Selfdfenz
Member
What's a good age?
What equipment?
THX in advance
S-
What equipment?
THX in advance
S-
Starting a youngster with shotguns
- Thread starter Selfdfenz
- Start date
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Schiessuebung
Member
Q: What's a good age?
A: 12. That's how old I was when I shot my first shotgun. It was a tiny .410 bore but I managed to hit a couple of clays with it my first time out. That was good enough to hook me!
Q: What equipment?
A: Depends what you're going to do with it: clay sports, birdgunning, slug hunting? You probably can't go wrong with a youth model 20-gauge: either a Remington Model 1100™ LT-20 Synthetic Youth Gun in semi-auto, if recoil is an issue; or Remington's Model 870™ Express® Youth Gun in a pump action, if cost and ease of maintenance is. If the youngster in question is a big kid, he/she may be able to start on a 12-gauge using light loads, and grow into the gun.
Check out Remington's youth products here:
http://www.remington.com/firearms/youth/youth.htm
A: 12. That's how old I was when I shot my first shotgun. It was a tiny .410 bore but I managed to hit a couple of clays with it my first time out. That was good enough to hook me!
Q: What equipment?
A: Depends what you're going to do with it: clay sports, birdgunning, slug hunting? You probably can't go wrong with a youth model 20-gauge: either a Remington Model 1100™ LT-20 Synthetic Youth Gun in semi-auto, if recoil is an issue; or Remington's Model 870™ Express® Youth Gun in a pump action, if cost and ease of maintenance is. If the youngster in question is a big kid, he/she may be able to start on a 12-gauge using light loads, and grow into the gun.
Check out Remington's youth products here:
http://www.remington.com/firearms/youth/youth.htm
Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
Age, when the child is self disciplined enough to obey the Four Rules and strong enough to hold up a light shotgun. I met one 8 or 9 year old recently who was shooting with his grandad. He used an 870 Express YE in 20 gauge to good effect. Others will not be ready at that age.
As for equipment, there's lots of choices. One that isn't a choice,IMO,is a 410. While 410s tend to be light, the picayune shot charge leads to more frustration than most kids can handle.
A cheap single shot in 28 gauge might be the best choice. Simple MOA, easy to make safe,light enough for small tyros, little kick, and easy to shorten the stock. While the new shooter may want to move on to a "Bigger" gun afterwards, the little 28 will be there as a loaner, "rain gun" or for the next generation.
Other choices would include the youth model pumps, the excellent 20 gauge 1100, and small gauge doubles like the Savage 311.
Start off with the lightest loads you can get.
As for equipment, there's lots of choices. One that isn't a choice,IMO,is a 410. While 410s tend to be light, the picayune shot charge leads to more frustration than most kids can handle.
A cheap single shot in 28 gauge might be the best choice. Simple MOA, easy to make safe,light enough for small tyros, little kick, and easy to shorten the stock. While the new shooter may want to move on to a "Bigger" gun afterwards, the little 28 will be there as a loaner, "rain gun" or for the next generation.
Other choices would include the youth model pumps, the excellent 20 gauge 1100, and small gauge doubles like the Savage 311.
Start off with the lightest loads you can get.
TrapperReady
Member
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I'll echo Dave's comments about strength and responsibility. My 6 year-old son knows the Four Rules and is learning about shooting with a .22 under very close supervision. However, it will be several more years before he has the size and strength to safely handle a shotgun.
As far as what type of shotgun... I would prefer a single shot, probably in 12ga. You can get chamber inserts called "Li'l Skeeters", which allow you to use sub-gauge ammo in a larger-chambered gun. By using those inserts, you can shoot 28ga ammo until the child is comfortable, and then move to very light 12ga loads... all with the same setup. BTW, I have a friend who used just such a configuration to teach a huge group of Boy Scouts this past summer. He was very pleased with how well even the smaller kids could shoot with such gear.
If you are thinking about hunting, then I am even more in favor of a break-open single-shot. It just helps isolate some of the variables, and makes it easier to verify safe gun-handling.
As far as what type of shotgun... I would prefer a single shot, probably in 12ga. You can get chamber inserts called "Li'l Skeeters", which allow you to use sub-gauge ammo in a larger-chambered gun. By using those inserts, you can shoot 28ga ammo until the child is comfortable, and then move to very light 12ga loads... all with the same setup. BTW, I have a friend who used just such a configuration to teach a huge group of Boy Scouts this past summer. He was very pleased with how well even the smaller kids could shoot with such gear.
If you are thinking about hunting, then I am even more in favor of a break-open single-shot. It just helps isolate some of the variables, and makes it easier to verify safe gun-handling.
Around here 8 to 10 is the usual age, with an NEF single shot, either in .410, 28 or 20 ga depending on the size of kid.
I didn't start on shotguns till I was 19, really start shooting them till I was 22 but by then I'd already shot over 300 pistols, about 150 rifles, half a dozen belt feds, a howitzer or two and a .50 BMG (M2 machine gun) so the 'mighty 12ga' wasn't all that over impressive.....
I didn't start on shotguns till I was 19, really start shooting them till I was 22 but by then I'd already shot over 300 pistols, about 150 rifles, half a dozen belt feds, a howitzer or two and a .50 BMG (M2 machine gun) so the 'mighty 12ga' wasn't all that over impressive.....
Smoke
Member
You (the adult) Read Brister's book
He (the kid) gets a Daisy BB gun with the sights removed
Age, when you think he can handle a BB gun safely.
FOr moving on to the real thing: He will let you know.
Smoke
He (the kid) gets a Daisy BB gun with the sights removed
Age, when you think he can handle a BB gun safely.
