Youth Shotgun

[P. Beyer]

Got a question about a shotgun for my boy,....

He's 10 now, will be 11 by next Spring and he's mighty interested in Turkey hunting. He's a bit small framed, so I don't want to over-gun him. Any suggestions on a Good Turkey gun for him?

"It makes no difference whether I got anything; it has to do with how the day was spent"

Fred Bear

[Multidigits]

870 20 ga. Buy an adult model and find an extra stock and have it cut off 1" and reinstall the pad.

[mossyhorns]

Excellent suggestion, Multi! With the 20 ga. hevi-shot, he won't be giving up as much whammo. Shooters Supply probably has a dumpster full of old 870 stocks and would also be masters at fitting same.

[Tom Threetoes]

Why not just buy an 870 youth model in 20 ga. When he out grows it fit it with a full size stock. If the youth stock is a bit long trade the pad for a standard butt plate. The pad does little to reduce the recoil anyway.

[steelslinger]

The youth model 870 has a 21" bbl on it. This is great for small frames. With the shorter pull length of the stock, the shorter bbl provides really good balance. It has a 3" chamber and adult stocks will bolt right on along with longer bbl's. When he gets bigger, you can opt for the camo synthetic stock and forarm for around $70, not bad.

shoot em in the lips

[Turkeyhunter2]

20 guage 870 with short barrell an try to find a light wait so he wont run out of breath carrying it are his arms gett tired

Cree McFadden

[Grant]

The youngster I have taken the past 2 turkey seasons has a youth model Remmington 20. He has killed turkeys, ducks, doves, quail, ect with it. Its a light, easy to handle gun and he loves it. I don't think you can go wrong with a youth gun.

http://www.hunt101.com/img/097735.jpg

[Remington12]

If you want to do any hiking with your son when you hunt, I would consider the weight of the gun. New England Firearms makes a good single shot 20 ga. that is light to carry and easier to hold up for a longer time when that tom comes in. They make a turkey model that accepts chokes but my youngest took a nice bird this spring with his that only is a modified barrel. It patterns to 30 yds with Rem Supreme. I put a fiberoptic sight on it and used some of that srinkwrap camo on the wood as well.

http://www.hunt101.com/img/141211.jpg (http://www.hunt101.com/?p=141211&c=526&z=1)

http://www.hunt101.com/img/111434.gif

[GSP]

Those New England 20's are light to carry and they will kill a bird![:D]



http://www.hunt101.com/img/029122.jpg

[P. Beyer]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by GSP</i>
<br />Those New England 20's are light to carry and they will kill a bird![:D]



<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Nice Pic...

My Boy is about 1/2 that size, I just don't want the gun to whoop him and scare him. Here is a pic of him at the end of last summer, and he ain't much bigger now. I figure I'll start with light loads for sure. To date a pellet gun and a Bow is all the experience he's got.

http://drummer233.freeservers.com/images/austinbigbass.jpg

"It makes no difference whether I got anything; it has to do with how the day was spent"

Fred Bear

[Multidigits]

You can't go less than the 20 ga. As for recoil, you don't have to shoot turkey loads. Use light, field loads at first. The lighter the gun, the more it will kick. I'd still go with the 870 and use a tripod while he turkey hunting. he won't have to hold the gun up while waiting on the shot.

[Turkeyhunter2]

hey man look you no as well as i do when that turkey comes in an you shoot him u dont fell anything

Cree McFadden

[GSP]

P.B.
Whatever gun you go with, only let him shoot the lightest skeet loads you can find. Use these for practice.
You can do the shooting to compare the differance between were they shoot and where a heavy load shoot. Come hunting day, load up the gun with some 2 3/4 or 3" that pack a punch. I've heard good things about Heavy-shot, regardless load'er up and let him rip it. The tri-pod / bi-pod is a good idea too.

[Remington12]

The way my youngest got used to the recoil was (first) throwing clays and (second) dove hunting. I must have bought him 10 boxes of shells and let him shoot at as many doves as he wanted to. Make sure to give them ear plugs and install a quality recoil pad. Clays are a great teaching tool as I think it is not the best time to teach when the dove are flying overhead.

http://www.hunt101.com/img/111434.gif

[gates]

My boys are too young right now but I will probably get them 1 20 ga youth pump to share for turkey hunting. This was their first year turkey hunting and using push button calls they called in this 21# 10.5" 1.25" bird out of a dog house blind set on the edge of my foodplot. I agree with Remmington 12 make sure they have ear plugs <b>every time </b>they shoot. I use the ear plugs in the pic below because they stay on their neck and I can get them in quick.
http://www.hunt101.com/img/162430.JPG (http://www.hunt101.com/?p=162430&c=500&z=1)

[Remington12]

Great photo Gates! Another thing to consider is a gun rest to prop up the end of the barrel especially if you are sitting in a blind. I hope to get my kids bowhunting out of a blind this deer season.

Looks like you've got some great huntin' buddys!

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