The virtues of single shots:

[Sleestak]

Has anyone done a rounds per minute time comparison between a single shot VS. an average (non hi-cap) mag fed gun?

For some reason I can't help but feel that at the end of the day the #s might be closer than expected if you factor in your chill & fill time plus swapping mags.

& for me there is the issue of double feeds and then there is the whole maintenance/ reliability dealeo. I think we can all agree that multishot guns bring in more factors that can potentially become issues. But we won't let that harsh our mellow during this thought experiment.

What think you?

 

[beerthief]

i think this would depend on your target's . Smashing cans and bottles would be much faster style of shooting as opposed to the shooting i was doing yesterday , shooting paper in a 15 MPH cross wind practicing wind reading and holdovers . I can use either type gun and do the same shooting .

 

[AlanMcD]

If you are talking about just putting out shots and not going for best accuracy, I think it depends on how many mags we are allowed to have. If only one, then I'd agree that the count might not be that different over a minute, but with multiple pre-loaded mags then things change. And of course if you insist that the emptied mags be reloaded "on the clock" that would change things too.

For most bolt and side lever guns I don't think the maintenance or reliability of the gun is any different - pretty much all of that would be on the magazines themselves.

To make things really interesting in the comparison, you could include the swappable mag fed semi or full auto guns too. I have a .22 Sidewinder that can dump a mag in a few seconds in full auto, or comfortably shoot a bit better than one per second on the bench with much better accuracy than the full auto would do. I only have two mags, and the swap is only a few seconds on the bench now that I'm used to it. Shooting tethered on the bench with enough mags I think I could dump and swap out a 15 shot mag in under roughly ten seconds, so call it 90 shots in a minute if I had enough mags. But I don't think that is what you were after . . .

 

[Struckat]

My Prods and Mrod are revolutionary in my single shot world.
I have not needed to shoot fast so it really doesn’t matter.

 

[stateofmisery]

Has anyone done a rounds per minute time comparison between a single shot VS. an average (non hi-cap) mag fed gun?

For some reason I can't help but feel that at the end of the day the #s might be closer than expected if you factor in your chill & fill time plus swapping mags.

& for me there is the issue of double feeds and then there is the whole maintenance/ reliability dealeo. I think we can all agree that multishot guns bring in more factors that can potentially become issues. But we won't let that harsh our mellow during this thought experiment.

What think you?

I think you would have to add what caliber to the mix. If 22 or above I could load almost as fast as a mag fed gun. If 177 it would be one pellet every two minutes. Mark

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Interesting inquiry @Sleestak. Thinking about it now, yes, it does take about the same amount of time when considering the time it takes to load the magazine versus single loading.

 

[Franklink]

I'm a single shot diehard.

Shot the most recent Ultimate Field Target match single feeding....you're allowed 4 minutes to get off 6 shots, 2 shots per target, three different targets at random distances. I even dialed my scope turrets (allowed) and was still getting done in less than 2 minutes on some of the lanes, and going 6/6 at times.

Outside of speed events at the product showcase events, single feeding doesn't slow people down any more than they have any business ripping shots off anyway.

 

[Sleestak]

Maurauder Vs. Condor

2 MRod mags worth of pellets lined up for both guns at the bench. All factors kept as equal as possible.

The mags are started empty to include relavent loading time between net number of shots made.

Timed for both with and without accuracy rounds. Possibly w diiferent firing positions & some point system for hits to make it spicey.

GO!!!!

 

[Sleestak]

....this is a self challenge BTW.

I realize some peeps have skills that others don't

 

[Sleestak]

Maurader is bolt action, the Condor would roll & smoke it.

So the multishot can be a lever action like a Kratos or it's ilk

 

[beerthief]

I have always thought , if I can't positively make a one shot kill , weather paper or animal ,just do not take the shot . Practice till you can every time .

 

[Sleestak]

I have always thought , if I can't positively make a one shot kill , weather paper or animal ,just do not take the shot . Practice till you can every time .

Yeah, casually observing this forum, I think most hunters are using single shots. Hunting should always involve some level of skill in regards to getting in as close as possible & being very confident of shot placement.

Multishots are cool and all, but they make a poor crutch if someone lacks the basics

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

The only real benefit of mags, is if you're hunting. Don't want to fiddle with loading single shot or even reloading mags whilst out and about. Also, no pellets rattling in a tin alerting everything within a half mile radius.

If you're a bench shooter going for accuracy, single loading is the way to go.

 

[Franklink]

Magazines make me feel like I'm spending the bulk of the shooting session reloading magazines.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Yeah, casually observing this forum, I think most hunters are using single shots. Hunting should always involve some level of skill in regards to getting in as close as possible & being very confident of shot placement.

Multishots are cool and all, but they make a poor crutch if someone lacks the basics

Break it down into two main hunting group types and airgun types and there are definitely differences, and those differences are based on what is readily available and hunting style. For example, most small caliber hunter's taking small game with more current model airguns have magazine fed systems and walk the woods in search of small game. Whereas, most popular big bore's which have been mass-produced and mass-marketed have been single loader breech's (until recently), and those big bore hunter's tend to sit and wait for game to present that single shot opportunity. This all skews "the numbers" based what has been and is currently readily available.

Also something to ponder within this realm of big bore hunting rigs that are magazine fed is that some of the manufacturer's seem to have neglected to corelate the maximum sized slug that the magazine will hold to that barrel's twist rate (unless designed as a big bore pellet shooter, for example like FX has, or a big bore slug shooter, for example like AAA has). So then those short magazine fed slugs don't shoot accurately, and the owner is relegated to single loading longer slugs to have accuracy.

 

[kwaping]

Magazines make me feel like I'm spending the bulk of the shooting session reloading magazines.

I felt that way too, but I timed myself and I loaded 8 10-round magazines of .177 for my Gamo Swarm Magnum in less than 5 min. And those mags aren't exactly easy to load, I have to press the pellets in with a dull pencil.

It's the opposite of "time flies when you're having fun", I guess.

 

[Ranchibi]

For me, single shot loading slows me down somehow and I usually shoot more accurately that way.

 

[MJS]

I like single shot with my PCP's. I take more time and I'm more focused on each shot. I don't burn through the fill as quickly which matters because I hand pump.
With co2 I like mags because I don't care if I burn through co2 cartridges quickly.

 

[Rob_in_NC]

I've wondered the same and while I havent tested or timed it, I think the 'savings' of a multishot is negligible. I have several of both kinds and even have owned a few semi auto airguns (all were sold for various reasons), and to be honest while hunting... I've never felt I was at any kind of disadvantage using a single shot.
I dont hate on either of them but nor am I hell bent on either. Everyone wants their gun to be what another gun is. I've seen multishot breeches for Crosman and QB's for a long time and I've seen single shot adapters for various multishot guns made for a long time.

 

[MrP]

Magazines make me feel like I'm spending the bulk of the shooting session reloading magazines.

Agreed. I'm just sitting here single loading from a tin, it feels like I am shooting for the whole session. With the mags it is stop and go. Even if the total time is the same, I prefer the former - lends itself to a more laid back, focused state for me.