shotgun for kids

[kurtkwe]

I have my daughter shooting a 20 guage breakaction with a limbsaver recoil pad. She still flinches a bit and complains about the recoil. I was wondering if its worth going to either a 410 or a semi auto 20 guage. The 410 seems pretty limited with regard to ammo, for example, steel shot. Another complicating factor is she is left handed which makes the semi auto tough to find. Any suggestions??

[Big Dave2]

What will she be using the gun for? Target practice, birds, squirrels, deer?

[Sturg]

I bought a Mossberg 20 gauge pump (RH). It is a bantam youth model with an adjustable stock. The safety is a thumb slide on top. My 8 yr old (RH) and 9 yr old boy (LH) both shoot it. I bought it for turkey hunting. We practiced with BB gun on shooting sticks and then switched to the 20. I'm left handed and grew up shooting RH guns without a problem. Personally, I wouldn't spend extra time or money looking for a LH gun. Good luck!

[kurtkwe]

The 20 was for turkey hunting so she did not have to shoot it that much. I need a gun for her to shoot ducks and targets with which means more kicks to the shoulder.

[bigbucks]

I have a lefty boy who's on the small side for his age & very light. Bought him a break action single shot .410 a couple of years ago. He can handle it fine, but he wants to hunt waterfowl. I was told there's no steel shot made for .410's plus that's not much pattern for trying to hit a duck. We'd borrowed a 20 gauge for turkey hunting & that was right handed. When I bought him a gun last week we just bought a right handed 870 youth. It will undoubtedly get passed on to his sister who is right handed. It seems easier to let them learn to shoot a right handed gun left handed as they'll have the option & then if they want to upgrade to a left handed model later they always can.

I know guys who found out they were left eye dominant & switched to shooting right handed after years of hunting the other way & they didn't buy new guns.

[gspman]

For ducks a 20 ga youth gas gun would be a good starting point. All the big makers produce them. I am partial to Beretta's gas guns. That'd be me recommendation.

[Gordie]

You can get steel for a 410. winchester makes it I got it a couple years ago reeds or Scheels not sure witch one but they do make it.

I would however try to get him on a 20 ga cause that 410ga ammo is more than 12 ga ammo

[PurpleFloyd]

When my son was 7 I bought him a break action .410 and he learned on that for 2 years. Then for his 9th Christmas I was set on buying him a Benelli Nova but when we got to the gun store I found a Mossberg SA-20 semi auto on the shelf and ended up buying that for him. It is a great handling, light gun and he really enjoys it.

[Archerysniper]

Those little break open 20Ga kick like a mule even with the recoil pad, try having her shoot a youth 20 870 with the sims pad. When I shoot the 2 side beside that 870 is softer to the shoulder. If that works for her you could look at a browning bps 20 they are bottom load bottom eject which works for a lefty.

[Fins-n-feathers]

+1 for the 20 gauge 870

[harvey lee]

I would totally agree with the 20ga in a semi auto for less recoil.

I had a .410 870 for my son when he first started but for larger birds, not so good.

great gun to shoot but not alot of power at all and a very small pattern.

I have a 20ga in a break open double and that baby kicks but the semi auto not nesr as much with a stock recoil pad.

[Brad B]

have you considered having a recoil surpressor added to the gun(placed in the stock of the gun). It will add a little weight to the gun but will cut down recoil. another option would be to look into handloading/reloading your own shells. there are reduced recoil load formulas out there if you read the reloading formula books or powder manufactures websites.

[Gordie]

Those little break open 20Ga kick like a mule even with the recoil pad,

Got two of these and They really throw a wholup to the shoulder my youngest shot one and he wasnt so sure he wanted to ever shoot again took a year ofr so of persuading him that all guns do not kick like that. thats when I went to the 410 then to the 20 ga pump. now he's 12 and has even shot the over/under 12ga and smoked a few clays with it. once he got thru the gun training it was like no fear anymore..

[Archerysniper]

have you considered having a recoil surpressor added to the gun(placed in the stock of the gun).

+1 I have them in all my trap guns, when I go out and shoot anywhere from 100 to 200 shells a week with my trap leagues they make a big difference in the shoulder

[TooTallTom]

kurtkwe, I found something you might be interested in. Send me an email and I'll give you the details.

[Gordie]

I posted before about my youngest and the old springfield 20ga I cut down for him and he loves it. Today we shot trap and he ran close to a hundreds rounds thru it and he was out of ammo so he just picked up one of the 12ga's and started shooting and he was dusting the birds then he switches to another 12ga and does the same then he grabs my browning gold and he goes this is a heavy gun dad, he loads it up and I'm tellin ya the boy just could not miss with it when all is said and done for the day and were back home unloading the truck he grabs that Browning and says I really like this gun dad I said thats my favorite duck gun and dont get used to it.. he just smiled and so did I..

I guess you just got let them decide when is the right time to shoot a bigger gun.