[mac66]

I posted a few months ago about single shot firearms. That thread went over like a nun with syphilis. Even so, I think there are some practical survival advantages for single shots particularly shotguns.

First they are cheap. I bought a 12 ga H&R Topper at a garage sale for $17. Yeah, it was missing the butt stock but what the heck. I've often seen them in pawn shops and in classified adds for $100 or less.

Second they are universal. The dang things have been made since before the turn of the 20th century let alone the 21st. Our ancestors managed to survive for centuries with single shot weapons.

Third, they are simple to use. Load, point, shoot, repeat. No foo-foo, they just work.

Fourth, they are relatively light weight, slim in profile and easy to carry. No knobs, or stuff sticking out all over the place.

Fifth, they are easy to modify into something short and handy. Because they are single shots the receivers are fairly short. Cut the barrel down and have a pretty compact firearm.

Here is my garage sale special...it had a 28" bbl.



I am an advocate of "re-purposing" firearms particularly those that that no one loves anymore. They are not tactical, or fancy. They usually have long barrels which no one really wants. I try to pick them up, make them into something that is compact and handy and might be used again. In other words, I find them a purpose in life again.

I bought a stock and actually found a 357 mag barrel (cheap as in $30 total for both the barrel and stock)..It is kind of fun to shoot with the 357 mag barrel. I used to reload so I dragged out my dies and started making 38s and 357s to play with.



Next I cut the 12 ga barrel to 18" and added a sling.



Finally, to turn it into my truck gun, I added a butt stock pouch. As you can see it has a five shot shell holder (which is detachable velcro). It also has a zippered pocket that holds 10 shells. And BTW, the stock screw hole in the butt stock under the butt pad holds 3 additional shells. And yeah, it kicks like a mule but it is actually kind of fun to shoot in masochistic kind of way. It now resides in my truck and is my woods walker when I am at my hunting property.



Point is, stay away from nuns with VD but single shots are fun to play with.

[wjv]

I don't buy anything that doesn't say "Tactical!!!" in at least 5 places on the package, and in at least 2 places on the item. .

Personally I wouldn't mind a nice SxS, single trigger 12 ga. . .

[jdavionic]

It's got a wood stock and is not black. Throw it away!

[quake]

Originally Posted by mac66

What's going on with the muzzle end of that .357 barrel? Is that a flash hider or a thread protector or something?

[quake]

Originally Posted by jdavionic

It's got a wood stock and is not black. Throw it away!

So I can keep mine then...?

[SFCSMITH(RET)]

I was going to say... Paint it black and put some optics on it.. but..

Quakes' got it covered.. I think an ACOG would take it full on "tactical"...

[jdavionic]

Originally Posted by quake

So I can keep mine then...?

Certified Tactical! Of course.

[mac66]

Originally Posted by quake

What's going on with the muzzle end of that .357 barrel? Is that a flash hider or a thread protector or something?

Good eye. One reason I got the 357 barrel so cheap is because the guy I bought it from cut it just a wee bit shorter than legal. I took it to a friend who machined it down. He then cut down an AR flash hider and pinned, silver soldered it in place to make it legal. Yeah it looks a big funky but cheap is cheap and it shoots fine. That barrel had a scope on it when I bought it. I am probably going to put irons sights back on it when I get around to it.

[quake]

Hmmm... I know there are suppressors that quick-attach to a nato (22mm?) flash hider; I wonder if they make them in .357/9mm caliber. Not sure if it would work the way that particular flash hider's mounted.

Something to think about...? There's just something seriously grin-producing about firing something that sounds like a pellet rifle, only to hear a heavy 'clang' on a metal target a second or so later.

[oldman11]

As you stated, you bought it because it was cheap. And now you are trying to justify it.

[mac66]

Originally Posted by oldman11

As you stated, you bought it because it was cheap. And now you are trying to justify it.

Yeah, so what's your point?

It could be that I am bragging about how cheap I got this gun to make others envious of this totally awesome H&R.

It could be that I am trying to justify the total of $57 I spent on it.

It could be that I find single shots interesting and just wanted to share with others.

Does that make me a bad person?

[scccdoc]

Originally Posted by mac66

Yeah, so what's your point?

It could be that I am bragging about how cheap I got this gun to make others envious of this awesome H&R.

It could be that I am trying to justify the total of $57 I spend on it.

It could be that I find single shots interesting and just wanted to share with others.

Does that make me a bad person?

I think it's cool ! I'll give you $60 for it, lol. Really, I think its a great truck gun................ DOC

[Bushflyr]

Originally Posted by oldman11

As you stated, you bought it because it was cheap. And now you are trying to justify it.

Stick around ninjaboi, you might learn something.

mac66, That thing is awesome. There's a whole lot to be said for a dead simple, 100% reliable weapon, that was so cheap you don't care about accidentally dropping it over the side of the boat. Except, of course, that you'd have to go to the trouble of replacing it.

One AR or 20 of those. I know which I'd take if it were TEOTWAWKI. And it wouldn't be the black one.

[itstime]

Dang. You done good. I would have snatched that up. I agree with you also. They have a good purpose.

[DustyJacket]

Even moreso, I like the o/u combo guns, like a .22/.410 or .30-30/12, 04 .223/12 (or 16 guage) etc.

