I share your skepticism of the single-shot crowd, hookeye. I see salesmen at the gun stores always tell dads trying to get a rifle for their kids to hunt with: "Oh yes, this .243/7mm-08/.308 single-shot is a perfect first gun."
Notice why they say first...they know in just 4 years or less, they'll have another sale. And at that point they'll probably recommend a "youth" model bolt gun. If you're so hell-bent on shooting a single shot, buy a bolt gun you'll want to keep forever, and just put one cartridge in it. Who's forcing you to fill the magazine?