just how important IS having fast repeat fire capability

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
just how important IS having fast repeat fire capability, too you?
I had a recent conversation with a guy at a local range when he saw me pull a browning 78 single shot out of my rifle case,
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he asked me how I could even think of hunting with out at least a bolt action so ID have a quick second shot, available.

now Ive hunted with single shots,lever guns, semi autos, bolt and slide action rifles for years, and Ive rarely found any gun that's accurate and of a decent caliber for the game hunted, needs a quick second shot capability, but this guy was insistent that quick follow-up shot capability was critical.....the more I thought back on many hunts the more, I struggled to think of even once, when a single shot rifle would not have proven just as effective as a bolt, lever or slide action , or where the type of action had any effect on my results at all.
Ive used a RUGER or BROWNING single shot in calibers ranging from 6mm Remington, 25/06, 300 wby, 375 H&H, even 458 win at times, and I can,t recall a single time, I used a single shoot rifle,that I could not have reloaded well in time for a second shot ,if I needed one, or even needing one for that matter, and its not that Im a great shot, I just don,t fire until I'm really sure of my target and have a good shot angle inside a decent range, and can clearly see the anatomy or I don,t shoot. now Ive had ELK spin and run a few yards after being hit, but Ive never worried, I mean if your sure you placed your shot correctly they rarely go more than 30 yards, but then if you use a 340wby, 375 H&H, 35 whelen, 45/70 etc, on ELK,they don,t go far, and a 6mm rem , 270 win,or 257 Roberts does drop deer ok inside reasonable ranges
has anyone here ever lost game because they could not get a second shot off fast enough?
 
I don't know how many things you and I don't have in common as we have never met, talked on the phone, and have exchanged only a few replies in this forum. One thing we apparently do have in common however, is making sure of our shot.

I hunt with one of three firearms, two of which are muzzle loaders. Unfortunately someone has always warned the deer ahead of time when I have my muzzle loaders as I have never had the opportunity to shoot at a deer with one of them.

My other weapon of choice is an SKS. I always catch grief when I tell people that. For some reason it's not a popular rifle but I'll swear by it and not at it. I'll not trade it for any of you far more expensive and better looking weapons. It's dead on accurate and packs enough punch that every deer I have shot with it has come down with just one shot, except one. That one was about 30 yards in front of me in a small clearing. Every hunters dream. He stood there looking at me as I raised my rifle, aimed, and fired. As I knew he would, he fell and he fell hard. I was so used to one shot kills I made a stupid mistake. I relaxed and lowered my fire arm. Right at the moment that deer jumped up and ran off. When I found him, about 50 yds away and well hidden, I looked and realized the shot, although not a heart buster, was well placed.

The fault did not lie with the fire arm or the bullet. It layed with me.

To answer your question, except for that one time I have never needed a quick second shot. I did however need to make sure my head was not swelled and to make sure of my kill/hit prior to relaxing my shooting position.
 
we ALL eventually learn to be ready for a second shot!, While I hunt with a variety of weapons (bow, handguns, muzzle loaders , and varied center-fires, I reload the chamber after a shot while keeping my eyes fixed on the game during the second(S) it takes because theres always that chance a second shots necessary.
I once shot a large bull ELK at about 270 yards with my browning 78 single shot, that was grazing out in a meadow,I shot from a sitting position, and saw exactly where the 200 grain 30 cal bullet impacted,(perfect in the arteries over the heart) the rest of the herd fled at the shot, he stood with his legs splayed out as if stunned then started to try to walk, but acted like he was so drunk he could not figure out how his legs worked, for a full 30 seconds he kept staggering in place,trying to maintain balance, Id reloaded, in about 2-3 seconds and had my cross hairs on his chest but it was obvious he was mortally wounded.
at about 30 seconds he just slowly dropped over dead, just an instant before I was going to shoot, again
that was early in my hunting career, Ive seen the same basic results several times on ELK, since.
I tend to use slow expanding heavy bullets for elk, THEY usually exit from most angles, but don,t expand violently, this works great on most angles but on longer broadside shots on ELK they zip thru causing fatal damage but not huge shock
many guys just keep shooting as long as the games on their feet, while that tendency is strong if they run, I rarely fire if they remain in place and IM 100% sure of the shot placement
 
