Thread: Pros and Cons of Breakdown Single Shot's for a newb

I've had a few H&R handi rifles still got one in 22hornet reamed to a k hornet. Goes well that's why I've kept this one.

Originally Posted by Husky1600#2

Back in the 90's when I was away working for most of the time, I carried a Baikal 222 for some afterwork walks in the hills etc. Over a 5 year period that little rifle accounted for more deer pigs, goats, tahr, chamois, and rabbits than all of my other rifles combined. Was simple, accurate with a wee 3X Weaver on top, and broke down to fit in to 2 unobtrusive gunbags. Could be stowed away from prying eyes, on the four wheeler. Would fit in my kitbag, ammo was easily available and you could carry a lot of ammo cos a 222 is kinda small. Shot its first tahr only 2 1/2 hours after sighting it in, shot 7 goats with 6 shots up the Awatere. Only drawback is it is a bit heavy for a single shot, but then most of them are.

The triggers on the Baikal's sometimes need a bit of tuning, simple job for a competent gunsmith. Mate has one in 22-250 and he fitted a peep sight on the dovetails and has shot heaps of animals with his.

And theres something about using a single shot that you you cant quite experience with a bolt or magazine rifle, its a quiet satisfaction of a job well done with only one round. I'd say go for it, you wont regret it and they are so much easier to carry inside your pack, or on a packraft, or in a plane or helicopter. And if a TC in 30-06 floats your boat, I know of one up for sale.

Be very wary of many gunsmiths who say they can improve the trigger. Most are stoning / filing the sear and baikals generally dont respond well to that 'western' adjustment...and once done if they go to far (and it is easy to do / fairly common) said gun will fire on closing rather than wait for the trigger to be pulled. Undoing that adjustment is tricky and often not successful. The way the Baikals are build, as much as I like them, there is very little that can be done to improve the triggers. But if you can get used to them, they work very well.....

I have a single shot H&R 308 and a Rossi in .44 mag. Also a Baikal in .410

The two rifles are both cut fairly short, I wouldn't want the Rossi to be my only rifle, but the H&R would be on the short list. There are plenty of positive aspects to having a single shot, especially as a beginner.
There is really only one universal drawback with single shot break open rifles, and that is slower follow up shots. This drawback in some ways is also a strength, it will encourage shot placement discipline, someone that hunts for their first 2-3 years with a single shot will probably be a better at it by the end of the second year than someone that hunts their first 2-3 with a bolt action, all things being equal.
Once you get used to your rifle, the slow follow up isn't as much of a handicap as you might think. Using mine the other week I managed four for four in about 30 seconds on some goats. I will admit there was as much luck involved as there was shooter skill or rifle capacity, but it can be done.

A couple of other things I like about the single shot, is that there is only one round at any given time to keep track of. Once you fire, you know the rifle is safe.
While this should also be the case with repeating actions, I have heard true stories to the contrary. Also your single shot will never have a misfeed. That follow up shot might take longer, but it is much less likely to be delayed.

The ability to pack the rifle down is also a bonus, if you are transporting it by a method other than inside a vehicle, the pack down option makes all the difference. At any given time, the rifle you can take hunting is better than the one you can't.

For the scenarios you are describing, a 308 stainless Bergara would cover a lot of bases.

If you're contender is opening up on firing reloads. You're doing something wrong. Either going over book max, which you shouldn't, or more likely you haven't got the head space right. I started to get that problem. I checked the rifles lock up lugs, barrel to reciever gap etc. All were fine. Checked and rechecked my loads. Same powder lot, charge weight , projectile, seating depth. In the end out of frustration I checked shoulder bump. And found it was a couple of thou futher foreword than a previous batch that didn't have the problem. Set the shoulders back a bit with no other alterations and problem gone. Use lee dies with the non lock die ring. Replaced it with a grub screw lock ring off an old die an die stays put now.
I like my single shot. I pick the places to take it though. 7-30 waters isn't a 300yrd plus caliber. 200ish pulls it up. Great vehicle gun. Short and safe by being able to de cock it or leave it open.

