# Rifle, Centerfire, Singleshot



## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

During my financial crisis last year I sold off most of my guns. Now that I'm getting back on my feet, I'm in the market for such a rifle. I'm only aware of the Ruger, the T/C and what used to be the HR Topper. The T/C is just so darn ugly! 

I would like advice and opinions. I loved the 30-30 topper I once had, and I wish I still had it, but I'm looking for something more substantial than a 30-30. 

I'm not looking for conversation on the calibre, however, but who makes a good single-shot centerfire, and should I be looking for an older as opposed to newer rifle?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

H&R (NEF) is no longer making the "Topper" line of rifles.
Browning makes a single shot Model 1885

You won't find many that will shoot as well as a bolt action


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Ruger also makes a single shot. 
http://www.ruger.com/products/no1/index.html

 Al


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

The Brownings are good looking rifles, and Rugers a close second.
If you simply want a utilitarian single shot rifle, I'd pick the TC. The New England Handi Rifles are a dime a dozen, but they are about as cheap and basic as it gets.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Rossi makes a single shot in .243, and .223.. I've got a matched pair in .22 and 20 gauge.. 

Not an expensive or high end gun, but my .22 is really accurate, a nice small gun, and very handy.. I use it as my knock about utility gun and love it.. 

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-list.cfm?category=9


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

Find a used NEF or H&R. I have two of them, great rifles and used are not expensive. However, right now if you are looking at a serviceable hunting rig, bolt actions are not too much more expensive on the average.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

to be honest , the price of a budget bolt is 40-60 dollars more than a single shot break and I feel a good part of whats hurt the single shot market 

especially when these budget bolts turn out some very good accuracy for the price 

CVA is making a single shot now also they have a Thompson like easy switch barrel and they have a less expensive the barrel it comes with is the barrel you get.


H&R new old stock http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/36_262/Harrington+and+Richardson/

a bolt for around 40 more than the break h&r http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36_62_974/products_id/70946

CVA under 200 dollars http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...9/CVA+STALKER+223REM+BLK+24+W+INT+SCOPE+MOUNT


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Glad things are now on the up for you Vicker. What do you want?

Funny about the T/C duckling. I always felt it when I saw it. Just could not put my finger on it.

I don't have anything to offer because. I would like to have a long shooting tack driver varmint rifle and this threat may help me rifle in. Thanks.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

mossberg patriot under 300 http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36/products_id/96988

I haven't tried a patriot but a cousin has an older mossberg 243 bolt and it has put a lot of meat on his table


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Best white tail rifle I've ever owned is a Ruger No.1 (in .270)

Instead of some 'Whiz-Bang', 'Plastic Fantastic' or 'Magnum Cannon',
I took a Ruger No.1 in .35 to Alaska, filled both my bear & wolf tags with that rifle,
One shot each.

If you are a hunter, and you don't need a 30 round mag to put a deer down,
Then its real hard to beat a Ruger No.1,
Nice rifle all the way around!


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I bought my Topper for $75 in 03. It'd had the rear sight removed and a weaver 4X. I took the scope off, found a rear sight that worked, and killed quite a few deer with it and a few varmints. I kick myself in the butt every time I think about trading it off. 
I had a friend who kept one on his tractor. 
He lost it one day when it bounced off and he plowed it under. He plowed it back up 10 years later. He's dead now, but his son still hunts with it. 

The Topper, I think, never was never chambered for any more powerful rounds. I suppose I'm going to be looking for a used Ruger.

I'd still like to have that 30-30 back. Maybe I'll get one of each.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Hey, in the movie Southern Comfort, when the little Cajun fellow popped up from behind a log and debrained that fellow in the pirogue, wasn't that a Topper?


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

Well, no sense knocking a round that has worked well for so long. If it worked for deer and varmints for you then, why not now? 30-30 is just as deadly today as it was when it was first invented, maybe more with modern ammo. Ammo is cheap and plentiful, I bought some on sale a couple months back for $10. Plus it is a rifle and caliber you are familiar with, which counts a great deal.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

You're right. My shots are going to be under 100 yards, for the most part. In fact, to be honest, I've never shot a deer more that 40 yrds away. They're usually more like 10-30. I can use my .22 for that.  

I want something that I can play with, with reloads, and the 30-30 suits my needs. Not glamorous, but it works damned well. And, as a singleshot, I can play with projectiles.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> The Topper, I think, never was never chambered for any more powerful rounds.


The "Handi-Rifles" were chambered in larger cartridges.

The Toppers were mostly shotguns

http://www.hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/Youth.asp


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Here is a Ruger #1 in 22 250, just need a FFL holder to ship it to.

http://shop.williamsgunsight.com/sproducts.aspx?srch=y

 Al


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

My dad & grandpa used to get so mad at me...
We would go **** huntin and grandpa would say,
'Shoot em behind the eyes, the dogs need to learn to fight em...'
'BANG'... Thud... I'd catch he!!...

Dad used to get mad at me because I'd shoot deer in the head.
'You're ruining the rack!'
Dad, we have never eaten a rack, I'm not interested in saving it...

