Need Help ASAP for a youth hunter worried about recoil!

[socalturkeyman]

My nephew is a bit scared of the shotgun since his other uncle talked it up. Now I know he is worried about it since he didnt want to go shooting with us a few weeks ago.But I have been slowly talking to him,and getting him a bit more comfy around guns. Now we have a 20ga but it rocks with recoil and its not the easiest gun to shoot. I think the 12ga would fit and shoot better for him with a lighter load. Im asking what loads should I be thinking about getting.(stay with turkey loads or drop down to a pheasant load and wait for some close in work on the birds).

[BC]

Mine was worried about recoil. I bought a good recoil pad and started him off shooting dove loads. If you don't tell him, he won't know the difference. When he shoots at a real bird he will be so tunnel visioned at the results of the shot and hyped up on adrenaline, he won't notice the recoil.

[furtracker]

Mine was worried about recoil. I bought a good recoil pad and started him off shooting dove loads. If you don't tell him, he won't know the difference. When he shoots at a real bird he will be so tunnel visioned at the results of the shot and hyped up on adrenaline, he won't notice the recoil.

Let him shoot some dove loads and switch to something heavier when you take him out.  Like was said above.  He'll never notice the difference. 

[lightsoutcalls]

I agree with the above mentioned suggestion.  I used this method with my teenaged daughters and they didn't notice in the excitement of the hunt. 

You might check about a sims slip on recoil pad.  I think if he can shoot the dove/quail loads without the pad, I would just go without and put the turkey loads in without him knowing the difference.

I would never claim to be an authority on load capabilities, but would suggest going with a load known to take a bird down at 30 yards effectively.

[HogBiologist]

sims pad will help alot.  My wife last year had never shot a shotgun.  I put a low brass 2.75 inch squirrel load in and let her shoot.  She never noticed the 3" HS mag blends.

[R AJ]

The Shooter's Friend Pad available from All About Shooting is a fine product if the length of pull is not too long.

[Mike Honcho]

When I got my grandsons 9 - 10 years old started turkey hunting I bought them a NEF youth 20 ga. single shot...I didn't even like shooting it the recoils was so bad ...even with lighter loads.    I removed the butt plate and added about a lb. of lead balls and some filler to keep it from shifting, and re-installed the butt plate.  This made a huge difference in recoil. 

NOTE:  This worked ok for us because we only used the gun for turkey hunting...it did shift the weight balance to the rear somewhat which would not have worked at all for upland bird hunting....clay target shooting etc.  It was not a problem hunting turkeys from a ground blind and they used it successfully until I wised up and bought them a Mossberg 20 ga. bantam turkey.

[Jake#5]

I would get him a limbsaver recoil pad or a remington recoil pad and start him out shooting some low brass 7"s.
and then just put in the turkey load when yall go hunting. JMO

[Bucnspur]

As mentioned before...I have 4 kids that hunt with me and I have them practice with light target loads and the load a 3" turkey load when we go afield. 3 of my kids have been lucky enough to take birds and not one of them ever mentioned the recoil. They were way too excited to go get the turkey then to think about their shoulder.

[Tail Feathers]

Mine was worried about recoil. I bought a good recoil pad and started him off shooting dove loads. If you don't tell him, he won't know the difference. When he shoots at a real bird he will be so tunnel visioned at the results of the shot and hyped up on adrenaline, he won't notice the recoil.

Winner.  Possibly the only case where I would lie to my child, but let 'em shoot dove loads.
When the bird is out front and the turkey load you put in goes off, he'll never know!

[Reloader]

I think the best way is to start them with a very light recoil load in the heaviest gun they can handle. An auto with a good pad helps the most with recoil. Federal makes a low recoil 12ga trap load that would be a great start for the range. It probably will not cycle the action, but that's fine for a young hunter. You could always move to a 2-3/4" turkey load or pheasant load for the hunt, but pattern them yourself to check poi and find the maximum range they are capable of. Don't be scared to shoot 7.5s to up the count, they'll kill em stone dead every time as far as the pattern holds.

Good luck,

Loder

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk.

[Old Gobbler]

try a 12 ga with a tureky choke  , with a limbsaver and 2 3/4 loads

[pogo]

Either a 20 or a 12 gauge with light recoil or managed recoil loads for practice.  These shells kick even less than regular dove loads.  And I echo the good recoil pad comments.  Also, when practicing always use ear protection, becasue many kids hate the loud sound as much as the kick.  I had my 6th grade daughter practice this way.  I would put out 3 orange clay pigeons about 25 yards away and about 5 yards apart, propped up but on the ground.  I had her get into a sitting position similar to what we would do when turkey hunting and shoot each of them one at a time.  It gave her practice in the position, practice moving the gun to get on the target, and confidence when the clay busted that she had killed the target.  I also have had her shoot a regular turkey target at 25 yards.  I used one I printed off the web that was in color so that I could have her aim where the red head meats the feathered neck.  She shot a 1 oz load of 7.5s at it (which is her hunting load).  After the shot she asked me "do you think I hit it"?  We then walked up to the target and she saw 100+ pellet holes in the target and lots in the head of the turkey and it gave her more confidence than anything else.

[gophert]

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/2FEPHT256F7-1.html

Deadly out to about 30 yrds with a good turkey choke.

Tell him my 11 year old daughter can handle it.  But yes, she only practices with dove loads then for the hunt, I slip the turkey load in.  She has no clue and didn't notice when she killed her bird last year.  Good luck!

[Woodsman4God]

You can also buy a slip on shoulder recoil pad, usually made of gel or something like that and absorb alot of recoil