Need some advice on a shotgun for my young daughters. They are ages 10 & 12 but are very petite. My youngest tried to shoulder an 870 youth model but couldn't reach the forend. Looking at the Mossberg super bantam 20 gauge. And advice from you guys with small children would be appreciated. Thanks
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If you could buy a cheap stock cut it down possibly. Or find a cheap 20 gauge single shot and cut it down. Other than that maybe something shorter than the Rem youth is out,but I'm unaware of anyrhing.
If you buy the youth camo 870 , 20 gauge from Walmart it will come with stock spaces.. you will have a short stock and as they grow you can increase the stock size with the spacers ... Message Bottomland54 , he just got one from Walmart and he can tell you all about it and what to ask for at Walmart ....
Take a look at the Stevens 555 Compact in .410 or 20 ga. It's an O/U priced between 650-700 bucks, weighs about 5.5 pounds and has a shorter length of pull. Great little guns and quality is good enough to be passed down to future generations...
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I may be wrong and have been wrong plenty of times. Please please don't get offended at my answer but if your daughter can not reach the forend on a Remington 870 compact 20 gauge she does not need to be shooting a gun. It is one of the shortest compact guns you can buy. How was the stock spacers on it was it thin? Or thick? If it was thick you can remove the spacers and bring it closer in to her body meaning she can reach to forend allot better.
Only other options I would know of is to buy like an old wood stock New England or Stevens single shot at the pawn shop and butcher the stock. The safest way would be to wait another year until she am properly handle the gun which is proper Gun safety. If a kid wants me to take them and they cannot shoulder a 870 compact they are just going to get to watch.
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Here is you a picture of one without spacers
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No offense taken. I am taking her to a couple gun shops today to see what they have for her. I was only looking at the 870 first but have been told to check into the Mossberg line of youth models as well. Thanks for the advice though.
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I like a mossberg or a browning for the top tang safety for myself, but for a youth it is even better. It seems like youths usually have to move their head around and look and move their hand around to the bottom to work the trigger guard safety on other shotguns. Them being able to work the safety without much movement or without me reaching over to take it off safe is great.
I have the same 870 that bottomland54 posted a pic of for my 3 daughters , they are 10, 8, and 5. And they shoot it off a Caldwell dead shot, which makes a huge difference in youth hunters.
May just have to wait a few years till they can grow into a gun.
I see way too many videos of kids who are not ready to handle a gun, much less trying to harvest turkeys.
Quote from: Gamblinman on February 15, 2018, 09:20:06 AM
May just have to wait a few years till they can grow into a gun.
I see way too many videos of kids who are not ready to handle a gun, much less trying to harvest turkeys.
I thought that too but have called in turkeys for dad's with sons who were small. My thought was too place her in front of me and use a device like a "trigger stick" to steady the front end while she handles the stock. She has shot many 22s before that she has handled fine. If the forend was back a little bit, she wouldn't have an issue. I think I just need her to handle a couple more brands to see which would be the best fit
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There are several options out there with 12.5in length of pull. I'd bet money she could shoot the mossberg super bantams comfortably. And for my kids there is a big difference in comfortably shooting a super bantam and a youth 1300
I sometimes ponder whether we are taking the kids for for us or them.. Turkey hunting is a big boys sport. God made squirrels and rabbits for kids and older folks.
The Mossberg 510 super batam mini has a 10 1/4" LOP and is about the smallest you will find... if I'm not mistaken the 870 compact is 13" LOP and the 870 compact jr comes in at 12" LOP but come's with spacer's to add as they grow!
H&R used to have a good deal on their single shot rifles. I bought my youngest son a H&R .243 youth when he was about 7. It was a little too long so I called H&R and they sent me another shorter youth stock for free. That was about 15 years ago so I'm not sure they still do that. I also bought him a H&R youth 20 gauge and it fit him fine. I have been a fan of that company every since.
