Single shot or a repeater?
- Thread starter mefizto
- Start date
Repeater
Ground Hogs, Prairie dogs doesn't matter. Coyotes has to be a repeater for me.
Though this is a repeater you can get three shots off really quick with the side mount. If doing something like 6BR might go single shot.
Attachments
Or this for 6BR, magazine kit. But it takes some fine tuning.
Attachments
Mefitzo -
Howdy !
For groundhogs......... I have been use a single shot Wichita WBR1375...... for 43yr now.
Never once had to make or even try to make a rapid follow-up shot, as a result of a sub-optimal first round hit.
" One shot - One kill ". A sensible cartridge choice which includes a well chosen varmint bullet helps a lot, here.
In .224" calibre, I shoot Hornady's tactical nuke 55SX for shots 450yd and under.
The above is not to be confused w/ outright missing the target animal, which I have infrequently done over these many years.
Also did not ever feel the need for a repeater, when confronted w/ a " target rich environment ". If you shoot @ one and the others scatter, you simply wait for the " Soybeanus Digestus " to re-appear; nez pah ?
But hey.... that's just me.
With regards,
357Mag
Howdy !
For groundhogs......... I have been use a single shot Wichita WBR1375...... for 43yr now.
Never once had to make or even try to make a rapid follow-up shot, as a result of a sub-optimal first round hit.
" One shot - One kill ". A sensible cartridge choice which includes a well chosen varmint bullet helps a lot, here.
In .224" calibre, I shoot Hornady's tactical nuke 55SX for shots 450yd and under.
The above is not to be confused w/ outright missing the target animal, which I have infrequently done over these many years.
Also did not ever feel the need for a repeater, when confronted w/ a " target rich environment ". If you shoot @ one and the others scatter, you simply wait for the " Soybeanus Digestus " to re-appear; nez pah ?
But hey.... that's just me.
With regards,
357Mag
B23
Gold $$ Contributor
If your plan is to chamber it in something off of the 221FB case and you want it as a repeater the FB case is known to cause problems with regard to how well they feed. Some seem to have it figured out while others it gives them fits.
This is a really cool video but if you watch it all the way through his gun which is chambered in 221FB doesn't feed properly and every time he has to fiddle with it to get a round up in the chamber. http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/skiing-with-a-221-fireball.4015894/#post-37886962
At one time I was all set on having a 20-221 built even bought dies and the brass but I knew I wanted the gun to be a repeater and feed reliably every time with zero issue and the more I looked into it the more people I talked to that recommended making it a single shot or chambering it in something else so I ended up building a 20-222 which feeds smooth as silk.
This is not a pitch for building a 20-222 it's your money you should spend it how you see fit just keep in mind if you go with something off of the 221FB case it may or may not feed well as a repeater.
This is a really cool video but if you watch it all the way through his gun which is chambered in 221FB doesn't feed properly and every time he has to fiddle with it to get a round up in the chamber. http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/skiing-with-a-221-fireball.4015894/#post-37886962
At one time I was all set on having a 20-221 built even bought dies and the brass but I knew I wanted the gun to be a repeater and feed reliably every time with zero issue and the more I looked into it the more people I talked to that recommended making it a single shot or chambering it in something else so I ended up building a 20-222 which feeds smooth as silk.
This is not a pitch for building a 20-222 it's your money you should spend it how you see fit just keep in mind if you go with something off of the 221FB case it may or may not feed well as a repeater.
NorCalMikie
Gold $$ Contributor
What's the saying? Beware of the man with a single shot rifle.....
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
Depends on the varmint and how far I'm shooting - as well as whether the wind is blowing. For me - I tend to use AR's for most varmint shooting within 400 yards (ground squirrels and coyotes). The further I go past that, the more inclined I am to pull out a heavier bolt gun. While my AR's are quite accurate, the heavier barrels I can get on a bolt gun provide for a steadier hold which is advantageous over the varmint-weight, yet thinner, AR barrels. Inside 400 or so yards (and way out there - with heavier bullets) the AR's hold a pretty serious advantage over a bolt gun with similar accuracy when the wind is blowing. The advantage is the quick second shot and not having to take tour eye off the scope or lose your hold in the second shot process. I use both on nearly every hunt. If using an AR or other semi-auto, you might find that you do get a higher kill count - but may also use a lot more ammo due to taking third and fourth shots on running critters that you would never have had the chance to shot at when working a bolt gun.
Before I went out to the Dakota's to shoot pasture poodles Id have had a different answer to the question. I took 3500 .223 rounds and an AR. We shot for 4-5 days. I wound up shooting up all my .223 loads in the first 3 days. I had 10/20/30 round mags. We walked most of our rounds to the dogs when the wind did what it does out there. First shot 4' left walked in the next 8 rounds till the dog exploded. It was really mostly all about burning up ammo. I brought a Savage BVSS .223 bolt and a Marlin .17 HMR. Both those were the best option for precision. Next trip out I'll leave the AR In the safe.
