My quest to find a good youth shotgun…

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My kid told me he wanted to gonshoot those flying orange discs, eg clay pigeons. Well I thought he needed a shotgun to gove it a go.

I went out and picked up a youth 20ga semi auto, for him to try out. He tries it out and says it is ok, however after shooting it it is a no go! The gun kicks to hard with light target loads. Well no joy there.

i pick up a 20ga mossberg micro youth pump gun, which is tiny. He tries it out and the same thing says he doesnt like it after shooting it.

Now I am really thinking what can I get him so he will to keep shooting a shotgun. Yes yes he wants to keep trying but not with those guns.

I sit down with him again and look at pictures of shotguns that are available, starting with 20ga 28ga ect nope. Finally I start looking at 12ga with him and he eyes the keltec KSG with short mags and a front grip. “I like that tactical one!”. Well ok so I order one and start looking for the lightest recoiling target ammo I can find. Find some Winchester 26gr 7.5 shot at 980fps good to go I hope.

Finally get him to the range after getting everything together, and putting a reflex sight on the gun. He tries it out and loves it! Even broke the first clay that he shot at.

In the end he likes the 12ga, and is enjoying busting clays. He also has 3 shotguns now.
 
Not sure if this is a review, a request, or what...?

How old, but more importantly, what physical height, weight, build etc is your son?

Are you asking for more suggestions on shotguns, or no?
 
I tried all the shotguns, the KSG with the Winchester 26g load @980fps has the least recoil. It is also only 26” in overall lenght.

For him the KSG is the “youth” shotgun that works. Just need to use the correct type of shell.
 
12 ga 3/4 oz loads (28 ga skeet equivalent)

Same is available in 20 ga. Started my son at 8yo with 870 and 3/4oz skeet loads. Later, 3" duck loads weren't a problem.

Fit could be the major issue, though.
 
870 youth hard to beat. Was hard when new as the slide was a little sticky. After broken in served him well. Now kid moved on and it's now my closet snake, skunk, whatever gun.
 
I almost bought one of these a few weeks ago.

A300 Ultima Black Synthetic Shotgun | Beretta

I was quoted $800 OTD for a 20 ga.

This is a gas operated gun, if you don't go any heavier than 7/8 oz shot recoil is going to be about as light as it is going to get. If he can't handle that, then maybe he needs to wait until he is older.

The pump shotguns you've tried will actually recoil more than a gas operated gun with the same loads.

FWIW, I started my son at age 10 with a 12 ga gas gun. I found a Mossberg 9200 dirt cheap. The forend was cracked and the gun shop made me a deal on it. I contacted Mossberg and they replaced the forend at no cost. Since a 12 is about 1 lb heavier everything else being equal recoil with 1 oz loads is actually less than a 20 with 1 oz loads. But the heavier gun can be a problem for some younger kids.
 
@Seedy Character and @jmr40 hit the big points. A lot of the 20ga shells are throwing the same load and speed as a 12ga - in a lighter gun, more kick. Fit is key…a little out any given dimension, more perceived kick - think cheek slap…

Glad you got something that works!
 
Dead said:
I went out and picked up a youth 20ga semi auto, for him to try out. He tries it out and says it is ok, however after shooting it it is a no go! The gun kicks to hard with light target loads. Well no joy there.

i pick up a 20ga mossberg micro youth pump gun, which is tiny. He tries it out and the same thing says he doesnt like it after shooting it.
Click to expand...

If my dad would have bought me a shotgun when I was a youngster many, many years ago; no matter how much it hurt to shoot, I would never have complained. I would have been so happy to get a gun that nothing else would have mattered. I never got one but in my day, so-called "youth shotguns" were mostly affordable single-shots, like the Winchester Model 37, the Harrington & Richardson "Topper" or the Iver Johnson "Champion". They recoiled more than any 20 gauge auto but I would have sucked it up for certain. Times change, sometimes for the good but sometimes not. I'm glad you were able to find one that your kid found comfortable to shoot.
 
I am happy, he is enjoying busting clays at the range. He does get alot of looks as the KSG is tiny, has a pistol, forward pistol grip, and a reflex sight. It is not the typical trap gun, however it works for him.

The micro 20ga mossberg kicks, it is tiny 18” barrel and tiny stock. The youth semi-auto 20ga is a mossberg and is a bit too long I think.


I started with a 12ga break action, I think with high brass shells. Not the best combo, however it didnt stop me.
 