FOr moving on to the real thing: He will let you know.
Smoke
Selfdfenz
Member
Update info
My kiddo is 8 and about average sized for his age in every way. Ditto for strength.
I say with some satisfaction he has been a safe and capable rimfire shooter for a couple of years. He has his own rifles but his access to them is only via me and it's elbow to elbow at the range. For the uncounted rounds he has fired I dropped every one in the chamber myself. Need I say safety is job #1 regardless of the groups we happen to be getting that given day. He loves to shoot his 22s.
But on to shotguns. He has a Rossi 410 youth model. I find the kick a tad sharp and he sure does too. I located and fitted an old Pachmyer Decellerator (sp?) pad and while he will go 6-7 shots in a row that's about it. Adding a Past pad makes the stack of padding too complicated for him to mount the gun well or consistantly. 6-7 shots is not enough to "figure out things" on even a slow clay bird....so it's got me looking and thinking...
BTW he has watched me pop many clays with his little shotgun so he knows it can be done.
He does not have the upper body strength to handle the following: 1100 20 ga youth. Ditto for the 870 or mossy 500 youth 20 ga pumps and the slide is too long for him to cycle the rig anyway.
EAA/IZH supposedly makes a double barrel youth model 43 in 20/28/and 410. Its about 5-6 lbs with 24" barrels. [Did I mention he has on his own starting lifting some of my weights.] If I could locate one locally I would see if he could make a go of it with the 20 or 28 ga but no luck so far. Its my thinking the added weight might kill some of the kick in a 28 or even 20ga.
I have an old 20 gauge sxs that I would be willing to have "smithed" to fit him if I thought the kick factor would be low enough on the finished product to allow him to shoot the thing.
Is it crazy to think having the unit shorted to a barrel length of say 20 or 21 inches and as shortening the stock "some" would (a) still keep enough weigth to kill the kick and (b) allow him to hit anything say doves and close clays with those now cylinder bore tubes?
My kiddo is 8 and about average sized for his age in every way. Ditto for strength.
I say with some satisfaction he has been a safe and capable rimfire shooter for a couple of years. He has his own rifles but his access to them is only via me and it's elbow to elbow at the range. For the uncounted rounds he has fired I dropped every one in the chamber myself. Need I say safety is job #1 regardless of the groups we happen to be getting that given day. He loves to shoot his 22s.
But on to shotguns. He has a Rossi 410 youth model. I find the kick a tad sharp and he sure does too. I located and fitted an old Pachmyer Decellerator (sp?) pad and while he will go 6-7 shots in a row that's about it. Adding a Past pad makes the stack of padding too complicated for him to mount the gun well or consistantly. 6-7 shots is not enough to "figure out things" on even a slow clay bird....so it's got me looking and thinking...
BTW he has watched me pop many clays with his little shotgun so he knows it can be done.
He does not have the upper body strength to handle the following: 1100 20 ga youth. Ditto for the 870 or mossy 500 youth 20 ga pumps and the slide is too long for him to cycle the rig anyway.
EAA/IZH supposedly makes a double barrel youth model 43 in 20/28/and 410. Its about 5-6 lbs with 24" barrels. [Did I mention he has on his own starting lifting some of my weights.] If I could locate one locally I would see if he could make a go of it with the 20 or 28 ga but no luck so far. Its my thinking the added weight might kill some of the kick in a 28 or even 20ga.
I have an old 20 gauge sxs that I would be willing to have "smithed" to fit him if I thought the kick factor would be low enough on the finished product to allow him to shoot the thing.
Is it crazy to think having the unit shorted to a barrel length of say 20 or 21 inches and as shortening the stock "some" would (a) still keep enough weigth to kill the kick and (b) allow him to hit anything say doves and close clays with those now cylinder bore tubes?
Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
IMO, leaving the barrels on that SxS as is and fitting the stock to him with a good pad makes sense. Until he can handle 20 gauge kick, try the Chambermate adapters in both 410 and 28 gauge, they're not expensive and folks like Bruce Buck swear by them. With the weight of a typical US made 20 gauge SxS, the 28s should be creampuffs. And he's not going to be 8 for long.
Shortening the barrels means no choke, and there's lots of things out there about 30 yards that may need shooting.
Shortening the barrels means no choke, and there's lots of things out there about 30 yards that may need shooting.
Edward429451
member
I started my kids on a 20 ga and skeet loads. I agree with scheissebung? on equipment and dave in that 410 isn't a learners SG. 410 must be some kind of special purpose experts gun imo.
Doubt anyone could grow out of a 20ga, just move to buck & slugs when older. We have a 20ga Express Youth and it's a wonderful weapon.
Doubt anyone could grow out of a 20ga, just move to buck & slugs when older. We have a 20ga Express Youth and it's a wonderful weapon.
Selfdfenz
Member
Thanks guys for all the help and suggestions.
I think I will keep the barrel on the 20 as is an try a set of 28 inserts. The stock will get a mod and we'll see how it goes from there.
I would like for him to at least have the option to take a shot at a dove if he wants to this season.
"Shortening the barrels means no choke, and there's lots of things out there about 30 yards that may need shooting." Too funny. That seems to sume up my son's POV an thsings too!
S-
I think I will keep the barrel on the 20 as is an try a set of 28 inserts. The stock will get a mod and we'll see how it goes from there.
I would like for him to at least have the option to take a shot at a dove if he wants to this season.
"Shortening the barrels means no choke, and there's lots of things out there about 30 yards that may need shooting." Too funny. That seems to sume up my son's POV an thsings too!
S-
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