Maybe it's just me, but I seldom get a second shot chance. Either they drop or run and either way having a single shot isn't much of an issue in the time frames I see in my varmint hunting. With a single shot there are fewer moving parts which means less stuff to break, malfunction, or clean. And usually the gun is lighter than a similar repeater, at 67 the weight matters if there's much walking to do, and I'm still in great shape for my age.
I've hunted ground hogs for almost 50 years now and I've always used bolt action rifles with magazines. BUT...
In my opinion you don't give up much if anything with a single shot rifle. The important consideration here is accuracy and having a field shooting aid that will provide you with the maximum chance to hit the vitals at the distances you choose to shoot.
In my early days, if I missed I tried to take a second shot and invariable I missed again or worse wounded the hog because I rushed the shot. What I learned is most of the time you are better served if you miss the first shot to take you time for a follow up shot. Often a short pause to reset yourself and let the hog calm down works better for me. Therefore a single shot rifle works just as well as a repeater.
If the miss was low and kicked up debris in front of the hog chances are you won't see him the rest of the day especially if it's late afternoon. If you missed high, chances are you'll get another shot opportunity. Sometimes they don't even spook if the high shot goes into the brush. Even if they spook, often they will come out again if you wait and they were just starting their feeding cycle. Therefore the single shot rifle doesn't give up much if anything.
For this reason, I sight in all my ghog rifles to shoot a little high. Three possible outcomes: 1. you make a lethal shot - all is good, 2. you miss but don't spook the hog and get a second shot, 3. you miss but spooked the hog and because the shot was high he may come back out since you didn't rattle him too much. Again the single shot rifle works as well as the repeater in this situation.
With low shots the reverse is often true, i.e. you gut shoot the hog and he makes to his hole and is doomed him to a slow death or you kick up debris in front of him, scare the s*** out of him and won't see him the rest of the evening. Rushing a second shot can have the same ill effects.
Bottom Line: I rarely have situation where a repeater has an advantage over a single shot rifle. Not because I'm a great shot and always make a first shot kill but because trying to rush a second shot often results in a miss or worse, a wound. Also I like the "one shot - one kill" mentality. Have I made second shots - yea but it's the exception rather than the rule.
In my opinion you don't give up much if anything with a single shot rifle. The important consideration here is accuracy and having a field shooting aid that will provide you with the maximum chance to hit the vitals at the distances you choose to shoot.
In my early days, if I missed I tried to take a second shot and invariable I missed again or worse wounded the hog because I rushed the shot. What I learned is most of the time you are better served if you miss the first shot to take you time for a follow up shot. Often a short pause to reset yourself and let the hog calm down works better for me. Therefore a single shot rifle works just as well as a repeater.
If the miss was low and kicked up debris in front of the hog chances are you won't see him the rest of the day especially if it's late afternoon. If you missed high, chances are you'll get another shot opportunity. Sometimes they don't even spook if the high shot goes into the brush. Even if they spook, often they will come out again if you wait and they were just starting their feeding cycle. Therefore the single shot rifle doesn't give up much if anything.
For this reason, I sight in all my ghog rifles to shoot a little high. Three possible outcomes: 1. you make a lethal shot - all is good, 2. you miss but don't spook the hog and get a second shot, 3. you miss but spooked the hog and because the shot was high he may come back out since you didn't rattle him too much. Again the single shot rifle works as well as the repeater in this situation.
With low shots the reverse is often true, i.e. you gut shoot the hog and he makes to his hole and is doomed him to a slow death or you kick up debris in front of him, scare the s*** out of him and won't see him the rest of the evening. Rushing a second shot can have the same ill effects.
Bottom Line: I rarely have situation where a repeater has an advantage over a single shot rifle. Not because I'm a great shot and always make a first shot kill but because trying to rush a second shot often results in a miss or worse, a wound. Also I like the "one shot - one kill" mentality. Have I made second shots - yea but it's the exception rather than the rule.
DogBuster
Silver $$ Contributor
S/shot.....
been doing it for over 20 years......
no need to feed a repeater......
or pick up brass from the dirt.......
remove the ejector from your Savage
Iffin' you make a bad hit....usually enough time to grab a rd & finish off
pic......s/shot 223 AI......
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
I kind of like the slow, relaxed pace of a single shot. I like the simplicity of single shot rifles. And I don't like having to fill up a repeater when it's empty. Even with a repeater, I usually load single these days.
I've gone through my days of frantically loading and killing as many as fast as I could. Doesn't seem necessary any more. jd
I've gone through my days of frantically loading and killing as many as fast as I could. Doesn't seem necessary any more. jd
Upgrades & Donations
This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.