Help with youth 20gs setup

[sasquatch1]

I'm looking at setting up a youth 870 20 ga for my little cousin and am looking for suggestions. I would basically like a real tight pattern to get good results around the 40yd mark. What choke/load would y'all suggest, if I have to reload myself I will but I'd rather not have to if there's something that works good that I can just buy. Thanks!

[Assault]

Hevi-13 choke, 3" magnum blend


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[dirt road ninja]

I've got a 11-87 that was set up for my son to use. With a SSX and hevi 13 7's I consistently get in the mid 130's. I've also got a Sumtoy that was borrowed from another member here and I get similar results with that, but we just haven't tested that choke as much as the SSX. If you want bigger numbers you might have to go with the Federal's or roll up TSS.  I've read about guys turning in much higher numbers than us, but I've never been able to achieve them.   

[captpete]

I'm shooting an 11-87 20ga. with a 26" barrel, Sumtoy choke & Federal HW 7's. I don't remember the numbers, but I do know I'm very confident in it at 40 yards...best patterns I have ever gotten. I called William at Sumtoy and had a great conversation about what I wanted. He set me up with the proper choke and gave me some advice/ideas about how to get the gun to shoot tight patterns for 40yd shots(for me) and a more open pattern for 25-30yd shots(for the wife) using the same choke.

[allaboutshooting]

I'm looking at setting up a youth 870 20 ga for my little cousin and am looking for suggestions. I would basically like a real tight pattern to get good results around the 40yd mark. What choke/load would y'all suggest, if I have to reload myself I will but I'd rather not have to if there's something that works good that I can just buy. Thanks!

Doris and I both shoot 870s in 20 gauge for hunting and in competition. The easiest way we've found to get what you want is with either Hevi-13 shells with #7 shot or with Federal Heavyweight shells with #7 shot through the SSX. That's the off-the-shelf combination that hundreds of hunters have used for the past several years with excellent results.

Thanks,
Clark

[hobbes]

I suspect Clark is one of if not the guru on 20 ga.  The problem I would be concerned about with a 20 that shoots tight enough for 40 is how tight is it at 20 or so.  Most kids are really excited when that bird shows up.  I've witnessed several birds being missed by kids.  In my opinion they need moderate/forgiving patterns at ranges under 30 yards

[Bigspurs68]

I completely agree with Clark's suggestion and I also understand where hobbes is coming from when he says kids have a tendency to get shook up when it's time to pull the trigger. That being said, after seeing my girls who are now 8 and 12, kill 25 birds between them, I would still go with a good tight pattern of hevi 7's. To help a kid make those shots count, there's a couple things that you can do that has been helpful. A red dot helps them get on those close birds easier with confidence that if they have that dot on a neck... It's lights out. Another good thing to do is put decoys out at 25 to 30 yds. This way the pattern is not overly tight if the bird is standing over the decoys. One more thing is to get the kids set up on shooting sticks if possible. A single leg support is better than nothing. Woods hunts without a blind offer many challenges with kids but many times I have held a gun in place across my leg when the girls pulled the trigger on a longbeard.
   The 20ga that my girls hunt with most has a 555 Indian creek choke shooting 3" nitro 7's. We are going to try some federal heavyweights this spring.

[gophert]

Not sure of the age of your cousin, but my daughter has been shooting this since age 9.  We started with the 2 3/4 length Fed HW #7's through a SSX .550.  We now load her own TSS load that she uses a Hastings .566. 

Just like others said, we would put the decoys at 25 yards.  She has never missed.  Here is her rig:

[sasquatch1]

This gun will be being used by me, not my cousin as he has passed a year ago. Just tryin to keep his gun "alive". So too tight of a pattern is of little concern as I'm quite confident in my shooting, just trying to get the most out of it that I can.

[sasquatch1]

I suspect Clark is one of if not the guru on 20 ga.  The problem I would be concerned about with a 20 that shoots tight enough for 40 is how tight is it at 20 or so.  Most kids are really excited when that bird shows up.  I've witnessed several birds being missed by kids.  In my opinion they need moderate/forgiving patterns at ranges under 30 yards

ok, which poster is "Clark

[sasquatch1]

Nvm now I see him

[Tail Feathers]

I don't have a Remington, but I've seen lots of pattern pics here and the tightest, longest shooting factory load and choke will probably be a Sumtoy .562-5 choke with Federal Flite Control Heavy Weight 3" 1.5oz 7's.
Good luck with the build.

[ncturkey]

There a few good choke and load combos that will make that gun a great 40 yard gun.
My daughters youth 870 20 gauge setup with a Indian Creek .562 choke and Hevi 13 3" 1 1/4 oz #7 load was perfect. She took her first turkey with it last year.