Need gun for first time hunter [Archive]

Dev

03-14-2005, 04:47 PM

I got a youth model 20 ga. remington for my birthday when I was 7. Its a pump gun. Its the perfect size and I have harvested a lot of game with it. I still like to take it out just to shoot. By getting a pump, it made me focus on the gun. A semi-auto shoots the shells too fast for me. I never can tell when I have shot all of my shots. Especially when the mallards are dropping out of the sky! :D

GSP

03-14-2005, 05:32 PM

How old and how big is he? Can he handel a 20ga? Why I ask is a pump kicks harder than a Auto. The 870 Remington youth is a good choice if he can handle it.

Also, where you located? We have several different youth guns we'll let him try out.

kybowhunter1963

03-14-2005, 06:35 PM

how about a single shot break-open until he learns the ropes.....much safer, and easier, especially the hammerless type

BIG DADDY

03-14-2005, 06:40 PM

HE is big enought to handle the gun. It is just that he is a little puss. Hate to say it but it is true. I was shooting anything I could get my hands on when was that age. 30-06 , 12, 20, 16, what every was there I shot. I have not had much dealings with a 20. I have always shot 12 to hunt with.I did take my first deer with a 20 single.

BIG DADDY

03-14-2005, 06:42 PM

Thanks for the replies guys.

gwhilikerz

03-14-2005, 07:13 PM

how about a single shot break-open until he learns the ropes.....much safer, and easier, especially the hammerless type
This is very good advice. NEF makes a nice little youth model for little money. If you find it kicks a bit much for him then a little weight added to the hole under the buttplate will work wonders. Save a few bucks on the gun and buy a sims recoil pad:)

RutNcuT

03-14-2005, 07:25 PM

When my dad was little his dad got him a little single shot 410. When I was little it was handed down to me..Both me and my dad have killed alot of squirels and even a couple rabbits with it over the years...I hope to one day hand it down to a future son...My dad kept it in perfect condition and so did I..I guess it also taught me how to take pride and care in firearms and how to be safe.

westkybanded

03-14-2005, 07:29 PM

Most of the time I've seen kids get scared of shooting big guns is that they don't fit... I was like you Big Daddy... Growing up I would and did shoot everything I could get my hands on. Wasn't scared of anything. Just make sure that whatever it is that he shoots it's on his shoulder and not on his arm. If it just won't work that way, saw the stock. Replacement stocks are cheap.

As far as the single shots go, I would personally stay away from em... Nothing in the world kicks worse than a cheap single shot. One of the worst bruises I EVER got from a gun was an old winchester single shot 16 ga... And I've shot everything from .22 shorts through .375 H&H, 45-120 ect...

If you are REALLY serious about recoil reduction, go with a good gas operated semi auto (beretta, franchi, stoeger), but get a 12 gauge that he can keep forever. If a 12 is just absolutely out of the question, try for a .410 or better yet a 28 ga. Resale on both of those is pretty good as long as you stick with a quality gun... My first shotgun was an old Marlin .410 bolt action. Graduated from that to a Browning BPS 20 ga that I absolutely HATED(because it was way too long and hurt to shoot), and then from that to an Ithica m37 that fit great.

GSP

03-14-2005, 07:32 PM

trust me

03-14-2005, 07:42 PM

Buy a quality gun that he'll still be using in 20 years. I would make the rounds of the gun racks and pick up a nice used 20 pump. A Remington 870 Wingmaster, (NOT the Express!) or an Ithaca 37 would be the ticket. You can pick up an older fixed choke model, and buy a replacement barrel with screw-in chokes if necessary. A single shot is fine, but he'll have to buy bigger and better in not too many years.

I still have the Ithaca 37 20 ga I started out with at 13. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Whatever you get, get quality, even if it's used.

Gobblergetter2.1

03-14-2005, 07:49 PM

If you plan on taking him turkey hunting, the smallest gauge you can use is 20. I would also start him with a 20ga. gas operated semi auto. I started off with a remington 1300 pump 20ga. For turkeys, i shot a 2 3/4" remington hevi shot shell. I would start him out with a small shell. If you are going to take him turkey hunting, start with small shells for target practice, but when your hunting, you can slip a slightly larger shell in the gun. He wont be able to tell the difference because he wont be worried about the recoil. Best of luck to you!

FowlerHowler

03-14-2005, 10:31 PM

Go ahead and git him a fullsize 870. 870's will take a hella beating and will last for a good while. Also while be starting him out on a pump he will learn to take his time. If you start him on a pump he might just go shooting and start out trigger happy but with a pump action it will teach him to take his time and focus on the target a little more.

Like it was said, A single barrel would be an awosme choice because its cheap and they will mostly always last and he will learn the importance of making a quaility shot. I started out on a Stevens single barrel 20 ga. and i still got it and still use it...

P. Beyer

03-14-2005, 10:37 PM

I started mine on a single shot, now hes starting to use a 20 Gauge pump.

Trust me, Why not an 870 express?

trust me

03-15-2005, 08:36 AM

P. Beyer,

I'm not trying to start a pissing match, cause I know lots and lots of folks are toting the 870 Express, but that gun was designed with Wal-Mart in mind. Fit and finish are usually way down, plastic that you can't see, and I know of several that wouldn't even feed shells, right out of the box. I have cut rate guns too, but a used Wingmaster can be found for the same price, or even less. Who cares if it has some scratches or maybe a rust spot? An old Remington 870 Wingmaster will outlast me, you, and our grandchildren. They were just plain better guns 20 or 30 years ago. I know lots of people are happy with their Expresses, and I'm happy for them.

