[cali-newbie]

Don't know if this is where to post this but here goes.
i was thinking it would be really neat to have an Encore pro hunter for backpack hunting. Does having only one shot make a big difference in hunting? I have always thought that your first shot should be your last.
It would be cool to be able to break down the rifle and hike in and hunt.

 

[Broke Hoss]

My thinking is if the caliber is appropriate for the game; and you know & stay within your's & the rifle's limitations there should be no problem. I think it is usually more the human factor than the tool that limits us. I shoot an old Win Mdl 94, open sights. I limit myself to within 100 yds & don't take shots I'm not totally confident in. And I've not needed more than 1 shot. With some practice, reloads even with most single shots can be accomplished fairly rapidly.

I heard tell of an old guide that said something along the lines of: I would rather a client pull out a well used single shot than a new repeater. Because it's obvious he knows & is confident in his & the weapon's capabilities.

 

[au2183]

Sure you can. Lots of people hunt with a T/C Contender, T/C Encore, or Ruger #1. As always, shot placement is the key.

 

[dmsbandit]

It just takes a different mindset to hunt with a single shot. No matter what you hunt with, the first shot at game is always the best chance for success.

With some practice, you'd be surprised how fast you can reload a single shot rifle.

 

[shane256]

I love my T/C Pro Hunter in .260 Remington. It put five deer in my freezer this past year. I grew up being taught that I had to make the first shot count so it isn't a big deal, tbh. Also, plenty of people successfully hunt with muzzleloaders and bows and both of those are single shot hunting tools.

 

[Trapper1]

Ha! you beat me to the bow comment...
Agree with all the above

 

[MikeG]

I've generally regretted shooting twice, as it usually means two pigs to clean instead of one

Have fun.... don't see anything wrong with your project.

 

[MMichaelAK]

Absolutely Nothing Wrong with a single shot rifle for hunting.

Lots of people actually hunt with Ruger #1s, not just collect them.

 

[Tnhunter]

Absolutely nothing wrong with hunting with a single shot rifle. Just as, there's nothing wrong with hunting with a semi-auto rifle either. Learn your rifle. Learn your own capabilities and learn to be an ethical hunter, no matter what type action you use. These are the important things, IMHO.

There is certainly something special about the single shot rifle though, that make harvests with one just that much more special to most hunters. For what it's worth, I've actually taken a shot with a single shot Ruger #1 in 7x57, missed and then collected my buck with a second shot. It can be done, but I wouldn't plan on that occurring all the time...lol.

The Encore rifle is an excellent platform. I own two barrels with my platform and both are very accurate shooters. I believe that personally I would choose the regular Encore platform rather than the Pro Hunter, saving 4" off the barrel length for packing, while still getting a full 24" tube in most calibers. Simply personal preference, of course.

Good Luck!

 

[Canuck Bob]

I've hunted with a single shot and found no problem of any kind. If hunters can use bows any rifle is more capable.

Just remember the old saying, hear one shot moose, 2 shots maybe moose. 3 shots no moose.

Actually with practice one can fire off a well aimed second shot nearly as fast as any bolt. The differences are about a second, really not much of a handicap.

 

[broom_jm]

A well-placed first shot is the hallmark of successful hunters and you'll find few experienced hunters who shy away from single-shot actions, unless they're hunting dangerous game. In addition to the Encore, you might consider an H&R frame in whatever caliber suits you or even a T/C Contender with a 10, 12 or 14 inch barrel. That would be even lighter to pack in and if you limit your range a little, will still get the job done very nicely.

I've gone on a backpack trip into the wilderness area east of New Spicer Meadow reservoir with a Scout troop and we saw a lot of game, including a bear and a few blacktails, early in the morning. We also caught a bunch of little rainbow trout that tasted delicious fried in a tin foil pan of pure butter! My arteries are still clogged!

 

[Schuter]

Dear Sir,

I have only hunted with single shots. On only one occasion have I felt that I was at a disadvantage as a result, and decided that for close-quarters encounters with dangerous game, I would opt for a repeater (and a sidearm, and a tall tree, and a box of baby-wipes).