Quote from: Turkz39 on February 15, 2018, 09:13:16 AM
I have the same 870 that bottomland54 posted a pic of for my 3 daughters , they are 10, 8, and 5. And they shoot it off a Caldwell dead shot, which makes a huge difference in youth hunters.
Made the Caldwell Dead Shot Tree Pod in to a "blind" version and it works awesome! Totally holds the gun, allows for 180° swing (the entire shooting window of the Double Bull) and will adjust for height and tension adjustments allow for free full movement/alignment of gun for shot placement. This way you have the swing for gun and the shot and not having to move the tripod.
MK M GOBL
Well she just handled the Mossberg 510 super batam mini and it fits her well so I think I am headed in the right direction. As for turkey hunting being a big boy sport, I totally disagree. I have taken many youth and if equipped with the right gun, choke, and ammo, the kids do fine. That's just my two cents
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All my kids and wife started on a Franchi 20 ga AL48. Stone killed and smaller frame and stock with light recoil. It worked for us, I hope they love it as much as my daughter. Good luck, Al Baker
Last spring during our youth hunt I had an 11 year old girl (she weighed 65lbs) out to hunt, she used one of my Rem 11-87 12ga turkey guns, we used a Winchester 2 3/4" #5 load. I had her shoot the gun ahead of time and no problems... She killed her bird at under 15yards away and crushed him. After the hunt she asked if she could use my gun again for next year.
MK M GOBL
Mossberg 510 Mini.
You can add spacers to the stock to add length as they grow.
My son has killed 5 birds with this combination.
The Hevi-13 3-1.25-7's are a good shell as well, as they don't have such stout recoil.
The Truglo SSX choke works well in that gun, but a more open modified or full choke will give more wiggle room and not be so tight.
Good luck!
For a youth gun the Mossburg Bantam is perfect. There was a time they sent you a certificate of some sort for an adult stock but they dont anymore. Another thought is getting a 1100 and cutting the stock down and then getting another stock to replace it as she gets older. The only down side to a 20 ga youth gun is that at some point they graduate up to a 12 .
Sounds like you may have decided already.
I purchased a super bantam and added a FF3. Couple of years ago I also built a H&R single shot with a collapsable stock. I added a limb saver recoil pad to the AR style stock also.
Kids pick the single shot every time. Not as heavy and I can tell the there is much less recoil shooting it.
My 9 year old nephew, maybe weighs 80 lbs, shot his first deer with it last fall.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180226/0b7e456066a5d501c7695e9a8d65aefe.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180226/659b2d04709c9628a3aa9973189cba3c.jpg)
Quote from: silvestris on February 15, 2018, 02:08:57 PM
I sometimes ponder whether we are taking the kids for for us or them.. Turkey hunting is a big boys sport. God made squirrels and rabbits for kids and older folks.
Not to hijack the thread "but"
I think most of us do it for the kids, i can remember hens almost stepping on my sons feet when he was 3, granted my strategy changed when he was along, but the excitment and wonder he had was contagious and it was worth every minute. i picked up a little single shot 410 that was deadly with 3" 6s and he started killing turkeys at 6, now at 20 is an excellent woodsman and accomplished hunter.
The lil single shot 410 serviced him well for quite a few years, so don't discount that as an option.
Quote from: silvestris on February 15, 2018, 02:08:57 PM
I sometimes ponder whether we are taking the kids for for us or them.. Turkey hunting is a big boys sport. God made squirrels and rabbits for kids and older folks.
Not to hijack the thread "but"
I think most of us do it for the kids, i can remember hens almost stepping on my sons feet when he was 3, granted my strategy changed when he was along, but the excitment and wonder he had was contagious and it was worth every minute. i picked up a little single shot 410 that was deadly with 3" 6s and he started killing turkeys at 6, now at 20 is an excellent woodsman and accomplished hunter.
The lil single shot 410 serviced him well for quite a few years, so don't discount that as an option.