The final straw was when my nephew complained about not being able to hit squirrels. His 20 ga. Express was hitting a full 2 feet low at 30 yards. I told his father to either put it in a vise and crank hell out of it, or buy a new barrel. He instead tried to get the factory to take care of it. Long story short, they said nothing was wrong. From the squirrel's point of view, they were right.

schuyler olt

03-15-2005, 09:20 AM

Any of the guns mentioned here would be good. What I would recommend is coming up with a range of guns, and then let him pick the one he likes the best. Shotgunning is mental--if he likes the gun, likes the way it feels, etc., he'll probably take to it faster and enjoy it more.

I'd go with a 20, and start him out on skeet or dove loads. They have the least recoil, they're cheap, and because they are throwing tons of pellets, they put tons of holes in a pop can. Kids seem to like that, you know? Plastic filled milk jugs are also popular, and nothing beats a watermelon!

BearsBud

03-15-2005, 09:24 AM

You never really said how big the boy is. I started my youngest on a single shot 22/410. The interchangable barrels made it more versatile and it had very little recoil. My son shot most of my guns by the time I bought that one for him, but he prefers it over any of mine. He too didn't care for the kick of the 12ga or the 50 cal.

skeetshooter105

03-15-2005, 09:36 AM

Make a sound long term investment! Remington 1100 20ga. youth model has lite recoil, choke tubes so it can be utilized for all types of hunting, stock fits on most youth and can be changed out later as one grows up..
Single shots, over unders ect. have too much recoil for lite-weight youngsters. I used to instruct the youth in firearms safety and skeet shooting. The two biggest problems were improper gunfit and improper loads in selecting shotshells. Both led to higher recoil and some kids who quit shooting. I don't know of any game animal in KY that cannot be taken with a 20ga. Proper ammo, choke, and target range selection is a must. The Rem. 1100 youth camo 20 ga. can be ordered through Walmart for app. $480.00. You can use an 1100 for years, keep it in good shape and get most of your money back through resale later in life... Dennis

03-15-2005, 10:02 AM

Guess it depends on how "big" the 20 ga is gonna be. I got my 11 year daughter a 20ga New England Arms youth single shooter. It's pretty small, I could probably carry it concealed! But it kicks like a ticked off mule. Once she got used to the recoil and the "fear" of it, she shoots it without flinching. I brought her up on .22s, so it was quite a different experience for her.

So I would image that the "shorter the barrel length", the more the kick. I swear, I think that New England youth single kicks more than my 12's. Be sure to stay away from "double brass" shells (more powder) or the kick will be greater.

RDL270

03-15-2005, 10:16 AM

I think skeetshooter is righton with his advice. All kids are not created equal. If one is already recoil shy... an autoloader with light loads is the way to go. For safety, you can always load just one. Single shots and pumps kick like mules even in 20's.

Remember bring him along at his pace and make it fun. I've seen too many parents pushing kids not only at shooting sports but other sporting activities. The biggest one the comes to my mind is at the gun range before youth season with a young boy and his father with a 7 mm mag. Kid flinched and cried everytime he shot the gun. I was ready to kick his dad..... I'm not a big advocate of youth seasons because of this. I think we should take kids small game hunting before big game and I would like to see an age limit on deer hunting. I know that's not a popular view, but spend sometime in hunter education and on the gun range...........

trust me

03-15-2005, 10:33 AM

I've seen it too, some 90 lb youngun touching off a 30-06, and the dad making fun of him because he cried and didn't want to shoot anymore. What a jerk. Small kids need to start with small game; 22's and pop cans, 410's and squirrels. My 13 year old wants to hunt deer; I tell him just because he can prop up a rifle and pull the trigger, that doesn't make him a deer hunter. He's got some growing up to do. When he can do his part, help in the gutting, help in the dragging, then we'll see. Right now a 12 ga puts a jolt on him, so he's still shooting the 20. For now, I want it to be fun for him. He likes shooting, but he doesn't like busting a gut going up hills. I almost ruined him on grouse hunting by heading up a steep hill with him. So until he can keep up, he doesn't need to go. When picking a gun, or picking an event, JUST KEEP IT FUN! Let them get addicted to hunting before they discover the work (and pain) involved.

moreammoplz

03-15-2005, 10:42 AM

Maybe look at the H&R combos. I bought my son the single shot .20 and then .243 barrel for deer. Great guns and Whittakers or Uncle Lees sell them cheap.

ecmbowhunter

03-15-2005, 10:52 AM

i got a NEF 20 gauge youth model for my 9 yr old...(8 at the time)...and he absolutely loves it...my 12 year old shoots my 7mag .....but he's big enough to think he can whoop his old man....lol:D

P. Beyer

03-15-2005, 10:22 PM

My boy started with the NEF Single shot 20, and I agree....I think it kicks like a Mule, however he handles it no problems. Now he shoots my 870 Express 20 Gauge, it's longer and heavier, therfore doesn't pack as much punch. As for the earlier comments about the Express, all guns aren't equal I guess. You could probally get a bad $200 shotgun just as easy as a bad $1500 shotgun. I've had mine since 1990 or 1991 and I've had not a problem one out of it, Believe me it's been abused also. Maybe I got lucky? Or maybe someone else was unlucky?

Bottom line, Let him or her progress at their pace, limit shooting at 5 or 10 shells so they don't gey whooped and have fun with it. I have more fun shooting 9" paper plates with my Son than I've had in years.

Take Care & Good Luck,
Perry