20 ga for my girls

[wvmntnhick]

Looks like I may be getting rid of the 20 ga that I'd originally had set up for my daughters. They're still a bit small for the 20 at the moment and it appears this model has more public value/interest than I've got in it at the moment. Looking forward, gonna need something for them in the future. Nothing I'll be doing for some time down the road but just curious as to opinions. Obviously the 870 is gonna come up but I'm not overly interested in those, even for the girls. Not a fan. QC has gone south quickly. Not putting them through that. Want to keep it reasonably priced. Preferably under $1k with cheaper certainly being the goal. Had almost gotten them a mossberg 500 bantam before the gun that's here fell into my lap. Anyway, I leave it to the fellas on the forum to help with this decision. Thanks gang.


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[tomstopper]

I got the mossberg 510 mini 20gauge for my daughters and its great. I put about 1-1.5 lbs of lead sinkers in the butt stock to help with recoil. Its throwing great patterns with just the factory full choke. My 13 year old daughter killed a nice tom with it this year.

[wvmntnhick]

I got the mossberg 510 mini 20gauge for my daughters and its great. I put about 1-1.5 lbs of lead sinkers in the butt stock to help with recoil. Its throwing great patterns with just the factory full choke. My 13 year old daughter killed a nice tom with it this year.

Right on man. Thanks for the input. It'd be nice if someone made an affordable 28 ga. That'd make things much easier.


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[tomstopper]

Ya it took me a long time to find one to fit them as they are very small. Great thing is that it comes with extensions for the butt stock so you can make it grow with them.

[wvmntnhick]

Ya it took me a long time to find one to fit them as they are very small. Great thing is that it comes with extensions for the butt stock so you can make it grow with them.

That's what initially pushed me towards the mossberg to begin with. I've got a couple years to decide ultimately so I'm not in a rush but still looking for intel. Thanks again for the input man.


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[zelmo1]

Check out the Stoeger 3020 and the Franchise AL48. The franchise is an awesome little gun. Only 2 3/4" but withtss it will be great. Lightweight and low recoil. Great for a small framed person. AlBaker

[Spitten and drummen]

Take a look at the Winchester SX3 NWTF edition. Awesome little 20.

[Marc]

What all are they going to be shooting with these guns?

Recoil is far more of a concern for wing-shooting and any high-volume shooting than popping a single cap at a turkey when you are excited...  However, practicing to shoot that turkey will cause some issues with recoil and flinching.

Having shopped for my own wife (who is little), and getting ready for my own girls, and being an avid wing and clay shooter myself...  Here are some considerations.

I like a gas-operated gun (especially for clay shooting or dove hunting with high-volume shooting).  Semi-automatic guns recoil less that other guns, and gas-operated guns have considerably less recoil than inertia guns.


The gun has to be light enough for them to shoulder and correctly control (but the lighter the more recoil, and thus the gas-operation).  I have light-weight 20 ga. inertia guns that kick noticeably more than my 12 gauge gas-operated guns.

Gun fit is tremendously important for me...  If the gun is too long, it will recoil more, and they will have far more difficulty shooting it.  I like a wood stock, cause it can be cut to fit better than plastic stock guns.

I bought my wife a Beretta Urika with a wood stock and cut it to a 13" LOP (length of pull).  The gun is ultra-light, reliable, and has manageable recoil (although due to being so light, it does recoil with stout loads).  As little as my wife shoots, it will likely be the gun my girls use when they outgrow the .410.

Wood stock guns can be tough to find though.

Weatherby has an affordable youth shotgun with a 12.5" LOP (which is about as short as you are going to get a semi-auto).  I would look at that gun when picking one out for my kids...  I have not shot the gun (or even held one in hand).

The SX-3 has an adjustable spacer (which goes down to 13" LOP) and I would consider that a better gun than the Weatherby...  Also more Expensive.  I have shot this gun, and although a bit more heavy, it is a light-recoiling gun from my brief experience.

I have not shot the Stoeger, but I have shot the Franchi.  Both are inertia action guns, and the Franchi has some recoil (especially with high-brass shells).  By reputation, both seem to be reliable guns overall though.

Franchi used to make a gas-operated youth gun, that was a good gun, but you would be looking for one used...  Almost bought one for my wife over the Beretta (due to price)...  But, the Beretta has better availability for parts, and I was told that the gas-operated Franchi was going out of production.

[Big Jeremy]

My wife's daughters' gun is a Mossberg Bantam 500. LOP is adjustable from 12"-13". It is light, but if you do what tomstopper said, and add some weight in the butt stock, it helps tremendously with recoil. Without added weight, I estimate turkey loads to have comparable recoil to a 12 ga with bird shot, maybe slightly more. With weight added, mine kicks about like a .243. Nice little gun that rattles like every Mossberg I've ever owned. (I haven't taken the time to line the fore end with felt like I did to others in the past.) For now I don't have the weight in it, and it is a pleasure to carry when I know I am planning to put in lots of miles in a day. Throws a killer pattern with a Wright's Swarm .555 and Federal TSS 9s.

[wvmntnhick]

The gun has to be light enough for them to shoulder and correctly control (but the lighter the more recoil, and thus the gas-operation).  I have light-weight 20 ga. inertia guns that kick noticeably more than my 12 gauge gas-operated guns.

Turkeys will be about it. I'll go gas over inertia just for the recoil aspect. Been thinking about just setting up my 11-87 for them and finding a beater for myself. Had it drilled and tapped few years ago and it did plenty well enough at 40 yards with Fed HW. No clue what it'll do with the tss loads yet. All their small game hunting has been done with a suppressed 22 and my oldest uses either a suppressed 223 or 308 for deer. The 308 weighs 14 pounds so recoil is a non factor. It's not much more than the 308 but still lean towards the 223 just because she can handle it better. She's in love with the "quiet" guns. She asks every time, "Is that my quiet gun?" I've got a 410 that's heading to Sumtoy this summer for a choke job. I'm just looking forward with them at the moment.


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[Mtd69]

i have a winchester sx3 for my son it is compact model it fits him real well very light recoil

[Gog1015]

Remington 11-87 compact 20 with Burris fast fire 3, fits my daughter perfect, with minimal recoil being a gas operated gun.

[CALLM2U]

Remington 11-87 compact 20 with Burris fast fire 3, fits my daughter perfect, with minimal recoil being a gas operated gun.

This is what I'm getting for my girls.  I'm just in 'find the best deal' mode now. 

[taylorjones20]

SX3