Youth Shotgun Question

K

KansasGsp

Active member
Hey guys,
My 9 year old son asked Santa for a shotgun for Christmas, which made Daddy very happy! Anyways, looking for suggestions as I've never bought a youth model before. He's not the biggest 9 year old and he's pretty soft. Do I go with a 20 gauge or a 410? Single shot, pump or semi? Thanks in advance and if anyone has one they are looking to get rid of let me know. Thanks again
 
I started my boys on the Mossberg 20ga Youth pump. It has stock extensions so they can use it for a while as they continue to grow. Had good luck with it. Great news that you are bringing along another young hunter. Enjoy.
 
Bought my son a youth Rem 870. He’s killed a few quail and three turkeys with it. It’ll thump you. Just picked up a youth Weatherby SA-08. Wish I had bought him that one from the start. Much more enjoyable to shoot and you can get a bigger stock when outgrown. Has a 24” barrel.
 
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I bought my son a Browning 20 gauge BPS Micro. It comes with choke tubes, is a sweet shooter and is bottom eject so can be used by either right or left hand shooters. It is 3" and my son's first bird was a high flying duck with an overhead shot with 3" steel load. I borrowed it when I was training my bird dog and had the dog on a check cord since I could handle the gun easily with one hand. I would not consider the .410 for a starter shotgun. My son will never part with this gun and will pass it down to one of his children.
 
I agree. A 20ga is the way to go. I still have my 870 20ga wingmaster that my dad bought for me as my first gun. This was before youth models were really around. We had the stock cut down and as I got bigger replaced it with a new one. I still have and use that gun to this day regularly.

It was bought new in 1974 from an Alco store. We didn't have a lot of money so I remember it was put on lay away and he made payments on it. Never will forget going to pick it up as well as all the memorable hunts I had and will continue to have with that gun.

I guess my moral of the story is get him a good gun and something he can use all his life. Some day when your long gone maybe he will have some great memories carrying that gun afield as an adult. I know I do.
 
I bought my son his first shotgun when he was 7. It was the moss berg youth 20 gauge. He was pretty small as well but was able to handle this gun. Just last weekend I ended up buyin him a Remington 870 youth 20 gauge (he is now 9 1/2) and it is definitely bigger so I would recommend finding someone with one of those two and have him shoot it before you buy one. The downside of the mossberg is it is not very smooth action at all. If you don’t drench it in oil before you use it he will struggle pumping it in my opinion. Mossbergs are what they are. The 870, on the other hand, is very easy to pump and the safety is much easier to flip. The mossberg safety (on top of course) was very tough to click. I think that is just part of being a mossberg also. Looking forward to taking him out this weekend to break his new gun in. I’m hoping for a red hot barrell. Lol.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Duck, I hope my son's first gun means as much to him as yours does to you and I appreciate the advice and post. He's becoming my hunting buddy and I'm looking forward to taking him along for many years to come. He dressed up as a hunter last night for trick or treating, made me proud as well.
 
Weatherby sa-08 in a 28 gauge. They are a lot of fun for the money. They are small enough a kids little hands won’t be overwhelmed by the gun. You can get replacement stocks from weatherby relatively cheap. A 410 is not a kids gun... it is an experts gun. The 3/4oz in 28 gives them a real shot when shooting.
 
Bought my son a 20 gauge over and under. It seems to be the perfect gun for him. He shot his first pheasant in Nebraska this past weekend on his very first pheasant opportunity. AWESOME.
 
M. R. Byrd said:
I bought my son a Browning 20 gauge BPS Micro. It comes with choke tubes, is a sweet shooter and is bottom eject so can be used by either right or left hand shooters. It is 3" and my son's first bird was a high flying duck with an overhead shot with 3" steel load. I borrowed it when I was training my bird dog and had the dog on a check cord since I could handle the gun easily with one hand. I would not consider the .410 for a starter shotgun. My son will never part with this gun and will pass it down to one of his children.
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I bought the same gun for my 8 year old son last year. It has worked out great for us.
 
