Youth SG options for clays

[fabsroman]

Look for a used Beretta 391 youth model. It is a 20 gauge with a reduced lop and a 23" or 24" barrel. Believe it is 23". The stock can be easily swapped for a standard lop later on. The barrel could be changed too, but at that point you might as well buy a new gun.

http://www.armslist.com/posts/36759...---beretta-al391-urika-2-youth-model-20-gauge

Might be a little high for your price range even used. If I can ever get caught up with work and make it up to Oxford, I'll bring mine with me so your son can try it out, while PJ does his best to best me. SNI has used it with fairly decent results. My sisters both prefer it over the "adult" version Beretta 391 Teknys 20 gauge I have.

If my son was 10 years old and I did not have the 20 gauge already from a relationship gone bad wherein I traded some furniture for the gun, I would go with a Beretta A400 Xplor RL or Action RL (RL - Reduced Length) in 12 gauge and just get him some very light 12 gauge loads for it, or better yet load up some 7/8 oz. loads for him on my own. The RL has a 13.5" lop versus the standard 14.5" lop.

At 10 years of age, I was hunting with a 12 gauge Winchester 101 and a 12 gauge Browning A5 because the LOP on the 12 gauge Browning BPS my dad bought me at 8 years of age was still too long for me.

Now, this all depends on whether your 10 year old can handle a 12 gauge, but I really do think he will be able to handle the 12 gauge with 7/8 or 1 oz loads if he has been doing any shooting whatsoever. Of course, I was shooting from about age 4, and went through a .410, graduated to a single shot 20 gauge at 8, and was chomping at the bit to use the 12 gauge at age 10. My dad was shocked when I bagged my dove limit with the Win 101 on opening day.

Granted, buying a Beretta A400 Xplor or Action will break the bank on this endeavor, but it will save you money in the long run. When he outgrows the Reduced Length (RL) stock, just buy a new stock for the gun and he will still be shooting the same gun he is familiar with.

Looking at Berettas is not good for my wallet. Of course I had to go and look at the DT11 and the 28 gauge Action, even though I think I have my mind set on the 28 gauge Benelli Legacy. Just hoping Santa puts something under the tree for me this year. The allure of the JP Rifle stuff from last year is wearing off.

 

[fabsroman]

How far are you from Cabela's in Delaware? If it isn't too long of a drive, you might want to think about calling over there and seeing what they have in a youth model or reduced length model.

I still vote 12 gauge though. As he grows, he graduates from 7/8 oz to 1 oz, and then finally to 1 1/8 oz.

 

[PJDiesel]

Hes not in the 391 price range, even used.

I'm in a slump right now of historical porpotions,.... smack talk at a minimum for now.

 

[fabsroman]

Hes not in the 391 price range, even used.

I'm in a slump right now of historical porpotions,.... smack talk at a minimum for now.

I think I pointed that out not once, but twice. The 391 used would be a couple hundred over his budget. The A400 would blow the budget away.

Of course, my suggestion is for a gun that will last his son a lifetime, not just until puberty kicks in. Kind of like your "buy once, cry once" thing. lol

 

[mrgnstrn]

How far are you from Cabela's in Delaware? If it isn't too long of a drive, you might want to think about calling over there and seeing what they have in a youth model or reduced length model.

I still vote 12 gauge though. As he grows, he graduates from 7/8 oz to 1 oz, and then finally to 1 1/8 oz.

I was in there just yesterday looking at a remington 870 compact model 20 gauge for my 11 year-old. It was well proportioned, with a shorter LOP and 21-inch barrel to help the balance.
M

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[pbharvey]

I was in there just yesterday looking at a remington 870 compact model 20 gauge for my 11 year-old. It was well proportioned, with a shorter LOP and 21-inch barrel to help the balance.
M

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That's what I think most people start their kids on. My attitude is to buy a Jr. size gun until they're big enough for a regular size gun. Keep the youth gun in the family for the next kid that comes along. It will last for generations.

