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.
