The Hearthstone Single-20 is a single-shot break-action shotgun chambered in 20 gauge with a 26-inch barrel and an exposed hammer. The weapon holds one round, fires it, breaks open to eject the spent shell, and accepts a new round. It is the absolute minimum viable shotgun — simpler even than the Stagecoach, with one barrel instead of two and a correspondingly lower price.

The Farmhand is the first gun many Shelf families own. Its single-shot capacity is a limitation that Hearthstone reframes as a safety feature — you cannot fire more rounds than you intend to, and the break-action gives a clear visual indication of whether the weapon is loaded. For families with children, the simplicity and visual safety of the Farmhand provide comfort that more capable but more complex weapons cannot.

The 20-gauge chambering reduces recoil to a level manageable by smaller-framed adults and older teenagers, making the Farmhand the de facto training shotgun for families who can't afford separate training and defensive weapons. Children learn to shoot on it, parents keep it loaded by the door at night, and when it finally wears out, they buy another one for less than the cost of a week's protein rations.