 

[DanJo]

I bought both of my sons single shot break action H&R 20 gauge youth shotguns when they were younger to shoot trap and hunt deer. They still have them and they will be neat to pass on to their kids, but if I was going to do it again I would have bought a semi auto 20 gauge as they shoot much softer than a break action or pump gun. When kids are small, having a nice soft shooting gun will allow them to develop good form and habits and it will be more fun for them to shoot. As a 4-H shotgun instructor I've seen too many kids get afraid of the 12 gauge and pump shotguns which have more kick. This leads to kids with bad form and not wanting to shoot. If you don't believe me, try shooting a round of trap with a 10 gauge pump gun and let me know how you liked it.

 

[pbharvey]

I bought both of my sons single shot break action H&R 20 gauge youth shotguns when they were younger to shoot trap and hunt deer. They still have them and they will be neat to pass on to their kids, but if I was going to do it again I would have bought a semi auto 20 gauge as they shoot much softer than a break action or pump gun. When kids are small, having a nice soft shooting gun will allow them to develop good form and habits and it will be more fun for them to shoot. As a 4-H shotgun instructor I've seen too many kids get afraid of the 12 gauge and pump shotguns which have more kick. This leads to kids with bad form and not wanting to shoot. If you don't believe me, try shooting a round of trap with a 10 gauge pump gun and let me know how you liked it.

Up until this thread I didn't even know they made youth size semis.
I totally agree with you. My 10 year old can't hold up for 25 rounds with the little 870 and I'm very careful that shooting doesn't become a negative for him.

 

[DanJo]

Up until this thread I didn't even know they made youth size semis.
I totally agree with you. My 10 year old can't hold up for 25 rounds with the little 870 and I'm very careful that shooting doesn't become a negative for him.

I believe the semi-auto 20 gauge gun that our club uses is a Remington 1100 LT-20 which is marketed for women and youth. They are great guns which will allow the kids to shoot comfortably with minimal kick, and develop good form. The only negative is that they sometimes have trouble cycling 20 gauge target loads, but if they are well oiled that's not usually an issue. If it doesn't cycle you can also experiment with different brands of shells as some seem to eject and some stove pipe.

 

[fabsroman]

I believe the semi-auto 20 gauge gun that our club uses is a Remington 1100 LT-20 which is marketed for women and youth. They are great guns which will allow the kids to shoot comfortably with minimal kick, and develop good form. The only negative is that they sometimes have trouble cycling 20 gauge target loads, but if they are well oiled that's not usually an issue. If it doesn't cycle you can also experiment with different brands of shells as some seem to eject and some stove pipe.

You guys clean the gas ports on that 1100? I was having one heck of a time with my Beretta 391 Teknys. I read on the internet that some people run a drill bit through the gas ports, so I did so under hand power. I was still having trouble with it cycling loads that it cycled just fine for its first 7+ years. Then, JoeR mentioned he got a ton of carbon out of the gas ports of some Remington that he cleaned up, so I put that drill bit on a dremel and ran it through both gas ports. The amount of carbon I found in the barrel was incredible. Now, the gun runs like a top, and to think I was getting ready to chuck it in a river.

 

[Overboost44]

My first shotgun was an 1100 20 ga. That would have been made in the late 70's. It was a fine gun and didn't have a problem cycling anything for many years. Of course they don't make them like that anymore.
It must have been a soft shooter because when I finished high school I was 135 lbs, and I got that gun when I was in middle school.

 

[fabsroman]

My first shotgun was an 1100 20 ga. That would have been made in the late 70's. It was a fine gun and didn't have a problem cycling anything for many years. Of course they don't make them like that anymore.
It must have been a soft shooter because when I finished high school I was 135 lbs, and I got that gun when I was in middle school.

