You mentioned a Stevens single shot...I guess the hardest kicking gun I ever shot was a H&R Single shot 3.5" 12 ga ( it weighs 5.5lb) shooting some 2 1/4 oz 3.5" shells....Its a buddy of mines gun that he bought back in the mid 90's ...He still hunts with it to this day, He told me recently he has killed 51 gobblers with that gun 👍. Maybe the hardest kicking gun I ever owned was a Mossberg 535 12ga 3.5", I think it weighed just over 6lb. I wish I never sold that one because it was a delight to carry in the steep terrain I most always hunt......Hb
