[Sentry71]

I took my youngest daughter with me to the trap range today. She shot my 12ga SXP and did rather well (4 broken first round, 5 next) for her first time ever shooting a shotgun, with just a little coaching from me, and the fact that the SXP was just a bit too big (LOP wise) for her.

She is interested in getting into shooting more, but I am having issues finding a gun in 20ga that has a composite stock. She did fire a loaner 20ga, and liked the lesser recoil. However, she does have an affinity for composite vs wood, as that is just her preference.

Even a Google search doesn't come up with anything in that combination, though. Is there a reason shotguns don't come in 20ga composite models? Or is my search-fu not strong enough? :)

(An alternative might be a youth sized composite in 12ga, but I haven't looked down that road yet.)

[oneounceload]

why the absolute to the composite stock and not a wooden one?

20 gauge guns can recoil as much or more than 12, especially with composite light stocks.

Get the heaviest gun your daughter can handle and shoot the lightest target loads available - you might find that a 12 is the better alternative

[rcmodel]

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/672/products_id/95659

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/672/products_id/81372

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/672/products_id/81360

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/672/products_id/20988

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/672/products_id/95367

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/672/products_id/99891

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/672/products_id/95093

rc

[Sentry71]

oneounce: Not really an absolute, but a strong preference would probably be a better way to put it. We will be doing a lot of looking and testing out different models to see what fits her best, and in doing that, she may decide on wood instead. It's just what she mentioned when I talked to her about it after the excitement of the rounds shot calmed down. :)

rc: Thanks for the links - like I said, I guess my search-fu was not as strong. :)

[jmr40]

20 gauge guns can recoil as much or more than 12, especially with composite light stocks.



Most folks assume synthetic stocks are lighter. In the case of the $600 custom kevlar stocks designed for big game rifles, yes. The plastic stocks that come from the factory on shotguns and rifles usually weigh the same and often more than the same gun in the wood stocked versions.

[trstafford]

She would probably enjoy having one of these 500 Super Bantams in pink synth. buy her what she wants, she can change her opinion later

http://www.mossberg.com/products/default.asp?id=22&section=products

[Fred Fuller]

Several female shooters I know of have had good things to say about the Remington 11-87 Youth model in 20 gauge - http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/compact/shotguns/model-11-87/model-11-87-sportsman-compact-synthetic.aspx

[Sentry71]

Thanks for the replies. I am taking her to the LGS this week to have her try a couple Bantam and Youth model Remingtons, as well as any others they have for her to shoulder up and see how they fit her.

Need to wait until March to do any actual purchasing though. :(

[Master Blaster]

Both my son age 13 5'4" 85lbs and my daughter age 15 5' 7" 105 lbs, like my remington 1187 sportsman (synthetic) very much they also shoot it very well. Sunday we went out and shot 50 targets each, with a few doubles. Its a 12 gauge and I just buy the
1 1/8 ounce 3 dram loads, federals. Proper stance and hold make it no problem and neither of them have any issue with the recoil. The only thing I have done with it is add a hi viz magnetic front sight. A couple weeks ago I took my son's smaller friend who is 12 and his dad out to shoot trap for the first time, and they both did great with the 1187.

Just my own narrow experience.