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the way people talk about a slow follow up shot you'd think it takes over half an hour to reload another round into it....they recon semis are the fastest but I've seen some pretty impressive rapid fire from a bolt action

Another thing that's nice, on the Baikals anyway, is the ability to have a round chambered without the action cocked so it's still safe

Those wee bergaras are heavier than a lot of bolt action rifles the same length

I like the bakails. Pros,cheaper,shorter,you don't use much ammunition as don't take iffy shots. Cons,slower to get away next shot if needed,no lighter than some bolt actions.

Thanks again everyone-

Just a follow up question, with these Bargara single shots (or Rossi, Baikal and others for that matter) is it possible to just buy another barrel chambered in a different calibre? i.e have a 20" barrel in 223 or 300BLK for economic goat/wallaby work, and then have a 16" in 308 for deer etc? Is this possible?

Originally Posted by Matty72

Thanks again everyone-

Just a follow up question, with these Bargara single shots (or Rossi, Baikal and others for that matter) is it possible to just buy another barrel chambered in a different calibre? i.e have a 20" barrel in 223 or 300BLK for economic goat/wallaby work, and then have a 16" in 308 for deer etc? Is this possible?

Bergara in theory do not sell extra barrels. However, in my personal experience (with a sample size of four now), their manufacturing tolerances seem to be good enough that I have been able to swap barrels between actions and there are no issues with headspace.

Rossi do not, EXCEPT for the Rossi Wizard, but these can be hard to come by. I currently have a Rossi Wizard in the cupboard in 270 Win, but suffers from the odd misfire due to light primer strike, depending on the ammo/primers used. The hammer spring is noticeably weaker than the Bergara, my plan is to try and get some slightly stronger springs made for the Rossi's, which should sort this. One I do, I'll be selling as as I have no need for it now.

H&R did do extra barrels, but you were supposed to send the rifle back to them (I think) so that the new barrel could be properly fitted. Its about having the lock-up just right, not too tight, not too loose, and the cartridge headspace correct.

I suspect most of the single shots that easily break down could be made to work, but should have a gunsmith check/adjust them, at which point its possibly not economic?

There is a guy on the forum would has/had a Bergara Apex with a 222 and a 308 barrel, that was their interchangeable one before they stopped making it. Almost the same as the current Bergara single shot, but without the takedown feature. I think you have to knock out the main pin to swap the barrels, which is pretty quick to do. I was going to buy it before he changed his mind, but I think he might be selling it again? I can check...

Thanks @bjp, helpful info. Agree about it getting uneconomic with GS etc- just thought it may have been a feature of these but hadn't seen any mention of it. Be interested to know about the Apex, however also I'm still early in my acquiring phase so I wouldn't be buying anything right away, will be curiosity and helping me refine my list.

Hi All
run a few Rossi single shots here most are modded for unusual cals . some do interchange with others to share the action others will after a little love ,but some are too different and not worth the trouble
easy to change the stocks [butts ] the foregrip need to stay as some of the barrel nuts are in different positions .we were taught to shoot with a single shot so most of the time [unless goat culling ] you need only one shot ..

Originally Posted by Matty72

Thanks @bjp, helpful info. Agree about it getting uneconomic with GS etc- just thought it may have been a feature of these but hadn't seen any mention of it. Be interested to know about the Apex, however also I'm still early in my acquiring phase so I wouldn't be buying anything right away, will be curiosity and helping me refine my list.

Internet search for CVA Apex might be helpful. Bergara single shots seem to be branded/sold through CVA in the States...

also here... https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....-rifle-101396/

Originally Posted by blip

the way people talk about a slow follow up shot you'd think it takes over half an hour to reload another round into it....they recon semis are the fastest but I've seen some pretty impressive rapid fire from a bolt action

Who needs a second shot when a Baikal doubles as a club.

Originally Posted by Matty72

Thanks again everyone-

Just a follow up question, with these Bargara single shots (or Rossi, Baikal and others for that matter) is it possible to just buy another barrel chambered in a different calibre? i.e have a 20" barrel in 223 or 300BLK for economic goat/wallaby work, and then have a 16" in 308 for deer etc? Is this possible?

Sort of...I know with baikals the extra barrel was the same price or dearer than the whole rifle. I suspect it is the same with the others too. If you are looking for a take down specifically, then have a look at the BLR takedowns by Browning. I bit deare but I loved mine far more than the Baikal...and being lefer action they had a magazine as well.

I know where there is a brand new Baikal in its box for sale (though I am pretty sure it is 7.62x39 ) It would be about $550 if you were interested...