Thats the thing with those youth shotguns. They are a solution for fit, not for recoil. They actually worsen recoil because they are usually lighter than the standard model because of the shorter stock and barrel.
I've said it before, if a child is not capable of wielding the tool, the child is not capable of performing the task.

My first shotgun at age 11 was a 20 gauge NEF break open. It was light, handy, and kicked like a 12 gauge pump with the 3" high brass #6 we used for grouse hunting.

My first deer rifle at age 12 was a commercial Mauser 30-06. 180 grain Federal grey box was what my father always used in his, so thats what was used in mine.

I never complained either. I WANTED it that way.
 
Last edited:
SwampWolf said:
If my dad would have bought me a shotgun when I was a youngster many, many years ago; no matter how much it hurt to shoot, I would never have complained. I would have been so happy to get a gun that nothing else would have mattered. I never got one but in my day, so-called "youth shotguns" were mostly affordable single-shots, like the Winchester Model 37, the Harrington & Richardson "Topper" or the Iver Johnson "Champion". They recoiled more than any 20 gauge auto but I would have sucked it up for certain. Times change, sometimes for the good but sometimes not. I'm glad you were able to find one that your kid found comfortable to shoot.
Click to expand...
My first shotgun was a 12GA Winchester 37. I can still feel the ouchies. ;) Probably why I didnt own another smoothbore for over 2 decades.....

Dead said:
I am happy, he is enjoying busting clays at the range. He does get alot of looks as the KSG is tiny, has a pistol, forward pistol grip, and a reflex sight. It is not the typical trap gun, however it works for him.

The micro 20ga mossberg kicks, it is tiny 18” barrel and tiny stock. The youth semi-auto 20ga is a mossberg and is a bit too long I think.


I started with a 12ga break action, I think with high brass shells. Not the best combo, however it didnt stop me.
Click to expand...
Glad he found something that worked for him, never discount the power of ergonomics. :thumbup:
Just curious; did you consider or try a .410? I know clays are challenging with the smallbore, but man they are fun!
 
You accidentally touched on something interesting RE youth guns. I think the 20Ga is a bit obsolete as a dedicated youth platform. It absolutely still has a place in true 20Ga frame guns that are lighter in weight, but that's a different matter.

I believe as you have found, the generally greater heft of a 12Ga coupled with proper stock fitting and modern low recoil loads makes the 12 a more suitable option for all but the smallest framed shooters.
 
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My first was a 20ga Mossberg 600ct. It was my grandfathers gun, and I earned it by mowing his yard about every 10 days one year. I think I was 12. Truth be told he wasn’t financially well and couldn’t afford to pay but was too proud not to. Either way, I still have the gun and that will not change. As for recoil, there is no way to dampen it without mass. Mass makes guns heavy in the field though. That gun doesn’t kick all that hard, but some 20s beat a man to death. A good recoil pad like those made by limbsaver do wonders.
 
Youth shotguns are a tricky thing. The obvious answer with respect to a low gun weight and low recoil is the 410 bore, but there is so little shot it can be hard to make hits, and the performance on live game can be disappointing.
Good fit and sufficient weight are critical to taming the recoil of sufficiently large payloads, but the weight necessary may just be impractical for some of the smallest potential shooters.

I would identify as having been the kind of kid that would have suffered a misfit, hard-kicking gun just to be shooting. But that doesn't mean that such circumstances wouldn't have hindered my development of skills.
 
My son started with a SXP with a shortened stock off eBay and some added lead shot in the butt stock for recoil reduction. From there he went to a used BT99 that he shot very well and probably shoot for the rest of his life. He claims the BT is the best shooting shotgun with the least recoil. The SXP now has its original shock and is his dedicated goose and duck gun. After attending many youth shooting events there’s two this that stand out to me that affect young shooters. Recoil is number one. Number two is not being prepared at the line and being focused. I’ve seen a lot of kids fumbling with safety’s and automatic shotgun mechanisms on the line. The kids shooting break open guns seemed more focused and relaxed.
 
When it becomes interesting is when you have a "youth" sized adult. When the adult in question weighs 100lbs, stands 5'2" and is 54 years old, you learn a bit more then you do when talking to a young person.

The wife has a tristar that is just fantastic, and very light recoiling. She also has a SA08 youth, that is so close to equal you can call it equal in the recoil area. She also special ordered in a Benelli youth that did fit her and she hated everything about it, but could give very clear and sound reasons behind it. She tried several things, 1100, pumps, A5 (loved it), over under. In everything from 12-16-20-28. And the youth 20 was the best thing for her.

