What shotgun to start son with?

[PATRO]

My son will be turning 10 this summer and I’m looking to get him his first shotgun. He’s a little on the small size for his age so I’m not quite sure which route to take. He has no problems shooting my AR or his bolt action 300blk. Took him out today with a single barrel .410 and he handled it ok.

Really don’t want to give him a .410 due to the lack of knockdown power and price of ammo. Maybe a youth model 870 20ga. and start with low recoil shells?

Thoughts?

[Bearetta]

Either one fine as long as he can shoulder it and swing it on birds. .410 will be lighter. Don’t worry about knockdown power. 11 year old smoke a 10 +lb. goose over decoys last year. He likes the lighter weight of the gun but went on to the pump 20 this year.

[bshort]

Mossberg 500 20ga youth stock.

[Jason Hale]

My oldest daughter started with a youth model 1187 20 ga and it was great. My 10 year old daughter is ready to give it a shot now.

[Chief Paduke]

My oldest daughter started with a youth model 1187 20 ga and it was great. My 10 year old daughter is ready to give it a shot now.

This would be very nice. Low recoil, not much chance of developing a flinch. A .410 is a gun for experts.

[spinningreel]

Henry makes a nice single shot 20 gauge, comes with soft rubber butt pad, rem choke choke tubes.

Or a Browning BPS pump 20 gauge, this gun he could always keep, best pumps on the market and cost less than an 870 wing master.

[Brent Jordan]

20 gauge pump or auto of your choice. Where we mine started. My oldest I gave him low recoil shells to practice with and he shot a snake with them. But then I slipped full power in when we go the stand. He never knew until I told him. My youngest shot a few doves with the low recoil shells and they started to fall then flew up and off about halfway to the ground. A limb saver pad helps a lot if you can do it without making the LOP too long. I would try that over the low recoil if you could make that work.

Also he may be tougher than you think.

[ROADRUNNER]

Nothing smaller than a 20ga. As long as he can hold up that firearm easily that is what counts. When he shoots it at game he will not even know that he shot it. Now if he shoots a box of shells through it shooting at clay birds. He might notice it a little. He is going to keep growing.

[Goldstar225]

When my grandson was 9 YOA I gave him a youth model Remington 870 20 gauge. He did fine with it. He's older now and has an 1100 but still has the 870 to pass down to his kids.

[PATRO]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Definitely gonna go with the 20ga over the 410. Looking at different models now and I’m not ruling out the 870 or BPS but I was searching and came across the Benelli Montefeltro compact 20ga. Friend has the regular size and it’s a great shooting gun. Little pricey but it could be something he could shoot for a long time.

[mrlawler1]

Mossberg 500 20ga youth stock.

Got my wife one of these a few years ago and it's a dream to dove hunt with.... especially with me with having a number shoulder the last few years...won't break the bank niether...now I killed my first deer at 11 with a Remington 1187 12ga.

[T Dub]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Definitely gonna go with the 20ga over the 410. Looking at different models now and I’m not ruling out the 870 or BPS but I was searching and came across the Benelli Montefeltro compact 20ga. Friend has the regular size and it’s a great shooting gun. Little pricey but it could be something he could shoot for a long time.

That's where my little girl will likely start with shotguns. I found a good deal on a compact stock and will just buy a regular length 20 gauge and swap them out to start and again as she grows

[RANGER487]

I started bu boy at the same age with a 410 for small game and he even shot some Pheasant with it. Last year at 12 he moved up to a 20 gauge for the reason of being able to use it as a slug gun for deer also.

[rclark1]

If you can find an older Remington youth LT-20 gauge 1100 would be the best. He can grow into it as well. great guns!

[drake322]

Try and find a Charles Daly or Legacy Arms 20ga auto. They take Remchokes. My son has put 1000s or rounds down his from buckshot to heavy steel. Just be sure and clean the trigger group out fairly often. These powders now a days do not burn clean and cake them up. Will cause FTF. My son id 19 now and wishes he could still shoot it.

[MacIntosh]

A gun that fits him is going to set him up for success AND is going to beat him up less under recoil. If you can get a full size stock for it in addition then the gun could last forever with some various size recoil pads. Personally I wouldnt even look at most of the single shot guns, as they are stupidly light and recoil is excessive.

[Transom]

Henry 20 gauge single shot.

[alanhore]

Still have my first. A Remington 20 guage 1100 lw. Easy shooting semi auto. Has accounted for more bunnies, squirels and birds that I can remember. Oh yeah and a lot of clay birds on the trap range over my youth honing my skills. Special times with my father shooting together.

[Chief Paduke]

Your thread inspired me to find a gift for a boy I know. I may go with this.
https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...yntheti?cpath=

[PATRO]

Your thread inspired me to find a gift for a boy I know. I may go with this.
https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...yntheti?cpath=

That’s great, I’m sure he will love it.

Still looking and trying to decide what to start him out with. I started with a single barrel 20ga. When I was 10 but like me he will quickly outgrow it. Haven’t ruled out the Montefeltro but not sure if I won’t to spend that much on his first gun.
The 1100 Remington would be a great gun if I could find one.