Question about Modern Bolt-Actions

[evanilily37]

Hi gunnit, I've been thinking about getting a bolt-action rifle for accurate target shooting, and I realized that I seem to have misconceptions about the popularity of bolt-action magazine types.
I haven't fired a bolt-action in a great many yea speed test rs, but I was under the impression that single-shot, 1-round capacity bolt-actions were common, if not the norm. Looking around online, it seems like floor-plate, detachable-mag, or fixed-mag are the more popular configurations. In fact, I've had trouble finding any single-shot, 1-round capacity rifles at all.
So I'm wondering - is this a thing of the past, or are there still decent, modern 1-round cap bolt rifles out there? I suppose this is a question that arises from my own romantic ideas of bolt rifl showbox es rather than utility, but I'm still curious.

 

[KnowNothing256]

Do you mean like a single-feed setup, where the only internal place to store a cartridge is in the chamber? Or do you mean a 1+1, where there can be a chambered round plus one round in some sort of internal magazine?

If you mean the former, sure, there are plenty of single-feed setups out there. They tend to be used for F-class or Benchrest disciplines, but they're definitely out there, and many are far better than "decent."

 

[Lowholer]

Savage makes a target rifle that will only allow 1 round.

 

[Supersubes]

@evanilily37 can you lay out what you're usage is going to be? Most practical or field style rifles are magazine feed for obvious reasons. Nobody wants to load from a pile of rounds on the dirt or in their pocket.
So fill us in on what exactly what you want to do, how you want to do it, and what is your budget.

 

[roostercogburn98]

You could always build the repeater of your dreams and get a bob sled block for the magazine. That is, if you decide you want to shoot longer than mag length whatever you get

 

[Fig]

He's thinking Handi-Rifles. You can buy a modern version, or they're still pretty cheap used on the secondary market.

They've always been a very accurate and budget minded choice of a working rifle.

Account Suspended

 

[roostercogburn98]

Ahhhh I see that he was getting at. Look at TC as well.

 

[jcmullis2]

I’ve heard some people say the single shot actions are more rigid and more accurate. Remington single shot actions aren’t uncommon and still available.

 

[spife7980]

For ultimate accuracy, yeah. Get a single shot solid bottom action. You don’t see repeaters on the paper target only firing lines.
Not all that many on this site, or in general these days sadly, are as into that as they are shooting from a mag in imperfect positions.

 

[FjallJager]

There are tons of manufacturers that make single shot bolt action rifles; Kelby, BAT, Barnard, Surgeon and more. The hard part is that beyond Savage no one is making a single shot bolt action complete rifle.

As a hunting rifle, no one is making a product like that. There are several production falling block or break action single shots available; Thompson Center makes 2 or 3, Bergara makes 1 (called CVA in America), Ruger, and then the price really goes up Merkel, Blaser, Krieghoff.

 

[jcmullis2]

If a fast follow up shot isn’t a concern, I think it would be worth putting one together. Another fella was asking where to find a single shot 223 factory action last year for a build. Remington only had single shot actions with a 308 bolt. I think it ended up with a custom action but I offered to swap a new 223 bolt for a 308 but never heard back. Single shot actions aren’t as common as they once were

 

[Bluesman]

Cooper Models 21 & 22 are single shot bolt rifles.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

For many years, Remington made the XP-100 as a single shot bolt action. Kimber followed suit with the Predator (making a controlled round feed work as a single shot, with a beveled extractor) and HS Precision and most recently the Nosler 48. All were bolt handguns. Many Remington’s have been converted to single shot rifles due to the very solid action. Of course, it is a bit sad to see one of the XP’s converted to a rifle, knowing due to our rather stupid gun laws, it can’t go back (without some serious paperwork and draconian tax dollars)

 

[Ledzep]

I believe Remington 40X actions exist with a single feed bottom. Savage makes a Benchrest action that doesn't have a cutout on the bottom for a magazine, and several other custom action makers (mostly in the BR world, also) make such a thing.

Outside of Benchrest, .22 target/trainer rifles, Ruger No.1's, and the Thompson Center style rifles, it's fairly uncommon. From inception in the late 1800's through the present day, magazine feed systems of some form or another have been the norm on pretty much all bolt-action rifles; hunting, target, military, or otherwise.

ETA: Noteworthy to mention, many turn of the (last) century military rifles had magazine cut-offs that stopped rounds from feeding from the magazine to allow rounds to be single loaded on top. The thinking, I believe, was that the magazine was there for an "oh shit!" event when time didn't allow for single loading.

 

[jcmullis2]

Remington made single shot 700 actions until they closed last year. The single shot r700 action only, no barrel or stock, were only offered in short action with a 308 bolt when they closed last year. Easy to get different bolt if you wanted a 223 or whatever with different bolt face.

 

[Just Macca]

You won’t be able to shoot the difference, buy a repeater.

 

[jcmullis2]

Trying to leverage a single shot bolt action for the rigidity when the rest of the rifle is built like a hunting rifle is like putting a sway bar on a Honda Civic. If you're shooting a 32" straight tube on a phatass'd single shot Barnard in a massive, flat bottom Mcmillan Fclass stock off a machine rest, loading out of an ammo box or loading block for 20 round strings then by all means. But if you're into that you probably already know where to find single shot actions.

I’m with you Ski, I don’t see much need for the average Joe outside of competition. If I was building something to compete with I’d probably just buy a custom action. It costs nearly the same as buying a new factory action and having it blueprinted so why bother.

 

[Thorgrim]

Savage makes a target rifle that will only allow 1 round.

I just bought a Savage 12LRPV (long range precision varminter) in 6mm BR, which comes in an HS Precision stock. In the late 70's, early 80's I had a 112-V in .22-.250 that I loved, but it had two flaws - one, the little 50gr bullets got pushed around by the wind too much past 400 yards or so, and two, it was right-hand eject. That means reaching over the rifle to grab brass if you don't want to search a half-grown hayfield for it while groundhog hunting. The 12LRPV is right-hand bolt, left-hand eject, much easier to feed and to handle the empties.

If I were hunting something skittish and quick like coyotes, I think I'd want a magazine-fed rifle.