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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,173 Likes: 1159
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,173 Likes: 1159 |
That is an excellent post, CZ. I agree. The first shot Jackson ever tried at a flying target was a clay bird off an automatic trap that I had set up. He was 8 yrs. old and had the Stoeger Uplander .410. He smoked the very first bird off the trap! He was pleased, but I was ecstatic. I made a big deal over it because it WAS a big deal, for an 8 yr. old. He's never slowed up since. At 12 years old he can outshoot most of the men on the dove field today.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,085 Likes: 478
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,085 Likes: 478 |
At 12 years old he can outshoot most of the men on the dove field today.
SRH The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Healthy case of good shooting genes.
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 61
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 61 |
I received my first shotgun at age 12. A 410 single 3" hammer gun. I would recommend the same In this instance as it will teach many good habits. safty,good marksmanship,and the light recoil will help to prevent bad habits. it will also be in size to his physical demensions and easy to carry. And cheaper to shoot. IMHO If only we all could return to yesterdays. no matter what the final outcome is just enjoy the experience Pilgrim
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,038
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,038 |
It is so hard with all the variables in the size of the young shooter, that can handle a shotgun.When my daughter was 12,she wanted to shoot. I didn't want to ruin her with recoil and failure to break any clay. My choice was to get enough shot in the air to help her break some clay.I personally always felt that a 410 was almost an experts gun, not a beginners gun. The experience of some here says I was wrong. I did buy her a Rem.1100 in 20 ga.on the older 12ga. frame.With her strength plus the lower recoil loads I loaded for her,it proved to be the perfect set up for her strength and abilities. A friend of mine wanted to get his 12 yr.old brother in-law shooting. Bought him a break open single shot 20ga. That light weight 20ga. was absolutely punishing for him,the gifted and me.he was much better with light loads in a 12ga. pump.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,383 Likes: 106
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,383 Likes: 106 |
I was started on a .410 hammergun. The .410 part was not so bad. Started out shooting squirrels and rabbits. However, the hammer--as mentioned previously--can be a problem for a kid. Savage made a nice hammerless single, the Model 220. Tang safety, just like a double. I'd go with a 20 and stick with 3/4 oz loads. Not much recoil.
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,125 Likes: 94
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,125 Likes: 94 |
Best shotgun, IMO, is a youth model Remington 1100 in 20 gauge. Soft recoil and easy to handle. I had a bunch of Boy Scouts shooting them this weekend. Little guys who had never fired a gun. They loved it.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 120
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 120 |
Thanks for all the advice guys - lots of different opinions to consider here.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 345 Likes: 8
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 345 Likes: 8 |
I'll also chime in for the Rem. 1100 Lwt. 20 with the 23" barrel and 3/4 oz. loads. I've used a stock-shortened one of these for years with both ladies and youth instruction and they suit well... unless the kid is especially small in stature when they begin. My gun continues to function well when cleaned properly, and have had no issues there. For safety reasons, students are always handed just one shell at a time for loading, and the skeet (screw-in) choke has them hitting clays in short order.
As for the .410 being a good starting gun, no argument here as my Win. M42 with modified choke (1/2 oz. - 9's) throws some impressive patterns @ 25 yards with good density in a 26-29" spread. The more open choke in a .410 might just be the ticket for the smaller kids that would have difficulty with the slightly heavier semi-auto.
rob
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 869 Likes: 2
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 869 Likes: 2 |
I think Chuck's point concerning .410s is spot-on. My son broke his first target (H7) two weeks before he turned 7 using a Win M-20 with full choke. Before we got a 20 ga 391 Y-model he had broken every skeet single presentation with the M-20...all of them.
Starting with the .410 did not hurt him. But I think a useful distinction is made between starter guns and beginner guns. The former are appropriate for intermittent familiarization with recoil, stationary targets, non-squadded non-competition flying clays, and for reinforcement of safe handling. The beginner's gun is what I want when it is time to progress as a shooter, when volume practice lies ahead, when contemplating shooting with squads. I don't think a .410 fits the bill there.
The question here, for me, is age 10 is at the tail end of "starter", and maybe too soon for the serious "beginner". Sounds like GW's son can be more accurately placed in the "beginner" category, though.
So I would suggest a 20 ga 391 or 1100 with shortened field stock. I think the arguments against repeaters have validity only in a context I would never permit, ie., unsupervised use. We use 20 ga autos for our youth shooting group, and the recoil mitigation benefits greatly outweigh any break-open action advantages.
Sam
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,393
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,393 |
I instruct juniors and ladies and have a pair of Remington 1100s in 28 ga. Much less recoil than the 20 ga 1100 with Wally World 20 ga shells. I have a MEC 600 set up for 28 ga 3/4 oz shot and a mild load of Unique. Some of the kids come over to my farm on Saturday and reload shells for themselves to shoot on the Sunday. The 28 ga 1100 with a skeet tube is easy for the kids to hit with and gain some confidence. Reread the latter sentence. The worst gun to buy a youngster is the Remington 870 Junior pump in 20 ga. I have seen small boys break into tears the recoil is so severe. In fact, I have asked a parent to please put that 870 junior 20 ga back into his truck and let the kid shoot one of my 28 ga 1100s.
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