Still a rugged single-shot, but your get 2 shots: one is a shotgun and the other is a rifle round.

[mac66]

Originally Posted by DustyJacket

Even moreso, I like the o/u combo guns, like a .22/.410 or .30-30/12, 04 .223/12 (or 16 guage) etc.

Still a rugged single-shot, but your get 2 shots: one is a shotgun and the other is a rifle round.

And I continue to scour garage sales for just such a gun at bargain basement prices.

[BamaTrooper]

I bought three of the single shots. we had the barrels shortened to 19", retapped the front sight, added a Hi Viz fiber optic sleeve, a nylon shell carrier and a set of sling swivel studs. All told, about 90-100 bucks. It is handy, fits in the canoe (can be dummy corded to the boat in case of an overturn) and is simple and adaptable. Buckshot, slugs, bird shot...will flares work out of it?

Take a long a good .22 pistol and you are set for a nice simple canoe/camping/fishing trip.

[MMII]

Originally Posted by oldman11

As you stated, you bought it because it was cheap. And now you are trying to justify it.

Great insight. This is the kind of stuff that I can use when things get rough.

[Morris]

And I continue to scour garage sales for just such a gun at bargain basement prices.

I'd never see that in my garage sales in this area . . .

[lawman800]

I hear ya, I paid full retail for one of the H&R single shot break open 12 gauge "Pardner" shotguns a few years back for maybe a hundred thirty or so total, including transfer fees in CA and tax and all that j***.

Shot it a few times, hurt like hell, but it was easy to use and simple and I have plans for it later on which does include maybe just cutting it down to 18" from the stock 28" and shortening the stock while keeping it legal with the OAL. It will be a very light and handy shotgun to have in the truck, that's for sure.

[mac66]

Originally Posted by lawman800

I hear ya, I paid full retail for one of the H&R single shot break open 12 gauge "Pardner" shotguns a few years back for maybe a hundred thirty or so total, including transfer fees in CA and tax and all that j***.

Shot it a few times, hurt like hell, but it was easy to use and simple and I have plans for it later on which does include maybe just cutting it down to 18" from the stock 28" and shortening the stock while keeping it legal with the OAL. It will be a very light and handy shotgun to have in the truck, that's for sure.

These 12 ga single shots kick like a mule particularly when you cut the barrel down. I did notice that with the pouch and stock full of shells, the weight absorbs a little bit of the recoil. The synthetic stocks on the new ones would reduce the overall weight over the wood stocks but increase the recoil as a result.

I have a friend who says the single shot 20 ga version of these is the best compromise between weight and recoil. Doesn't kick as hard and is lighter. In that the barrels are interchangeable, I am on the lookout for a 20 ga barrel.

Choate makes a plastic survival stock for these. Kind of a pistol grip thing that you can store stuff in. They also have a what they call a "store arm" which is a slightly over sized fore stock with storage in it. It has a knob for the forearm screw to make it easy to take down.

Lots of possibilities with these things.

[Slackinoff]

Great post mac66. Shooting single shots is actually fun too! I took a breakopen .410 to the skeet range and had a smashing good time. I have been thinking about getting a 12g or 20g breakopen for a truck/survival gun.

Here is a video about some adapters. This guy is shooting 9mm, 38/.357, 45acp, .44mag and .22 out of his 12g break open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l4PBOQT1dg

Here is the website for the adapters

http://www.shotgunadapter.com/

[Ruble Noon]

Originally Posted by mac66

These 12 ga single shots kick like a mule particularly when you cut the barrel down. I did notice that with the pouch and stock full of shells, the weight absorbs a little bit of the recoil. The synthetic stocks on the new ones would reduce the overall weight over the wood stocks but increase the recoil as a result.

I have a friend who says the single shot 20 ga version of these is the best compromise between weight and recoil. Doesn't kick as hard and is lighter. In that the barrels are interchangeable, I am on the lookout for a 20 ga barrel.

Choate makes a plastic survival stock for these. Kind of a pistol grip thing that you can store stuff in. They also have a what they call a "store arm" which is a slightly over sized fore stock with storage in it. It has a knob for the forearm screw to make it easy to take down.

Lots of possibilities with these things.

I noticed that. Slugs are pretty brutal out of them. I have one nearly identical to yours that I use as a truck gun.

[mac66]

Originally Posted by Slackinoff

Great post mac66. Shooting single shots is actually fun too! I took a breakopen .410 to the skeet range and had a smashing good time. I have been thinking about getting a 12g or 20g breakopen for a truck/survival gun.

Here is a video about some adapters. This guy is shooting 9mm, 38/.357, 45acp, .44mag and .22 out of his 12g break open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l4PBOQT1dg

Here is the website for the adapters

http://www.shotgunadapter.com/

Interesting, thanks for that.

This guy also has some videos with these shotguns including this one with the survival stock I mentioned and adapters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhtj...eature=related

[lawman800]

Originally Posted by mac66

These 12 ga single shots kick like a mule particularly when you cut the barrel down.

Mine kicks like a mule even with the full +28" barrel shooting out low recoil birdshot for trap.

I put a thick recoil pad on it and that helped a lot but did add a bit of length of pull, but since the gun is so compact, it was okay.