Been interesting reading the ideas posted to this topic. Let's change the OP to something more contemporary:
“What firearm would you get if you had been laid off due to the pandemic, your unemployment runs out the end of the year, you expect to be booted out of your rented apt. because you owe rent back to March so you expect to be sleeping in your car or on the sofa of friends or family?”
I heard a lady at our local Bi-Mart telling the clerk that as soon as she got her last unemployment check she would be back to get the long gun she had picked out. I didn't go over to see what she had picked out, not my business. But not an unreasonable problem to face.
Since I started this post, I have found what seems really good to me. It is a Rock Island Arms 12 ga single shot folding shotgun, made in Turkey. I found it at Bi-Mart for $100 new. Came with three screw in chokes, cheap plastic sight on the back, rib, 3” chamber, sling swivel studs, stock which can be adjusted for lop, 20 “ barrel.
I got a sling with 10 loops, a butt cuff with 5 loops, and have been trying it out with some chamber inserts: .45 ACP, .45 LC/.410, 9 mm, .357, .22 LR, .22 Mag, 20 ga., and .410. Lots of fun and makes it possible to shoot much of what a neighbor finds lost at the rock pit (you would be surprised at what people drop on the ground and don't bother to pick up). I should note that a couple of my shooting buddies went down and got some also. The store had .410s just like these also at the same cost. Since we have black bears and mountain lions come thru the neighborhood from time to time, I keep it by the front door.