Single Shot Actions More Accurate Than Mag Fed?

[Phil3]

Just curious. Do you think single shot actions which have no mag opening could offer more accuracy than an action with an opening for a magazine? Or for that matter, does an rifle with an action that is mag fed more accurate than a rifle that has a mag opening, but is shot single shot? I just wonder if the act of angling a round up from a mag into the chamber might require a slightly looser chamber, or...? My questions stem in part from the left port, right bolt Savage 6mmBR rifle, which is solid everywhere except the loading and ejection port.

Phil

 

[BigDMT]

Generally yes, a single shot CAN (not "will") provide a greater level of accuracy

How accurate a rifle is depends on how well it is built and the quality of other components surrounding it. Biggest problem is that no 2 barrels ever shoot exactly the same so a repeater with a great barrel could easily out shoot a single shot with a less than perfect barrel. Also, a badly built single shot could be much less accurate than a well built repeater.

All other things being the same, a single shot can definitely be more accurate. Main reasons being that a single shot has more metal to resist flexing under recoil and that extra metal that is not missing where the magazine is normally located, provides for greater bedding surface area and contact. A better "anchor" for the barrel in the stock so to speak.
And no need to worry about messing up a piece of ammo while feeding. Sometimes repeater magazines can scratch brass and knock bullets out of concentricity when riding up the ramp to the chamber from the magazine. The heavy recoiling repeaters can damage bullet tips and change seating depths of rounds in the magazine if you have your bullets seated out too far.

Single shots are simpler so there's less to worry about is all. Doesn't mean repeaters can't reach Benchrest accuracy, just have more things to pay attention to and get just right to ensure consistency and reliability.

 

[Scott Harris]

My Defiance action has an integral recoil lug and picatinny rail, making it pretty stiff. I doubt it is one bit less accurate than my single shot.

 

[CatShooter]

Just curious. Do you think single shot actions which have no mag opening could offer more accuracy than an action with an opening for a magazine? Or for that matter, does an rifle with an action that is mag fed more accurate than a rifle that has a mag opening, but is shot single shot? I just wonder if the act of angling a round up from a mag into the chamber might require a slightly looser chamber, or...? My questions stem in part from the left port, right bolt Savage 6mmBR rifle, which is solid everywhere except the loading and ejection port.

Phil

That was once a popular belief, but considering how many left/right port bench actions there are that do very well for themselves, that would put that theory to rest.

Chambers for magazine fed rifles do not need to be loose or over sized. I have minimum sized chambers cut on all of my barrels, regardless of whether it is a repeater or single shot.

 

[BigDMT]

Chambers for magazine fed rifles do not need to be loose or over sized. I have minimum sized chambers cut on all of my barrels, regardless of whether it is a repeater or single shot.

+ 1

 

[riverwolf1]

Well you could use Hunter Benchrest as an example of/or an argument that a magazine rifle or a single shot is more accurate. In short Range BR the single shot is the standard by which everything is measured by, however in Hunter BR the action must be a repeater, but is allowed to have the single shot adapter put onto the magazine spring, the action can not be glued in like in short range br. My hunter gun Kelbly Kodiak and Krieger barrel is every bit as accurate as my ppc gun's and I am now shooting VFS with the kodiak. I think if a rifle is put togehter correctly be it a single shot or magazine fed, the accuracy of both can be equal! With that said I would also admit that the caliber difference makes the Kodiak a bit more difficult to shoot because its .30 caliber instead of 6mm. Mine is currently 30X47NLI but I think I am going to rechamber to 30 BR soon.

 

[GSPV]

IMHO, it's about good bedding. The single shot is very forgiving in that area. HBR rifles tend to have a small opening in comparison to their total bottom area.

 

[Phil3]

Speaking of bedding, are there any meaningful differences in performance between a flat bottom receiver vs a round one? Or one that has an integral recoil lug vs one that is sandwiched between the barrel and the action?

Phil

 

[CatShooter]

Speaking of bedding, are there any meaningful differences in performance between a flat bottom receiver vs a round one? Or one that has an integral recoil lug vs one that is sandwiched between the barrel and the action?

Phil

I have worked with both, and I have found no difference... as long as the action itself is not a "dog".

 

[riverwolf1]

If I remember correctly, there was concern (years ago) that the round actions inparted tourque into the equation when fired, hence thats why the old benchrest shooters created a sleeve that was epoxied onto the round action was to control the torque. It also provided a flat footprint and hence made the round action more stable. If you look at all the early Nesika actions the "J" action I had was round and certainly was no slouch to the couple of Pandas that I had so maybe way back then the sleeve therory may have been flawed! I know that as long as I have a choice between the 2 I would always choose the flat bottom due to the ease of bedding it. Just my take I hope some of the old BR shooters chime in.