00001% of people currently hunting with muzzle loading rifles...

However, many states have 'primitive' deer hunting seasons that specify the use of a single barrel with single projectile...

The point of my first post was to make people realize that multitudes of hunters use single-shot rifles not thinking twice about it...
 
The last few years I actually hunted I used a Ruger #1 in 7X57, the first few deer I shot were with a 243. I wouldn't hesitate to take a single shot 243 after whitetail.
 
Years ago I owned a Ruger #1 in .25-06. It did a great job on a truck load of deer and antelope before one of my offspring escaped with it! It is still pressed into service every fall, just not in my hands.
 
Although my hunting days are now behind me, at one time I used a Jeffery's falling block Farqueson action 450/400 cal. single barrel rifle. Most of my shooting was "for the pot" and I never needed a rapid second shot. This was in mopani bush country, mainly hunting Kudu where about 100 yards was the norm - longer range stuff might have been a different story. I sold the rifle, which I have ever since regretted, to an American gentleman named Julius Glovodskan (not sure of the spelling); does anyone out there know of him?
 
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Muzzleloader is how I started hunting. Now, I have a bunch more guns, but then, it was my only rifle at all.

.243, 6.8x43, same Hawken, K31, all have made trips to hunt with. I am confident that all, within their proper range, will give a one-shot kill.
 
I sometimes use my Browning 1885 in 45-70 for deer hunting, and the .243 is a perfectly good round for whitetail. I use Sierra 85 Gamekings in my handloads and they work well. I also wouldn't feel bad about using a .270 Ruger No. 1.
 
An old adage about hunting...
One shot...got him.
Two shots...maybe.
Three shots...still running.

My uncle told me that the first time I went deer hunting. Said he expected me to do my part.

For the record- I've never shot a deer...yet. :scrutiny:

Mark
 
Like said above, a .243 is just fine for White Tail Deer. That cartridge has killed plenty over the years.

As for the single shot .270, if you do your job I'm completely sure the .270 will do it's job. Besides, I highly doubt it takes longer to load another round in the single shot than racking the bolt on your 30-06.
 
I have read that african pro hunters are dismayed at how many American shooters fire a single shot then fail to reload and shoot again, preferring to look up and admire their work. Not good when a second shot is needed.
 
Three shots still running...sadly I have gone to the third mag before but persistance occasionally pays off. Also some mulies dont run to the next county like whitetail.
 
Yep.
20131027_093951.jpg
I christened my encore with this guy A couple weeks ago. I admittedly had some concerns at first about reloads then I remembered that I have yet to need more than one shot on any game I have ever taken. Never even needed to track anything. All DRT. I was using my 300 winchester Barrel. I instinctively had another fresh round in the rifle without even realizing it. Reloading quick was Aparently not an issue.
 
I have used a H&R 44 mag for deer in thick bottoms and a browning 7rm single shot for one deer and then sold it as it was to darn pretty for me to use deer hunting and worth to much. Got it in a trade.

I use bolt rifles but in 36 years of rifle hunting I have only shot twice at 2 deer and missed then too. Sooo a single shot would have served me well.
 
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