I am not her, it is impossible for one person to know the "feel" of something, anything. All we can do is make guesses. It is a pure subjective thing. I have known her for over 30 years, no reason to think that there is anything else at play when she says, that kicks like a mule, or that 12 knocked me on my butt.
 
My kids were started on a SA-08 Compact 20 gauge and a SX3 Compact Field 20 gauge. The Weatherby is an older model with wood furniture and weighs more than the synthetic SA-08 compacts which came later. The SX3 is also wood and on the heavy side which I believe is good. My kids were 10 and 11 and really big for their age which of course helped. Daughter still shoots the Weatherby for everything but duck and uses a Compact SX3 Field 12 gauge for duck. She’s 32 and 5’7”. Son is 25 and uses a Maxus.
 
Dead said:
My kid told me he wanted to gonshoot those flying orange discs, eg clay pigeons. Well I thought he needed a shotgun to gove it a go.

I went out and picked up a youth 20ga semi auto, for him to try out. He tries it out and says it is ok, however after shooting it it is a no go! The gun kicks to hard with light target loads. Well no joy there.

i pick up a 20ga mossberg micro youth pump gun, which is tiny. He tries it out and the same thing says he doesnt like it after shooting it.

Now I am really thinking what can I get him so he will to keep shooting a shotgun. Yes yes he wants to keep trying but not with those guns.

I sit down with him again and look at pictures of shotguns that are available, starting with 20ga 28ga ect nope. Finally I start looking at 12ga with him and he eyes the keltec KSG with short mags and a front grip. “I like that tactical one!”. Well ok so I order one and start looking for the lightest recoiling target ammo I can find. Find some Winchester 26gr 7.5 shot at 980fps good to go I hope.

Finally get him to the range after getting everything together, and putting a reflex sight on the gun. He tries it out and loves it! Even broke the first clay that he shot at.

In the end he likes the 12ga, and is enjoying busting clays. He also has 3 shotguns now.
Click to expand...

And that's what's important; he's hitting clays and enjoying it. :)

Dead said:
I am happy, he is enjoying busting clays at the range. He does get alot of looks as the KSG is tiny, has a pistol, forward pistol grip, and a reflex sight. It is not the typical trap gun, however it works for him.

The micro 20ga mossberg kicks, it is tiny 18” barrel and tiny stock. The youth semi-auto 20ga is a mossberg and is a bit too long I think.


I started with a 12ga break action, I think with high brass shells. Not the best combo, however it didnt stop me.
Click to expand...

It depends on the interest level. When I started to shoot shotgun, it was with H&R single shots that kicked like a mule. But I was highly motivated, so I'd shoot and say, "Thank You sir, may I have another!?"


Remington1911 said:
When it becomes interesting is when you have a "youth" sized adult. When the adult in question weighs 100lbs, stands 5'2" and is 54 years old, you learn a bit more then you do when talking to a young person.

The wife has a tristar that is just fantastic, and very light recoiling. She also has a SA08 youth, that is so close to equal you can call it equal in the recoil area. She also special ordered in a Benelli youth that did fit her and she hated everything about it, but could give very clear and sound reasons behind it. She tried several things, 1100, pumps, A5 (loved it), over under. In everything from 12-16-20-28. And the youth 20 was the best thing for her.

I am not her, it is impossible for one person to know the "feel" of something, anything. All we can do is make guesses. It is a pure subjective thing. I have known her for over 30 years, no reason to think that there is anything else at play when she says, that kicks like a mule, or that 12 knocked me on my butt.
Click to expand...

It actually becomes easier, because you know they will not be growing, so you don't have to worry about accommodating that. Select a gun they like, find a stock fitter with a try stock, get measurements, and decide whether you want to put a recoil device on it, and an adjustable comb, or have a stock made to the measurements.
 
entropy said:
The problem with slip on is that they add to the LOP. If that's what you're trying to do, great, but they can only add so much.
Click to expand...
And they have a knack for damaging the finish of wooden stocks over time. The ring starting about 4” from the butt of my Grandfather’s old Model 12 shows exactly where the old slip on sat for ages.:(

I was another who started on a .410, then quickly moved to the 16 gauge Model 12 when hitting doves became a serious quest of mine.

Glad he found his gun. :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
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