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A friend started his twin boys at about age 7 with a .410 SxS on stationary targets (cans, melons, etc.) to get them used to the noise and recoil and to help them realize the damage a shotgun can do. They tried the .410 on doves with little success and then he bought them Yildiz 20ga O/Us when they were able to handle those. They are happy and safe hunters now. We decided that a break action gun was the safest way to go. Started another seven year old with a .410 last season, and it seemed to work well. This kid is a bit smaller so his first hunting gun may be a 28ga. When I was a kid, my Dad started me with a .410 bolt action and I think it made me a better field shot than if I had started with a larger bore or something with a quicker second shot.

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I've introduced several thousand young people to firearms.
Specifically, because he is a male, his physical changes in the next 5 years make choosing a gun for today a point to consider.

If you wish to keep changing guns as he develops, then at our club we would start him on a single barrel 20 w/ sub sonic rounds if he was smaller. When he could dependably hit low 7 and unload/reload the firearm without interference from his "coach", we'd add complexity by moving him to a pump 20, but single cartridge at a time. If he is able to comfortably operate the 5 lb pumps, depending on physical strength, we may/may not move him up to one of the club Beretta 20's. Heck, some boys go from 70lb noodles to little linebackers in 6 months.

Our keys being, size and strength, safety awareness and mechanical aptitude in handling, and success on hitting simple targets. You need all three legs of the stool before we move a youngster into more than one cartridge.

The Remmy 1100 20's weigh far too much for 90% of our young shooters. We've had dozens fail to operate right out of the box (they are a common youth raffle gun) at the club. It's an immense disappointment to the lucky kid that won one, when it won't work, and has to be sent to a service center before they even get to use it.

Because deer hunting is really why most of our youth are at their hunter safety training, the Mossberg 500 youth 20 has become a popular (and liquid) firearm, because they come with a coupon for an adult stock, they can have deer sights added easily, and they have a youth stock that is shaped for a youth, not an adult that is short. They are very accurate with slugs, and are steel ready for introduction to waterfowling.

Whatever you do, it has to be fun, and safe.
We had a tragedy just a couple years ago here in MI.


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McIntosh notwithstanding, there is nothing wrong with starting a kid on a .410 for wingshooting. My grandson, who has moved up to a LT 20 1100 now, shot a Stoeger Uplander .410 for three seasons on doves (very successfully), beginning at age 8. If he is 10 already, and is not sensitive to recoil or muzzle blast, the LT 20 would be great to start him on.

As to the safety issue, I strongly recommend a double, with an automatic safety. No pump or jammamatic has that. The automatic feature is not a necessity, but is an extra margin of safety for him until it is deeply ingrained to check the safety himself. I don't care for automatic safeties myself, but made sure my grandson's doubles had them.

The poor patterning of the .410 is terribly overexaggerated, IMO. If it weren't how could you explain this, a 9 yr. old with only two prior dove shoots under his belt, using 1/2 oz. loads? There is more to teaching a kid to hunt than teaching him to shoot. Judging when a dove is within .410 range is a great way to start, I think.

2010 season with the .410



2013 season with the LT 20



Not much difference is there?

SRH


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My son is 11 now, and although he is quite accomplished at hunting for his age, I have not started him with a shotgun yet, due to his size.

I have a dear friend who owns a large shooting complex, and he is heavily involved with 4H and Boy Scouts using his facility. He recommended waiting until a child weighs at least 80 pounds, otherwise the recoil from even a lightly loaded 20 gauge gas operated automatic can be problematic.

The last thing I want to do is put him off.

I have noticed, also, that very good hearing protection is a must. Childrens' hearing is very sensitive. I have my son wear earplugs inside his earmuffs when practicing, and he always puts at least earmuffs on before shooting any game (at his insistence).

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There is a simple way to keep a kid from being afraid of recoil, that I used with my sons and, now, with my grandsons. My youngest son, whose sons are pictured above, was shooting a Ruger No. 3 .45-70, with 300 grain bullets, off the bench when he was only 10 years old. Never once did he mention the recoil, and it was there. Grown men would wince when he shot it, look at me questioningly, and Jonathan would say, "Can I shoot it again, Daddy?"

