Darn it, you guys are getting me all nostalgic.
There was a time when I thought anything this side of buffalo would fall to a 16 gauge H&R and a goose load of 3s.
Easing through the woods with eyes on the canopy, a pocket full of 6s,and that old campaigner cradled easily in my hands.
I filled a 5 squirrel limit one day in 40 minutes with that well worn 16. I cleaned them, strung 3 of them on a willow twig, and used dry twigs to make a tiny little fire. A packet or two of salt from my brown duck hunting coat and a swig of water washed down one of the finest meals I've ever had. I then got two more greys and went back home with a full bag and belly.
Back to singles....
These are not for magnum loads, except for the masochistic. The light weight and severe drop of most stocks mean lots of felt recoil. Where these shine is midgrade loads, 1 1/8 oz at most for 12s, an oz for 16s, 7/8 oz for 20s. Kick is acceptable if fit and form are good.
Triggers, except for the fabled Winchester 37, run heavy and mushy. Most of these have receivers that are hard to get into, and I'd love to see most triggers both lighter and physically wider.
Still workable, tho.
Over the last 20 years or so I've seen lots of these turned into specialty guns. Shortened barrels, lightened or skeletonized stocks, camo paint, etc, produce a "Project gun" suitable for woods running, boat duty in cottonmouth country, and something to knock over a ptarmigan or two on a caribou hunt.
And some get buried in PVC pipe sections with ammo for folks who think things might get really bad.
And for the Truly Manly, I've seen slug guns set up with good sights and triggers, and lots of kick. A 1 1/4 oz Brenneke is unmistakable at launch in one of these(G).
At a now defunct gun shop,I saw a 10 gauge single with shortened bbl, Jungle Ninja camo paint, and a sling with 10 shell loops attached for sale slightly used. The counterman said laconically it had been fired, ONCE, and was on consignment. No more info needed....
