Here is why a simple, single-shot shotgun may be the best choice for a beginner and a valuable addition to your preparedness battery.
by Leon Pantenburg
A break action single shot is one of the safest firearms available, and it is a proven game-getter.
I like single shot firearms. My first shotgun was a bolt action 20 gauge Mossberg I got when I was 15. I like the gun and still hunt with it occasionally some 50+ years later. But the Mossberg is a not a fast shooter when it comes to followup shots. Though it has harvested a pickup load (at least!) of squirrels, rabbits, pheasants, quail and ducks, I never downed game with the second shot. Basically, a bolt action shotgun is a single shot with a convenient place to carry ammo.
My brother Michael Pantenburg has been hunting with me some 40+ years. He has a full battery of sporting firearms, but he still likes hunting with his first gun – a Savage over/under, .22 long rifle/20 gauge. The gun has been used extensively, and has harvested most Midwestern small game. It frequently goes along on backcountry elk scouting trips to harvest grouse. (Here’s why you need a .22 rifle.)
My Mississippi neighbors are avid alligator hunters. Firearms used for dispatching an alligator are restricted to long- barreled, shoulder-fired shotguns with shot size no larger than #6. My neighbor uses a .410 single shot.
Point is: An inexpensive single-shot shotgun can be an effective hunting tool. But it’s not the best choice for a defensive weapon because rapid follow-up shots are more difficult. My vote for the best defensive shotgun goes to the 12 gauge Remington 870 .
But a single shot can be a valuable addition to your survival battery. The smaller, lighter gun could be used by kids and smaller individuals. Because of the low cost, a break action is a good firearm to be stowed in survival caches. (Here are three basic firearms to start your preparedness battery.)
The good stuff
Safety: A single shot is either loaded or not. Checking on that requires one quick motion. Most break-actions have an exposed hammer, so it only takes a glance to see if the safety is on.
The single shot is either loaded or not. It’s easy to check that.
Teach good shooting habits: If you can only shoot once, and have a slow reload, you’re more likely to wait for a clear, solid shot before pulling the trigger. Semi-automatic firearms, IMHO, can encourage sloppy shooting. (I love my Ruger 10/22 semi-auto, though!) Hunt with a blackpowder muzzleloader, and you’ll soon learn the value of that precisely-placed first shot.
Lightweight and compact: Sometimes you don’t need or want the extra weight of a repeater. When I go deer scouting/squirrel hunting in the fall in Mississippi swamps, a 20 gauge…