Youth Model Shotgun Suggestions?

KrisB

KrisB

Ten Pointer
I'm going to borrow a shotgun from someone for this turkey season, but I'd like to look around at what's available for if/when I do get my own turkey gun, so I wanted to ask y'all:

Which youth model shotgun would you recommend?

I'm a small lady and had trouble with holding a regular-sized 20 ga shotgun recently, as I mentioned in another thread. Someone I asked today recommended the Maverick Youth 20-ga pump-action shotgun. But I know very little about shotguns and what's out there. I'm only 5' tall and about 114 lbs, so whatever you would get for your kid would probably be good for me. Any recommendations on where to start? And what would be a fair/decent price? I don't need anything fancy, just something I'll be comfortable with.
 
Eric Revo

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Look at a youth Mossberg 500, they are fairly common and the 20 gauge would fit the bill for what you are looking for.
 
OutdoorsAddiction

OutdoorsAddiction

Spike
Buy the maverick 20 gauge and a good set of ear plugs that have automatic decibel limiters so you can hear what is going on around you but it will lower the gun shot decibel once the gun is fired. Wear plugs because Mossberg shotguns are notorious for being loud. I have a Maverick 88 12 ga that I have had for almost 20 years and that gun has never let me down. The Maverick is the lower cost version of the Mossberg 500. Remington 870 youth is another great option that is not going to cost you an arm and a leg.
 
The Dude

The Dude

Eight Pointer
I got my boy a Mossberg 510 20ga. It's the youth model, comes with spacers to lengthen the LOP as he grows and a 50% off certificate for the full size stock from Mossberg when he gets that big (I wish he would just stay his current size/age). He's only 8 so the 20ga is a bit more than the .22lr and 5.56 he used to shootig but he's getting the hang of it.
 
45/70 hunter

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The Dude said:
I got my boy a Mossberg 510 20ga. It's the youth model, comes with spacers to lengthen the LOP as he grows and a 50% off certificate for the full size stock from Mossberg when he gets that big (I wish he would just stay his current size/age). He's only 8 so the 20ga is a bit more than the .22lr and 5.56 he used to shootig but he's getting the hang of it.
Click to expand...

If you ever get to the 401/70 side of Raleigh I have an adult stock from a 500 you can have. Yes it fits just fine...
 
turkeyfoot

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I always like remm but you won't go wrong with either mentioned I would recommend trying out all your interested in at shop by just shouldering them see how the fit feels to you. You can find used in either shouldn't bebissue since you have plenty time with the tech. today you can shoot smaller shot that won't have the recoil of some bigger loads. First is find one that feels comfortable to you
 

Packfan

Eight Pointer
If money is no issue look at the franchi affinity and the Benelli Montefeltro for super smooth light autos. The franchi has spacers that can adjust lop. You are at the mercy of the size of the youth stock on the benelli. Those two will last you a lifetime.
 
turkeyfoot

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Another thing to consider for someone small stature even though newer small shot shells will have reduced recoil its still a turkey load and will have sime punch. I woukd highly recommend a limbsaver recoil pad they are fairly cheap and make a noticible diffetence I use one on my 12. It will add little to butt so take it into consideration when testing fit
 
TravisLH

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
KrisB said:
I'm going to borrow a shotgun from someone for this turkey season, but I'd like to look around at what's available for if/when I do get my own turkey gun, so I wanted to ask y'all:

Which youth model shotgun would you recommend?

I'm a small lady and had trouble with holding a regular-sized 20 ga shotgun recently, as I mentioned in another thread. Someone I asked today recommended the Maverick Youth 20-ga pump-action shotgun. But I know very little about shotguns and what's out there. I'm only 5' tall and about 114 lbs, so whatever you would get for your kid would probably be good for me. Any recommendations on where to start? And what would be a fair/decent price? I don't need anything fancy, just something I'll be comfortable with.
Click to expand...

My youngest is close to your stature and rocking a mossberg 500 20ga and you can find em used from $200-$300


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pattersonj11

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Pumps will be cheaper, but an auto may be friendlier.

Turkey hunting....you don’t have to have “turkey” loads. 6s work Justin fine. You don’t have to have the warp speed stuff.
 
QBD2

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
Highly recommend a good quality recoil pad. A youth 20 can be surprisingly 'thumpy' due to the lighter weight.
 
Bailey Boat

Bailey Boat

Twelve Pointer
Whatever brand you wind up buying look for the shorter barrels so it actually has some balance. Most "cut off" regular guns are barrel heavy and unwieldy to handle. True youth guns will have a balance point in the receiver area and not be so heavy out front.
 

ECU_Pirate

Banned
kilerhamilton said:
Mossy 500 youth.
Rem 870 youth
You can saw the stock off any gun and youth it.




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What he said. Buy one of these and put a nice recoil pad on it. They are easy guns to maintain and will function through the worst conditions with minimal care.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
I'd not buy a pump. Frankly I think they kick too bad for kids sizes. Not a fan of modern 870's either because of their fit.

I'd by a 20 gauge autoloader. Browning Silver Micro, Winchester SX4 Compact, etc...
 
Pimpscoe

Pimpscoe

Eight Pointer
My recommendation...

www.academy.com

Maverick. Youth 20 Gauge Pump-Action Shotgun | Academy

Designed for young shooters, the Maverick® Youth 20 Gauge Pump-Action Shotgun features a 12" length of pull and a 22" barrel with a blued finish. This shotgun is de...
www.academy.com www.academy.com

Get the limbsaver recoil pad and you have a great gun for under 200.00. Pull the trigger, pump and repeat. Just purchased two last week. One for 10 yr old and one for wife.
 

