youth gun needed

[jkoehler]

Wondering which gun would be great for my 10 year old daughter to begin shooting? O/U 20 or one of those comfortech 20 gauge autos? I am thinking the auto would kickless???

[mcbosco]

I am thinking about a first gun for my boys 11 & 13 but leaning single shot. There are some pretty good Huglu's in a youth size. The CZ version is the Cottontail for $225. A nice little auto for a kid is the Franchi 48 AL I know it comes in a 20 gauge short stock.

[fishvik]

My choice would be a single shot 20 or and pump 20. The reason is it will teach the young hunter to make the first shot count. I've started both my kids out with a 20 ga. pump. And they both learned that there wouldn't be a fast second shot like theymight have with an auto or a double barreled gun, so they had to make their first shot count. Along with that have them shoot alot of clay pigeons with the safety on and gun down so the learn to handle and mount the gun in controled environment before the are exposed to the excitement of a rising bird.

[Mountaineer]

Any youth model with the short stock and barrel.
My choice, a 391 20 gauge with a 24" barrel....barrel length is important.
Simply load one shell untill the time arrives to load more.
I would suggest the Fiocchi Low Recoil 20 gauge shell...it will not work the action, most times, but who cares at a starting point.
The child will have enough gun with a 391 to graduate to birds when the time is right....and so be familiar with the same gun they learned on.

Important point is that the gun is light enough and ballanced well enough that the girl or boy has the arm strength to hold the gun w/o leaning backward.
Sometimes, a child may have to wait to shoot untill that strength has developed...they can participate in hunting/shooting in ways other than pulling a trigger.
Pulling a trigger is often more about what the parent wants...IMHO.

Alwyas teach a child to shoot with the gun up....success is more important than mounting and shooting.
That will come.
Many think differently.
Skeet stations 1 & 7 are the best places to begin.

Have fun...and the kids will too!

[tdhusker]

Unless price is the deciding factor, I'd stay away from the single shots. A 1 oz load in one of those little things kicks like an angry mule. I had a 20 ga youth 870 and it was nasty for the kid to shoot too. Short and uncomfortably loud with that stubby barrel.

If you can find a used gas operated 20, you can often find aftermarket stocks for them. Watch on the auction sites. I found a youth stock for a 391 20 ga that I had bought used. Even though they cost more initially, you can resell a gun rigged up for a kid very quickly later on because they are in high demand. My youngest is still shoooting that 391 but I have several parents at the trap range who want it when he moves on. If you've got the dough to do it, buy a quality 20 ga gas gun either in youth model new or used and put a youth stock on it. Your kid will shoot better and you can sell it for what you paid when he or she is done with it.

[jkoehler]

I prefer to stay away from the single shot just for that fact of hard kicking. I didn't know if anyone had purchased the new benilli's with there comfortect and if that would be better then a gas?

[Mountaineer]

I shot a turkey gun with one...not impressed.
Meant to catch the customer's eye and be something new for sales for those that have to have the latest and greatest.
Point would be that the Comfortech would work best or be most notable on a gun with actual recoil...on a 20 gauge, it is just marketing.
Don't overthink simplicity....Go with gas.
IMHO

Felt recoil is often about stock dimensions and fit....any recoil device will never trump bad basics or worse form.

[Elroy's Bandit]

I started my boys off with the 391YL (20ga.)It was the best decision I made. I just passed it down the line. It comes with 3 seperate pads so as they grow, you can extend the length by changingg to the thicker pad. Evenually they outgrow it. Since my youngest is now 16, I might be interested in parting with it?? Condition is pristine with virtually zero knicks or scratches. It is in the original hard case and all chokes and tools are there. I actually forgot I had it until I was reading this post.
If there is any interest...send me a pm
Bill L.

[Meller]

I started my grandson with a 28ga. single barrel, and installed a kick reducer, and had it fitted to him. Ended up real nice and holds one real nice pattern.

[Greg Jennings]

I started mine on a Remington 1100 Special Sporting in 28 ga. Kicks less than a light single shot 410 and kills birds like a 20. Best choice I ever made.

[HOLLYWOOD]

my dad started me on a browning sweet 16. it one sweet gun. i also had a new england single shot 20 guage. both very reliable.

[gspguy]

The Beretta 391 Youth 20 ga is an awesome kids gun. My 10yo shoots it well. It would be well suited for a girl, especially if she is smaller or slight of build. It takes out a lot of the recoil which is really nice for beginners.

[birddog1968]

I started with a 20ga Moss 500. Still use it from time to time. Moss sells stock to covert between youth and adult LOP.

[ckirsch]

No concerns about safety with pumps or semi-autos carried by inexperienced youngsters? I have a Youth 870 in 20 gauge for my daughters, but would prefer a single-shot, s x s, or o/u, so that they could break the gun open when getting in or out of the vehicle, walking back to the truck after a hunt, etc. I picked up a little EAA sxs 20 that is pretty nice, but a little front-heavy for a 12-year-old girl. I guess they'll grow into it.

[birddog1968]

Gramps only used to give me one shell at a time....a pump is a single shot that way

[ckirsch]

I suppose that's true, but I still prefer a break-action gun for beginners. I know they can keep the chamber open on a pump and accomplish the same thing, but it is not as easy to tell at a glance that they have done that.

