I see a hinged/break open action being touted as "safer" than other types but fail to see a difference between them. A gun with the chamber empty and the action open is "safe" regardless of the action. Once the chamber is loaded and the action closed, safety is in the actions of the person holding the gun. It is easier to see a break open action has been made safe which is a convenience to others rather than a safety feature.
As for firing, there is little difference between a double barrel, semiauto, and pump for repeated shots. Both the semiauto and the double gun are ready for a second shot once the first is fired. A pump has little in its favor over these two if used correctly as the recoil of the shot helps the shooter work the action for a follow up shot. It doesn't take much use to get shellshucking down pat.
For those worried about a new shooter having more than one round available to them in the early stages of their learning there are at least two ways they can limit shots in pump and semiautos.
First, they can do as my father did when I first used a repeater and say if he hears me fire a second round quicker than he thinks I should, then he will take the gun away from me. Knowing he meant it, I was careful how quickly I loaded follow up shells.
Then there is a second way which I implemented with my wife and stepsons. I cut a dowel to use as a plug long enough to prevent the loading of a shell in the magazine. This effectively made it a single shot or anything up to maximum magazine capacity depending on the length of the plug.
There are probably other means of limiting magazine capacity/rate of fire but these are the two I am most familiar with. Limiting magazine capacity isn't really a safety factor but it can lead the shooter to place greater concentration on making the first shot count rather than maybe a follow up one. Indirectly, it can also a cost saving feature too.