While you can flawlessly execute a quick reload on a nice summer day at the range, manual dexterity suffers a bit when your fingers are cold, all you can hear is your heartbeat, and you're neck-deep in thorny pucker-brush within twelve feet of a dangerous animal that you can't see, hear, or smell. In this case, a nice bolt gun, which requires less complex manipulation, would be my choice (if a napalm airstrike were out of the question).

I suppose I compensate for the lack of a fast follow-up shot by choosing larger-than-typical calibers for the task at hand. For hunting less threatening game, this has served me well in my limited experience. I do get teased a bit about overkill, but I'm red/green color blind and a lousy tracker. I'd prefer that the animal just drop and call it a day. So far, so good.

There is a great deal of satisfaction in hunting with a single-shot, particularly with carefully crafted handloads. Moreover, the ballistic "handicap" becomes a psychological advantage. I remember one particular jackrabbit hunt with several other fellows, one of whom was shooting an SKS with a 30-round mag. I was shooting a Winchester 1885 Low-Wall .22lr. I rolled far more rabbits, even with the "handicap" of an underpowered, obsolete rifle.

Using good judgment, of course, is paramount. There is no substitute for getting as close as possible, knowing your range and trajectory, and only taking high-confidence, responsible shots. The magnificent animal in your sights deserves that much.

Regards,
Schuter

 

[miestro_jerry]

I hunt with T/C Contnders, I have a couple SSK barrels that I like, one is a 444 Marlin. I have 357 MAX barrels (both 10 and Super 14). Some people say in a real world situation you need more than one shot. I don't. I practice year round. When deer season is over with, then it is Coyote season, when it gets warm out, its Ground Hog season. So there is live game practice year round for me.

I have been thinking of getting a Handi Rifle in .308 Win as a back pack rifle, but I would still carry a 357 Revolver. I don't fear the 4 legged critters as much as the 2 legged ones.

My days of back packing any real distances are pretty much over with, so I plan day trips, carry my camera and my rifle.

Jerry

 

[Sandman1]

Only if you think you will need more than one shot at a time.

 

[curiousgb]

I have taken more game with my #1a and my TC Encore than any other rife I have. One shot, one kill.

 

[Old Grump]

Go for it, there are a lot of us guys out there who don't think 10 round magazines are necessary to a good hunt. One in the gun and two in my pocket is my general rule in the woods.

My main deer gun is a single shot H&R .308, secondary are my 50 cal BP inline and my crossbow. No second chance shots with them so you have to do it right the first time.

 

[1885]

Thought I'd throw my two cents in, but everyone covered what I would have said. I've hunted for years with a Ruger No. 1 RSI in 30-06 and have never needed a second shot.

There was a PH in Africa decades ago that hunted all the game on that continent with a single shot rifle. He learned early on to keep two rounds in between his fingers on his trigger hand for a faster reload (dangerous game situations).

1885

 

[ribbonstone2]

Human nature at work.

Basically, they ALL can be single shots, you just have to load them with one round. But no one does that; if it can hold 20 rounds, folks load 20.

By the same token, if you're mind set is that "this is my one and only chance" then how many rounds are sitting in the magazine makes no real difference.


If all we had or were allowed to use were single shots, i'd be perfectly happy hunting (would be totally upset in a defence situation...but that's a different matter).

 

[MikeG]

Just a thought - if you are handgun hunting, well, you had better get the first shot to work. Not much chance of "spray and pray" with a single-action revolver. Pigs at close range... yeah... but that's self-defense work after the first shot.

Have run a few critters down on foot to finish them off with a handgun, but that's another story.

 

[pisgah]

I have hunted deer for 45 years, and I have used just about every rifle type except a double. Funny, but while I can recall instances of taking a second shot with just about every kind of repeater, I can't remember a single instance with a single shot. I am a "one shot" sort of hunter with any rifle, but I feel there is actually an advantage in KNOWING that a rapid second shot is not possible. In the field, it is pretty much a subconscious thing, but when I reflect on it I realize that the tool makes me a better hunter.

The only time I wouldn't want a single shot is if I were after truly dangerous game, and in North America, IMO, you don't really get there until you come up against a grizzly. I surely wouldn't want a big hog conering me, but if that happens it is strictly a screwup on my part.