I bought my 10 year old daughter a Franchi Affinity compact 20 gauge, she is pretty small and she shoot it really well..
 
Great question, and one I struggled with almost ten years ago. My first gun, which I still have and treasure, was an H&R single shot 20 with an exposed hammer. I started hunting when I was 10, but received the gun as a Christmas present a couple years prior. IMO, a kid has to have a lot of "want to" and fairly strong hands to safely operate the exposed hammer. I don't remember it being a problem for me, but my kids seemed to struggle a little. Both of them used it with little success.

Both of them graduated to second-hand O/Us in 20 gauge with 26" barrels.

One of my friends bought his son a Tristar Viper G2. He's very happy with it. It's Turkish, reasonably priced, and gas operated. He's run a lot of rounds through it with no problems.

Side note: this will be my last youth season, at least with my own kids. My youngest will turn 17 and therefore age-out of the youth seasons in early December. Hopew e find some birds on Sunday...
 
Be careful on the weight of a youth model unless it is a semi-auto. Sometimes those light little guns can really kick a little kid hard and cause them to flinch. Not all youth models are created the same just because they are shorter in stock or barrel.
 
Dad bought me an 870 Youth 20 when I was in 6th grade. I had used a SXS 20 of his until then. I used that youth 870 through my senior year of high school when I bought a 12. Of out an aftermarket longer stock on it when I grew. 30 years later, my nephew is using it. Shot a turkey with it this spring and was carrying it duck hunting this morning. My son will start off with it in a few years.

If I were buying new, I'd buy an 870, a BPS, or even a Montefeltro, all youth version. No reason to handicap with full size, but let them grow with the kid. And be of known quality to pass on to the next generation.
 
Again, thanks for all the replies guys. Got a little bit of time here, I will do some searching before I rush in and buy something (the opposite of what I usually do!) This time next week we'll be following bird dogs, doesn't get much better than that! Everyone have a safe opener.
 
goldenboy said:
Be careful on the weight of a youth model unless it is a semi-auto. Sometimes those light little guns can really kick a little kid hard and cause them to flinch. Not all youth models are created the same just because they are shorter in stock or barrel.
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Yes Goldenboy, those light 20 gauges can really kick. I bought my son a nice recoil pad at Academy which helped resolve this problem.
 
I still have my first shotgun and always will, so his will be a Christmas for your son to remember and for you too. Fit is important, so go to a good gun shop that can help with fitting, eye dominance, etc as you settle on the shotgun.

I shot left handed and got the Browning BPS pump and the Midas is a good choice, I mention it specifically just to let you know Browning has a grow into it rebate program to offset the cost of buying the bigger stock as your son grows.

I bought my daughter a Turkish made over under 20gauge which worked great and was easy to see if it was in a safe condition.

You will probably need toraise the comb some for him, so look to a removable pad. My recommendation is the beretta gel pad. It is removable and is available in different thicknesses.

I’m in North Carolina, but happy to answer questions and I teach Boy a scouts how to shoot shotgun and am NRA shotgun instructor so I work with fitting and stance for new shotguners all the time
 
ChrisfromTX said:
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I bought my daughter a Turkish made over under 20gauge which worked great and was easy to see if it was in a safe condition.

I’m in North Carolina, but happy to answer questions and I teach Boy a scouts how to shoot shotgun and am NRA shotgun instructor so I work with fitting and stance for new shotguners all the time
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Hunter Safety Instructor here too; 40+ years and counting. I like to be on the safe side with shotguns for youngsters. A double gun, either S/S or O/U is a good way to go IME. Very easy to see whether the gun is in safe condition or not. Harder with pump or auto (the last gun I would buy for a kid).

I bot a SKB 100 20 GA with a shortened stock and quality recoil pad for my grandsons. We mostly hunt RG/WC up here so two shots is all you will get anyhow.
 
Youth model 870 20ga is what my son started with. As he got bigger I bought a regular 20ga 870 stock for it, the barrel is still shorter but he still really likes it even as an adult.
 
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