Dilemma Concerning 12 or 20 Gauge

[Bow 1]

My son is 10 and for the spring opener I am gonna let him have his first crack at a bird. I was wondering about if I should get him a 20 Gauge or let him shoot the bird with my 12 Gauge, let it just kick the crap out of him, as that is all I have ever used. Doubt once he rolls the bird if he will remember the kick. He shoots his rifle well (a .243). Dilemma

The 870 has an extended choke that is ported. Wondering your thoughts on this. Anyone use a 20 Gauge if so what is the range etc... Do you have to use 3" on the 20 etc. I have a 1100 LT 20 that he uses for birds, it only has a modified on it and 2 3/4 only no changing chokes. To buy a new barrel for the 1100 I would spend more than if I just got him a single shot 20 that can handle the 3" loads. Or should I just let him get a little bruise. Thanks

Keith

[turk2di]

Don't know how big your 10 yr old is, or how much he handles a gun, but if it were me, i would start him with a .20ga. The recoil syndrome is very real and i wouldn't want to start a flinching reflex . Plenty of time in his life to upgrade to a .12ga. JMHO

[hogdogs]

IMHO... Get him the 20 for several reasons...
It is a good gun for upland birds and it will slug a deer, it will drop a gobbler but will encourage a more determined accuracy. It is easy to shoot repeatedly so he can burn up some targets getting familiar with HIS gun... which brings me to the last one!
It will be HIS gun to be responsible for and maintain... It will be HIS gun NOT DAD'S gun that he used....
Brent
PS... this leaves your 12 in your lap to bag one too!

[hogdogs]

I reccomend a "CHEAP" pump to start... It ain't fair to start with the best...
Gotta "earn your bones"!
A mossberg pump will make a shooter of you!
And then as a reward for taking GREAT care of the CHEAPIE and getting good with it, a nicer pump or autoloader will mean more to him than if that is first gun.
Just my take... I was raised this way and my boy is too!
Except I had to buy the better guns my self as pop would say... What's wrong with the one you got for christmas?
Brent

[hogdogs]

I say start with a standard smoothbore barrel but buy one with choke tube threads for an advancement... Starting with a cylicdrical bore will force the learning curve! Anyone (should be anyone) can blow a hole in a target with a tight choke but to consistantly drop game with the smooth standard bore is an accomplishment any shooter should be proud of!
Brent

[Bow 1]

Good points, I know about the recoil syndrome with him. It took a good 15 minutes to get him to shoot that .243, (he watched me sight in my 870 with a slug barrel, and it kicked the crap out of me) After shot it once he laughed at his self and then burned up two boxes, with it and had some sub 2 inch groups at 100 yards, I was impressed. He has good gun skills, I am a firearms intructor for my Agenciy (Extra Duty) , so he has been taught from the git go. I do not want to buy him any other pump or anything, as I have given him my old 20 guage 1100 LT. Its a semi and he shoots it well that he used for dove squirells, etc.. . I was thinking of getting him one of the full choke single shots that he uses for Turkey only. I seen them for less than a buck and half at wallmart. A new barrel for that lt 20 is over 200 and then again he could only shoot 2 3/4 out of it. Keep em coming, I got a little time before march and really appreciate your opinions on this.

Thanks
Keith

[hogdogs]

OKAY... I wasted that typing...

You coulda filled us in on your training of him etc...
Why ask us???
We need to ask you for advice on OUR KIDS!!!

Sounds like he is covered well then... the 20 still gets my VOTE!!!
Brent

[turk2di]

hogdogs said:

I reccomend a "CHEAP" pump to start... It ain't fair to start with the best...
Gotta "earn your bones"!
A mossberg pump will make a shooter of you!
And then as a reward for taking GREAT care of the CHEAPIE and getting good with it, a nicer pump or autoloader will mean more to him than if that is first gun.
Just my take... I was raised this way and my boy is too!
Except I had to buy the better guns my self as pop would say... What's wrong with the one you got for christmas?
Brent

I recommend a single barrell. Make them bear down on the shot because it has to count.JMHO

[hogdogs]

The single shot is the way there! Most folks don't start kids like our mentors did... red ryder than .22 then single shot shotguns... then bolt action...
Brent

[Bow 1]

I mentioned in the first post he has a 1100, my thing is he is the oldest and my first with using bigger guns, I would think some of you have more experience having maybe older kids, mine are 10, 9, 7 and 4. The nine year old is a girl. I dont want him to get gun shy, at the same time that is what I used when I was his age, a 12 guage, kicked like crazy but I never got gun shy, my dad did eventually buy me the LT 20 which I have passed down to my son. I have never used a 20 guage on turkeys always the 12. So I was just curious on everyone who cared to post their thoughts on this.