Packfan

Eight Pointer
Bailey Boat said:
Whatever brand you wind up buying look for the shorter barrels so it actually has some balance. Most "cut off" regular guns are barrel heavy and unwieldy to handle. True youth guns will have a balance point in the receiver area and not be so heavy out front.
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Exactly why my 75 lb 9 year old is shooting a youth montefeltro with a 24” barrel. It weighs 5.3 lbs and has very little recoil. He also has a mossburg youth 20ga bantam with the 22” barrel but he can’t shoot it except when it is stationary. It is front heavy and he can’t swing it. It’s perfect when he turkey hunts though.
 

old school

Six Pointer
Santa brought my son a Savage 20 gauge with a sawed off stock and a recoil pad and a " promise with the pad that it would not kick". Once he graduated from the single shot we moved to a 20 ga. 1100 because it is gas operated and does help with with the push you get. We got the light weight also.
 
kilerhamilton

kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
Yep a shot gun recoils. Practice with a light 3/4oz loads. When a bird runs up at 20yds you could get your hand cut off and not feel it right away... I mean a 10ga 3.5” kick or recoil.
Y’all recommend a semi auto 410 if that’s your recommendation.
Better than an a new hunter trying to shoot one with a recurve.
The simple most logical answer under a budget and that’s a safe gun is a pump 20ga.
A semi auto in a new hunters hands to me is dangerous. With more than one shell in the gun. I could see it now. Shoot the bird stand up jumping excited swinging the gun around and it gets bumped or dropped and goes off again. Semis and new hunters to me is silly.
Want to create a bad wing shooter. Give them a semi auto with more than one shell in the gun.
I don’t won’t to hear. Single load it then. That to me is the whole point in having a pump or semi is for a follow up shot if you need it.
Cheers, Kiler




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pattersonj11

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
kilerhamilton said:
Yep a shot gun recoils. Practice with a light 3/4oz loads. When a bird runs up at 20yds you could get your hand cut off and not feel it right away... I mean a 10ga 3.5” kick or recoil.
Y’all recommend a semi auto 410 if that’s your recommendation.
Better than an a new hunter trying to shoot one with a recurve.
The simple most logical answer under a budget and that’s a safe gun is a pump 20ga.
A semi auto in a new hunters hands to me is dangerous. With more than one shell in the gun. I could see it now. Shoot the bird stand up jumping excited swinging the gun around and it gets bumped or dropped and goes off again. Semis and new hunters to me is silly.
Want to create a bad wing shooter. Give them a semi auto with more than one shell in the gun.
I don’t won’t to hear. Single load it then. That to me is the whole point in having a pump or semi is for a follow up shot if you need it.
Cheers, Kiler




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And I think others of us are saying you create a bad wingshooter with an ill fitting gun and one that kicks like a mule. I’ve seen too many people shooting clays that can’t hit the broadside of a barn because they are flinching and closing their eyes. Semis just have less perceived recoil.
 
45/70 hunter

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Also different pump guns kick different from brand to brand. I had a 12 ga Winchester 1300 that with standard game loads rattled your teeth like a 3" turkey load. A Remington 870 12 ga however was much lighter recoil with the same ammo. Both guns had 21" barrels. I had a lightweight Mossberg 510 youth 20 ga that I expected to be a brute but was very light kicking.
 

Packfan

Eight Pointer
pattersonj11 said:
And I think others of us are saying you create a bad wingshooter with an ill fitting gun and one that kicks like a mule. I’ve seen too many people shooting clays that can’t hit the broadside of a barn because they are flinching and closing their eyes. Semis just have less perceived recoil.
Click to expand...

You say exactly what i believe. Some adults (myself being one) developed bad habits with guns that didn’t fit as kids and it took years to get rid of them. Some of those habits still rear their ugly head every now and then as I am now 40 years old. One shell at the time in an auto loader makes it a soft kicking single shot that fits.
 
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pattersonj11

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
It was mentioned that some of the youth guns were very barrel heavy. Pull the recoil pad off and add some lead in the void of the stock. You can use anything. This helps on balance and lessons recoil. It adds weight....but the weight will be centered if the barrels are heavy to begin with.
 
darkthirty

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
kilerhamilton said:
Want to create a bad wing shooter. Give them a semi auto with more than one shell in the gun.





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Respectfully disagree.
Want to create a bad wingshooter? Make them subconsciously unaware that they are scared of their own gun. It’s extremely difficult to correct flinching and shooting with your eyes closed. It is very easy to teach someone who has proper shooting technique how to hit crossing, going away or incoming targets consistently on the first shot.

I’ve never understood why a 20 gauge pump is always what people recommend to new or small statured shooters. A good 12 gauge semi auto will have less felt recoil than a 20 gauge pump shooting standard target loads. You don’t need 3” or 3-1/2” shells to hunt anything. Nothing wrong with wanting them, but small framed or new shooters simply do not need it. A 1 or 1-1/8 oz load of low brass 6’s will kill a turkey fine inside 30 yards.
 

brownisdown

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
darkthirty said:
Respectfully disagree.
Want to create a bad wingshooter? Make them subconsciously unaware that they are scared of their own gun. It’s extremely difficult to correct flinching and shooting with your eyes closed. It is very easy to teach someone who has proper shooting technique how to hit crossing, going away or incoming targets consistently on the first shot.

I’ve never understood why a 20 gauge pump is always what people recommend to new or small statured shooters. A good 12 gauge semi auto will have less felt recoil than a 20 gauge pump shooting standard target loads. You don’t need 3” or 3-1/2” shells to hunt anything. Nothing wrong with wanting them, but small framed or new shooters simply do not need it. A 1 or 1-1/8 oz load of low brass 6’s will kill a turkey fine inside 30 yards.
Click to expand...
good points! A 3/4 oz load of TSS 9's is even more deadly and soft shooting.

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