Ruger single 7

Talk about Cougar Hunting with Dogs
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Rossco
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Ruger single 7

Postby Rossco » Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:56 am

I've been thinking about getting a new pistol and lever gun setup. The ruger single 7 in 327 federal mag has really caught my eye for a couple years now. And there are starting to be some lever guns coming out for the caliber. I am mostly curious about the pistol because that is what I will have on me. The lever gun will mostly be for clients to shoot. I'm just curious if anyone here has the single 7 and if you do, how do you like it? The one I'm looking at is the stainless 5.5 inch barrel.
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Mike Leonard
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Re: Ruger single 7

Postby Mike Leonard » Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:29 pm

I think it would be a great little lion gun, and a carbine in it would be excellent! This 327 Fed. really performs, and I can tell you from long experience with the 32 H&R Magnum with the 85 gr. XTP bullet it will get the job done. This round in factory form is much more potent than the 32 H&R Mag. We hand loaded ours up pretty good but it was a dandy, and it knocked out plenty of big toms with a single shot to the chest.

All that being said here are the cons:

Price of ammo and availability. Even though this round is having a bit of acceptance it quite likely will slip into the real of the 32 H&R as pretty good but may become obsolete in a few years.

Why ? Because even though it does the required task and does it with an extra round in the cylinder, and a bit less recoil, the 357 Magnum covers all of that and more.

357 Mag. ammo is available everywhere, you can buy it bulk reasonably. a vast array of loads and bullets available, and you can also shoot all 38 Special loads in it if you want to shoot reduced loads. With the Buffalo Bore and Core Bon loads especially in a rifle length barrel it is a suitable round to use even on treed or bayed black bear.

So never say no to something different because that is the fun of guns, but don't get too starry eyed over a new kid when you have an old veteran around that still sets the standard.

My 32 H&R Mags are all gone but my trusty 357 Mag. is always close at hand.


Good luck!!

Any I agree with you idea of letting clients use a rifle , it saves on wounding shots and tore up hounds.
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Re: Ruger single 7

Postby Rossco » Wed Mar 18, 2020 2:23 am

Thanks Mike Leonard. I always appreciate your advice
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Re: Ruger single 7

Postby Willyrockhill » Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:28 pm

I know this thread is a little old but I've been packing a single 7 for a few years now. I really like the gun and I can shoot it really well. It has taken a lot of game so far from lions to hogs. I love that is made off the small single 6 frame. I carry mine in a shoulder rig and its a very handy little gun.

I will add this though. Couple years ago we caught a big tom fairly high in a big pine tree. He was crouched laying on a branch 50 feet or so up. I went to shoot it in the vitals and hit him in the elbow that was bent back covering his ribs. I assumed the bullet would go through into his chest cavity. I was wrong. Bullet stopped in the elbow. Would it have stopped a 357? I don't know maybe. Just one of those weird things.
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Re: Ruger single 7

Postby Mike Leonard » Fri Apr 24, 2020 4:45 pm

Having seen many lions taken with the 357 magnum from many angles I think I would have to answer, maybe. It pretty much depends on the weight and style of bullet you are using the the velocity at which it impacts the target. I would say most likely a 158 gr. soft nose or hard-cast bullet would penetrate the leg bone and enter the chest cavity. Especially when fired from a handgun length barrel. Now then, if you use a carbine shooting the same round the extra barrel length will generate more velocity which could cause some soft nose bullets to expand quickly without penetrating dense bones. The hard cast will most likley just plough thru and get the job done however not in the spectacular manner an expanding bullet would if it reaches the vitals.

I quit using the 125 Gr. hollow points in the carbine after seeing some of them built for human personal defense blow up quickly without deep penetration. I have never had a problem with plain old 158 soft points in either a handgun or the rifle. I used some of the 180 gr. loads that were around for some years but found that on lion unless it was a lunker they generally go right on thru and could hit a dog on the other side if you were in a bay up situation.


Several years ago my hounds had a good sized tom bayed up on a rock bluff and the hunter was carrying a scope sighted 243 Winchester. What I did not know is that had it loaded with ultra-velocity 58 gr. varmint bullets. He shot the lion right in the shoulder and it knocked it off the bluff but as i ran up I could see the lion beating a hastly retreat thru the rocks. I jerked my Model 66 from my shoulder rig and threw a shot at him as he departed and was lucky and he folded up. He had a little life in him when I got down to him but couldn't do much damage to the dogs and we finished him. Upon examination we could see where the 6mm. bullet had hit the shoulder and blew off a good sized patch of hide but only penetrated a short ways and did not break the bone.

So the bullet at times has a lot more to do with it than does the caliber.
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Re: Ruger single 7

Postby Willyrockhill » Fri Apr 24, 2020 5:34 pm

I agree 100% I still pack that 327 when lion hunting and I have several other handguns to choose from. 357, 41, 44 special etc. I just really like the idea of it for lions and its a small frame. I didnt really blame my above situation on caliber but more on circumstance. It was just one of those things. If someone other then Henry makes a lever gun in 327 I will add that to the mix also

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