SRH


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Originally Posted By: gwsmith
My son has shot a BB gun for awhile but I'm ready to start him on a shotgun I think. I've been waiting until he was big enough to shoot a 20 gauge - as my personal opinion would be that a 410 doesn't really qualify as a true gun. But he's 10 years old and big enough to handle a 20 now I think.

I have gone back and forth on whether to buy him a double gun (O/U) or a single barrel gun. In terms of safety and ease of use - which do you think is better for a kid. I've always thought double guns were much safer in the field. However I could also start him on a pump with 1 or 2 shells at a time. Would like something he can use for a few years though. I'm going back and forth on this and just thought I'd get some other opinions from guys that have been there already.


I'm in the same boat and appreciate all the advice and experiences being shared here. My 10 year son has just graduated from an airgun to a .22, but I'm reluctant to move to a shotgun yet.

I bought a youth model NEF/H&R Pardner 20 ga. single shot, but having first fired it myself I feel it makes for a terrible "youth gun" because it kicks like a little mule. I won't let him shoot it until I've had a chance to load up and test some light rounds.

My reading on this subject has shown a common theme; that we tend to push our young ones to shoot too much gun before they are ready, then having to work to help them overcome their gun shyness.

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Every time this subject comes up on internet forums people seem to be set on handing a 10 yr old kid a 20ga right off the bat and seem to be more worried about the kid's success in killing game or hitting targets than the kid having fun and learning gun handling skills and trigger control.

My experience is that a 6 lb 20ga or even 28ga that is well under 6 lbs will whack me hard enough that I start to flinch.

On the 410, I've watched a number of kids and adults start with them. All of them that I can recall, have become very good shooters. At least one of them is a competitive skeet shooter and she shoots her first 410 regularly after over 10 yrs. An exceptionally small 10 yr old girl was given a CZ o/u 410 that was cut down in the barrels and stock. She used to shoot with her grandpa and his friends and hold her own in the 22-24 scores.

The kids will figure out how to hit something if you don't beat them to death with a sharp recoiling gun.

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The recoil suffered because of light, fixed breech guns can be reduced by lighter loads. This is where handloading can pay off.

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A big plus, IMO, to starting a kid hunting bids with a .410 is the value of teaching them when a bird is in range. I taught Jackson that 20 yards was his outside range for a dove. He learned to know when a dove was within range because I was sitting by him and I'd tell him when it was and wasn't. A great benefit to that is that when they "graduate" to a bigger gun they are not nearly as likely to be sky busters, shooting at birds too far. Let a kid "accidentally" kill a dove with a 20 at 45 yards and he is ruined. It's a hard habit for a youngster to break and much better to teach 'me young how to sit still, wait and be patient. Most poor dove shooters I have known try to kill them too far.

SRH


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Yes GLS. You are correct.
We burn a pallet of donated low recoil loads every year.
Hard to get the big 3 to donate 28's and 410's.

I view this question (since the young man isn't sitting here) as a statistical guess. What others do in their specific circumstances is perfect for them.

Our typical student is 12, now because of legislation, as young as 9. They can barely shoulder the shotgun. Weight forward semi's are impossible for the youngest. Taking any kind of comfortable stance with the shotgun is also difficult. It pretty much limits the "coaches" to the small single shot platforms with soft recoil pads.
But we focus on helping a child to "hit", hoping to kindle enthusiasm. We are always mindful that it must be fun and immediately rewarding.

This just an aside, but I often wonder if the underlying question for many people could be more accurately written as, "How do I help my child to become my hunting buddy?" It's a big and valid question, especially in non-custodial situations.

We look at it like, 1st it has to be immediate fun. 2nd, Daddy HAS TO SHOW PRIDE TOWARD THE YOUNGSTER'S ACCOMPLISHMENT.
3rd, Daddy has to offer the carrot that if you do well, you can come along with the guys. (Including all aspects of safety) Children have an innate desire to please. We rely on it to embed safe gun handling.
For many, those 3 things create a budding outdoor enthusiast, and a safe hunting buddy.

Recoil becomes a deep background issue.

Any of those pieces absent, probably not. YMMV


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