The Demise of the Single Barrel (single shot) Shotgun

Muss Muggins · Dec 18, 2015

This had somehow gotten by me, but I learned today that no gun manufacturer is building new single barrel single shot shotguns of any gauge. There are multi barrel systems with .22, a shotgun gauge, and a rifle caiber, but the days of the single barrel Rossi or H & R are over. Need to run one down soon for the safe, as I don't have one.

THE PILGRIM · Dec 18, 2015

Did not know that!
I still have my old Sears (Winchester) 20 gauge.
Bought it long ago, first gun I ever bought.

fat tom · Dec 18, 2015

Plenty available in older gunshops,pawnshops,friends' closets,etc.,at least around here. Better guns than the newer stuff too. I see Winchester Model 37's fairly often. The sub-gauges are a little scarcer,but not that hard to find with a little effort.
f.t.

Mitchelsbay · Dec 18, 2015

What about Browning BT99? Is that not a single shot shotgun?

Muss Muggins · Dec 18, 2015

Mitchelsbay said:
What about Browning BT99? Is that not a single shot shotgun?

My bad. "Economical" single shot shotgun . . .

DWalt · Dec 18, 2015

There is one great advantage to a single shot for all us old fossils who still go hunting a little - there is nothing lighter to carry around. I still have a nice H&R SS in 20 gauge, and still shoot it a little. Strangely, my very first shotgun was also an (ancient) H&R single shot, but in 12 gauge. As I remember, one shot was usually enough to do the job at the time.

epj · Dec 18, 2015

My first gun was a a Winchester M 37 in .410. Wish I still had that little rascle.

fat tom · Dec 18, 2015

epj said:
My first gun was a a Winchester M 37 in .410. Wish I still had that little rascle.

I still have mine!

f.t.

44wheelman · Dec 18, 2015

Let's see, how much was my 20ga H&R Topper back in 1982...$60? It was the perfect gun for a teenage kid. That's a shame they quit making them.

Death to the tree rats.

max · Dec 18, 2015

My problem with the newer ones is that they are stocked so poorly. I still have the 410 M 37 that was my dad's and then mine.

30-30remchester · Dec 18, 2015

The demise of all single shots troubles me. Most single shots were usually built very cheaply . There is a tradition of great high quality single loaders but their cost is astounding. A nice 1885 Winchester goes from $4,000 to $10,000. Some of the nice English single shots built for Africa can go for higher prices yet. The Winchester model 20, 410 shotgun demonstrates how a workman's single shot could be made. And the sorry state of affairs when it comes to single shot 22 rifles does not need to be revisited. I could easily hunt the rest of my life with nothing but these much misunderstood classics.

Arik · Dec 18, 2015

I have a friend who has one. Think he mentioned wanting to sell it. Don't know what it is or how old. All I can tell you is that it's a 12G and it shoots modern ammo.

sigp220.45 · Dec 18, 2015

It looks like H&R is still making the Topper:

H&R Topper

And Gander Mountain has "Pointers" in stock:

Pointer Break Action Sporting Shotgun-936211 - Gander Mountain

glenwolde · Dec 18, 2015

They got killed by all the cheap pumps. I always had a weakness for the Ithaca M66, which had a lever action to open the breech.

chud333 · Dec 18, 2015

44wheelman said:
Let's see, how much was my 20ga H&R Topper back in 1982...$60? It was the perfect gun for a teenage kid. That's a shame they quit making them.

Death to the tree rats.

This was my first real gun (other than BB guns) as well.
My dad bought it from a neighbor and gave it to me for
Christmas. My best Christmas gift ever. Killed alot of those
little Grey squirrels in the Carolinas with that gun.

Chuck

30-30remchester · Dec 18, 2015

glenwolde said:
They got killed by all the cheap pumps. I always had a weakness for the Ithaca M66, which had a lever action to open the breech.

I bought a 66 as my first shotgun when I was 14 years old. Walked up to the counter of a Gibson's store and laid down $24 and was handed my 12 gauge. A box of shell bought for me by my uncle and I was off rabbit hunting. I pulled the trigger the first time and thought it had blown up. No gun should kick that hard and still be intact. I guess I needed to bulk up a little.

DWalt · Dec 18, 2015

30-30remchester said:
I bought a 66 as my first shotgun when I was 14 years old. Walked up to the counter of a Gibson's store and laid down $24 and was handed my 12 gauge. A box of shell bought for me by my uncle and I was off rabbit hunting. I pulled the trigger the first time and thought it had blown up. No gun should kick that hard and still be intact. I guess I needed to bulk up a little.

I haven't been to a Gibson's store in a long time. I think many of them in Texas have closed. The last one I visited, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, was in Kerrville TX. They had a fairly large gun and ammunition area, but they were very pricey there. When I lived outside Fort Worth over 20 years ago, there was a fairly large Gibson's in Weatherford TX and they carried a good stock of reloading equipment and supplies. Ditto for one in Midland TX, where I lived before I moved to Ft Worth. Both those may well be long gone for all I know.

30-30remchester · Dec 18, 2015

The Gibson's where I purchased my model 66 was in Hobbs, New Mexico. We would hunt jackrabbits in the alkaline flats around Hobbs. I thought my shotgun was bad as it did not hit many rabbits. It had to be the guns fault as the barrel was pointed directly at the target just before I turned my head, closed my eyes, and jerked the trigger.

Mike SC Hunter · Dec 18, 2015

Mitchelsbay said:
What about Browning BT99? Is that not a single shot shotgun?

YES............For a base price of ........$3599.00.

Mike SC Hunter · Dec 18, 2015

I've got 3, elderly and nondescript.... A 20 stays in my shop, a 12 hangs around in the house and a 12 stands guard behind the door at my lake house...........Silent, unnoticed, and ready for instant use.

The Demise of the Single Barrel (single shot) Shotgun

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