Can anyone recommend a proper 12 gauge that I can purchase for my 10 year old son in 4H trap/skeet? I've looked all over, had recommendations from his 4H coach/sponsor. I don't want to spend $2k on a gun for him just yet...or am I wrong in thinking that? His coach says he will wear out a cheaper gun after a couple years. I was thinking of an O/U Savage, Weatherby, or Savage Arms...or I could go with a Beretta A300 auto. I'm really wanting to keep it under $1k.

Any advice?

To your point, if you aren't sure that your son is going to be shooting competitively for the next few years, I think you're better suited to buy on the lower end or find a middle/higher end gun that is used. Given that he is likely going to grow and need something bigger,it doesn't make a ton of economical since to buy a top end gun even if you're sure he is going to be shooting long-term.

Definitely would recommend an over/under.

I pretty much agree with what Duck said. You'd be surprised at how far a lower end o/u will take him. If he really gets involved and shoots a ton, he will wear it out after a few years (maybe 2-3). By then, you'll know it's time to upgrade to a higher end gun, and he'll probably have physically outgrown the fit of the first one anyway.

First - all "low end" shotguns are not created equal. There are available some very good guns under $1k and it's unlikely he will wear it out in such a short period of time. Example - I have a good friend who shoots a 12 gauge CZ Canvasback - the older version. 32,000 + rounds without a failure of any kind, still locks up tight. Solid gun.

That said, most youth sized O/Us are 20 gauge guns. I'm not aware of a single youth O/U available in 12 gauge. So, if it has to be a 12 gauge, I'm personally looking at a semi-auto. My choice would be the Tristar Viper G2 - available youth sized for under $600. It is available in a combo package with both a youth sized and a full size butt stock. It is available in 12 or 20 gauge, is gas operated, gets good reviews, and is not likely to break down under 4H level competitive shooting.

A 12 gauge O/U, especially one in youth size if you could find one, or a full size gun cut down, will have a lot more recoil than a 12 gauge gas operated semi-auto like the Tristar.

The Beretta A300 Auto is a good choice. I got one for my son and it's a nice gun.

I think Brazos Valley 4H has some A300s that they use in the youth program. And it will always be a good field gun as well.

This thread interests me as well, what's the youngest 4H will take kids for shotgun sports?

My son started at 10 yrs. old in 4-H with a youth model 20-ga. semi-auto (Rem. 1187 I believe. Darn thing kicked like a mule). In less than a year he was begging for a 12 ga. o/u and never looked back. I bought a Beretta 686 Onyx Pro (approx. $1500 new) and had a Gracoil system and adjustable comb put on it. That allowed it to fit him properly as he grew for several years. The recoil was never a problem, but the Gracoil definitely dampens that significantly. That gun was quite a workhorse and served him well for a long time until he moved up in his level of competitive shooting and pricier guns.

A friend of mine started his boy on a Stoeger 12 ga o/u (around $600 as I recall) and put untold thousands of shells through that gun with no problems other than replacing a firing pin once in a while.

All that being said, if I was doing it over again, I'd just start with the 12 ga. o/u.

Just my opinion and everyone has a different experience and some kids are more bothered than others with recoil.

Size of your kid matters too. An O/U is going probably to be a bit heavier than a SA and weighted more towards the muzzle, which leads to smaller folks having to lean back to keep the gun up. Just something to think about, may not apply to your kiddo though.

Hate to break it to you, Dad, but if your kid is starting out now and sticks with shooting, you're in for a gun journey.

My youngest started about where yours is several moons ago. First gun was an 1100 with a ram line youth stock set. Then a new buttstock on the 1100 with adjustable comb an buttplate. That lasted a couple years until he decided to go the O/U route, which turned into a Browning 425 with yet another adjustable butt. After making NSCA sub-junior team (I made a bet that I lost), enter a Blaser that wound up having custom furniture made just for him.

Point being, it really doesn't matter what he starts with AS LONG AS IT FITS RELATIVELY WELL TO WORKABLE SHOOTING FORM/MECHANICS, is reliable, and I think it's also important for him to like whatever he's shooting....so let him be part of the gun selection process. And if a gun just doesn't work out, it's not the end of the world - punt!

Enjoy the journey. It's a blast, and the memories made are priceless. Wish I could go back a dozen plus years and do it all over again.

Been down this road as the shooter. T&P for your wallet. Luckily I ended up getting some sponsors so I ended up making money in the long run, but just barely.

I do special pricing for 4H kiddos since I was one.

Budget O/U... look at the CZ line. I think those are the best bang for the buck out there and there are some good specials on them right now.

Drake 20ga O/U... $599 special right now. Cash discount and for a 4H kiddo, would be about $569.

Redhead premier 12ga... I have these for below normal dealer price. $799. With the aforementioned discounts, more like $749.

Canvasback Gold 12ga... $825 (basically dealer price) and $775 with discount.

Upland Ultralight (Crazy light weight and will kick like a mule)... I'd rather not put a young one in that gun.

CZ Sporting (buy once/cry once/use yourself if he gets out of it) normally about $2300... $1899 and $1799 with 4H and cash.

Find a Rem 1100. If he can take a 12, go there.

I'm a 4-H shotgun coach, although not active any more.

I think they will take them as young as 7 years, but not sure if that is a club-by-club thing or statewide/nationwide.