If your kid wants some training on gun safety or how to clear a house and engage mutiple subjects then I can help, other than that I have no experience with kids as mine are just getting to that age, (I train adults on pistols, shotguns, rifels and machine guns, to shoot subjects, not turkey or deer). My kids have all been started on pellet rifles and pistols, To name a few they know that they shoot nothing unless your gonna eat it, every gun is loaded, never shoot at something unless your shoor of your target and what is behind it and If I see them viloate any of the rules when they are out back shooting then they are grounded from shooting for a while, the biggest rule I see them break is the lazer rule which is imagine if your weapon has a lazer beam coming off of the end and if it ever touches you or anyone else then you have broken the rule. I am very strict on gun safety with them.

Just trying to get some info before I decide on what I am gonna do. He is an everage size 10 year old, a little taller than most. He does do pushups and some conditioning as he is trying to get his draw weight up to 40 pounds on his bow.

Thanks for anyhelp

Keith

[hogdogs]

Don't take me wrong I was speaking tongue in cheek!
But if you ever come down to hoghunt with me... I will let you show me some of the "official" tactics on the home defense postures and technique since mine are all self trained I am sure some are considered less than ideal!

Brent

[Bow 1]

No problems its just hard to make points over boards and email. I got hours and hours of classes on home defense, weapons and everything else that fits in there.

I am just looking for some advice on that topic. I definately dont want him to become gun shy and start flinching, etc.. I remember I hated to just shoot that old 12 but when I was lined up on a bird or a red squirell way up in a tree I had no problem commiting and I never did become gun shy.

I think I am leaning toward just getting one of the single 20s, I was just gonna let him get the bruise as it would only be one shot. But I am rethinking this, you guys make some good points.

Keith

[MGCC]

Well for what it is worth( my opinion) I really like the 20 ga. you can get a 870 exprss at wally world for @ 269 and my wife likes it, a little heavy for her to shoulder but I have a set of stoney point shooting sticks . wiyh it being used for turkey season it doesnt present a prob. for her to use yhe sticks. Since you are setting down and not having to move it around very much. The prob. i have with the single shots is I have not seen 1 in what ever gauge the dont kick. There are a smogasboard of chock tubes out there to be bought fore it and (870) and you cant find them in whatever constriction you want to make the gun shoot great patterns. I am in the same delimma with haveing different age kids. Plus when I bought the 870 I got a DOVE gun to boot. I put a RED DOT site on it so all she has to do is put the dot where she wants it to hit. I mounted it with a leupold SADDLE MOUNT THAT DONT COST BUT ABOUT 35 BUCKS AND i CAN TAKE IT OFF WHENEVER i WANT BY REMOVING 2 SCREWS. eVERYTIME i HAVE PUT IT BACK ON AND PATTERED THE GUN IT HAS ALWAYS SHOT THE SAME POINT OF AIM, i believe that this comes from the way that the mount goes on the gun with the 2 screws going through the reciever so it puts the mount in the same oplace everytime.


But back to the org. ? The 20ga. is a great gun for young shooters you can get #" mags for them to shoot or let them shoot high brass 2 3/4 if the kick factor of the mag is 2 much.


I wouldnt rec. the 12 just because of the kick factor. you dont want to scare him of when he is down on the gun getting reay to make the money shot and for a flash of a sec. he remembers the recoil from the range and flinches costing him the bird.

Kehl

[hogdogs]

Don't take this as experience on turkey rather my own guess.
Since I was nailing flying pheasent at 20-30 yards with a .410 mossberg bolt with polychoke, I would guess a tight choke with #3 or 4 in .410 would be lethal on fairly close turkey in the hands of an accurate marksman.
This being said, a 20 should be an adequate gobbler gun in the same hands.
I have personally never shot an auto loader shot gun and expect it is a world different in kick so a 20 oughta be a real nice gun in that configuration.
Brent

[Bow 1]

Thanks HD, MGCC, turk2di, for your thoughts, great points. I will let everyone know how it goes.

ALso HD liked your post on cheaters in Bass Fishing, them "some beach" es really get my blood boiling too. Guess that is one of the reasons I do what I do.

Keith