The Charles Daly 101 is a break-open single-shot 12-gauge shotgun with a 28-inch barrel, steel construction, and a checkered synthetic stock and forend. It weighs 6 lbs and measures 43.75 inches overall. The manual break-open action is about as simple as a shotgun gets — open, load, close, fire, open, reload. 
 

Key Specifications 

• Caliber: 12GA-3" 
• Action: Break Open 
• Barrel Length: 28" 
• Chokes: Beretta/Benelli Mobil Choke Thread MC-1 (M) 
• Capacity: 1 round 
• Feed In: Manual 
• Trigger System: Single 
• Stock Material: Checkered Synthetic 
• Forend Material: Checkered Synthetic 
• Front Sight: Brass Bead 
• Safety Type: Manual 
• Weight: 6 lbs 
• Overall Length: 43.75" 
• Material Construction: Steel 
   

Features 

• Break-open action makes loading and unloading fast and visible — you always know the chamber state. 
• Beretta/Benelli Mobil choke threads accept a wide range of aftermarket chokes for different applications. 
• Brass bead front sight is simple and visible in typical lighting conditions. 
• At 6 lbs, it's easy to carry for an all-day hunt on foot.

The Charles Daly 101 single-shot has a pretty specific audience, and feedback reflects that clearly.

Simplicity is the most consistent positive. The break-open design has essentially no moving parts to go wrong, and new shooters regularly mention that it gave them a low-stress introduction to shotgun handling. Parents teaching kids also bring it up in this context. For what it is, the mechanism works.

Price is the other main draw. It's consistently one of the more affordable 12-gauge options available, which makes it practical as a dedicated beginner gun, a truck gun, or a low-investment option for occasional trap or skeet use.

Build quality gets mixed responses. Some owners are satisfied; others note that the action isn't as smooth as they'd like, particularly fresh out of the box. A few report that it loosens up with use, others find it remains stiff. It's steel construction, so durability complaints are rare — it's more about feel and fit than structural failure.

The obvious limitation is one round at a time. Most buyers know this going in, and it's a deliberate tradeoff for simplicity. For trap or small game hunting where measured shots matter, the single-shot format is fine. For situations requiring fast follow-up shots, it's not the right tool.

Weight and stability with heavy loads are occasionally mentioned. At 6 lbs the gun is light, which some shooters appreciate and others find makes full-power 3-inch shells more noticeable.