Will Fennell wrote:
I use a 28ga youth model single shot all the time to teach kids down to 6-7 years of age......a better recoil pad helps, but not essential. One of my favorite guns......
Will and I both have assisted also older persons, and those with physical limits as well
There exists a parallel between kids and older persons.
The fact of the matter is, a person is not fully developed until age 16 for girls and age 18 for boys. Then all the systems from integumentary, skeletal, muscular...etc., run fine, at their best, until age 36 for girls and 34 for boys then systems start to erode.
That shotgun is heavy to carry for kid, and for the older adult for the same reasons.
The kid is not fully developed, and the older adult has deterioration causing a shotgun to be difficult to hold, and carry for long periods.
Rule of 96 applies to Recoil Management.
Reading the student/ user of a shotgun is critical for Will and other Instructors.
Gun Fit to shooter for Task encompasses a whole lot more than sticking a shotgun butt into the crook of a bent arm at elbow. All that tells you is you have shotgun and you can bend your arm.
The largest human organ is the Skin. For a kid not yet developed ice cream feels "hot", and many things are "rough" and "sharp" and "scitchey scratchey".
A label or tag on a T shirt, will but the daylights out of them.
Older persons due to deterioration will have the same complaints.
One does not remain 19 years of age full of urine and vinegar. If one's "shottie lessons" consist of buying extreme shotguns and using exotic shells they are not shotgunners.
The person that learns correct basic fundamentals and continues to built on such a foundation, can better assist kids, ladies ( they are built different than men) elderly, and physically limited folks.
Kids are not dumb, and they have rights just like big people. Sit down, and parent/mentor honestly with a kid.
"Listen, the Game & Fish regulations say you have to use non-toxic shot on ducks. You are growing, getting bigger,and you do really great with the 28 ga shotgun, but you cannot handle the larger frame size of a 20, or the recoil yet. Oh you used to could shoot 28 ga for ducks, before non tox was mandated...
Come on out to the blind and learn stuff and hang out, and you a I will do some bird, or small game hunting where you can shoot your 28 gauge"
The older person has been dealing with the fact the body will not let it do what it once did.
The cold and wet affects them faster and more brutal than it did when they were younger. They just cannot walk , much less wade into duck blinds.
This breaks your heart, both with a kid, or geriatric, or one hurt, injured and now limited physically.
You keep your promises, you communicate with a kid, or elderly with respect and honesty, and the smaller size of a 28 gauge allows them to break clay targets, fell dove, quail, rabbits, squirrels...etc.
Will Fennell knows the same 28 ga single shot a 6 year uses, can be used by a older person for all the same reasons.
"But 28 gauge ammo is harder to find and more expensive".
You cannot put a dollar value on a kid, or an older adult.
You cannot put a dollar value on the future of RKBA, and so much more WE believe in , any more you can diminish discount the contributions of our best natural resources - our older members of society.
Buy the 28 gauge, shells, a MEC Single Stage , components to reload.
Besides the shooting , there is the quality time spent in reloading.
Heck buy one to have for kids, nieces and nephews coming up, and for used by aging parents , aunts, and uncles.
The 28 gauge really is that much better than it is supposed to be. The payload to bore relationship allows it to hit hard, as it has short shot strings. (more pellets arrive to target at the same time).
Yes, I have felled a slew of ducks with the 28 gauge, as have others, back in the day.
Will and I can both share one can break that rising teal target with authority at 40 yards, in Sporting Clays and 5 stand.
The highest scores in Regulation Skeet are shot with a 28 gauge.
You just have to be honest about what a shooter can really handle, accept limitations, and choose targets (includes game) they can participate in.
Never talk down to a kid, or adult, or embarrass one. They shoot, you assist, mentor, and parent.
Target presentions and conditions are to fit them, at their level of development, not yours.
You talk down, or embarrass a kid, or older person, you will have me, Will, Dave, Lee, kudu, plummeroy and whole hosts of folks to answer to.
We promise you that.