I have always been told, and my experience tells me it's true, that if you make a well placed shot you are better off not to reshoot the animal. If you reshoot the thought is that the animal will run further causing you to have to do more tracking. On the other hand, if you make a single well placed shot the animal will run only a short distance, stop to hide and see where that shot came from and where he should go next. Meanwhile he is bleeding out. Give him 20-30 minutes and if he's not dead he sure doesn't have the strength to get back up.
 
I often read about guys that use their rifles full magazine capacity of 3-4 or even more cartridges on a single ELK.
I must be doing something DREADFULLY wrong,(I never get to blaze away randomly while hunting) I can,t remember more than a single ELK hunt in the last 15-17 years where I fired more than a single cartridge to drop game, and only a few cases in the 25 years before that where more than two or at the most three cartridges, got fired.....but that was before I realized that once they start staggering around after being zapped with the first shot from my 340 wby, or 375 H&H or my 45/70 that they were not going anyplace, they were just confused at the concept of being dead........only thing I can think of is Ive got this bad habit of getting in close and not firing until IM certain of my shot placement, Ive got a decent solid shooting position, and know the ELKS anatomy, could that be causing it?
 
Sounds to me as if you're doling something right. I never have understood those who experience "buck fever" To me, I'm just looking at another target and I'll be damned if I'll be embarrassed by not hitting dead center or very close to it. I also hate the thought of my being responsible for an animal suffering needlessly and its meat going to waste.

Keep an eye on your surroundings too. One time I stalked a deer to within approx. 50 yards and had an excellent view. That deer was mine and I knew it. I drew a bead on it and was about to squeeze off a round when I thought I saw movement very close to my feet. I glanced down and saw a hornets nest covered with bees. Needless to say that deer did not die that day.
 
my dad taught me to shoot, and he CONSTANTLY STRESSED taking your time, and making SURE of your shot placement, even on fast moving targets, and getting in as close as possibly on game.
you eventually develop an attitude, or approach to hunting somewhat similar to the sniper(ONE SHOT ONE KILL)mind set.
I frequently shoot SKEET, with a 20 ga, pump, and I know how to lead moving targets, but Ill admit Ive missed a few shots over the years, on game, but as I aged and gained experience the percentages got far better,I learned, to think about the games speed and range and my rifles velocity and drop. Ive made some spectacular shots, and learned from the missed shots
now I hunt with single shots, bolt actions, lever guns even some semi-autos, but if you have that single shot mind set, you tend to approach things differently, you don,t just blaze away as fast as you can, under the concept of if the first shot didn,t drop then the second or third should. instead you spend more time, getting in close, or getting into the best location, and preparing for the shots., and you look at that as the challenge as much as the shot.
I prefer single shots, lever actions and slide actions, for deer hunting , but as I'm sure most guys know its bolt actions that seem most popular and Ive killed most of my elk with a bolt action 340wby or 375 H&H, why? well I like an elk rifle with significant punch!


if your looking for a decent high quality single shot falling block ruger #1 in stainless ID suggest you find and buy one very soon, as it appears ruger is no longer making them
2000
NO. 1 Stainless Standard Rifle: 26" Med ($820)
.25-06, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm STW, .300 Wby Mag @ 8 lbs. Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 24" Hvy ($820)
.22-250 @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

2001
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($845)
.243, .25-06, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm STW, .30-06, .300 Wby Mag @ 8 lbs Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 24" Hvy ($845)
.22-250 @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

2002
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($885)
.243 Win, .25-06, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm STW, .308 Win, .30-06, .300 Win Mag @ 8 lbs
Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 24" Hvy ($885)
.22-250 @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Tropical: 24" Hvy ($885)
.375 H&H Mag, .416 Rigby @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-H-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Sporter: 22" Med ($885)
.45-70 Gov @ 7¼ lbs Catalog No. K1-S-BBZ