Quote from: silvestris on February 15, 2018, 02:08:57 PM
I sometimes ponder whether we are taking the kids for for us or them.. Turkey hunting is a big boys sport. God made squirrels and rabbits for kids and older folks.
???
I have mentored many kids, ladies and new to the hunt "Big Boys" over the last 20+ years and a good many are now accomplished turkey hunters. I've had buddies kids out with me when WI reduced the hunting age limit down to 10 and could not make me more proud, they really took to turkey hunting after a few years with me, they listened, learned and after several years they also now teaching their buddies, I have seen them take out younger sister/brother and follows in these "mentors" footsteps. Can't think of anything better than getting kids, ladies and adults involved in the outdoors! This is my passion, my drive!! There is a lot to do with me and turkey hunting and in part a reason to what I do (My Story) and such a great hunt to bring this as a hunt for these hunters!
Definitely NOT just a "big boy sport"
MK M GOBL
How can you beat this stuff!!
Quote from: MK M GOBL on February 26, 2018, 06:48:42 PM
Quote from: silvestris on February 15, 2018, 02:08:57 PM
I sometimes ponder whether we are taking the kids for for us or them.. Turkey hunting is a big boys sport. God made squirrels and rabbits for kids and older folks.
???
I have mentored many kids, ladies and new to the hunt "Big Boys" over the last 20+ years and a good many are now accomplished turkey hunters. I've had buddies kids out with me when WI reduced the hunting age limit down to 10 and could not make me more proud, they really took to turkey hunting after a few years with me, they listened, learned and after several years they also now teaching their buddies, I have seen them take out younger sister/brother and follows in these "mentors" footsteps. Can't think of anything better than getting kids, ladies and adults involved in the outdoors! This is my passion, my drive!! There is a lot to do with me and turkey hunting and in part a reason to what I do (My Story) and such a great hunt to bring this as a hunt for these hunters!
Definitely NOT just a "big boy sport"
MK M GOBL
How can you beat this stuff!!
THIS^^^^^^^
I couldn't agree more! We took my son turkey hunting at a very young age and nothing, I mean NOTHING compared to him killing his first bird after my unsuccessful hunts!
He's now 17, and has 5 birds under his belt!
It was because we took him at an early age he had the knowledge base and experience to help his little sister bag her first tom!
I will take a youth, or first time hunter any chance I get! There's nothing like it!
Quote from: Gawhitaker on February 26, 2018, 05:43:13 PM
Quote from: silvestris on February 15, 2018, 02:08:57 PM
I sometimes ponder whether we are taking the kids for for us or them.. Turkey hunting is a big boys sport. God made squirrels and rabbits for kids and older folks.
Not to hijack the thread "but"
I think most of us do it for the kids, i can remember hens almost stepping on my sons feet when he was 3, granted my strategy changed when he was along, but the excitment and wonder he had was contagious and it was worth every minute. i picked up a little single shot 410 that was deadly with 3" 6s and he started killing turkeys at 6, now at 20 is an excellent woodsman and accomplished hunter.
The lil single shot 410 serviced him well for quite a few years, so don't discount that as an option.
.410....for big boys too.
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Well guys, thanks for the advice. I decided to go with the mini bantam and am going to head to the range sometime this week. It fits her perfectly and she is extremely excited. As for all the comments in regards to turkey hunting being a big boy sport, I totally agree with it being a kids sport. I have taken many youth and seeing them get so excited when the gobblers come in and they get a chance at the and see how they act. Took many and they we're successful but I look back and know that starting them out by turkey hunting was the beginning of them turning into what they are now.
My most memorable is the time I spent with my nephew. He has become a very good hunter (I will try to post some pics of the buck he got in November). I look forward to taking my daughter and making some great memories. Hopefully she will be my hunting partner for life.
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Nephews 12 point(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180303/8309ec153fc42db590771a74af5e2d16.jpg)
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