Don't know if anyone will remember BRI, before Winchester bought them,
I was the first guy in the neighborhood with a rifled slug barrel and Sabot slugs,
I'd bust deer in the head and dad would throw a fit!
I never had to chase one I shot in the head...

My dad shot one in the 'Buck Stick' and for thirty years never lived down 'Dic Shooter'!
After that first round, we considered it a mercy killing.

If I were going to hunt, I'd pick something dead simple,
Single shot, over/under or side by side,
Maybe a lever or bolt rifle.

The one big attractive thing about a single shot, break down is the potential for rifle/shot gun barrels on the same frame, I whole heartedly agree with that.
I packed around an over/under, .22/20 ga. When I was young,
Savage, so it was a little heavy, but it made for a great rabbit/squirrel banger!
Cracked on several deer with it also, and more ground hogs than I could count.

It was the first chamber I ever cut, I cut it for .22 WMR and it was VERY effective.


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

If you want something more powerful, good to 100 yards, and fun to reload, take a look at the 45-70. I have had one in a handi-rifle, can load anything from light deer killers or rounds at black powder pressures all the way to some serious bear medicine. Plus with it being a single shot you can play around with pointed bullets...


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

The toppers were the predecessor to the SB1 frame 30-30 was the highest pressure round put on the a SB1/topper frame and remingtion wouldn't even do that for the last several years 

the other rifle cartridges were put on the SB2 frame the SB1 was a cast frame 

David White does some amazing work on Handi rifles and really knows his stuff most of his work is stubbing this allows him to put a very good barrel into the frame of the handi by using part of the original barrel as a stub this allows him to thread a new barrel in and avoid the issues that welding to a barrel creates 

this is his forum http://www.dandtcustomgunworks.webs...th-of-the-new-handi-rifle-frameaction-7092654

he does not like high pressure cartridges like 270 in the sb2 frame he has measured frame stretch on these , while he has many thousands of rounds of 30-30 through his topper that he stubbed with no frame stretch , he has some very good info one the h&r / NEF handies and their predecessor models 

I wanted to build a 445 super mag or a 357 maximum on an SB1 but when I tried h&R wouldn't put a barrel on my SB1 huntsman as it had been a black powder and even though it was sold that it could do accessory barrels and I filled out a 4473 for it when I purchased it , Remington said no

I have been keeping my eye out for a 30-30 handi for years but they were very popular and always sold out online and I never saw a used one.



I thought a 30-30 single shot would be fun I messaged David White last year , he said he could take a 20ga nef or topper and make it a 30-30 that they were good for that I have been keeping my eye open for a donor action and barrel , but it ends up costing more than I really wanted to spend and found other things to interest me and occupy my time and money


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

vicker said:


> I bought my Topper for $75 in 03. It'd had the rear sight removed and a weaver 4X. I took the scope off, found a rear sight that worked, and killed quite a few deer with it and a few varmints. I kick myself in the butt every time I think about trading it off.
> I had a friend who kept one on his tractor.
> He lost it one day when it bounced off and he plowed it under. He plowed it back up 10 years later. He's dead now, but his son still hunts with it.
> 
> ...


Want more umph?

A popular rifle down here:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...+Rifle+Break+Open+35+Whelen+22"+Synthetic+Blu


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## GunMonkeyIntl (May 13, 2013)

JeepHammer said:


> My dad & grandpa used to get so mad at me...
> We would go **** huntin and grandpa would say,
> 'Shoot em behind the eyes, the dogs need to learn to fight em...'
> 'BANG'... Thud... I'd catch he!!...
> ...


Even as a young Buck ol' 'hammer was the only one around that knew what he was doing. So wise among his elders!

Oh, great, wise, and wonderful Jeephammer- how fortunate are we, the beneficiaries of your grace!


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

35 Whelen is a great cartridge. Essentially a necked up 30-06, can be quite potent. Had one on a Mauser action, it let you know when it went off but with the right loads whatever was on the other end never knew what hit it.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

GunMonkeyIntl said:


> Even as a young Buck ol' 'hammer was the only one around that knew what he was doing. So wise among his elders!
> 
> Oh, great, wise, and wonderful Jeephammer- how fortunate are we, the beneficiaries of your grace!


I think we are treading to close to not nice so we are all just going to back away slowly and let it be


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

That a TC is ugly is beyond debate. And maybe it will matter once its in your hands. But get it in your hands first. If it puts what you want where you want, looks come a distant third. N ot sure why a single shot appealsm I'd like a Dimension in .243 and .308 maybe they're theft proof??


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I like things that are simply made, work extremely well, and are easily fixable. When I want a repeater, I'll get a lever or an auto, depending. It's just a personal preference. I grew up shooting single and doubles mostly. I'd definitely go with a bolt over a single in a .22, as the cartridges are so small. But, I have an old Rem. Model 32A that works just fine. I'd never sell that.


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## WVhillbilly (Mar 11, 2016)

I bought a Rossi single shot 30-06 on my 18th birthday last year for $180. Took the old tasco scope that used to be on my 30-30 and mounted it on the 06. That thing kicks like hell, but it'll put 2 bullets in the same hole at 100 yards.


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