What does everyone recommend for a youth / intro shotgun?

My son is almost 10, and all I have are 12 guages. Should I get a youth 20 gauge or something smaller (28 or 410)? Any brand recommendations? Auto or pump or OU?

We'll be hunting dove, small game, and clay pigeons.

TIA!

my 10 and 12 year old boys will be shooting an 870 Express in 20 ga Thursday.

A lot depends on your kid.

I got my oldest an 870 Express 20ga youth for his 9th birthday which he shot for 2 years but last year he begged to move up to a 12ga so he's shooting a cheapo 12ga semi-auto I got from Academy when I was a broke-ass student. The brand is Tradition which I'm not sure is around anymore but it's trying to knock off a Beretta.

But he's a big kid- just turned 12 last month and is 5'7" 145 so YMMV.

I'm kind of torn on handing it down to my younger son next year when he turns 9. Like, I want him to have his own, new first gun.

i was a smaller framed kid at 10 and dad bought me a youth model 20 ga pump. I hunted with that thing until i was 26 or 27.

Steven's youth model o/u 20ga or a CZ Drake in 20 or 28 would likely stay with him for life and not kill your wallet

son is 12....about 90 lbs and 5'.....the opposite of Tarpon's kid but they get along like peas in a pod!!

few years ago got him a weatherby sa08 youth semi 20 gauge. It was good for him to start out with as it didn't punish him shooting clays and trying for teal. Now it really fits him well. Should be good for him for long time as I also bought the adult stock when I got the gun.

OR if he gets hell bent on a 12 gauge he can use my old 870 express pump and I'll use the weatherby 20 on my old shoulder!!

From personal experience, if they aren't big enough to at least handle a youth 20 gauge, they are going to need a light .410 that will have a SHARP recoil. I still have a youth single shot .410/22 LR convertible that my son shot once and said, "nope..." I shot it myself and it wasn't pleasant.

I went with a 20 gauge auto for my girls, and that worked well. Very little recoil, easy to shoot, and low cost. It's a Smith and Wesson Model 1000. I like to shoot it, too, and it may get "lost" in the safe.

My youngins started with a mossberg auto in 20. Solid little gun, no issues after10 years.

I bought my skinny 10 year old a Mossberg SA-28 Bantam. It's still a little big for him - but the recoil is tolerable for him. So far I've been impressed.

Expensive but will help them enjoy shooting.

Beretta A400 with Kickoff system 20ga semi auto

Son went from Rem 870 pump 20ga, to the same in 12 ga, and when he tried the Super black eagle 12ga, he never wanted to shoot the Rem 870 again. Still have the 870s, but he never complained about shooting after leaving the 870s behind. I shot the 870s, but I started shooting as an adult and it was all I had known.

For my daughter, I avoided all this and got her the A400 with KO system. She loved shooting from the start. Additional money was well worth the additional time of having fun vs hearing complaints.

Both love shooting, but one kids has all good memories and one kid has good and bad memories.

I've heard nothing but good things about Tri-Star shotguns and they make a youth 20. That's what I would get.

I grew up shooting a 20ga 1100 that my Dad had trimmed down the stock for my uncle when he was a kid.

My recommendations is no to an O/U as there are too heavy for most kids. Gas semi-auto is the best option since it does the best job of mitigating recoil, with enertia driven being next. If the budget isn't there for a semi-auto then go with a pump, but to me a 20ga pump is the hardest felt recoil gun going.

My oldest skipped the 20ga, he went from a 28ga mossberg to a 12 gauge M1 with a youth stock. I personally think the 28ga is the best youth option, ammo is a little bit higher but most 10yr old kids don't go through cases of shells every year so 20 buck more per flat is a small price to pay for a better fitting, lighter recoiling gun.

I have a youth mossberg 500 pump 20 if anyone is interested.

https://www.texianfirearms.com/shotguns/semi-automatic-shotguns/mossberg-sa-20-hunting-field-20-ga-24-barrel-5-rounds-walnut-stock-95

Texags price is about $625.... Mossberg licensed/bought the design from Weatherby. Been very happy with these

PM Sent

Hey man, Texted you earlier today.

TheEyeGuy said:

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https://www.texianfirearms.com/shotguns/semi-automatic-shotguns/mossberg-sa-20-hunting-field-20-ga-24-barrel-5-rounds-walnut-stock-95

Texags price is about $625.... Mossberg licensed/bought the design from Weatherby. Been very happy with these

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This is what my kids use/used but in 28ga. The only issue we had was that it won't cycle reliably with the second shell sitting on the lifter, the second shell has to be all the way in the magazine. Once we figured that out it runs just fine for a gun at its price point.