This simple weapon will not fail you.

The one-round shotgun manufactured by Harrington & Richardson (H&R) and New England Arms (NEA) is among the finest firearms ever put into mass production. It is simple to operate — even someone who has never handled a gun before can figure out how it works, mastering it within an hour. It is reliable — it will never jam or freeze up. It is safe — being single action, it is one of the few shotguns you can safely keep a round chambered in, and it will not discharge unless the external hammer is physically cocked back. It is inexpensive — you can buy a new one for under a hundred dollars, and a used one for under thirty. It is everywhere — though seldom seen in display cases or gunracks, everyone seems to have one of these guns in storage; it often being the first gun they’ve ever owned. The venerable single-shot is one of the most prolific weapons manufactured, easily being the most widely owned civilian firearm in the world.

This firearm is extremely reliable. I have never known one of these guns to fail to operate, even after years of abuse and neglect. You can leave this gun submerged in a puddle for a month, then run an old snotrag on the end of a twig through the rusty bore once to dislodge any debris, before firing it. After soaking it overnight in WD-40, it will become serviceable once again. In the South American rainforests, these shotguns are held in high regard by the aboriginal tribesmen who live in an extremely damp environment and have no access to proper cleaning supplies. Two centuries from now, after most of the firearms in civilian hands have been rendered inoperable due to snapped springs, lost pins, or broken parts, the vast majority of surviving functional guns will be H&R and NEA single-shots.

This scattergun is often a boy’s first gun, with which he learns firearms safety, how to hit a target, and how to hunt. It is designed primarily for taking grouse, turkey, and waterfowl. With properly designed slugs, it can take a deer at close range. It is also one of America’s deadliest weapons. Next to the autoloading .22 rifle, the single-shot scattergun is used, far more than any other civilian firearm, for committing homicide. It is often modified by cutting it down with a hacksaw, giving it a barrel length of 8"-12" and a knobby pistol grip, making it resemble a flintlock boarding pistol of yore. In this chopped down configuration, it is sometimes referred to as a "whippit," "sawed-off," "blunderbuss," or "hillbilly dueling pistol." It is a nasty weapon, far bulkier than the biggest automatic pistol or magnum revolver, but is favored by gang members, street punks, and barroom brawlers because, due to its prevalence, it is easily available and often untraceable. With its barrel chopped, it becomes a reloadable claymore mine, literally filling the height and breadth of a corridor with projectiles, peppering all within. Outdoors, however, it only has an effective range of about twenty feet. This modification is highly illegal and anyone found in possession of such a weapon can reasonably expect to spend several years in either the state prison or federal penitentiary.

The H&R and NEA shotguns have been around for many years. They are most commonly found chambered for either 20 or 12 gauge, but models also exist chambering .410, 16, and 10 gauges. Older versions have a top mounted lever latch, like those found on double-barreled shotguns, and an extractor which allows the spent shell to be easily removed by hand. Newer models have a button on the left side that, when depressed, allows the barrel to drop open and the spent shell to be popped out by a spring loaded ejector. There is an external hammer which must be cocked back before firing, and can be carefully decocked if one decides not to fire. Because of the efficiency of the single-action, no safety switch is required. Unlike most other shotguns, it is safe to keep a round chambered at all times. Hammerless shotguns, like doubles, pumps, and autoloaders, all are provided with safety switches, but the internal hammers are kept at full cock over live ammunition — not only is this extremely unwise due to the increased risk of accidental discharge, but the tension on the springs will cause them to weaken over time. Also, unlike the three aforementioned shotguns, the single-shot will never jam. Double-barrels can get rounds under the extractor while reloading, pumps (especially single ports, like the Ithicas) can jam if short-stroked, autoloaders can jam for any of several reasons (and often do). The single-shot is safe and reliable, more so than any other type of firearm.

The single-shot used exclusively for home-defense can be modified several different ways. First, the barrel can be cut down to its shortest legal length. If you are keeping the stock in place, it can be reduced to 18"; if you are affixing an aftermarket Zytel pistol grip, the barrel must be at least 21" to comply with federal law stating that the overall length can be no less than 26". It is strongly urged that the barrel be cut at least 1/4" above the minimum required length to allow for filing the rough metal smooth (as well as worn down yardsticks). The muzzle can be filed smooth with both a flat file and rat-tail file before sanding and rebluing. Cold bluing kits work best, but a touch-up marker or flat black model paint can be used for a half-assed job. Cutting down the barrel will make the weapon more compact for indoor use, reduce weight significantly, and expand shot spread. The only disadvantage is that it will decrease accuracy at longer ranges, which shouldn’t be a consideration.

Next, it is advisable that a small light be clamped beneath the barrel. Tactical lights are excellent, but far too costly for such a project. Instead, a mini Mag-lite (or similar quality penlight) can be held in place with a clamp. Clamps for laser sights can be used, or one can be fabricated. I have seen a "clamp" made from scrap wood and electrical tape that was ugly, but worked well. A good quality light with a xenon or halogen bulb will illuminate your zone, destroy an assailant’s night vision, and aid targeting.

If the stock is kept in place, an elastic "bullet band" holding five rounds can be slipped on. If the Zytel grip is used, an extra round or two can be slipped inside the hollow and held in place by friction, or with a piece of tape. The stock can legally be cut down and sanded smooth, provided the overall length remains over 26", but care must be taken to ascertain that the stock bolt is not sawed through. I have seen this firearm in all three configurations, and feel that leaving the stock in place is best — it gives you the shortest barrel, the lightest recoil, and five extra rounds. The Zytel grip, which costs about $20 and only fits the newer models, looks good, but due to its design does not allow you to cock the weapon with one hand, as can easily be done with either the original or modified stock.

I feel that the H&R and NEA shotguns are an essential part of anyone’s firearm collection. This design will outlast all others, and the user has no choice but to maintain proper fire discipline. You will not suddenly find yourself out of ammunition with this weapon, and you are more likely to hit your target with the first shot. With sabot slugs, a shot from this weapon has stopping power exceeding that of a .44 magnum. With buckshot fired from an 18" barrel, you hardly need to aim at close range. With a mounted light, you don’t need to aim at all. True, you wouldn’t be happy resorting to a single-shot weapon if you were facing multiple attackers armed with autoloading weapons, but do you realistically see that as a possibility?

This weapon is far better than a muzzleloader, a crossbow, or no gun at all, and even where no gun is readily available, the reliable break-action can often be found, forlorn and long forgotten, in the back of a closet with half a box of birdshot. It can be owned in jurisdictions where handguns are prohibited, and can be fired in populated areas where the penetration of a 9mm, magnum revolver, or rifle round would be a significant concern. Unlike an automatic pistol or pump shotgun, it can comfortably be used by unskilled civilians in times of great stress. Although the thought of a magazine packed full of rounds (instantly discharged and reloaded at the twitch of ones finger) is comforting, additional firepower is usually unnecessary. Statistics clearly show that in the vast majority of cases where a firearm was used for protection, only a single shot was fired — and I guarantee that a single shot from this weapon, at close range and to the center of mass, will effectively terminate any threat sans body armor (even with birdshot).

The reliable, powerful, and omni-present single-shot is all the gun you need.