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Youth shotgun recommendations

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After the weekend’s turkey hunt my daughter wants a shotgun. :D Not looking to buy yet, but looking for recommendations. Looking for 20ga youth size chambered for 3”...she carried an 870 youth model this weekend and liked it, but wondering what other models might be worth a look. 

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1 hour ago, Couescrazy33 said:

Remington 1100 lt 20ga. Find a extra stock on ebay and cut it down to fit a youth.

Hadn’t thought about that...killed my first deer with a 20ga 1100. 

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Mossberg has a youth model pump that comes with three different butt pieces to allow the shotgun to extend as they grow.

Thats the direction I will go when my kids start shootings birds.

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Charles Dailey makes a great semi auto 20g, not to expensive.

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My son liked the youth Mossberg 20ga best of them all. Think it's called the Maverick and comes in a synthetic stock.  It was the lightest of the bunch and had the easiest safety to reach as well as engage/disengage. I recall several of the safeties being a bit of a challenge to work with on some of the others. I was ready to spend a couple bucks on a higher priced shotty and he picked the cheapest of the lot for a change... Not the smoothest action, but cycles through the rounds and shoots every time. Probably have 250ish rounds through it so far and no complaints.

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This is like the Ford/Dodge(Ram)/Chevy/Toyota question.  My daughter, at 9 thought the 870 was too big and the 1100 youth was too heavy.  Got her a Mossberg 500 Bantam 20ga and she loves it.  The Remingtons (870 and 1100) are absolutely great.  My son has a Weatherby SA08 compact 20ga and its awesome.  So is the Weatherby PA08.  Tristar also makes a great youth model in both 20 and 12 and they're both semiauto.  We gave away a compact Winchester 20ga at our NWTF banquet a month ago in Flagstaff and that thing is sweet, too.  There are so many great compact shotguns on the market now, its unreal.  Most are top brands and you won't go wrong. Just find the one that fits best and have fun.  Then comes the task of finding the right choke for the ammo you want to use.  Got it right the first time with my daughter's shotgun and it took two tries for my son's.  With their rigs (shotgun, choke, and ammo), I wouldn't hesitate to let them shoot a bird at 50 yards.

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Myself I prefer a single shot for youth to start off with as they are inexpensive and it teaches them to concentrate on the one shot they have. This what I learned on as well as my son. Full or modified for the chock and once they get good at it they will be able to work it almost as fast as a pump. The last plus to a single shot is the kids won’t burn through so much ammunition and teaches them shot placement and patience.

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5 hours ago, 360 0r Better said:

Myself I prefer a single shot for youth to start off with as they are inexpensive and it teaches them to concentrate on the one shot they have. This is what I learned on as well as my son. Full or modified for the chock and once they get good at it they will be able to work it almost as fast as a pump. The last plus to a single shot is the kids won’t burn through so much ammunition and teaches them shot placement and patience.

 

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6 hours ago, 360 0r Better said:

Myself I prefer a single shot for youth to start off with as they are inexpensive and it teaches them to concentrate on the one shot they have. This what I learned on as well as my son. Full or modified for the chock and once they get good at it they will be able to work it almost as fast as a pump. The last plus to a single shot is the kids won’t burn through so much ammunition and teaches them shot placement and patience.

My issues with single shots is they are usually a lot lighter so felt recoil is more. Might be fine for a kid to shoot a few times standing up so they see what recoil is all about and to learn gun safety but my first choice would be pump. A good reliable semi is the Tri-Star and would be the way to go once they have some practical experience with trigger control and keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction.

Just my opinion. Some kids are faster learners than others and react to recoil differently.

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If it is more for dove and quail, Taylor shoots a 20ga. CZ Redhead Deluxe O/U.  And I have shot it a ton too.  Light, fast, 26" barrels, good Briley chokes available.

Not sure how "3" mag friendly" it would be though.  I know my Win 101 O/U is BRUTAL shooting 3" 12ga duck/goose loads.....never again.  The 1100 gets the nod for waterfowl now.

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I bought a franchi compact 20 for my kid. It was extremely reliable and light recoil.  They are a little spendy at 700-750.  Shot the snot out of it for 2 years trap, skeet, doves turkey and sold it for 600.

Semi autos aren’t the best for youth but don’t recoil as bad as single shots and over unders. Remember too light in a shotgun is not good for kids. 

If your just using for turkey hard to beat an Rem 870.  Cut the stock down put on good recoil pad and when he is older you can go back to a full size stock

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