Gun Buyer’s Guide 2015: Top 18 Single-Shots, Other Rifles & Shotguns

BENELLI M3 CONVERTIBLE: Gauge: 12 (2 3/4”, 3” chamber); Barrel: 19.75”; Weight: 7.2 lbs; Stocks: Polymer; Sights: Ghost Ring, optional 3-dot tritium; Features: Dual action semi-auto and pump; Finish: Black; Capacity: 5-shot; MSRP: $1,589

CHIAPPA 1887 LEVER ACTION SHOTGUN: Gauge: 12; Barrel: 22”, 28”; Weight: 9-9.3 lbs; Stocks: Wood; Sights: Bead; Features: Lever; Finish: Blued, nickel; Capacity: 5-shot mag; MSRP: N/A

CHIAPPA LITTLE BADGER: Caliber: .22 LR, .22 Mag; Barrel: 16.5”; Weight: 3.5 lbs; Stocks: Skeletonized; Sights: Fixed front, adjustable rear; Features: Foldable; Finish: Blued; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $199

CHIAPPA TRIPLE CROWN/TRIPLE THREAT: Gauge: 12; Barrels: 18.5”, 28”; Weight: 8.2-8.7 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Bead front; Features: Break action; Finish: Blued; Capacity: 3-shot; MSRP: $1,649

CIMARRON 1885 HIGH WALL: Caliber: 8 calibers from .45-70 to .405 Win; Barrel: 30”; Weight: 7.7-9.3 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Front fixed, rear adjustable; Features: Single or double-set trigger; Finish: Casehardened, blued; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $923-1,311

MERKEL DOUBLE RIFLES: Caliber: 8 calibers from 7x57R to .500 NE; Barrels: 21.65”, 23.6”; Weight: 6.6-11 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Blade front, w/rear leaf; Features: Side-by-side; Finish: Various options available; Capacity: 2-shot; MSRP: $8,195-18,995 (From Steyr Arms)

MERKEL 96K DRILLINGS: Gauge/Caliber: 12, 20/.223, .243 Win., 7x57R, 7x65R, .308, .30-06, 9.3x74R; Barrels: 23.6”; Weight: 6.83 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Blade front, pivot style rear; Features: Blitz locking system; Finish: Various options available; Capacity: 3-shot; MSRP: $8,495-9,495 (from Steyr Arms)

MERKEL K3/K4 SINGLE SHOT: Caliber: .243 Win to 9.3x74R; Barrel: 19.7”, 23.6”, 25.6”; Weight: 5.5-6.2 lbs; Stocks: Walnut Sights: Fixed; Features: Franz Jaeger tilted block; Finish: Various options available; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $3,795-26,995 (from Steyr Arms)

ROSSI MATCHED PAIR: Gauge/Caliber: 12, 20, .410/.17 HMR to .308; Barrel: 18.5”, 22”, 23”, 28”; Weight: 5-6.3 lbs; Stocks: Synthetic, laminate; Sights: Bead front, adjustable rear; Features: Break action; Finish: Matte nickel, matte blue; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $160-285

ROSSI SINGLE-SHOT: Gauge/Caliber: 12, .410 (3”, 3 1/2” chamber)/.22-250 to .44 Mag; Barrel: 22”, 23”, 24”; Weight: 6.25-7 lbs; Stocks: Synthetic, wood, laminate ; Sights: Bead front (shotgun), adjustable rear (rifle); Features: Break action; Finish: Blued; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $117-305

ROSSI W: Caliber: .223, .22-250, .243 Win, .270, .30-06, .308; Barrel: 23”; Weight: 7 lbs; Stocks: Wood; Sights: Fiber-optic front, adjustable fiber-optic rear; Features: Break action; Finish: Nickel, blued; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $378

RUGER NO. 1: Caliber: Over 15 calibers from .204 Ruger to .458 Lott; Barrel: 20”, 22”, 24”, 26”; Weight: 7.25-9 lbs; Stocks: Walnut, laminate; Sights: None, adjustable; Features: Classic falling block; Finish: Blued, stainless; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $1,399

SAVAGE 212/220 SLUG GUNS: Gauge: 12, 20; Barrel: 22”; Weight: 7-7.5 lbs; Stocks: Black, synthetic; Sights: Drilled and tapped; Features: Bolt action; Finish: Blued, stainless; Capacity: 2-shot mag; MSRP: $601-768

STEYR DUETT: Gauge/Caliber: 12/.222 to 9.3x74; Barrels: 23.6”; Weight: 6.4 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Three-dot iron; Features: Break-action over/under; Finish: Mannox; Capacity: 2-shot; MSRP: $2,850

TAYLOR’S 1887: Gauge: 12; Barrels: 28.1”; Weight: 7.05 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Bead; Features: Lever; Finish: Casehardened; Capacity: 5-shot; MSRP: $944-1,289

UBERTI 1874 SHARPS: Caliber: .45-70; Barrel: 22”, 28”, 30”, 32”, 34”; Weight: 10.3-11 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Fixed, fiber optic; Features: Single shot, Finish: Various options available; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $1,809-4,999

UBERTI 1885 HIGH-WALL: Caliber: .44-70, .45-90, .45-120; Barrel: 28”, 30”, 32”; Weight: 10 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Tall Vernier tang; Features: Single-shot; Finish: Various options available; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $1,009-1,279

UBERTI SPRINGFIELD TRAPDOOR CARBINE: Caliber: .45-70; Barrel: 22”, 32.5”; Weight: 7.3-8.8 lbs; Stocks: Walnut; Sights: Front blade w/ ladder rear; Features: Single-shot; Finish: Blued, casehardened; Capacity: Single-shot; MSRP: $1,699-1,949

ARs dominate the rifle world. Then you have bolt actions. In the shotgun arena, you’ve got pump actions and the fastest semi-auto designs. But what about the oddballs? What about the single-shot rifles, like Uberti’s 1874 Sharps replica or Chiappa’s do-it-all Little Badger survival rifle?

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We also can’t forget the lever-action 1887 shotgun (made famous on the frontier and resurrected in movies like Terminator 2), as well as the venerable double-barrels and other break-action designs. And then you have the Chiappa Triple Crown and Triple Threat—shotguns with three barrels!

Speaking of shotguns and rifles, some of the products in this roundup are both. Steyr’s Duett, for example, has one barrel for 12-gauge shells and another for rifle cartridges ranging from .222 caliber to 9.3x74mm. What category does this fit into?

While these rifles and shotguns are far from mainstream, they bring together things that every American shooter enjoys: high-quality craftsmanship, classic looks and on-target precision. Check out this roundup to see some of the best single-shots, double-barrels and lever actions currently on the market. We’re sure you won’t be disappointed.

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This article was published in the 2015 Gun Buyer’s Guide. To subscribe, please visit PersonalDefenseWorld.com/subscribe.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

Benelli: BenelliUSA.com
Chiappa: ChiappaFirearms.com
Cimarron: Cimarron-Firearms.com
Merkel: Merkel-usa.com
Rossi: RossiUSA.com
Ruger: Ruger.com
Savage Arms: SavageArms.com
Steyr: SteyrArms.com
Taylor’s: TaylorsFirearms.com
Uberti: Uberti.com

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