The purpose of this site is to provide some basic information about and insight into single shot shotguns. I don't claim to be an expert, but coverage of the subject is generally lacking in both internet and printed media, so I will share what little I can. My personal experiences with single shots are limited to Harrington & Richardson (H&R) and New England Firearms (NEF) guns, so I can speak of them most specifically, but many characteristics will be universal from one single shot to another.
It is worth pointing out early on what I mean by single shot. A "single shot" could actually refer to a few different platforms. Technically, any muzzle loader is a single-shot. There have also been bolt-action shotguns that are single-shots. But the when I hear "single-shot" I generally picture a hinged, break-action weapon, and that is what I'll focus on here. Also, there are some very expensive, competition-level single-shot trap shotguns out there, but my focus will be on those models that anybody might buy and use.
On this site, I will try to address:
- overall pros and cons of the single shot platform
- some of the single shot shotgun brands and models available
- the suitability of single shots for various purposes
- choosing specific models to meet specific needs
- aftermarket accessories available for single shots
- some general FAQs about gauges, ammo selection, and gun fit
Single shot shotguns don't receive a lot of hype or buzz. Bob Brister's book, Shotgunning: The Art and the Science, is considered by many to be the shotgunner's "bible," and he hardly even mentions single-shots. In The Gun Digest Book of Shotgunning by Marty Fischer, his section on "shotgun action types" doesn't include anything about single shots. To his credit, gunwriter Layne Simpson does address singe shots in his book
Those people who use single-shots are typically more concerned with simple reliability and an enjoyable time out in the woods or fields than they are with boasting about how many critters they killed or how fine the wood grain is on the gunstock. Generally speaking, single shot firearms are bought to be used and sometimes abused. They are used to put meat on the table, to deal with farmyard varmints, possibly to deter "human varmints," or to just have fun blasting clay targets or cans or whatever. They aren't showy and they aren't glorious, and that is likely why we hear and read much less about them than we do about doubles with fancy engraving or semi-autos with space-age technology.
Admittedly, there are some very expensive, competition-level single-shot trap shotguns, but they are far outnumbered by the lowly knockabout single-shots, and my concern is the latter type.
I am a member of various gun forums and have searched the internet many times for single-shot related topics, and I rarely seem to come up with much. It is the lack of information and discussion about single shots that prompted me to make this website. I don't claim to be an aficionado of single-shots, but I'll share what I know, and perhaps it will be enough to get someone else interested in the world of single-shot firearms.