When I finished high school, I was 5' 8" and 125 pounds and had been shooting a Browning BPS 12 gauge with a full length stock and 30" barrel since I was 13 years old. Between 10 and 13, I was shooting the 12 gauge Win 101 and 12 gauge Browning Auto 5, both with full length stocks.

However, they don't make kids nowadays like they used to. A kid had to really want to shoot to use guns like that. Heck, when I initially started shooting the .410 single shot, I held the stock under my armpit because it was too long. Well, one day the exposed hammer got me in the cheek pretty good. I was bleeding everywhere. Almost as bad as when the scope on my .300 Win Mag got me square between the eyes at the age of 25. Anyway, that very night after my cheek was punctured, my dad cut down that stock and I got right back on the horse and was out shooting the next chance I got. Same thing happened when I split my forehead open with that rifle scope. Dad said, "It doesn't look that bad". He handed me a napkin and said, "Get back on stand." Mind you, my gun and coveralls were covered in blood, but hey, it ain't that bad. lol I have a pretty good scar from that disaster. Remind me to tell you how I split my head open and how I missed a chance at an 8 point buck all in that very same morning. Good stories of sheer stupidity.

 

[Overboost44]

When I finished high school, I was 5' 8" and 125 pounds and had been shooting a Browning BPS 12 gauge with a full length stock and 30" barrel since I was 13 years old. Between 10 and 13, I was shooting the 12 gauge Win 101 and 12 gauge Browning Auto 5, both with full length stocks.

Yes, before I had my 1100 I would shoot the knuckle buster Win Mod 97 for a while and then a Mod.12. You only let that 97 action catch you on the hand one time and then you never do it again! Then I traded in the 1100 for a Beretta 301 at a HoCo show. I think that may be the only gun that I have ever sold.

However, they don't make kids nowadays like they used to. A kid had to really want to shoot to use guns like that.

You can say that again.

Heck, when I initially started shooting the .410 single shot, I held the stock under my armpit because it was too long. Well, one day the exposed hammer got me in the cheek pretty good.

Same thing happened to my brother and I. We tried the single shot H&R 12 ga. but my dad quickly realized that it would be better with a fourtenner in it. Then he sawed off the barrel and the stock. Aww, good times. Of course that gun is in the Chesapeake Bay now.

Remind me to tell you how I split my head open and how I missed a chance at an 8 point buck all in that very same morning. Good stories of sheer stupidity.

If I forget, you remind me. We need to do a MDS lunch sometime soon.

 

[Boom Boom]

Give a serious look at the Mossberg 500 Youth pumps. Mossberg makes a bunch of models and they are easy to upgrade to full size.
http://www.mossberg.com/category/series/youth-500-505-510/

 

[PJDiesel]

He can't use a pump, at least not reliably for what he'll be doing. Adds another demension to it that isn't conducive to learning the craft.

 

[El_flasko]

He can't use a pump, at least not reliably for what he'll be doing. Adds another demension to it that isn't conducive to learning the craft.

I concur.

 

[El_flasko]

Still looking at options and I'll keep everyone updated on what I get. Keep the input coming and thanks again

 

[Jollyllama]

I bought my petite wife a weatherby youth sa-20. It's a pretty simple gas design and has worked well. Needed to be broken in with some heavier shells to cycle lighter shells reliably, but for the price I'm happy with it. Seems pretty well constructed and with a limb saver on it I can shoot it pretty well too. Got it on buds for under $500.

Comes in all kinds of hydro dip colors or wood for a few more clams.

 

[Hog Sniper]

I set my daughter up with the Weatherby SA20 Youth. Fits her great and shoots very well...

 

[El_flasko]

Went back and forth for a bit and ended up going with the tristar youth since Dan had one and it was right down the street. Cool little 20g and my son likes it. I have a feeling it's a tad heavy for him but he'll grow into it and my 12yr old can handle it too. Can't beat it for the price and hope to try it out this weekend. Thanks to all for your input

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