Youth Gun Suggestions

[boinkins]

Folks, I'm looking for suggestions on a starter turkey gun for kids. My main objective is to have a gun that will kill but with as little recoil as possible. My nephew is 7 and would be using the gun this year. No need to think about "a gun to grow into" because this will be a shared starter gun amongst my family for kids in 6-9ish year old range.

410 seems like the obvious choice and I've looked at Stevens 301 compact and Mossberg 510 mini super bantam. Interested to see what others kids used.

[CALLM2U]

It's going to be hard to beat a 301 in .410 with TSS and a red dot in both function and price. 

[Vintage]

301 is what I would look into.

[Greg Massey]

What I would do is first see if you can find a 410 with a youth stock ... If you buy a single shot, in most cases your going to need to shorten the stock... If the stock doesn't fit these kids, you will end up with way too much movement in them looking down at a gun with a bead or red dot ... I would look at the Mossberg you can always treat a pump or auto as a single shot gun... Trigger is going to make a difference also... some of these single shots the trigger is horrendous ...IMO ... As the old saying goes you get what you pay for in some of these cheap single shots .... IMO

[Muzzy61]

another vote for the 301 with a red dot. Set one up last year for my 8 year old grandson. The took a gobbling Jake  on his first hunt with it.

[krm944]

The Rossi has spacers in the stock. With the spacer removed it's perfect for a 7 year old.

[bigdrumnc]

Cva scout .410.  It's a great gun and comes with a great choke.

[btodd00]

I have multiple 301's and the length of pull was to long for my 7yo, not just a little long I mean not even close. I love the factory choke on both of mine and have never tried another choke that did better

I got him a Rossi and took the piece out of the stock and it fit perfect. The Rossi is very light but it also has a toyish feel to it, haven't had time to pattern yet and see what it will do. They dont stay 7 forever (mine just turned but being able to add the piece back in as they grow is nice

[cannonball]

Has anyone recommending the Rossi actually shot it? It has a polymer receiver and weighs 3lb 10oz.
I have shot one and it recoils more than my 20 gauge Tristar shooting 3" Apex Mossy Oak Blends. I'm not recoil sensitive and it didn't bother me but it might bother a 7 year old. Just something to think about...

[twyatt]

I got my daughter the Stevens 301 and cut 3 2" sections off of the stock.  It's plastic, and took all of 2 seconds on the bandsaw.  As she's gotten a little bigger, I just epoxied a section back on.  I made a recoil pad out of a thin piece of wood and a flip flop and shaped it to fit, but you can also just get a limbsaver slip-on pad.    It's a $189 gun, so I don't mind altering the stock to fit her.   She's 3 for 3 on gobblers with it so far.  Factory choke and Apex Ninja's. 
I have one of the Stevens for myself too, and she's had no problem shooting mine that hasn't been altered, as long as it's sitting on a Caldwell/Bog Field Pod.

My vote is the Stevens and chop the stock, and get a field pod to set it on so that all they have to do is reach up and pull the trigger.   I did notice some in stores with SUPER stiff trigger pull, so if you can, test a few and pick the one with the best trigger.   I tested several and ended up with my current 2 that have excellent triggers, but tried several that were horribly stiff.   As in my daughter couldn't even get them to fire.

[btodd00]

Has anyone recommending the Rossi actually shot it? It has a polymer receiver and weighs 3lb 10oz.
I have shot one and it recoils more than my 20 gauge Tristar shooting 3" Apex Mossy Oak Blends. I'm not recoil sensitive and it didn't bother me but it might bother a 7 year old. Just something to think about...

Haven't got to shoot it yet but in my mind it looks like the recoil from the 301 would be worse the way my youngest has to hold it due to length of pull, unless the stock was cut down. I also thought the Rossi having a thumbhole style grip would make the recoil more manageable. My youngest isn't recoil sensitive so I think he will be ok, but the gun being that light is something to think about. you could probably add shells to the 8 shell holders molded into the back of gun and bulk it up a little bit

Stevens says they 301 weighs right at 5 pounds but the two dont feel very far off in weight, I have not put them on a scale

[cannonball]

My Stevens 301 in .410 weighs 5 pounds and three ounces bare gun. I weighed 8 of my Viper 3" with an ounce of #10's and they were 10 ounces. That would bring the Rossi to 4 pounds and 4 ounces which would help. I wish Limbsaver made a direct fit replacement pad for these. I downloaded the templates and nothing would work. I would rather not do a grind to fit pad and a slip on will just add to the length of pull.