[mcbosco]

Semis and pumps are nearly taboo at my skeet club and on some public lands in NJ even for experienced people. Local rangers will almost always come over just to snoop if you have a semi.

I would rather a kid walk around with a single shot break-action gun as well.

[birddog1968]

Semis and pumps are nearly taboo at my skeet club and on some public lands in NJ even for experienced people. Local rangers will almost always come over just to snoop if you have a semi.

I would rather a kid walk around with a single shot break-action gun as well.

Funny growing up waterfowling and hunting quail on Maryland's Eastern shore and Delaware, pumps where and in some respects still are bread and butter guns. The new spaghetti guns have taken some of that away but a pump gun is still considered "traditional".

[Greg Jennings]

Semis and pumps are nearly taboo at my skeet club and on some public lands in NJ even for experienced people. Local rangers will almost always come over just to snoop if you have a semi..

That's just because you live behind the iron curtain. A large majority of competitive skeet shooters shoot an O/U tube set in the 20, 28 and 410, but swap off to a gas operated semi for the 12 ga and doubles events. And there is a danged good reason why...

[mcbosco]

I totally agree but that's the situation.....its more a Nanny State than the Iron Curtain,

[jkoehler]

Some great options here fella's thanks for your help. I would love to go with an over under 28 or 20, but I am afraid that might be a pretty heavy gun and hard kicker, where as an auto might be a little smoother for her??

[Greg Jennings]

A 20 ga fixed breech of any kind will kick the snot out of a her.

Have you got her shooting a Daisy BB gun yet? It sounds wonky, but it's a great way to start them out.

[jkoehler]

Yes, bb gun and .22, next will be the .223 at some praire dogs this summer, then I am hoping the shot gun this fall........

[Greg Jennings]

There is a trade off on the shotguns. A break-open single shot might be lighter and easy for her to carry, but it might be light enough that in 20 ga, it will kick the snot out of her.

Something you might try is letting her shoot a 410 with 2-1/2" skeet loads. They kick less than the 3" field loads. A variation on this idea would be the "buddy tube" gauge tubes. That might let you compromise between the weight of a 20 ga break open and the recoil of a 410 ( you could get a 28ga for that matter).

My daughter had trouble with the 28 ga auto at first, and we did work with the 410 break open. She could handle the weight better, but it actually kicked more than the auto. She also rapidly grew frustrated with difficulty hitting targets with the 410 and not being able to shoot doubles like her brother.

Today, my son shoots a 12 ga O/U or auto, but my daughter, now 15 sticks with the 28 ga auto. She'll kick your butt with it if you're not on your game that day.

[GSPlover]

My dad bought me a Remington 1100LT-20 back in 1980. Im still carrying it today chaseing Ruffies here in NC. What a great gun. I just made it 5'6 inches in height and have short arms and it still fits me perfect. I put a 21 inch rem-choke barrel on it and it is the perfect grouse gun for me.

[SCKWEST]

I just purchased a yildiz 410 for my youngsters and am very pleased with it! It was the lightest model I could find weighting in at just 3 and 1/2lbs. it is a single shot and shoots very well. depending on the size of the youngster and the age, one may want to get a couple inches cut off the stock. this model is also the best priced one that i found at $119. however, i was buying what i thought would be best for my kids not the best price. good luck and hopes this helps someone out. sckwest

[jkoehler]

Thanks for the info.

[rkappes]

No concerns about safety with pumps or semi-autos carried by inexperienced youngsters? I have a Youth 870 in 20 gauge for my daughters, but would prefer a single-shot, s x s, or o/u, so that they could break the gun open when getting in or out of the vehicle, walking back to the truck after a hunt, etc. I picked up a little EAA sxs 20 that is pretty nice, but a little front-heavy for a 12-year-old girl. I guess they'll grow into it.

How do you like that EAA sxs 20? I saw one at the sporting good store the other day and was curious about them. The tag on the gun said EAA but it was stamped Baikal? How much did you get yours for?

[highcotton]

Just my opinion..but single shot hammer guns are dangerous in the hands of kids. Those hammer springs can be too strong for youngsters to handle safely. They also kick like a mule.

A good gas operated semi-auto in 28 or 20 gauge would be my choice.

[ckirsch]

The EAA is a very nice gun for $400. (It is also stamped Baikal.) Much nicer wood than my Red Label, and while the action was very tight initially, it has loosened up and is reasonably smooth. I have no problem recommending it, although we haven't run a whole lot of shells through it yet. Reasonably light, but maybe a little front-heavy for a twelve-year-old girl.

[cfmripryder]

I'm not sure if it would be anything you'd be interested in but I have a Remington 1100 LT-20 Rem Choke /Wood Stock in mint condition that I'd be willing to part with.Includes everything the gun originally came with except the box-Chokes, owners manual, choke wrench, magazine plug etc.

[JMc]

There is a youth Benelli Montefeltro 20 on gunbroker.com. Not sure how much you want to spend but that is a great gun and you can buy an adult stock from Benelli when she's ready for it.

[jkoehler]

I think I found a berretta Al-2. It is an older gun, but great condition, very light like the mont, but it is gas operated so it kicks less. 26" barrel in 20 gauge.
thanks!