When I was a wee brat, and the times raised in - Mentors & Elders instilled some attitudes in me, and continued to share, build upon these basics and introduce new ones.
At that time, JFK had been shot, Cuba has missles pointed at the US, Cold War, and then GCA of '68 hit and then...
Mentors & Elders varied in life experiences, ages, genders, as well. Some had seen Combat , some of these Vet and had limbs missing, steel plates in skulls, shrapnel / bullets still inside...
Ladies too had been involved in "War Efforts" , some abroad as well, such as nurses.
I'll stick with these types for the moment. These folks saw what respective peoples went thru, and how they survived abroad.
Simplify.
My Mentors & Elders believed in keeping it simple. One cannot run down to the corner store, order thru a catalog in "difficult times".
One is not going to be able to run down to a Gunshop and have a gun fixed either.
Folks back then did not have a lot of money, and did not buy what they could not afford - you either paid for it, put it on Lay-a-way , or bartered. None of this whipping out a credit card - because we did not have credit cards early on.
Single Shot shotguns - Simple, reliable, proven...were hoarded. The means to make shells and slugs were hoarded too.
The means to break these down easy was important as well. H&R Toppers had a Flat head screw at that time, one could take a coin, the screwdriver blade on a Case Camp knife, or the blade of any knife and break down this gun, stick in a knapsack and good to go.
Years later, Stoeger had a single shot. I do not like this gun for kids, as one "pulls back" the trigger guard to open action. I am not comfortable with fingers around trigger guards - especially kids fingers.
One thing this gun did have I liked - no forearm screw - just pull forearm "back and down" and forearm came off, then barrel.
Beretta. Berettal made a Single Shot "backpacker" in 12, 20, 28 and .410. A really nice gun! It was my understanding at the time, some places [Europe] Just break this gun down to backpack and legal to have on person. This gun used no tools either, took just a second to assemble. I want to say it even came with sling studs and sling.
I've said it before, and will again....
I have tossed out a duffle bag of single shot shotguns, and ammo to folks. Along with a box with a reloader and reloading supplies...
Natural Disaster - Tornado hit one time, leveled everything. Folks could not find a toothbrush, much less any guns and ammo they had. I mean some farm animals - like cow - gone!
NO Fema, Folks pitched in and assisted neighbors. Set up tents - anything! One can stand guard with hoarded guns, take small game, and repel rabid dogs, snakes and whatnot.
Nothing wrong with nice guns, nothing wrong with extended mags and everything else, just - well, folks always worry about "disasters" - one can learn from history, and one is wise too.
I have heard the sharing of single shot shotguns being carried in knapsacks abroad, children and adults. I have seen it done here, and nobody ever made a comment about a 12 y/o with a single shot shotgun slung assisting with cleaning up where his house once stood.
One reason I advocate Youth Size Single Shots. A big person can shoot a smaller gun - a smaller person cannot utilize a bigger one as well.
I am not going to hand a 12 y/o a Tricked out 3 gun shotgun. I will hand this young lady a single shot shotgun - and I know she can use it - I instructed here, and she can shoot slugs very very well.
I can hand a 8 y/o boy one too, I instructed his as well...
One never knows...
I tried it with some of my skeet loads, and some Ranger reduced recoil 00 buck. Now, I need to drill and tap for a bead. 