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Thread: Youth gun: .410 , 20ga. or other ?

  1. #1
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    The next door neighbor's 6 year old son is very well behaved and really into fishing and going along on dove hunts. Birthday is coming up and his Dad would like to get him started down the right path. I'm curious as to your opinions on a first shotgun for a youth. I started with a 20ga. single shot, and still have the gun today. Any information would be appreciated and helpful. Thanks.

  2. #2
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    .410 for getting used to the bang and recoil,shooting at stationary targets.Minimum 20 gauge to hit moving targets.
    Six years seems awfully young.The last thing you want to do is scare him and make him gun shy.

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    CWPINST is offline 168 grains of assistance from a distance
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    The first thing that he needs is a BB gun, if he doesn't already have one.
    If it ain\'t accurate at long distance, then the fact that it is flat shooting is meaningless.

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    I'll second the BB gun. I started with one (actually killed my first dove on a doves shoot with one, too - No, not flying) and it builds gun handling / safety skills (if properly taught and supervised).

    When you move up to a real shotgun - I'd say wait until they can handle a 20 and completely bypass the .410. The .410 is, in my opinion, a world-class crippler and is truly a gun for ADVANCED, rather than beginner, shooters.
    "Only accurate rifles are interesting " - Col. Townsend Whelen

  5. #5
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    Thanks for the advice. The kid has a Red Rider BB and is a good shot standing, or prone. He's respectful, and aware of his surroundings when shooting. One day, he'll make for a good outdoorsman. Like I said, I just want to keep him on the right path.

  6. #6
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    People always seem to overlook the 28 ga. It's a wonderful gun to shoot. The recoil is very low but it throws enough lead to get the job done. The draw backs are cost of shells, but a young person doesn't shoot that much anyway. It is very cheap to shoot if you reload though.(about $2.00 a box) I'm a skeet shooter and shoot it more than any other gauge. I always have my female friends shoot the 28 when I take them to the range. It doesn't beat them up and they are more willing to go back. The guns are light enough for a young person to handle too. AS for the 410, forget it. It is frustrating enough for an experienced shooter and not a good way for someone starting out. They want to hit what they shoot at. The 20 gauge single shot would have too much kick for a young person and most can't pull the hammer back safely.
    Breaking clays<br />makes my day,<br />but eating skeet<br />ain\'t no treat.

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    I'll probably catch some heat for this, but my opinion of the best beginner shotgun is the Beretta AL391 in 20 gauge, with a youth length stock.
    "Only accurate rifles are interesting " - Col. Townsend Whelen

  8. #8
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    No heat from me. That's a good gun. The 1100 would be cheaper and serve the same purpose though and the youth stock could be found cheaper than buying the youth gun and getting a standard stock later. I have seen the youth guns but not the youth stocks for sale.
    Breaking clays<br />makes my day,<br />but eating skeet<br />ain\'t no treat.

  9. #9
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    DON'T get a 20 single. I've got one that kicks more than anything else in the cabinet and, like skyduck said, it's hard for kids to cock and decock safely.

    This kid sounds like he's already hooked so go ahead and get him a light weight youth auto if you can swing it and he can handle the weight. It'll last him until he gets a 12 for ducks and then he can restock it and still have a nice light dove gun the rest of his life.

    You might consider putting a full magazine-length plug in it so he can only load one at a time through the ejection port.

  10. #10
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    The only thing I didn't like about the 1100 20 gauge was the weight - but it WOULD help enforce follow-through.

    I have a 20 gauge AL391 that is my primary dove buster. This may make folks think I am a wimp, but I have a 7 ounce Breako mercury filled recoil reducer out front that replaces the magazine end cap. I got that for Argentina, to soak up the volume shooting recoil. I left it on as it helps my follow-through.

    I also have a 5 ounce weight in the buttstock. Hell, it may weigh as much as an 1100 now...
    "Only accurate rifles are interesting " - Col. Townsend Whelen

  11. #11
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    I regret having picked up a 410 for my sons first hunting gun. He has missed a few due to the light load.

    Fortunately he is a true Gamecock and takes the misses quite well. He knows he will conect one day. I plan on getting him one of those Remington Spartan 20 guages soon enough.
    It's not enough to simply tolerate the 2nd Amendment as an antiquated inconvenience. Caring for the 2nd Amendment means fighting to restore long lost rights.

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    I started with a 20 gauge pump, but I agree the 1100 in 20 would be a good choice.

    I also agree with the idea on a 28, but had to go with my experience primarily.
    107Cain<br /><a href=\"http://www.outdoorculinary.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.outdoorculinary.com</a>

  13. #13
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    Screw the .410-- a fine gun for an experienced shooter. and a damned fine gun for getting a young shooter discouraged at his/her ability.

    28 is nice- but 20 is more versatile in easily located factory loads.

    Go with a 20ga- Rem or Mossberg pump for cheaper or an 1100 (but DAMN it's heavy!)... shoot light loads and they will be fine.

  14. #14
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    From experience, don't start him off with an Auto shotgun. He will burn through the shells like they are water.

    I started with a 20 ga ithaca side by side (my moms gun) then got my own Savage SxS a few years later. At 12 I was given an Ithaca Model 37 pump.

    The pump probably did more for my aim than the other guns. after each shot and rack, you have to find your sight plane again.

    Personally, 6 will be too young for my son. He'll still be in BB guns at that age, no matter how good a shot he is.

    I can remember many a morning sitting on deer stand with daddy with my BB gun. I woulda shot that sucker in the eye

    JMO
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  15. #15
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    I started at 7 with a single shot hammer gun. No problems- but that is a person to person issue- i know kids killing critters younger and older than me- i agree with Jozie- make a judgement call on the kid.

    As for the auto or pump etc etc- My father applied two rules that kept me from burning through shells and made me a better shot-

    1- regardless of the game or gun I either got ONE or TWO boxes of shells and not a single round more... so i learned to conserve ammo if i wanted to stay in the game.

    2- also (except single shot!) regardless of the gun- i got ONE shell in it till i killed 2 birds with 2 consecutive shots... then i got a 2nd shell in the gun... until i got 4 birds with 4 consectutive shots i did not get 3 shells in the gun.

    To this day with a pump or auto if i find my shooting going to shit i empty the gun and put one shell in the barrel- telling myself "Make it count, it's all you got!"

  16. #16
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    Becasue a 410 is not enough. I took my 8 year old to Barron's today to look at guns. The 870 did not fit because his arm would have to extend to far to grip the forend and the thicker (than the 1100) recoil pad seemed to contribute too much to the pull. The 1100 fit but was heavier, by a little. So I ended up thinking an 1100 would be it. Kent then pulled out a Nova. With the long forend, it fit great. Just something else to think about. Price is just over $300.
    It's not enough to simply tolerate the 2nd Amendment as an antiquated inconvenience. Caring for the 2nd Amendment means fighting to restore long lost rights.

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