It doesn't matter what gun you get your kid as long as it fits.

Guys, thank you so much for all the advice. I certainly appreciate it! No one in his 4H club shoots smaller than 12 gauge as far as I know. The club has a decent discount on Fiocchi target ammo ($50 for a case), and it's all 12 gauge. He's been using an A300 for practice and competiton, which belongs to one of the coaches because my old pump action 20 isn't quite right for him (and I'm not letting him use my O/U).

TheEyeGuy, I'm probably going to be contacting you soon about one of those CZs.

One of my boys used a Browning Citori Micro. The other used a CZ Canvasback with the stock cut to fit. Both were really good guns for smaller kids. It is a very expensive game that y'all are getting into. I am glad my kids did well in it but was not too upset when other sports caused them to have to move away from it.

Remington just came out with the V3 semi-auto. It is an improvement over the previous model, the Versamax.

Retail is $895, but better prices are out there. It uses a very simple port exhaust system that Remington claims can go 2000 rounds between cleanings (it has a self cleaning piston). Weighs around 7lbs 3 oz, and has improved triggers over the Versamax.

Check out the reviews on Shotgunworld.com, Remington forum. If I was buying a new semi-auto today, I would seriously consider it. It currently comes in 28" barrel length, and I would suspect that a 30" would be offered in the future.

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Can anyone recommend a proper 12 gauge that I can purchase for my 10 year old son in 4H trap/skeet? I've looked all over, had recommendations from his 4H coach/sponsor. I don't want to spend $2k on a gun for him just yet...or am I wrong in thinking that? His coach says he will wear out a cheaper gun after a couple years. I was thinking of an O/U Savage, Weatherby, or Savage Arms...or I could go with a Beretta A300 auto. I'm really wanting to keep it under $1k.

Any advice?

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I've been through this for a few years....just got my coach cert too. I can share with you my learnings and save you some cash and your kid some tears. call me...just sent my cell to your pm.

BTW, eyeguy is quoting you some crazy good-Ag deals!!!

edit: and it looks like you don't have PM access...I'll leave my number with eyeguy....

I started 4H with a Model 1100 youth in 20ga (my instructor/coach lent me) and used that for the first year and then moved to an 12ga O/U (Citori in my case) which I still use to this day.

I was a bit older when I started, 11-12 but he started me on the 20 more for the fit of the shotgun than the gauge.

If he's into it I echo EyeGuy's strategy of buy once/cry once, but you want to make sure he is into it first for sure.

If your son in going to be in competition, get either a Browning or Beretta automatic and, if needed, have stock cut down to fit. At a younger age the reduced weight and recoil of an automatic will make it much easier on your son.

My son shot competitive sporting clays for 7 years from the time he was 10 years old. I ended up buying 2 guns so we always had a spare with us and would rotate a new gun in every year. The good news is the Browning Golds he shot did keep their value OK. I think the automatic helped his shooting.

Best of luck to your son. It was really enjoyable, as a father, traveling around the country to shoots every weekend with my son. You will meet some of the nicest people and have a great time. Plus you get to shoot also!

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I've been through this for a few years....just got my coach cert too. I can share with you my learnings and save you some cash and your kid some tears. call me...just sent my cell to your pm.

BTW, eyeguy is quoting you some crazy good-Ag deals!!!

edit: and it looks like you don't have PM access...I'll leave my number with eyeguy....

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Chetos, thanks for the reply! You can email me at CaptainInsano at att dot net

After talking to the 4H coach again, who is a really great guy and extremely knowledgeable, I think I am going to stick with his original advice and let my son finish the season out with the coach's Beretta A3901 and then see where we are. Make sure that my son wants to continue to do it. And I know I've already said it...but anyway...thanks for all the replies, advice, and well-wishes. You guys have given me some great points to consider before next season.

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quote:

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I've been through this for a few years....just got my coach cert too. I can share with you my learnings and save you some cash and your kid some tears. call me...just sent my cell to your pm.

BTW, eyeguy is quoting you some crazy good-Ag deals!!!

edit: and it looks like you don't have PM access...I'll leave my number with eyeguy....

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Chetos, thanks for the reply! You can email me at CaptainInsano at att dot net

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Email sent

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After talking to the 4H coach again, who is a really great guy and extremely knowledgeable, I think I am going to stick with his original advice and let my son finish the season out with the coach's Beretta A3901 and then see where we are. Make sure that my son wants to continue to do it. And I know I've already said it...but anyway...thanks for all the replies, advice, and well-wishes. You guys have given me some great points to consider before next season.

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This is the best advice. It's so tempting to want to buy your own....best to borrow and see what fits first (gun to kid; and kid to sport... Forcing either of these will result in the kid hating the sport)

Which 4-H club are you in? I see there is a Katy one. Is there a Harris county? My son is about to turn 10 and thinking I need to introduce him to this. He has seen both my wife and I shoot skeet a few times. We live in west side of Houston almost to Katy.

I am not certain, but I believe there is a club in Harris County. I know there were some Harris County kids competing in the Brazos County shoot last weekend.

edit: this link may help Harris County 4H Shooting Sports

Thanks for link. I was looking at that earlier but it doesn't have a lot of information. The Katy 4-H website has a lot. It almost looks like the Harris county has a generic webpage.

I see that now. You may try checking on the Katy group to see if your son could participate there.