A good starter gun for a youth

[ilbucksndux]

Here is my opinion and experience with youth guns. My boys are now 18,17 and 10. My oldest has always been a big kid. I borrowed a Winchester 20 ga youth gun from a buddy for him to use. I ended up buying him a Charles Daily 20 auto that fit him very well even when he was younger. My middle son was much smaller and he ended up with a Mossburg 500 youth 20 ga. and somewhere along th line I picked up a Mossburg Bantam 20. It was not long and the oldest was using a 870 that was in the closet. The middle son went to a Stoger 2000 after using the 20 for just 2 years. Now witht he 10 year old. He used the Bantam because he started out hunting much younger than the rest of them. The problem with the Bantam is the safety is really stiff,even after working on it. He hates the gun because of that. He started using his brothers Charles Daily. Now he is to the point to where he wants and by next year will need a 12 ga.My situation sounds a bit different than yours cause we duck hunt and have to use a shotgun to deer hunt with too,it sounds like your boy will just be using this for turkeys.

My opinion is get a 870 20 ga and get a youth stock for it for him to use now then switch them out when he gets bigger. 

[jordanz7935]

You cant go wrong with either an 870 youth 20 ga or a single shot 20 ga. 870 youth 20 ga was my first gun as a kid and it hasnt skipped a beat in 15 years. In your sons case, as big as he is already, id go for a single shot 20 ga at 1/3 of the price of an 870. Sounds like he'll be more than ready for a 12 ga in the next couple years.IMO the best "all purpose" shotgun is a 12 ga with a 26" barrel. Both of my single shot 20s are lighter and shorter than my 870. Any 20 ga can be turned into a turkey killn machine its more about shell and choke combo than anything.A single shot 20 is definitely not a waist of money or a mistake by any means, IMO. Good luck!

[Bedlinedf250]

Man so much great info, I appreciate it all and it has my mind doin circles. Every few posts people say pump and once in awhile I'll get one about the single shot. I'm still undecided on an 870 or a single shot, I guess I'll have to consult my better half and see what my budget is.
I myself wasn't to sold on a pump when I started this thread. I thought the single shot would be an awesome gun with a few mods. But with all the great opinions I'm kind of leaning on the 870 side.

[nosaj]

My son at 8 loved target practicing with his 20 ga but did not want to hunt with our hearing protection so I bought him these and he has never looked back.  They are relatively thin so they do not get in the way or fall off as much as the thicker ones.

https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-Amplification-Electronic-R-01526/dp/B001T7QJ9O/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1517605996&sr=8-4&keywords=electronic+hearing+protection