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.

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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.

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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.