2003
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($910)
.243, .25-06, .270, 7mm Rem. Mag, 7mm STW, .308, .30-06, .300 Win Mag @ 8 lbs
Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 24" Hvy ($910)
.22-250 @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Tropical: 24" Hvy ($910)
.375 H&H Mag, .405 Win, .416 Rigby @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-H-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Sporter: 22" Med ($910)
.45-70 Gov @ 7¼ lbs Catalog No. K1-S-BBZ

2004
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($950)
.243, .25-06, .270, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm STW, .308, .30-06, .300 Win Mag @ 8 lbs
Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 26"&24" Hvy ($950)
.204 Ruger (26"), .22-250 (24") @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Tropical: 24" Hvy ($950)
.375 H&H Mag, .405 Win, .416 Rigby, .458 Lott @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-H-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Sporter: 22" Med ($950)
.45-70 Gov @ 7¼ lbs Catalog No. K1-S-BBZ

2005
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($998)
.243, .25-06, .270, 7mm Rem Mag, .308, .30-06, .300 Win Mag @ 8 lbs
Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 26"&24" Hvy ($998)
.204 Ruger (26"), .22-250 (24") @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Tropical: 24" Hvy ($998)
.375 H&H Mag, .405 Win, .416 Rigby, .458 Lott @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-H-BBZ
(Ruger told me in 2012 that no more than 250 of the .405 were made in total for all the years.)

NO. 1 Stainless Sporter: 22" Med ($998)
.45-70 Gov @ 7¼ lbs Catalog No. K1-S-BBZ

2006
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($1,000)
.243, .25-06, .270, 7mm Rem Mag, .308, .30-06, .300 Win Mag @ 8 lbs
Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 26"&24" Hvy($1,032)
.204 Ruger (26"), .22-250 (24") @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Tropical: 24" Hvy ($1,032)
.375 H&H Mag, .405 Win, .416 Rigby, .458 Lott @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-H-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Sporter: 22" Med ($1,032)
.45-70 Gov @ 7¼ lbs Catalog No. K1-S-BBZ

2007
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($1,065)
.243, .25-06, .270, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-06, .300 Win Mag @ 8½ lbs
Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 26"&24" Hvy ($1,065)
.204 Ruger (26"), .22-250 (24") @ 9 lbs Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Tropical: 24" Hvy ($1,065)
.416 Rigby, .458 Lott @ 8½ lbs Catalog No. K1-H-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Sporter: 22" Med ($1,065)
.45-70 Gov @ 7¼ lbs Catalog No. K1-S-BBZ

2008
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($1,130)
.243, .25-06, .270, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-06, .300 Win Mag @ 8 ¼ - 8½ lbs
Models: 1348, 1394, 11305, 1395, 1397, 1396. Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Varminter: 26"&24" Hvy ($1,130)
.204 Ruger (26"), .22-250 (24") @ 9 lbs. Model: 11311, 1392. Catalog No. K1-V-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Tropical: 24" Hvy ($1,130)
.375 H&H, .458 Lott @ 8½ - 9½ lbs. Models: 1398, 11302 Catalog No. K1-H-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Sporter: 22" Med ($1,130)
.45-70 Gov. @ 7¼ lbs Model: 1399 Catalog No. K1-S-BBZ

2009
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($1,186)
.243, .25-06, .270, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-06, .300 Win Mag @ 8 ¼ - 8½ lbs
Models: 1348, 1394, 11305, 1395, 1397, 1396 Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

NO. 1 Stainless Sporter: 22" Med ($1,186)
.375 Ruger, .45-70 Gov @ 7¼ lbs Models: 11331, 1399 Catalog No. K1-S-BBZ

2010
NO. 1 Stainless Standard: 26" Med ($1,222)
.270, .300 Win Mag @ 8 ¼ - 8 ½ lbs
Models: 11305, 1396 Catalog No. K1-B-BBZ

No more are catalog listed from 2010 on...
 
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